religions can be studied.

the human mind can be studied.

Gervais was on a TV show. He was not debating Colbert. He was having a two minute conversation.

An atheist may come in many forms. Some simply don't believe. Others take the time to study why people do believe.

the author would best be served by trying to understand how the human mind works.

why does he believe Catholicism. Why do others practice Voodoo? Or Scientology? Or any of the others?

the murder analogy is piss poor. if there is proof of a murder and atheist will understand the evidence. they won't claim that it was an accident.

why is there something rather than nothing? not an atheist's job to explain.
that's deflection.

why do theists make up answers to such questions? psychologists understand why.

instead of asserting how atheists are wrong maybe the author needs to understand why he believes instead. . he knows WHAT he believes. he has no idea why others don't believe the same as him.

Not all atheists have bad arguments. I'd advice you to look for users like OhSoGood and El Sagador who do put up good fights if you wish to challenge them. A large majority of atheists grew up in households where the parents beat them when they questioned God or his existence. As a Catholic, I believe the lack of what Christianity can be defined as for these people is what led them astray. Doesn't mean they cannot be brought back though, but it's harder for some then others.

I’m pretty busy so will have to end our convo for now. It’s been fun.

Mike

Then I believe you are more moral than your god.

I took only one ethics course in college. It was taught by a lawyer for Exxon. Despite that (because law school teaches an almost exact opposite way to think than a science based curriculum) it was a good course. He did his job by getting us to question ourselves.

Mike

I have been teaching ethics about forty years.

Of course, slavery is a grevous moral evil.

I suspect you do not. But I presuppose nothing. It is out of respect for you that I do that. Now, will you please answer the question do you believe owning another person as property is morally wrong?

Mike

Do you honestly think I would endorse slavery?

I realize you reject God for multiple reasons, but you cited slavery in particular.

No, my worldview incorporates skepticism as but one tool among many.

You do have kind of a habit of presupposing my views whether it’s about philosophy or your god.

Do you believe owning another person as property is morally wrong?

Mike

You appear to base much of your skepticism about the Christian God on the notion that Jesus or the Gospel endorsed slavery. This is a much debated subject and there is clear evidence that your interpretation may be simply false.

See this: http://www.godandscience.org/apologetics/slavery_bible.html

At the very least, I would be cautious about placing most of my atheistic eggs in this questionable basket.

"Well it may be the devil or it may be the Lord, but you're gonna have to serve somebody" B.Dylan