previously incomprehensible things, like aurora borealis, earthquakes
and hot springs, they stopped seeming like the actions of a mysterious
deity.
-- The event was inherently meaningless, but meaning and significance
was attributed after the fact. In science, hearsay and anecdotal
evidence are not sufficient to prove something. Each time a "miracle"
occurs, it's easy to see magical thinking, misattribution and other
human errors at work. For example, if a child is ill in the hospital, a
family member might pray for his recovery. If that child does recover,
the praying relative will attribute this to the power of prayer, not to
any medical innovations, immunological responses or sheer power of
chance.
It's curious to note that the miracles performed by an "all-loving" and
benevolent God so often involve sparing a handful of people from a tragic
accident, devastating disaster or deadly disease. God is rarely held
accountable by believers for all of the deaths that occur when people are not
saved by a "miracle." On the whole, the tiny percentage of "miraculous"
recoveries would be greater evidence of a deity's arbitrary cruelty than his
benevolence, but this is never something believers seem comfortable
discussing.
4. "Morality stems from God, and without God, we could not be good
people."
So-called "moral" behaviors, such as altruism and reciprocity, are not
inherently human. In the natural world, they can be observed in a variety of
animal species, especially social animals. Science shows that such behavior
has an evolutionary benefit: creatures who learn to interact well with their
kin will have a stronger likelihood of survival and passing on their genes.
All of this means that, from a scientific viewpoint, morality does not stem
from God. Instead, it has its roots in brain chemicals and is supported by
strong cultural conditioning. Parents pass their morals along to their
children, and individuals take social cues regarding "right" and "wrong"
behaviors from friends, family, media influence and more. Religious texts are
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