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Dinosaurs

Started by Happy with no god, July 28, 2011, 04:00:56 PM

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Happy with no god

My understanding is that dinosaurs existed millions of years ago,the proof being fossils and carbon dating. However a colleague of mine who is a born again christian      has come up with two explanations. Carbon dating is a lie, dinosaurs are not as old as we think they are, they were on the ark with all the other animals but have since died out. The other is that all the fossils are fake and dinosaurs never existed, its just a lie to try and prove evolution. The first explaination was given about a year ago, the second this week. This is just nonsense to, make things up just to fit in with the bible                       

I don't know why people are so keen to put the details of their private life in public(Facebook). They forget that invisibility is a superpower."

Evilbeagle

I would be inclined to smile benignly and allow him to have his delusions. Its not as if he is majorly hurting any one.

Having said that, it does sound somewhat like a conspiracy theory. They are all out to get me !! LOL

If he is happy in his fantasy world who are we to challenge him  ;D
England expects every man to heed the old lie: "Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori"

Whitney


Tank

Quote from: Happy with no god on July 28, 2011, 04:00:56 PM
My understanding is that dinosaurs existed millions of years ago,the proof being fossils and carbon dating. However a colleague of mine who is a born again christian      has come up with two explanations. Carbon dating is a lie, dinosaurs are not as old as we think they are, they were on the ark with all the other animals but have since died out. The other is that all the fossils are fake and dinosaurs never existed, its just a lie to try and prove evolution. The first explaination was given about a year ago, the second this week. This is just nonsense to, make things up just to fit in with the bible 
Well for starters Carbon dating is not a lie, but you can't use it effectively much beyond 45,000 years and that's pushing it. It's reasonable duration is 35,000 years. The first fossils of anything are about 3,500,000,000 years old. The first multicellular fossils start turning up about 600,000,000 years ago.

Your colleague needs to understand something about geology before he starts pontificating about fossils not existing. The most common fossils are shelled sea creatures as they preserve well and are already buried when the die. The science of stratigraphy studies how different geological layers are laid down. It was originally partly based on where different types of fossils are found in sediments. Fossils dating back 600 million years have been used since the 1,700s to understand which layers came above which. The layers are formed in eras and those eras are named as the fossil types change. The Jurassic is a time period defined by the types of fossils found in it, it's not just some arbitrary abstract time period. So one of the corner stones of geology are fossils. If it were not for geology we wouldn't know where to look for oil. So if it were not for fossils your colleague wouldn't be able to fill up his car.

You might wish to show your friend this thread http://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=7486.0 it's just a tiny, tiny fragment of what is available and has been studied for centuries.

Get him to join here and we'll put him straight ;D
If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

Medusa

Well hi dinosaur. Nice of you to introduce yourself. Can I just call you Dino for short?
She has the blood of reptile....just underneath her skin...

MinnesotaMike

As is the problem with most religious people. They are convinced they have the conclusion, and the facts must fit it or be false. Of course this is backwards from any reasonable way of looking at things. Simply point out that he should evaluate the facts and come to his own conclusion. Whether or not he follows through is irrelevant. In hindsight, it is always better to utter "I told you so" rather than "I wish I would've said something."
Absence of knowledge is not reason for faith.

I'm infallible (if I'm not mistaken)

OldGit

Quote from: Evilbeagle on July 28, 2011, 04:28:49 PM
I would be inclined to smile benignly and allow him to have his delusions. Its not as if he is majorly hurting any one.

I can't agree.  He is at the least a part of a culture which is trying to push this drivel into schools and spread it.  That's evil.

Sweetdeath

Dinosaurs on the ark? Really...?   :-\
Law 35- "You got to go with what works." - Robin Lefler

Wiggum:"You have that much faith in me, Homer?"
Homer:"No! Faith is what you have in things that don't exist. Your awesomeness is real."

"I was thinking that perhaps this thing called God does not exist. Because He cannot save any one of us. No matter how we pray, He doesn't mend our wounds.

Tank

Quote from: Sweetdeath on July 30, 2011, 07:22:39 AM
Dinosaurs on the ark? Really...?   :-\
No, they didn't have watches.

If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

Sweetdeath

Haha!  Oh, that is hilarious. I need that on a shirt. :D
Law 35- "You got to go with what works." - Robin Lefler

Wiggum:"You have that much faith in me, Homer?"
Homer:"No! Faith is what you have in things that don't exist. Your awesomeness is real."

"I was thinking that perhaps this thing called God does not exist. Because He cannot save any one of us. No matter how we pray, He doesn't mend our wounds.

Squid

I wonder why radiocarbon is always brought up when, as Tank pointed out, no dinosaur bones are dating using that method...maybe they aren't aware of the other isotopes...hmmm

Sweetdeath

You know, someone told me  the great flood happened because that's how fossils ended up spread all over the earth. *facepalm*
Law 35- "You got to go with what works." - Robin Lefler

Wiggum:"You have that much faith in me, Homer?"
Homer:"No! Faith is what you have in things that don't exist. Your awesomeness is real."

"I was thinking that perhaps this thing called God does not exist. Because He cannot save any one of us. No matter how we pray, He doesn't mend our wounds.

Awolf26

Quote from: Evilbeagle on July 28, 2011, 04:28:49 PM
I would be inclined to smile benignly and allow him to have his delusions. Its not as if he is majorly hurting any one.

Having said that, it does sound somewhat like a conspiracy theory. They are all out to get me !! LOL

If he is happy in his fantasy world who are we to challenge him  ;D

I do not attack religious delusions unprovoked. If he brings it up, it is fair to debate. They cannot state their side and expect everyone to not give their point of view. If I was anti-vaccine (I'm not) and someone called me on it, I don't think people would fault that person for doing so. Religion is not sacred. 

OldGit



Yes, it really can get this silly.  This is not faith, it's rank insanity.

Sweetdeath

Ohmyfreakinggosh!  Is that from a real book??  *dies laughing*
Law 35- "You got to go with what works." - Robin Lefler

Wiggum:"You have that much faith in me, Homer?"
Homer:"No! Faith is what you have in things that don't exist. Your awesomeness is real."

"I was thinking that perhaps this thing called God does not exist. Because He cannot save any one of us. No matter how we pray, He doesn't mend our wounds.