How exactly did Hawking "cheat"? He left his wife for another woman. Happens all the time. I have no idea what you are suggesting but it sounds like sciences denial. Make an argument if you wish and I will debate you. Perhaps a lot of people do . . . Well, he wrote a book about it. His beliefs are based on science and you know it. Confidence is often mistaken for arrogance by the dubious.
Science cannot at this time prove or dissprove God's existance. Einstein devoutly believed in God and felt the aquisition of knowledge brought him closer to God. There are many scientists of faith who are equal to Hawking in intellect and accomplishment. Athisim is as much a faith as belief in God. There is also a big difference between faith in God as the prime mover and religon. I know I'll offend some devout mambers but religons are edifices of man not God. Men developed them to call out to God for comfort and assurance. However as they are made and run by man however devout they are as frail as we all are. What science has done is disprove many of the real world claims of religons. That means nothing about the existance of God. Not to advocate a faith or religon but Jesus said we are saved by our faith not by the work of man. This thought is reflected in many other religons. Hawking is entitled to his belief there is no God but nothing he or any other scientist has proven one way or the other.
Well said. There is no way to prove empirically the existence or non existence of a Supreme Being. Religions can twist anything they want to conform to their beliefs The main question I have for an atheist who truly believes that there is no God, no heaven or hell, no afterlife at all, that when you die you just turn into worm food and you have no soul is this: What is your incentive other than fear of getting caught by the law not to do anything you want no matter who or how many people it hurts. If there is no eternal reward or consequences for stealing someone else's money or property why no do it if you believe you want get caught? If you hate somebody or if they are interfering with your plans why not just kill them? Go ahead and do it. It won't keep you out of heaven and if there is no hell you're not going there anyway.
You can believe in God and do all of things anyway... if someone who commits those crimes is truly sorry for them, asks God for forgiveness, and doesn't repeat said sins, he is forgiven. But you have to have a sincere heart, and God knows if you're sincere. It's called repentance.
That's wasn't really my point. Most of the Mafia bosses were Catholic and had big time Catholic funerals. The point was that if you don't believe in an afterlife and you think you can get away with any act no matter how morally repugnant what prevents a non-believer from acting upon his basest instincts? Other than the fear of going to prison if the law catches up to their crimes.
Its amazing how many murderers say they have found Jesus just before they are executed. Even Jeffery Daumer claimed to be a Christian after he was in prison. I would rather think he is roasting upside down with his head in a bucket of boiling shit while demons constantly stab him with white hot pitchforks
Most people are not born criminals. I assume the non believers that don't do these things because they were taught right from wrong from a moral, law, and ethical perspective. I have an Atheist buddy in Seattle, but he still recognizes morality.
Like I said... there has to be sincerity in your heart. You can't fool God, he knows the truth, and punishes accordingly.
