“‘Lies, damned lies, and statistics‘ is a phrase describing the persuasive power of numbers, particularly the use of statistics to bolster weak arguments.” However we frequently come across arguments and articles that make fantastic claims without the numbers/statistics to support those claims. A “Focus on Religion” article in the Cape Breton Post online contains a perfect example of an unsupported claim:
More and more people are attending church these days as they acknowledge the need to have some good godly morals.
The author of the article, Kevin Mattatall, the pastor of the Cape Breton Christian Fellowship Church, believes that quoting from a few Psalms and from the gospel of Matthew is enough to support his claim that church attendance is increasing. He is wrong: Bible verses are not proof.
Mattatall also makes it clear that humans are imperfect:
Perhaps on the day we came home from the hospital, the doctor forgot to put a tag on us saying “some assembly required.” Yes, when we are born we are a complete person but we are not in any way, shape, or form, completely ready for life.
No kidding! Of course humans are imperfect, but it’s not because God created us that way so we would appeal to him in times of trouble. We are not perfect because we evolved, and evolution does not produce perfect creatures. Yes, humans require further assembly, but medical science, not prayer, provides the further assembly. If you want to know why, read a book on evolution or listen to this talk by Jerry Coyne.