John Lisle

But because he saw how fervently we believed in him and how fervently we believed that the world was going to be destroyed, he decided to have mercy on us and didn't destroy the world.

So the fact that we believed that the world was going to be destroyed is the reason why the world wasn't destroyed.

So the evidence against them becomes evidence for them.

We know we are right because the world wasn't destroyed because, you know, that proves that God was taking mercy on us.

Wow.

So this is how they rationalize it.

So this is non-falsifiable, something that there's no way you could prove it wrong.

This is an indication of a bad theory of it's non-falsifiable.

It's like not tethered to reality.

It's gold medal mental gymnastics.

Exactly.

If something's non-falsifiable, the classic example for me of non-falsifiability is the concept of last Thursday-ism.

So it's the idea that God created the universe last Thursday.

Now, how could I prove that wrong?

You know, I ask my students this and many of them say, well, I remember last Wednesday.

I remember time before last Thursday.

But of course you remember that, but God created you and your memories last Thursday.

So of course you would think that there was time before last Thursday because God implanted those memories in you last Thursday.

In other words, this is just a non-falsifiable belief.

You can't prove it wrong, but that doesn't mean it's right.