If a government reports a hurricane coming towards people and its not in sight, should the people accept that it might be true or leave it in doubt ?

[Thomas Kelly guessed]

Continued from the Topic Title and see if they were wrong ? And should this be compared to what is written in the New Testament ?

Edited June 2, 2012 by Thomas Kelly guessed

[Phi for All]

Why would anyone EVER conflate government experts using the latest technology with what's written in the New Testament? That seems a specious argument at best.

[insane_alien]

also, why would a government lie about it? It would cause a fairly large chunk of its economy (hurricanes are big) to slow down as people seek shelter and even more, hurricanes are easily independantly verifiable. more than 1 agency produces weather reports. it'd just make that government look like a laughing stock.

 

and again why? what would the benefit be?

[Thomas Kelly guessed]

insane_alien,

 

 

also, why would a government lie about it? It would cause a fairly large chunk of its economy (hurricanes are big) to slow down as people seek shelter and even more, hurricanes are easily independantly verifiable. more than 1 agency produces weather reports. it'd just make that government look like a laughing stock.

 

 

 

and again why? what would the benefit be?

 

I gave two options in the question, that wasn't a reason to believe that the person who asked didn't know there were other possibilities like believing.

Edited June 2, 2012 by Thomas Kelly guessed

[insane_alien]

clearly i was indicating that the people should accept it as true because the liklihood of it being a lie is very low and the truthfulness can be easily determined.

 

This is unlike the new testament which is not easily verifiable and untestable. It can also be used for nefarious purposes unlike a hurricane warning which would only harm the government itself rather than giving it more power.

 

It is naive to think that every question you can ask is a yes or know. the world is composed of shades of grey.

[Phi for All]

I gave two options in the question, that wasn't a reason to believe that the person who asked didn't know there were other possibilities like believing.

What person are you talking about? And what did they ask?

 

I find your lines of reasoning extremely uninteresting, and I haven't seen anyone who seems to disagree with me. Your arguments aren't really as provocative as you seem to think. Most of the members who only post in the Religion section have better a better and broader understanding of the topics they discuss.

 

Please don't take this as a personal attack. I reference only your arguments, not you as a person.

[Thomas Kelly guessed]

insane_alien

 

 

clearly i was indicating that the people should accept it as true because the liklihood of it being a lie is very low and the truthfulness can be easily determined.

 

Maybe not maybe.

 

 

This is unlike the new testament which is not easily verifiable and untestable.

 

Where did you get the word untestable from ? If you find it will you post a reference of the word 'untestable' to this topic ? Maybe some people struggle in reading the New Testament and in part tests their abilities.

 

It can also be used for nefarious purposes

 

Appears true to me.

 

unlike a hurricane warning which would only harm the government itself rather than giving it more power.

 

That doesn't prove to me that the New Testament may not be used for a good purpose.

 

It is naive to think that every question you can ask is a yes or know. the world is composed of shades of grey.

 

Thanks. Did you mean wholly or in part of shades of grey ?

Edited June 2, 2012 by Thomas Kelly guessed

[Moontanman]

Continued from the Topic Title and see if they were wrong ? And should this be compared to what is written in the New Testament ?

 

 

Thomas Kelly, I live in a hurricane zone, we've already had two tropical storms, your question is nonsensical. No one ever just suddenly claims a hurricane is coming, the very idea of such an unsupported claim is ridiculous. Many days before the storm you get weather reports, satellite images, radar images of the approaching storm, you can measure the slow drop in atmospheric pressure, the increasing surf, the incessant wind that comes from only one quarter. Hurricanes have real physical evidence of their coming and going, the New Testament is just some tales the Catholic church put together by popular vote about 1600 years ago. How can you possibly compare the reality of an approaching hurricane to a book about myths?

Edited June 3, 2012 by Moontanman

[The Flaming Goldfish]

I still don't understand how this could be compared to the New Testament...Maybe a better comparison would be, "if a tree falls in a forest and no one's around to see it, should you believe it really fell?" Not sure...

Also, as others have said, why would the government lie about something as significant as a hurricane? It seems illogical, especially since there are independent weather reports out there.

 

I gave two options in the question, that wasn't a reason to believe that the person who asked didn't know there were other possibilities like believing.

 

Not quite sure what you mean there...

 

Thomas Kelly, I live in a hurricane zone, we've already had two tropical storms, your question is nonsensical. No one ever just suddenly claims a hurricane is coming, the very idea of such an unsupported claim is ridiculous. Many days before the storm you get weather reports, satellite images, radar images of the approaching storm, you can measure the slow drop in atmospheric pressure, the increasing surf, the incessant wind that comes from only one quarter. Hurricanes have real physical evidence of their coming and going, the New Testament is just some tales the Catholic church put together by popular vote about 1600 years ago. How can you possibly compare the reality of an approaching hurricane to a book about myths?

 

Totally agree...even if a hurricane is not in sight, its gigantic size means it impacts weather many miles away as well. In fact, governments usually issue these kinds of warnings very early (possibly before even minor weather changes are seen? Correct me if I'm wrong, Moontanman), to ensure that people have enough time to evacuate in a safe manner and there isn't a mad rush on the highways.

Edited June 3, 2012 by The Flaming Goldfish

[John Cuthber]

Perhaps a better question is, "If the government tells you that there's a hurricane coming should you get out of the way or should you pray?

Countless examples have shown that prayer doesn't shift or stop hurricanes.

It seems that trust in God has less direct benefit in this case than trust in the government.

That's a pretty strong condemnation of God.

[insane_alien]

Where did you get the word untestable from ? If you find it will you post a reference of the word 'untestable' to this topic ? Maybe some people struggle in reading the New Testament and in part tests their abilities.

 

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/untestable comes from the root 'test' with modifier '-able' to mean have tests performed upon it and the modifier 'un-' to mean the negative. untestable: unable to have tests performed upon it.

 

If you couldn't figure that out, either english is not your first language or you are being deliberately difficult. either way it is not really an arguement against my point.

 

I have read the new testament a few times along with a number of other holy books. some good stories in there but also a lot of bad ones. none of the holy books are great pieces of literature and none of them would make me believe in a god(s).

 

That doesn't prove to me that the New Testament may not be used for a good purpose.

 

just because it can, doesn't mean it is. Look at all the holy wars started in the name of christianity. bugger all good about that.

 

Thanks. Did you mean wholly or in part of shades of grey ?

 

it wasn't a question, it was a statement.