A natural process is one that humans can observe an measure objectively (meaning everyone gets the same result, regardless of what they "believe").
In contrast, a supernatural process requires you to "believe", even when the measurements are non-existent, or are contrary to belief.
From our measurements of natural processes, we have created "laws" or theories, that represent our provisional conclusions about our universe. We calls these conclusions "proof", because they continue to become more internally consistent and explanatory over time.
Everything we know about the creation of our universe, and life in our universe conforms to these conclusions, and the conclusions are reaffirmed by every new discovery we make. Scientists have created reproducing, evolving forms of life from nothing more than genomes constructed from nucleic acids and a dead package of cellular material by applying our conclusions about natural processes.
In contrast, belief in the supernatural (like religious belief) continually fragments into internally contradictory opinions, with increasingly less explanatory power over time. As such, it represents a highly unreliable form of knowledge. Such beliefs can neither predict outcomes or show any measurable material changes to the natural world. They are indistinguishable from imagination.
One does not have to be an expert in the sciences to trust in it: the outcomes are immediately apparent to anyone living in the world today. In contrast, the supernatural world is only apparent to those who "believe" in it, and all definitions are inferred from the belief system. For instance, what is Heaven like? How can one know? Which God is the real God? The very concepts are all tautologies.
As an atheist, I do not know everything, but I don't pretend to either, by claiming God fills our gaps in knowledge. That is an intellectually lazy approach to the search for truth, as it requires no accountability. Millions have been killed in the name of Gods that are no longer believed in, and millions more will be killed by Gods that are currently believed in, but will go out of fashion in the near future. No current beliefs in God would even be recognized by those living a scant 200 years ago. A terrible and unnecessary waste of humanity perpetrated by those who cannot be bothered to justify by their beliefs.
In contrast, a supernatural process requires you to "believe", even when the measurements are non-existent, or are contrary to belief.
From our measurements of natural processes, we have created "laws" or theories, that represent our provisional conclusions about our universe. We calls these conclusions "proof", because they continue to become more internally consistent and explanatory over time.
Everything we know about the creation of our universe, and life in our universe conforms to these conclusions, and the conclusions are reaffirmed by every new discovery we make. Scientists have created reproducing, evolving forms of life from nothing more than genomes constructed from nucleic acids and a dead package of cellular material by applying our conclusions about natural processes.
In contrast, belief in the supernatural (like religious belief) continually fragments into internally contradictory opinions, with increasingly less explanatory power over time. As such, it represents a highly unreliable form of knowledge. Such beliefs can neither predict outcomes or show any measurable material changes to the natural world. They are indistinguishable from imagination.
One does not have to be an expert in the sciences to trust in it: the outcomes are immediately apparent to anyone living in the world today. In contrast, the supernatural world is only apparent to those who "believe" in it, and all definitions are inferred from the belief system. For instance, what is Heaven like? How can one know? Which God is the real God? The very concepts are all tautologies.
As an atheist, I do not know everything, but I don't pretend to either, by claiming God fills our gaps in knowledge. That is an intellectually lazy approach to the search for truth, as it requires no accountability. Millions have been killed in the name of Gods that are no longer believed in, and millions more will be killed by Gods that are currently believed in, but will go out of fashion in the near future. No current beliefs in God would even be recognized by those living a scant 200 years ago. A terrible and unnecessary waste of humanity perpetrated by those who cannot be bothered to justify by their beliefs.
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