What is the foundation for truth?
Most (ok, I will be generous—instead of “all”) atheists believe that atheism is true and theism is false/wrong/duplicitous. However, to state that atheism is true implies that there is such a thing as objective truth. The atheist does not believe that atheism is only true for them but it should be to everyone as well. But if atheism is true, there must be a foundation for objective truth.
So what is the foundation for truth?
Most (ok, I will generous again—instead of “all”) atheists pride themselves on being rational. But, why be rational if the universe is the result of random chance or irrational chance? There is no reason to be rational or coherent in a random universe. Therefore, the very thing in which atheists most pride themselves has not foundation. This is another question, let us stay with “What is the foundation for truth?”
“What is the foundation for truth?”
The objective existence of reality
Foolish Christians! The foundation for truth is based upon consensus, it is also based upon one’s own culture. It is really foolish of you guys to talk about the foundation since there is no such thing as truth.
Good thing Andy said most and not all.
Mike M, are Christians truly foolish? Is it true that foundation for truth is culture? Is it truly foolish to talk about the foundation of the truth?
Then stop arguing there is no such thing as truth because you’re contradicting yourself.
Mike M said, “Foolish Christians! The foundation for truth is based upon consensus, it is also based upon one’s own culture. It is really foolish of you guys to talk about the foundation since there is no such thing as truth.”
I’m not sure if you were being sarcastic or not, so if you were being serious:
Suppose the ‘consensus’ was to legalize rape, and let all of the rapists out of prison? Or child molestation, or some other such atrocity? I do believe your stance would change if the ‘consensus’ was that every person who had the same first and last intial was to be rounded up and shot.
Now, before you say, “Well, what society would ever do that?”, remember one thing. In the 1930′s, the ‘consensus’ in Germany was to exterminate 6,000,000 Jews. Are you sure you want the ‘consensus’ of ‘society’ determining what’s right and what’s wrong?
fourpointer, first of all, Hitler was a Catholic!
anyhow, Hitler was a mad man, you don’t use exceptions as an example. we use consensus to further what is good for the society. killing the Jews is not doing any good to humans. I hope this helps because it is a pretty darn basic understanding of being human.
No, Hitler was not a Catholic. I’m a die-hard Protestant, and even I’ll tell ya that. He was a eugenist. He was doing his part to build the “master race.” And yes, he was a mad man. So are you saying that the 36 million people in Germany who adored him as “Der Fuhrer” (“Our Father”), who were driven to near-worship of him, who fought and died for his dream–and who sent their sons to die for that dream–are you saying the people of Germany were “mad men” as well? And if you are, then doesn’t that destroy your “let the consensus rule” theory?
Besides, how can you say he was an ‘exception’? You need look no farther than 20th century megalomaniacs like Idi Amin, Pol Pot, and Joseph Stalin. Consider the genocides in Rwanda and Serbia and Darfur. ‘Consensus’ is used in every case of ethnic cleansing. Because it’s what the majority of the people want.
Consider the ‘consensus’ in many Muslim countries. It’s called “Sharia Law.” Women tortured to death for the crime of being raped. People arrested, imprisoned, executed, flogged for smoking a cigarette. So many times when ‘consensus’ rules, the result is detrimental to the whole of society, and history looks back and asks, ‘How could this have happened?”
The prophet Jeremiah wrote (17:9), “The heart is deceitful above all things and desparately wicked.” Genesis 8:21 tells us that “The imaginations of a man’s heart are evil from his youth.” Human beings are the last people you want to be the final arbiters of what’s right and what’s wrong.
Four Pointer,
Good job, you hit a good point about the problem of consensus.
God bless you brother,
and thank you for commenting!