Philosophy, Religion, and a Little Bit of Sass

The Burden of Proof

The “Burden of Proof” is the notion that whomever is making a claim is also reliable for proving their own claim. A statement should be assumed false until a sufficient amount of evidence shows that the statement is indeed true. 

If I were say that I am hiding a piece of candy behind my back, I shouldn’t expect anyone to believe me unless I bring my hand around to reveal the piece of candy. The Burden of Proof was on me; the one claiming to have the candy.

The reason that the “Burden of Proof” is important is because without it anyone could make-up any statement and have it assumed true. It would be up to everyone else to prove each statement false, before we could know which statements are actually true. I could say that there is a magic, invisible leprechaun living inside my house. No one can see it but me. I have no evidence of this leprechaun’s existence except for the fact that I believe it to be truly there. No one can prove that I am lying and that this allegation is completely false, therefore everyone should believe in my leprechaun until someone does somehow prove me false. -That would be nonsense. It should be up to me to present evidence of this leprechaun; and until I do, people should assume that I am delusional. 

So then, why do I need to prove that God does not exist?

I am perfectly sane and reasonable for not believing in an invisible entity that is impossible to prove wrong. When someone makes a claim that a god exists, it is up to them to support their claim with real testable evidence. Until then, we can assume otherwise. 

Jesus and Chrishna

Plagerism at its best? Or the work of Satan?

 Comparing Lord Crishna (also spelled Krishna) with Christ Jesus

1. Crishna was born of a chaste virgin, called Devaki; Jesus was born of a chaste virgin, called Mary.

2. The birth of Crishna was announced in the heavens by his star; The birth of Jesus was announced in the heavens by his star….

3. Crishna, though royally descended, was actually born in a state the most abject and humiliating, having been brought into the world in a cave; The birth of Jesus, the King of Israel, took place under circumstances of extreme indigence…and the place of his nativity, according to the united voice of the ancients (including early christian fathers), and of oriental travelers, was in a cave.

4. The moment Crishna was born, the whole cave was splendidly illuminated; The moment Jesus was born, there was a great light in the cave.

5. The divine child - Crishna - was recognized, and adored by cowherds, who prostrated themselves before the heaven-born child; The divine child - Jesus - was recognized, and adored by shepherds, who prostrated themselves before the heaven-born child.

6. Crishna was received with divine honors, and presented with gifts of sandal-wood and perfumes; Jesus was received with divine honors, and presented with gifts of frankincense and myrrh.

7. Crishna was born at a time when Nanda - his foster-father - was away from home, having come to the city to pay his tax or yearly tribute, to the king; Jesus was born at a time when Joseph - his foster-father - was away from home, having come to the city to pay his tax or tribute to the governor.

8. Crishna, although born in a state the most abject and humiliating, was of royal descent; Jesus, although born in a state the most abject and humiliating, was of royal descent.

9. Crishna’s father was warned by a ‘heavenly voice,’ to ‘fly with the child to Gacool, across the river Jumna,’ as the reigning monarch sought his life; Jesus’ father was warned ‘in a dream’ to ‘take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt,’ as the reigning monarch sought his life.

10. The ruler of the country in which Crishna was born, having been informed of the birth of the divine child, sought to destroy him. For this purpose, he ordered ‘the massacre in all his states, of all the children of the male sex, born during the night of the birth of Crishna’ ; The ruler of the country in which Jesus was born, having been informed of the birth of the divine child, sought to destroy him. For this purpose, he ordered ‘all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof,’ to be slain.

11. Crishna was preceded by Rama, who was born a short time before him, and whose life was sought by Kansa, the ruling monarch, at the time he attempted to destroy the infant Crishna; Jesus was preceded by John the ‘divine herald,’ who was born a short time before him, and whose life was sought by Herod, the ruling monarch, at the time he attempted to destroy the infant Jesus.

12. One of the first miracles performed by Crishna, when mature, was the curing of a leper; One of the first miracles performed by Jesus, when mature, was the curing of a leper.

13. A poor cripple, or lame woman, came, with ‘a vessel filled with spices, sweet-scented oils, sandal-wood, saffron, civet, and other perfumes, and made a certain sign on his (Crishna’s) forehead, casting the rest upon his head; ‘Now, when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, there came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.’

14. Crishna was crucified, and he is represented with arms extended, hanging on a cross; Jesus was crucified, and he is represented with arms extended, hanging on a cross.

15. At the time of the death of Crishna, there came calamities and bad omens of every kind. A black circle surrounded the moon, and the sun was darkened at noon-day; the sky rained fire and ashes; flames burned dusky and livid; demons committed depredations on earth; at sunrise and sunset, thousands of figures were seen skirmishing in the air; spirits were to be seen on all sides. / At the time of the death of Jesus, there came calamities of many kinds. The veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom, the sun was darkened from the sixth to the ninth hour, and the graves were opened, and many bodies of the saints which slept arose and came out of their graves.

16. Crishna was pierced with an arrow; Jesus was pierced with a spear.

17. Crishna descended into hell; Jesus descended into hell.

18. Crishna, after being put to death, rose again from the dead; Jesus, after being put to death, rose again from the dead.

19. Crishna ascended bodily into heaven, and many persons witnessed his ascent; Jesus ascended bodily into heaven, and many persons witnessed his ascent.

20. Crishna is to come again on earth in the latter days. He will appear among mortals as an armed warrior, riding a white horse. At his approach the sun and moon will be darkened, the earth will tremble, and the stars fall from the firmament; Jesus is to come again on earth in the latter days. He will appear among mortals as an armed warrior, riding a white horse. At his approach, the sun and moon will be darkened, the earth will tremble, and the stars fall from the firmament.

21. Crishna is to be judge of the dead at the last day; Jesus is to be judge of the dead at the last day.

22. Crishna is the creator of all things visible and invisible; ‘all this universe came into being through him, the eternal maker’ ; Jesus is the creator of all things visible and invisible; ‘all this universe came into being through him, the eternal maker.’

23. Crishna is Alpha and Omega, ‘the beginning, the middle, and the end of all things’ ; Jesus is Alpha and Omega, the beginning, the middle, and the end of all things.

24. Crishna, when on earth, was in constant strife against the evil spirit. He surmounts extraordinary dangers, strews his way with miracles, raising the dead, healing the sick, restoring the maimed, the deaf and the blind, everywhere supporting the weak against the strong, the oppressed against the powerful. The people crowded his way, and adored him as a God; Jesus, when on earth, was in constant strife against the evil spirit. He surmounts extraordinary dangers, strews his way with miracles, raising the dead, healing the sick, restoring the maimed, the deaf and the blind, everywhere supporting the weak against the strong, the oppressed against the powerful. The people crowded his way and adored him as a God.

25. Crishna had a beloved disciple - Arjuna; Jesus had a beloved disciple - John.

26. Crishna was transfigured before his disciple Arjuna. ‘All in an instant, with a thousand suns, blazing with dazzling luster, so beheld he the glories of the universe collected in the one person of the God of Gods.’ Arjuna bows his head at this vision, and folding his hands in reverence says: ‘Now that I see thee as thou really art, I thrill with terror!’ ; And after six days, Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them. And his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light…While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud, which said: etc…And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces, and were sore afraid.

27. Crishna was ‘the meekest and best tempered of beings.’ ‘He preached very nobly indeed, and sublimely.’ ‘He was pure and chaste in reality,’ and, as a lesson of humility, ‘he even condescended to wash the feet of the Brahmins.’ ; Jesus was the meekest and best tempered of beings. He preached very nobly indeed, and sublimely. He was pure and chaste, and he even condescended to wash the feet of his disciples, to whom he taught a lesson of humility.

28. Crishna is the second person in the Hindu Trinity; Jesus is the second person in the Christian Trinity.

29. Both Crishna and Jesus had the titles of ‘Saviour,’ ‘Redeemer,’ ‘Comforter,’ ‘The Lord of Lords,’ ‘The Holy One,’ ‘The Good Shepherd,’ etc.

Year of Krishna’s supposed birth: 3228 BCE

Year of Jesus’ supposed birth: 4 BCE

The Ontological Argument (simply put)

What is it?

The Ontological Argument is the argument for a god based on the idea of perfection. It is simply stated by saying that God is the most perfect being imaginable. Since God is perfect, then he must have all perfections, including existence. If God does not exist, then he must not be perfect. But, God is perfect…therefore…he exists.  (Insert Smug Look)

The Flaw

Perfection does not necessarily include existence. Just because we can imagine something that is the greatest, or most perfect, of it’s kind does not mean that it actually exists. Using the same logic above, I can say:

I have imagined the most perfect pet. It doesn’t need to be potty-trained because it doesn’t go potty, it never sheds, it obeys your every command, it’s good with kids, It speaks English, and it never dies! It is perfect. There are no flaws, and I can envision this animal in my head. Since this pet is perfect, it must also exist! 

…. … … .. NO. (Insert smugger look)