Evolution took a long time (Introduction)

by dhw, Wednesday, February 08, 2017, 12:24 (2627 days ago) @ David Turell

dhw: It is the vehemence and authoritarian tone of your arguments that create misunderstandings (if that is what they are). We can rejig this whole discussion around your latest post, as follows:
All we know is that humans are here. All theories concerning the reason are guesses. One guess is that there is a God who especially wanted to create beings with enhanced consciousness, perhaps because he wanted to communicate with them, or perhaps because he wanted to add a new dimension to the show he was watching. You favour the former. Perhaps humans matter to God, or perhaps they don’t. You favour the former. Perhaps humans created evil, or perhaps human nature reflects the nature of their creator. You favour the former.
To this I should add: Perhaps God has personality traits in common with humans, and perhaps he does not. You favour the latter.
This summary covers all the arguments dealt with in the rest of the exchanges between us. It includes all your beliefs and all the alternatives we have discussed, but removes the “vehemence and authoritarian tone” of your arguments. Can you find fault with it?

DAVID: Generally no fault, with this minor point: God possibly has traits in common with humans, but we cannot assume that He does in discussing His motives.

When I say perhaps he has traits in common, that is the same as “possibly has traits in common”, and when I say “perhaps he does not”, that automatically precludes assumptions of any kind. Hypotheses are not assumptions. Thank you for accepting this summary, and for conceding earlier that your beliefs concerning God’s nature and motivation are mere guesses. I will remind of you this next time you make vehement, authoritative statements about God’s nature and motivation!