Pastor Josh Feuerstein recently put up a $100,000 challenge to anyone who could prove that God doesn't exist. Seth Andrews, host of www.thethinkingatheist.com, responds.
Pat Condell: "Prove God doesn’t exist...... That’s a tough one. Show me how it’s done by proving Zeus and Apollo don’t exist, and I’ll use your method."
I did I let Jesus then Allah and everyone into my life and I went psyco. Not I'm agnostic. As a Christian I thought Jesus died so Christians could sin as much as they want, murder is a sin. Muslim is oppression of education of women and overall women's rights they each have extremist kkk, Isis. But there moral is not the same as ours. We know education is a right and murder isn't good, we don't need a old book to tell us what to believe. We don't need Scientologys money scam. We are sane people. Please let common sense into your life and use that curiosity for once.
I'm not against anyone believing in a god. What I'm against is the organization by people of those beliefs into any type of politically guided, mass monetized social control system.
I used to be a Christian and then one day woke up and realized how dumb it made me. People choose to believe in the bible because it helps them with their insecurities in life, it helps them feel powerful being God's child. I came to realize that the more questions I had and the more I prayed, no God was hearing me. My prayers never got answered and it only led to confusion.
darksidelead Oh right, just because they're plush that means they're care bears? That's racist. Come into the 21st century and stop stereotyping the plushies.
Miranox spaghetti is an Italian food and the FSM bible was written by an american. therefore he is a hoax perpetrated by Americans in order to make fun of Italians. where is my $1,000,000 dollars :D
+Miranox Can you name one person who GENUINELY believes in the FSM? As opposed to many brilliant scientists and leaders who believe in the God of the Bible.
Oddly, the thing about this video that amazes me more than anything else is your ability to speak so clearly and purposefully for 11 and a half minutes seemingly without cuts or retakes and with only 2 barely noticeable pronunciation flubs. Did you memorize that entire speech???
stiimuli Or someone can just let him know that there has been a million dollar prize waiting for decades to teh first person who proves God DOES exist.
Seth Andrews is a brilliant speaker. He has a fantastic podcast and great videos. I would love to see him in person it would be awesome. Very patient to the outlandish responses and replies he gets from Christians as well.
The T-Rex in _my_ yard lives outside the known universe and is completely undetectable by any known means, but left a book that tells me that I should but also should not kill people.
Because either it does exist, and you know it does, or it doesn't, and you know it doesn't. It's pointless to prove you wrong, As your t-rex only seems to affect you.
The most common answer I get when I ask Christians if they would kill their child upon God's request is, "Yes, but God wouldn't actually make me go through with it. He would stop me before I did, like Abraham". sigh
Cortland Wheeler Human sacrifice in the bible that everybody has heard of. Some guy named Jesus. You don't have to dig through the bible to find a reference, hell, a reminder is hanging front and center in every christian church ever. Ask a christian what Jesus did for them, and the auto-response is he died for them. It doesn't get more human sacrifice-ey than that.
Jails across the country contain parents who killed their children because God told them to. Apparently God forgot to intervene and save the child. Must have been busy helping Joel Osteen's wife with her parking space.
Wow, some people have no sense of humor. It was neither a troll nor a serious opinion. I understand the point; you can't prove there isn't a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow but that doesn't mean there is. Sound about right?
***** I agree, Seth, but I do see where Eric is coming from. Some Christians have abandoned reason for their religion. Former Christians like you, Matt, and myself, all reached a point where our use of reason ceased being compatible with our religious beliefs. I'd modify Eric's phrase to say that "You cannot reason someone out of faith if their faith is not actively allowing them to engage reason."
WOW !!! i never thought of that .. you're right . man, do i feel like a fool . i'm sure the wbc needs the funds since freddie has kicked the bucket , oops,hu,hum,cough,fart,puck,,,, i mean ''past away'' . god rest his soul .
Whats the chances of someone having a dream thats almost the same exact, big event which happens that morning? Thats a simple short answer question for you to answer.
Secularist FreeThought I was never a theist, before I was an atheist I was nothing, like I would expect most atheists. I participated in social and cultural life and even if some of them was in a church, I was never a christian. I never believed in an all powerful whatever. If you use reason you will end up on the atheist side as looking at the bible for instinct, it's basically a collection of errors.
Rolf wiberg Not to be a pain in the ass, but everyone is born an atheist. If you've never heard of a god, you don't think that there is one, i. e. you're an atheist, albeit unknowingly. So there is no "nothing" phase. What you mean is that you weren't raised religious.
TheDoomAmbassador You're right. I would go one further and say you CAN be raised religious, still take part and belonging to that society and still not believe in it, hence being atheist for whatever reason staying in that sphere. Maybe due to denial or self preservation (fear of harm). But main problem is still parents and surroundings forcing a view on children.
Just watched this video for the first time. Extremely well thought out, rational and fact based. I was exquisitely impressed with your delivery, and content. I wish I was half as eloquent a speaker and was able to maintain such a thoughtful and concise dialogue. Wonderful video.
Well thought out video that my family would disown me for if I shared it. UGH. Being a former Christian is rough and I'm sure our struggles are similar. Keep doing what you do.
Seth Andrews That was absolutely awesome! Standing Ovation from me!!! I hope you don't mind if I quote you. A lot. I've watched and admired your output for years, but this one I'd missed. I have degrees in English Lit and Philosophy, I know a well conceived, well constructed and cogent argument when I hear one and I know rhetoric properly used. This one checks all of the boxes. 2 thumbs up!
I was a Sunday school teacher when I was in college. This video was the first one that got me thinking and following the yellow brick road out of oz 4 years ago. You have my not so eternal gratefulness.
I really hope someone who knows where he lives, confronts him in person and asks him for some stipulations for his challenge. Specifically, how he defines god. Possibly getting him to sign something saying he'd pay up the 100k if he was proven wrong. He might be too fearful of negative feedback if he refused to back his bet, that he might actually sign documentation. Given that the god of the bible actually contains contradictions, you can actually prove that he doesn't exist as described. Get a signed document, make the proof, and take him to court when he doesn't pay up.
This video never gets old. As a none believer I have crushed every debate with these simple methods and logic againts the thumpers. You Mr Andrews along with Stephen hawkings, and Morgan freeman are my prophets! 🙇♂️
I'll give 100,000 Monopoly dollars to the person who can prove there is not a china teapot in an elliptical orbit between Earth and Mars that is too small to be spotted by any human telescope.
"Flightless animals with wings" Aron Ra actually gives an explanation for why this is possible, and why the first animals with wings were in fact flightless. Wings were likely used by dinosaurs to cover their eggs and keep them warm, and thus they could support a much larger clutch than they could without wings. Wings have purposes beyond flight in many animals. Everything else you mentioned, however, are true vestiges and can only be explained through evolution.
It is obvious that the first animals with wings *must* have been flightless. Otherwise, the opposite must have been true: there were flying animals with no wings, that evolved wings afterwards. I wonder how exactly they flew :) Some animals gained the ability to fly once they developed wings, taking advantage of the fact that they did have wings (not the other way around). Maybe those wings were not evolutionarily discarded long before actually being suitable for flying because they provided some benefit, such as stabilization while running.
Christian here. I appreciate your thoughts, your clarity, and your calm response. This is the type of response that will get us talking instead of bickering. Well done. And, as I'm sure you have heard before, I am praying to God that you may know Jesus Christ and once again believe his claims.
If I was an ignorant, fearful, intuitive shaman living in the middle east 2000 years ago, I would think, speak and act like Jesus. If I was an ignorant, fearful, intuitive scribe living in the middle ages 2000 years ago, I would think, speak and write a book about Jesus. There is nothing written in any canon that an imaginative man could not write on his own.
Dear religious individuals: Why do you place your beliefs in a pedestal? By that I mean, why are you skeptical about all sorts of things like politics and sports but not about religion? Think about it, if your faith is so strong why don't you dare corroborate the claims that have been spoon-fed to you since you were a child? For example, did Adam and Eve exist? We certainly can't corroborate that historically but we can hypothesize that a population of 2 individuals in ANY species has little to no chance of surviving, and zero chance of becoming this abundant in just a few thousand years. Then, you can follow-up with a logical statement such as: If Adam and Eve couldn't have existed, then there is no original sin, if there is no original sin, then there is no real reason for a sacrifice and finally, if there is no real reason for a sacrifice, then Christianity has been falsified. Now, people will tell you that they don't take Genesis literally, that they take it metaphorically. Most people that say this don't even have a clue as to what a metaphor is...so I guess I will tell you. First of all, a metaphor is a figure of speech, in other words a tool to convey meaning. There are metaphors in the bible but the objective will always be to give the meaning of one word to another like referring to god as a shepherd which begs the question, why would anyone get mad when they are called sheep? People want to feel as if they can lead themselves, but let's realize that this is a process. Each of us is born ignorant of the world around us, lets compare that to this fact: Christianity, at least in the US has a lot invested in education, private schools since the Separation of Church and State prohibits the advocacy of any given religion by state funded programs. You have such things as Sunday Schools and Baptism making sure that children start believing in god as soon as possible. Astounding, since that is the only way I can conceive one would believe such utter non-sense. On top of that, it is not enough that they believe a god exists, they have to fear as well. Because god is like Freddy Kruger, he needs our fear for his mere existence to be possible. In the past, fear was instilled by ignorance and violence, not much has changed except the downgrade of violence to a more socially oriented violence like bullying and ostracizing. Well, at least we are not being burned at the stake anymore. Any other system of ideas that would even dare to go to such measures to try and keep their people faithful would surely be ridiculed out of the county, but religion has always been placed in a pedestal, with a don't touch sing. The less you contemplate it, the less you think about it, the easier life will be for you. However, you are between that and living a lie. You choose. Eventually you will get out of the woods, but you will never get back the time lost pretending.
Jacob K fair enough, I just hope you realize that you can obtain that without having to believe the extraordinary claims Christianity requires you to believe. I'm pretty sure you've heard this before but there are millions of atheists out there that are living stable, meaningful, moral lives without a deity.
Regarding the challenge : the money isn't there. Josh will have made no effort to secure any actual funds in case his challenge is met because the challenge is dishonest and he has no intention of paying. Forget about whether or not it is possible to prove "a negative," Josh simply would not accept any proof no matter how iron clad.
Let's suppose that a god of some kind DOES materialize. It's this glowing, floating mass that can communicate telepathically in all languages simultaneously. It appears before everyone at once and says, "I am everything." Do you know what would happen next? The Christians would be quick to say this was their god, Yahweh. Muslims would declare it Allah. Hindus would declare it Vishnu. Everyone would see THEIR god in it, and would be quick to accept this appearance as evidence. Meanwhile, the Atheist would say, "Hmm. Well, I guess there IS a god out there. But we still don't know if it correlates to any of the world's religions. I did not see a name tag."
This is a never ending merry-go-round though. We say _"God could easily have shown himself to all of us, and been a common experience we all shared and could compare notes about"_, and the Christian will then say _"Yeah, but free will and original sin"_, to which we reply _"What about all the characters in the Bible who allegedly had more or less direct contact with God? What about Satan, for instance?"_, to which they change the subject, and eventually we're back to Josh's circle of knowledge.
Corey Hoffmeyer Yes, it _can_ work, over time. I'm one of those people. Believed in and "knew" God existed until I was thirty-something. I can't really put my finger on one, or a few specific things, that made me go that way though. Something enabled me to look at my beliefs from 'outside the bubble', and then it clicked, at least after a while.
Way back when, god had zero problems showing himself. Undeniable acts of a deity happened all the time. Bushes on fire that don't burn and then SPEAK!!! Rivers turning into actual blood, frogs raining from the sky, an entire sea getting out of the way of an old guy with a stick. Dead people that stop being dead. Disclaimer: I realize that none of the shit listed above actually happened.
MichaelB769 Then wouldn't that disprove the idea of Satan then? Why would a character like God create humans, then run off to other galaxies creating stuff while we're stuck here being "corrupted" by his fallen angel? Doesn't sound like he's equipping his "children" with the tools they need to be successful here on Earth.
Wow. This comment section is literally filled with theists making a huge effort to shift the burden of proof away from their claim that a god exists. I think most of them know what they are doing but have decided that dishonest discourse is allowed when in defense of their invisible superfriend.
i love how you are good at verbalizing things i cannot!! i get too frustrated and give up. seeing this video gives me a little hope that the world isn't so insane after all. I'm not the only one who doesn't believe in a book written thousands of years ago. with no proof. so thanks again.
I used to think that Christianity stole the Prometheus story somehow.Because the story I heard was that Lucifer take the shape of the snake and convinced Eve to eat the apple.Offering the humans knowledge.Just the way Prometheus stole the fire and gave it to the humans.
What "theory" means in ordinary speech: The term "theory" means a very different thing when used in everyday conversation and in science. In our day to day speech, we often use "theory" to mean a guess or unsubstantiated idea about how something works (as in "I have a theory that gremlins are hiding my car keys"). In science, we would call such a guess a hypothesis, not a theory. A hypothesis is a proposed explanation for an observation. In this case, I am proposing that the explanation for why I can't find my car keys is that gremlins are hiding them.* The distinction between the words "Theory" and "Hypothesis" is very important because in science "Theory" does not mean "guess". I repeat, "Theory" does not mean "guess". So, what does the word "theory" mean in science? According to the National Academies of Sciences, "some scientific explanations are so well established that no new evidence is likely to alter them. The explanation becomes a scientific theory. In everyday language a theory means a hunch or speculation. Not so in science. In science, the word theory refers to a comprehensive explanation of an important feature of nature supported by facts gathered over time. Theories also allow scientists to make predictions about as yet unobserved phenomena". People who don't understand this distinction sometimes dismiss ideas saying "it's just a theory" (this is very commonly used to suggest that evolution is just speculation, for example). But, when scientists speak of the theory of gravity or the theory of evolution, they don't mean that these are random untested ideas that someone came up with after too many beers. The AAAS (American Association for the Advancement of Science), the world's largest scientific society, has this explanation of what scientists mean when they use the word "theory": " A scientific theory is a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world, based on a body of facts that have been repeatedly confirmed through observation and experiment. Such fact-supported theories are not "guesses" but reliable accounts of the real world."
+Eagle I'm pretty sure that at least most of them understand the word theory by now, both the scientific and common usage. Just as I'm sure they understand the word atheist. It's just more convenient at this point to stick to their script. After all its much easier to argue with a straw man than actual ideas. However, if someone genuinely does not understand I agree we should shed some light on this. Although, so far every time I've tried to explain it, I've noticed they prefer to use their preconceived notions.
Yes indeed - common parlance is wrong. Maybe worth giving this link: notjustatheory.com/ The creationtards will still lie, but now they know for sure they're lying.
Excellent video! I once asked a pair of young ladies going from apartment to apartment in my complex spreading the word, "Would God exist if man didn't?" One immediately said NO! The other was silent. The young lady who said "no" reinforced my understanding that we created the concept of God at a time when we had little knowledge and understanding of our existence. Those times, however, are long gone. Still, many choose to believe in God because doing anything else is more difficult for them. Not those of us who don't believe (I used to also), but "them." That is why all the imaginary Gods continue to exist in this far more knowledgeable time. And that will slowly change, but slowly because humans change slowly. :)
This is so full of win...I don't even know where to start. Well spoken, well reasoned, I honestly don't know where to finish complimenting your response video. You managed to nail, quite effectively, the fallacy of these "prove he doesn't exist" claims, challenges, and the like. Keep posting with logic. Well done sir.
this video help me with thoughts i've been trying to put words to. i was born and raised catholic, but have been steadily losing my faith. it just doesn't make sense to me anymore. the fact that so many religions exist makes me skeptical because they all have faith they are right, but when we all die a bunch of people are going to be pissed off that they were wrong. I'd rather live my life as full as I can, and if there is some being out there that wants me to do stuff for him I'd rather him tell me than leave it to supposed interpreters of old texts to tell me. cuz if he doesn't exist, then religion and faith were just a complete waste of my short life. i'd rather live it on my terms.
***** Actually, according to the bible, even if we live good lives, we aren't christian; therefore, we deserve the same fate that murderers, rapists, and thieves get. Well, at least murderers, rapists, and thieves that didn't do those things under the bible.
If I may say, I suggest looking into as many faiths and beliefs as you can, before determining your standing on it. If you're gonna be an atheist, then do this to understand them.
Nerdy Nachos Cows and Josh Feuerstein.......yep, I can see the similarities there. lol You know I'm probably being a little unfair here. So I would like to take this opportunity to apologize........to the cows. I'm so very sorry cows for comparing you to the likes of Josh Feuerstein. I realize you cows are much more attractive and not nearly as annoying to hang out with as is the case with Josh F. It shan't happen again. :)
William Strumfels I'll grant you that it certainly doesn't help. However Josh Feuerstein is small potatoes compared to the likes of Donald Trump. Now there's someone who's proving by the millions how stupid some of my fellow Americans can be.
Ah Seth! I'm a long time fan of yours,but I've never commented (that I can remember). I really want to tell you this video is amazing. I think it will be hugely influential. You really schooled this poor poor man.
Daniel Calhoun Man as God ... beautiful ... that is something to fear ... Let's hope Computers will be running the world soon ... Computers don't have emotions ... at least not yet
Pat Condell: "Prove God doesn’t exist...... That’s a tough one. Show me how it’s done by proving Zeus and Apollo don’t exist, and I’ll use your method."
Thanks for reminding me to check out his channel.
They live on mount Olympus we've seen the top of mount Olympus mind blown
George the hacker you have to believe before they reveal themselves to you.
...meanwhile Isis is passing thor a cup of tea while having a laugh about the christians and their "unique" god ;)
I did I let Jesus then Allah and everyone into my life and I went psyco. Not I'm agnostic. As a Christian I thought Jesus died so Christians could sin as much as they want, murder is a sin. Muslim is oppression of education of women and overall women's rights they each have extremist kkk, Isis. But there moral is not the same as ours. We know education is a right and murder isn't good, we don't need a old book to tell us what to believe. We don't need Scientologys money scam. We are sane people. Please let common sense into your life and use that curiosity for once.
Such an amazing video, spot on :)
is just me or dose he look like a fat Fred Durst ?
Excellent argument. To bad his opponent is a gibbering idiot and won't be able to comprehend it.
I'm not against anyone believing in a god. What I'm against is the organization by people of those beliefs into any type of politically guided, mass monetized social control system.
+Dill very insightful
Merle Patterson Religion is a business, every human being has the right to believe in a god, but not mafia should be allowed to work, i agree
I used to be a Christian and then one day woke up and realized how dumb it made me. People choose to believe in the bible because it helps them with their insecurities in life, it helps them feel powerful being God's child. I came to realize that the more questions I had and the more I prayed, no God was hearing me. My prayers never got answered and it only led to confusion.
Are you denying the existence of plush time-traveling teddy bears? How can you say that? Why are you dissing my religious beliefs.
darksidelead Oh right, just because they're plush that means they're care bears? That's racist. Come into the 21st century and stop stereotyping the plushies.
Michael Price Ted be with you.
MelkorHimself And also with you.
Michael Price it's 'and with your spirit' now. they changed it.
Matthew Ficocelli " it's 'and with your spirit' now. they changed it."
Heretic.
I offer $100000 to anyone who can prove the Flying Spaghetti Monster does not exist.
Miranox spaghetti is an Italian food and the FSM bible was written by an american. therefore he is a hoax perpetrated by Americans in order to make fun of Italians. where is my $1,000,000 dollars :D
J. Cole
Yes, it was written by an American who received divine inspiration :)
Miranox I was touched by his noodle-y appendage.
Miranox I ate him. He doesn't exist......anymore
+Miranox Can you name one person who GENUINELY believes in the FSM? As opposed to many brilliant scientists and leaders who believe in the God of the Bible.
Oddly, the thing about this video that amazes me more than anything else is your ability to speak so clearly and purposefully for 11 and a half minutes seemingly without cuts or retakes and with only 2 barely noticeable pronunciation flubs. Did you memorize that entire speech???
That said, someone needs to issue a totally serious looking $100,000 "prove leprechauns don't exist" challenge in response to that guy.
stiimuli
He was a radio personality for 10 years, he's used to speaking in only one take.
He spent years in radio. He's a pro.
stiimuli
Or someone can just let him know that there has been a million dollar prize waiting for decades to teh first person who proves God DOES exist.
Seth Andrews is a brilliant speaker. He has a fantastic podcast and great videos. I would love to see him in person it would be awesome. Very patient to the outlandish responses and replies he gets from Christians as well.
I have an invisible, intangible T-Rex in my yard. Don't believe me? Prove I don't.
My T-Rex is better than yours, it can do anything it chooses.
The T-Rex in _my_ yard lives outside the known universe and is completely undetectable by any known means, but left a book that tells me that I should but also should not kill people.
Because either it does exist, and you know it does, or it doesn't, and you know it doesn't. It's pointless to prove you wrong, As your t-rex only seems to affect you.
Michael Lamb
Why are you angry at the T-Rex? He only wants to save you from being eaten by himself. Let the T-Rex into your heart!
Because it's obviously a false T-Rex, mine is much better.
I was a atheist growing up, but later became a christian when I heard pat robertson on tv.
JK, that doesn't happen
Pat Robertson ensured I'd never go back to Christianity ever again.
an*
The most common answer I get when I ask Christians if they would kill their child upon God's request is, "Yes, but God wouldn't actually make me go through with it. He would stop me before I did, like Abraham".
sigh
Human sacrifice is in the Bible. Tell them to read Judges 11:29-40. The story of Jephthah's daughter.
Cortland Wheeler Human sacrifice in the bible that everybody has heard of.
Some guy named Jesus. You don't have to dig through the bible to find a reference, hell, a reminder is hanging front and center in every christian church ever. Ask a christian what Jesus did for them, and the auto-response is he died for them. It doesn't get more human sacrifice-ey than that.
Cortland Wheeler Took the words right out of my mouth. That's exactly what I was thinking of.
Jails across the country contain parents who killed their children because God told them to. Apparently God forgot to intervene and save the child. Must have been busy helping Joel Osteen's wife with her parking space.
Justin Bieber has millions of views, that's your proof there is no god.
Either you failed at trolling or you are stupid as a brick, because you missed main point about this video
Wow, some people have no sense of humor. It was neither a troll nor a serious opinion. I understand the point; you can't prove there isn't a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow but that doesn't mean there is. Sound about right?
your humor is bad and you should feel bad
Jay Kline of what?
It works for me.
Such an eloquent response. Thank you for the much needed words of wisdom and reason you provide.
11 minutes of common sense.
Question everything.You can't reason someone out of a position they did not reason themselves into.
If that was true, I'd still be a Christian. I, Matt Dillahunty and many others were reasoned out of our faith.
***** I agree, Seth, but I do see where Eric is coming from. Some Christians have abandoned reason for their religion. Former Christians like you, Matt, and myself, all reached a point where our use of reason ceased being compatible with our religious beliefs. I'd modify Eric's phrase to say that "You cannot reason someone out of faith if their faith is not actively allowing them to engage reason."
i question THAT.
***** Oxford comma fail. Thought this was written by Matt Dillahunty.
Or was it o.O ?
I am living proof that the latter portion of your comment is false.
Great voice.
TCBeads Yeah, he does have that perfect radio voice, and can even tackle video, as he is not ugly. Not a 10, by any means, but not ugly
You can tell he has a history in radio. ☺️
as a Christian, I want to apologize for that man.
i'll give $1,000,000 to anyone that can prove the existence of a god ...
any takers ??
WOW !!! i never thought of that .. you're right .
man, do i feel like a fool .
i'm sure the wbc needs the funds since freddie has kicked the bucket , oops,hu,hum,cough,fart,puck,,,, i mean ''past away'' . god rest his soul .
Explain
I feel a tickle in my balls. Is that god too?
illusion of freedom Inwould like to point you to the DNA strand, evidence of god
Whats the chances of someone having a dream thats almost the same exact, big event which happens that morning?
Thats a simple short answer question for you to answer.
It really doesn't matter, you can't reason with religious people by default. Pure empirical data will not change anything.
*****
It doesn't work with people who would believe 2+2=5 though.
Secularist FreeThought I was never a theist, before I was an atheist I was nothing, like I would expect most atheists. I participated in social and cultural life and even if some of them was in a church, I was never a christian. I never believed in an all powerful whatever. If you use reason you will end up on the atheist side as looking at the bible for instinct, it's basically a collection of errors.
Rolf wiberg
Not to be a pain in the ass, but everyone is born an atheist. If you've never heard of a god, you don't think that there is one, i. e. you're an atheist, albeit unknowingly. So there is no "nothing" phase. What you mean is that you weren't raised religious.
TheDoomAmbassador You're right. I would go one further and say you CAN be raised religious, still take part and belonging to that society and still not believe in it, hence being atheist for whatever reason staying in that sphere. Maybe due to denial or self preservation (fear of harm). But main problem is still parents and surroundings forcing a view on children.
If you couldn't reason with religious people, I'd still be religious. -Seth
God is as much real, as his $100,000.
HA!
Nice one
He should show us a bank statement. I'm not buying that 100,000 story on faith and faith alone.
Just watched this video for the first time. Extremely well thought out, rational and fact based. I was exquisitely impressed with your delivery, and content. I wish I was half as eloquent a speaker and was able to maintain such a thoughtful and concise dialogue. Wonderful video.
Well thought out video that my family would disown me for if I shared it. UGH. Being a former Christian is rough and I'm sure our struggles are similar. Keep doing what you do.
Same :)
Rock the boat! Jesus said he came to bring the sword, I say bring a .45.
6 years later I hope you're doing well, I have a similar situation.
Hey Christians, if we came from dirt why is there still dirt?
You're walking on my future progeny.
Justin Webb XD
Wow. Seth took the gloves off. Josh got his ass smashed.lol
***** Lol...I agree my friend. Gottta love watching these clowns get owned.
If god doesnt exist then how do you explain your smooth as fuck voice!?
Checkmate atheists
Good one
damn... got me...
Admitting to not know something is not forbidden at all, and though assuming a god explains everything, it predicts nothing and is thereby useless.
You realize he was being sarcastic, right?
Best radio voice I ever heard.
You were already way over Josh's head when you said, "hey, I'm Seth Andrews".
that guys like a Fred Durst Kevin James hybrid, we must destroy it!
Haha yess
"Why is anyone listening to you? [Feuerstein]"
That's a question I ask whenever I glimpse one of his videos.
+Mike Davey People afraid of death love to listen to idiots who tell them there's life after death.
+Mike Davey that's a paradox...?
Seth.. thank you.. I appreciate you standing up! This video was sent out to my friends and family. ..woot woot keep up the awesome work.
You should do more videos like these alongside your podcasts Seth.
Your voice is just so relaxing, smooth, and something to listen to. Amazing channel.
Seth Andrews That was absolutely awesome! Standing Ovation from me!!! I hope you don't mind if I quote you. A lot.
I've watched and admired your output for years, but this one I'd missed. I have degrees in English Lit and Philosophy, I know a well conceived, well constructed and cogent argument when I hear one and I know rhetoric properly used. This one checks all of the boxes. 2 thumbs up!
I was a Sunday school teacher when I was in college. This video was the first one that got me thinking and following the yellow brick road out of oz 4 years ago. You have my not so eternal gratefulness.
Oh the sweet sound of reason! Hallelujah brother TTA :)
I wonder if Feuerstein has proven he actually has $100,000.
If he had the money, he would have already spent it at KFC by now.
You have to BELIEVE he has $100,000 then the cash will reveal itself to you. But you don't get to keep it until after you die.
***** lol
well, he is a pastor so...
I really hope someone who knows where he lives, confronts him in person and asks him for some stipulations for his challenge. Specifically, how he defines god. Possibly getting him to sign something saying he'd pay up the 100k if he was proven wrong. He might be too fearful of negative feedback if he refused to back his bet, that he might actually sign documentation.
Given that the god of the bible actually contains contradictions, you can actually prove that he doesn't exist as described. Get a signed document, make the proof, and take him to court when he doesn't pay up.
Been following you for a while. Thank you. You do it well!!!! And I so agree- keep it going, because it is hard. Well done, sir!
This video never gets old. As a none believer I have crushed every debate with these simple methods and logic againts the thumpers.
You Mr Andrews along with Stephen hawkings, and Morgan freeman are my prophets! 🙇♂️
Thank you
This started off a bit weak but ended very strongly. Thumbs way up, well deserved.
thank you Seth. great to hear you.
"A god who is the hide and seek champion of the universe" - that line just had me in stitches
Well reasoned, passionate but not abusive. We need more guys like Seth Andrews. Great speaking voice too!
I'll give 100,000 Monopoly dollars to the person who can prove there is not a china teapot in an elliptical orbit between Earth and Mars that is too small to be spotted by any human telescope.
That teapot fell out of orbit, landed on the trampoline in my backyard, and I caught it on the third bounce.
It's now in my china cabinet, pay up.
Luckystrike
Pics or didn't happen
MarklenIngyer
I can't find my camera.
I think it's in orbit somewhere between Earth and Mars. I've looked everywhere else.[:
Brilliant.
you are wrong: the teapot orbits between the earth & venus!
i mean, who wants cold tea?
Seth, this is one of the best responses ever. Thank you!
That was excellent. Thank you Seth Andrews.
I exist. You exist. Dogs exist. The world exists. Where is my $100,000?
"Flightless animals with wings"
Aron Ra actually gives an explanation for why this is possible, and why the first animals with wings were in fact flightless. Wings were likely used by dinosaurs to cover their eggs and keep them warm, and thus they could support a much larger clutch than they could without wings. Wings have purposes beyond flight in many animals. Everything else you mentioned, however, are true vestiges and can only be explained through evolution.
I wasn't speaking at that moment about evolution. I was speaking to "design."
all nicely explained, but has nothing to do with Seth's statement in the video :) please watch again.
Many flightless birds today evolved from birds that did fly in the past.
Bryce William turkeys and chickens are not flightless.
It is obvious that the first animals with wings *must* have been flightless. Otherwise, the opposite must have been true: there were flying animals with no wings, that evolved wings afterwards. I wonder how exactly they flew :)
Some animals gained the ability to fly once they developed wings, taking advantage of the fact that they did have wings (not the other way around). Maybe those wings were not evolutionarily discarded long before actually being suitable for flying because they provided some benefit, such as stabilization while running.
Well said sir. Very eloquently and no offensive words. two thumbs up for you.
Christian here. I appreciate your thoughts, your clarity, and your calm response. This is the type of response that will get us talking instead of bickering. Well done. And, as I'm sure you have heard before, I am praying to God that you may know Jesus Christ and once again believe his claims.
If I was an ignorant, fearful, intuitive shaman living in the middle east 2000 years ago, I would think, speak and act like Jesus. If I was an ignorant, fearful, intuitive scribe living in the middle ages 2000 years ago, I would think, speak and write a book about Jesus. There is nothing written in any canon that an imaginative man could not write on his own.
Dear religious individuals:
Why do you place your beliefs in a pedestal? By that I mean, why are you skeptical about all sorts of things like politics and sports but not about religion? Think about it, if your faith is so strong why don't you dare corroborate the claims that have been spoon-fed to you since you were a child? For example, did Adam and Eve exist? We certainly can't corroborate that historically but we can hypothesize that a population of 2 individuals in ANY species has little to no chance of surviving, and zero chance of becoming this abundant in just a few thousand years. Then, you can follow-up with a logical statement such as: If Adam and Eve couldn't have existed, then there is no original sin, if there is no original sin, then there is no real reason for a sacrifice and finally, if there is no real reason for a sacrifice, then Christianity has been falsified. Now, people will tell you that they don't take Genesis literally, that they take it metaphorically. Most people that say this don't even have a clue as to what a metaphor is...so I guess I will tell you. First of all, a metaphor is a figure of speech, in other words a tool to convey meaning. There are metaphors in the bible but the objective will always be to give the meaning of one word to another like referring to god as a shepherd which begs the question, why would anyone get mad when they are called sheep? People want to feel as if they can lead themselves, but let's realize that this is a process. Each of us is born ignorant of the world around us, lets compare that to this fact: Christianity, at least in the US has a lot invested in education, private schools since the Separation of Church and State prohibits the advocacy of any given religion by state funded programs. You have such things as Sunday Schools and Baptism making sure that children start believing in god as soon as possible. Astounding, since that is the only way I can conceive one would believe such utter non-sense. On top of that, it is not enough that they believe a god exists, they have to fear as well. Because god is like Freddy Kruger, he needs our fear for his mere existence to be possible. In the past, fear was instilled by ignorance and violence, not much has changed except the downgrade of violence to a more socially oriented violence like bullying and ostracizing. Well, at least we are not being burned at the stake anymore. Any other system of ideas that would even dare to go to such measures to try and keep their people faithful would surely be ridiculed out of the county, but religion has always been placed in a pedestal, with a don't touch sing. The less you contemplate it, the less you think about it, the easier life will be for you. However, you are between that and living a lie. You choose. Eventually you will get out of the woods, but you will never get back the time lost pretending.
Not every Christian out there is a cradle-Christian who accepts christianity merely because they've been told to.
Jacob K so what is your excuse?
Hector Flores there are many reasons why I'm a Christian. But to name a few would be stability, purpose, value for others, and a moral code to follow
Jacob K fair enough, I just hope you realize that you can obtain that without having to believe the extraordinary claims Christianity requires you to believe. I'm pretty sure you've heard this before but there are millions of atheists out there that are living stable, meaningful, moral lives without a deity.
Hector Flores it is very difficult to live a stable, meaningful life when you have nobody to support you throughout the way.
As an aspiring broadcaster, I will say that your voice and oration skills are outstanding! I hope to hear you in a wider platform soon.
You are a wonderful person. Thank you.
Great video Seth, I really like this format.
GOOD ONE MATE!
This was inspiring. I love his calm logic and the questions he asked. Great video, absolutely loved it!
Brilliant. Look forward to more
Regarding the challenge : the money isn't there. Josh will have made no effort to secure any actual funds in case his challenge is met because the challenge is dishonest and he has no intention of paying. Forget about whether or not it is possible to prove "a negative," Josh simply would not accept any proof no matter how iron clad.
Exactly. Religious people, especially those creationist nutters, routinely reject or alter evidence that does not support their own presuppositions.
I love that "hide and seek champion" remark.
Watching since 2010, and still as good as ever. Time to sit back on the couch, have a good craft beer, and just be entertained in an educational way.
I could listen to you talk all day
Let's suppose that a god of some kind DOES materialize. It's this glowing, floating mass that can communicate telepathically in all languages simultaneously. It appears before everyone at once and says, "I am everything."
Do you know what would happen next?
The Christians would be quick to say this was their god, Yahweh. Muslims would declare it Allah. Hindus would declare it Vishnu. Everyone would see THEIR god in it, and would be quick to accept this appearance as evidence.
Meanwhile, the Atheist would say, "Hmm. Well, I guess there IS a god out there. But we still don't know if it correlates to any of the world's religions. I did not see a name tag."
An atheist would ask - is this an alien? Why would the religious assume it's a god?
This is a never ending merry-go-round though. We say _"God could easily have shown himself to all of us, and been a common experience we all shared and could compare notes about"_, and the Christian will then say _"Yeah, but free will and original sin"_, to which we reply _"What about all the characters in the Bible who allegedly had more or less direct contact with God? What about Satan, for instance?"_, to which they change the subject, and eventually we're back to Josh's circle of knowledge.
It's true, but if we can reach even one person, then the "endless merry-go-round" was worth it.
Corey Hoffmeyer Yes, it _can_ work, over time. I'm one of those people. Believed in and "knew" God existed until I was thirty-something. I can't really put my finger on one, or a few specific things, that made me go that way though. Something enabled me to look at my beliefs from 'outside the bubble', and then it clicked, at least after a while.
Way back when, god had zero problems showing himself. Undeniable acts of a deity happened all the time. Bushes on fire that don't burn and then SPEAK!!! Rivers turning into actual blood, frogs raining from the sky, an entire sea getting out of the way of an old guy with a stick. Dead people that stop being dead.
Disclaimer: I realize that none of the shit listed above actually happened.
MichaelB769 Then wouldn't that disprove the idea of Satan then? Why would a character like God create humans, then run off to other galaxies creating stuff while we're stuck here being "corrupted" by his fallen angel? Doesn't sound like he's equipping his "children" with the tools they need to be successful here on Earth.
ikill4klondikebars If life wasn't restricted to our planet, I'd imagine the corruption you speak of wouldn't be, either. They'd both be busy.
Love your logic! :D I have tried to express this concept many times to religious people for years and years now.
Your voice is a pleasure to listen to sir.
Wow. This comment section is literally filled with theists making a huge effort to shift the burden of proof away from their claim that a god exists.
I think most of them know what they are doing but have decided that dishonest discourse is allowed when in defense of their invisible superfriend.
You have the voice of a god; (ironically) you sound like the radio host on Silent Hills P.T. Keep up the good work!
JaySpacey fuck that was a good demo. Sucks they scrapped it
HydraLinsK Yeah It's too bad :(
JaySpacey del toro and kojima are both working on a joint project together. nothing is known about it except it exists.
thanks for this - i love the way you get your points across
I simply want to say THANK YOU!
You nailed it, Seth!
Thank God I'm an Atheist
i love how you are good at verbalizing things i cannot!! i get too frustrated and give up. seeing this video gives me a little hope that the world isn't so insane after all. I'm not the only one who doesn't believe in a book written thousands of years ago. with no proof. so thanks again.
Wonderfully well put together rebuttal
I prefer the Prometheus movie version of a creator(s) Waay more interesting anyway
I used to think that Christianity stole the Prometheus story somehow.Because the story I heard was that Lucifer take the shape of the snake and convinced Eve to eat the apple.Offering the humans knowledge.Just the way Prometheus stole the fire and gave it to the humans.
MadBrainBox Oh i meant the movie Prometheus :)
Nitrobucket Dude that would be awesome. Though terrifying because we would have face raping aliens
What "theory" means in ordinary speech:
The term "theory" means a very different thing when used in everyday conversation and in science. In our day to day speech, we often use "theory" to mean a guess or unsubstantiated idea about how something works (as in "I have a theory that gremlins are hiding my car keys").
In science, we would call such a guess a hypothesis, not a theory. A hypothesis is a proposed explanation for an observation. In this case, I am proposing that the explanation for why I can't find my car keys is that gremlins are hiding them.*
The distinction between the words "Theory" and "Hypothesis" is very important because in science "Theory" does not mean "guess". I repeat, "Theory" does not mean "guess".
So, what does the word "theory" mean in science?
According to the National Academies of Sciences, "some scientific explanations are so well established that no new evidence is likely to alter them. The explanation becomes a scientific theory. In everyday language a theory means a hunch or speculation. Not so in science. In science, the word theory refers to a comprehensive explanation of an important feature of nature supported by facts gathered over time. Theories also allow scientists to make predictions about as yet unobserved phenomena".
People who don't understand this distinction sometimes dismiss ideas saying "it's just a theory" (this is very commonly used to suggest that evolution is just speculation, for example). But, when scientists speak of the theory of gravity or the theory of evolution, they don't mean that these are random untested ideas that someone came up with after too many beers.
The AAAS (American Association for the Advancement of Science), the world's largest scientific society, has this explanation of what scientists mean when they use the word "theory":
" A scientific theory is a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world, based on a body of facts that have been repeatedly confirmed through observation and experiment. Such fact-supported theories are not "guesses" but reliable accounts of the real world."
We need to spread this around so that the scientific illiterate know the difference.
+Eagle I'm pretty sure that at least most of them understand the word theory by now, both the scientific and common usage. Just as I'm sure they understand the word atheist. It's just more convenient at this point to stick to their script. After all its much easier to argue with a straw man than actual ideas. However, if someone genuinely does not understand I agree we should shed some light on this. Although, so far every time I've tried to explain it, I've noticed they prefer to use their preconceived notions.
Eagle 👌😊👏👏👏👏👏👏
Yes indeed - common parlance is wrong.
Maybe worth giving this link: notjustatheory.com/
The creationtards will still lie, but now they know for sure they're lying.
Excellent video!
I once asked a pair of young ladies going from apartment to apartment in my complex spreading the word, "Would God exist if man didn't?" One immediately said NO! The other was silent.
The young lady who said "no" reinforced my understanding that we created the concept of God at a time when we had little knowledge and understanding of our existence. Those times, however, are long gone.
Still, many choose to believe in God because doing anything else is more difficult for them. Not those of us who don't believe (I used to also), but "them." That is why all the imaginary Gods continue to exist in this far more knowledgeable time. And that will slowly change, but slowly because humans change slowly. :)
Thank you!
hide and seek champion... lol
Walter White Walt! We NEED to cook!
Neb ontha sorry, i dont use partners anymore.
This might be a silly question, but how do you get your voice to sound like that? It sort of sounds like those old radio broadcasters/announcers.
+Aaron Davis good mic and a software/hardware compressor
+Игровой канал RobosergTV And a fine ass voice box
Seth's past was in Xian FM radio. His voice patterns no doubt reflect it.
l think it adds to his charm.
Ah, you're awesome Seth! Thanks for existing.
Wow, Seth. You totally killed it with this one. Well done, sir!
Prove god doesn't exist. Okay, done.
Now prove me wrong.
Yep a leprechaun
the burden of proof is with the oe that is making the positive claim. You can't prove a negative
Great video, you've earned my sub.
Same.
This is so full of win...I don't even know where to start. Well spoken, well reasoned, I honestly don't know where to finish complimenting your response video. You managed to nail, quite effectively, the fallacy of these "prove he doesn't exist" claims, challenges, and the like. Keep posting with logic. Well done sir.
Outstanding, as usual!
Its like saying "prove that Santa Claus doesn't exists". SMH such a lazy and dishonest way to prove your point.
this video help me with thoughts i've been trying to put words to. i was born and raised catholic, but have been steadily losing my faith. it just doesn't make sense to me anymore. the fact that so many religions exist makes me skeptical because they all have faith they are right, but when we all die a bunch of people are going to be pissed off that they were wrong. I'd rather live my life as full as I can, and if there is some being out there that wants me to do stuff for him I'd rather him tell me than leave it to supposed interpreters of old texts to tell me. cuz if he doesn't exist, then religion and faith were just a complete waste of my short life. i'd rather live it on my terms.
exactly. nobody really knows what happens when you die besides decomposition. i'd rather utilize the life i have now
*****
Actually, according to the bible, even if we live good lives, we aren't christian; therefore, we deserve the same fate that murderers, rapists, and thieves get. Well, at least murderers, rapists, and thieves that didn't do those things under the bible.
If I may say, I suggest looking into as many faiths and beliefs as you can, before determining your standing on it. If you're gonna be an atheist, then do this to understand them.
garbagehead how does your search go after a few years?
A truly excellent speech!
Thank you!
who here would buy a used car from Josh Feauerstein. because thats all he is.. its called SNAKEOIL
+jeremybr2020 I've heard stories of cows getting hit by cars and being totaly fine, the cars on the other hand, it'd probably be a bit like that.
Nerdy Nachos
Cows and Josh Feuerstein.......yep, I can see the similarities there. lol You know I'm probably being a little unfair here. So I would like to take this opportunity to apologize........to the cows. I'm so very sorry cows for comparing you to the likes of Josh Feuerstein. I realize you cows are much more attractive and not nearly as annoying to hang out with as is the case with Josh F. It shan't happen again. :)
William Strumfels
I'll grant you that it certainly doesn't help. However Josh Feuerstein is small potatoes compared to the likes of Donald Trump. Now there's someone who's proving by the millions how stupid some of my fellow Americans can be.
maybe it how our great country comes to a end. just how many safe guards are there against these loons?
@William Srumfels
*proof* >.>
Let me just say I am jealous of your speaking voice and on camera presence and how you got this all done in one take.
love this guys voice, soothes me to sleep every night, glad hes got heaps of content as ill be listening to this for years to come.
Amazing video. Thank you.
ITS A TRAP!
You can't prove a negative.
Damn, this guy is good.
Ah Seth! I'm a long time fan of yours,but I've never commented (that I can remember). I really want to tell you this video is amazing. I think it will be hugely influential. You really schooled this poor poor man.
That was a really nice video my friend, from many aspects.I enjoyed it very much!Thanks for uploading this, and keep up the good work!
omg first time ive been to this channel WHERE DID HE GET THAT VOICE its fuckin AWESOME i wish i had a voice like that >.>
It's like the voice of God! :-)
***** I think your on to something...
Daniel Calhoun Man as God ... beautiful ... that is something to fear ... Let's hope Computers will be running the world soon ... Computers don't have emotions ... at least not yet
reference2me lol what? Computers do have emotions, my computer hates me... :(
Science bitches.. IT WORKS
Thank you Thank you Thank you!
Thank you.