Ali Dawah - October 22, 2020MUSLIM TEACHES ATHEIST A LIFE LESSON - SMART RESPONSE
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Summary
In this episode, I explain why you don't need empirical evidence to believe in God. You need pre-supposition, not empirical data. God is beyond the physical, so why do you need empirical data to believe that God exists?
Transcript
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Okay, what's your position? Do you believe there is a creator?
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I believe there could be, but I don't see any empirical evidence and nothing could be otherwise.
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Why do you assume there has to be empirical evidence for everything?
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Hold on, if you were blind and I just turned around and told you that the sky was green, would you believe me?
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You're 30 years old and you don't know if your parents are your parents till this day.
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I'm asking you, I'm not strong man, I'm asking you.
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Okay, but you don't find it necessary to do a DNA test right now because right now you don't believe in your own parents?
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No bro, you're not being, this is called being disingenuous.
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Of course you believe your parents are your parents.
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Bro, you know what, you're going around in circles.
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I'm just trying to highlight to you now that empirical data is not the only way to truth.
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What I'm trying to tell you is that you believe your parents are your parents, not based on empirical data.
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It's based on my idea that I believe the two people.
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How did you develop the idea that your parents are your parents?
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No, no, I'm asking you, how did you develop the idea?
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No, it's based on the testimony of your parents.
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Right now you believe your parents are your parents.
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Yes, because I have no reason to believe otherwise.
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Proving my point exactly, which is that you don't need empirical data to believe in things.
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Empirical, the root, empiricism is one root to knowledge.
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You're not just saying, oh, I believe these are my parents.
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Because I can just say, I believe my neighbors are my parents.
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You believe your parents are your parents based on testimony.
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But what I'm showing you is your reasons for believing your parents are your parents
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You can do DNA tests, but you don't believe in your parents right now based on a DNA test.
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So then you're showing that it's irrational and there's nothing...
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What I'm showing you, if you listen to me, what I'm telling you, I'm highlighting,
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Therefore, when you try asking for empirical data for God's existence, you're holding a flawed position.
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Okay, but have you been to the heart of Africa?
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How do you know the satellite image is actually the heart of Africa?
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How do you know someone has not just told you that?
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See, now you're not being consistent because now you're saying it.
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What I'm highlighting to you is that although you've seen a picture of the heart of Africa,
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someone is telling you that this is Central Africa.
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Maps are physical things which you observe, but you believe they're a map of a particular
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thing based on the testimony of someone telling you.
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It's based on the testimony of someone telling you this is the map of this place.
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But it proves my point anyway, which is that there are many routes to knowledge.
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Can I get someone else to speak to you about that question?
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Bro, do you acknowledge that there are other routes to knowledge?
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Prior to the existence of empirical data in the form of map making, through satellite imagery,
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Yes, it was taking the opinion of someone else.
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However, now that we've been able to prove it with empirical data...
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Even today, let me give you a modern example, bro.
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Within the field of science, the empirical field, right?
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Most scientists base their work, their current work, on the testimony of previous scientists.
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What I'm saying is that it's based on the testimony of the work of previous scientists.
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Testimony is an integral route to knowledge you can't dismiss.
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Because you came with the presupposition that empiricism is the only way to truth.
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Now my point is that when it comes to God, why do you assume that there has to be only
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When you acknowledge there's other roots to knowledge.
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Because God is not a part of the physical universe.
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He's distinct and disjoint from the physical universe.
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He created the physical, not a part of the physical.
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You cannot empirically prove or disprove God's existence.
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Because you're open now to understanding there's other roots to knowledge.
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Maybe when you're here next time, you can have that discussion.
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You agree there's other roots to knowledge other than empiricism.
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And that we as human beings are rational enough to have a discussion.
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I want an answer from you next time as to how you account for rational faculties on your
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Maybe next time, when you come back next time, you can come with something.