"Square Circles"

A continuation of the discussion of July 10-15, 1999, on Yahoo group
errancyn, between a Christian (TUFLY) and Farrell Till, from July 21,
1999:

TUFLY
Whether you accept the truth or not is up to you, I am just presenting it
to you.

TILL
Why, sure, you are. I have just one question to you. How do you know that
what you are presenting is "truth." A Mormon will tell me the same thing,
and so will a Muslim, and a Hindu, and a Zoroastrian. Please forgive my
stupidity, but I'd just like to see a little evidence to support your
"truth" claim.

TUFLY
Can any of you give me proof that God (Judeo-christian) does not exist?

TILL
Yes, I can, and I have done it before in public debates where the evidence
was not replied to by my opponent. The matter is as simple as this. The
so-called Judeo-Christian god is a logical impossibility. Just as square
circles are a logical impossibility that enable us to know that they can't
exist, the god Yahweh, who is depicted in the Bible as both an infinitely
loving, merciful, and just deity AND a deity who is also petty, vindictive,
and barbaric to the point of killing babies and commanding that children
and babies be killed, is a logical impossibility. An entity that would do
such things as this cannot possibly be infinitely kind and loving.
Therefore, this deity of yours cannot exist. If any deity does exist, it
would have to be one different from your Yahoo. Anyone who can't
see this must have his head in the sand like an ostrich.

This is just one example of mutually exclusive characteristics that the
Bible attributes to this god of yours and enables rational people to know
that he cannot exist. Whether you accept the truth or not is up to you, I
am just presenting it to you.

Now where have I heard that before?

TUFLY
Please consider what is at stake, your soul for eternity.

TILL
I have considered what is at stake. My intellectual integrity is a stake,
which in and of itself is sufficient to make me reject your ancient
superstition.

Now will you please prove to us that any such thing as a "soul" even
exists? Can't do it? I didn't think so. And we're supposed to be the stupid
ones.

TUFLY
What is at stake for the likes of Till (providing he could ever be right)? I
would rather be wrong about christianity than wrong about any other
religion (or non-religion).

TILL
Well, you should be happy, because you are wrong about Christianity.

Farrell Till