Instigator / Con
32
1442
rating
48
debates
55.21%
won
Topic
#5852

Do dreams have divine or spiritual meanings to them?

Status
Voting

The participant that receives the most points from the voters is declared a winner.

Voting will end in:

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Parameters
Publication date
Last updated date
Type
Standard
Number of rounds
3
Time for argument
One week
Max argument characters
30,000
Voting period
Two weeks
Point system
Multiple criterions
Voting system
Open
Contender / Pro
26
1500
rating
3
debates
33.33%
won
Description

No information

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@whiteflame

I consider this vote bomb, I want the voter to give concise RFD not another debate in which he present bible verses and argument. He should not forget he is voter and whatever is in debate, should be voted for that.

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@Lemming

Are you debating with me?
Give a concise RFD, and do not impose your belief on me. I do not know why you gave vote to my opponent. I do not know why I have to debate separately with voters all the time.

RFV 1/6
Title
Well, might depend how you define "divine" or "spiritual"

Description,
Might have been good to put definitions here.

Con Americandebater24 R1
Opening
"special significance"
Some might argue that people with PTSD and night terrors, nightmares, are spiritually sick.
Depends on how one defines spirit.

First Argument
The source doesn't say dreams are "nothing more than", But does say, "Dreams are stories and images that our minds create while we sleep."
It also says,
"There are several theories about why we dream."
"Possible explanations include"
"Much that remains unknown about dreams"
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/284378#_noHeaderPrefixedContent

Hm, does 'every dream need to have a divine or spiritual message?
It's not as though they 'couldn't, some people see all of life that way, just because humans don't pick up on it all, or don't view small dull parts as adding to it all, doesn't mean that they are not, to people who view it that way.

Second Argument
Source is okay.

Berean Literal Bible
"Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves." Matthew 7:15

That something can be manipulated by humans, does that prevent it from being used by the divine, or to show divine understanding?
(Personally I'm still an Atheist, just saying)

Third argument
Wikipedia says
"Anecdotal evidence, with a few safeguards, represents the bulk of evidence in court."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anecdotal_evidence

My thoughts
Despite my criticisms, I don't think Cons arguments are 'bad. But I think there might be room for Pro to make a case.
I think definitions might have been valuable to Con.

RFV 2/6
Pro tigerlord R1
Arguments
Identifies 'some dreams as divine/spiritual, and others not.

While I think their arguments would be convincing to one already a believer in the divine/spiritual aspect of dreams.
I think they will be less so to a person who takes a more materialistic/conceptual/metaphor/emergent property view of the divine/spiritual.

I expect later rounds might include arguments on when records/history is seen as fact or not.

Brings up rebuttals to Cons arguments,

Argues for personal experiences place in observation and conclusions in life.
Argues for historical records and outcomes.

My thoughts
I lean a bit towards Cons arguments.
While personal experiences 'might be true, I tend to discount them, as they 'might not be true.
The logical reasoning of Allah's control, 'requires the voter to think such true as well.
I think history is not always perfectly recorded, sometimes it is recorded after, or with mistaken perspective.

Con Americandebater24 R2
Argument 1
What 'would be sufficient evidence?

Logical statements and conclusions can have flaws, yeah.

Argument 2
Brings up the argument of Pros arguments presupposing their religion to be correct, might not convince people nonreligious or of other religions.

Argument 3
Con source does not quite say what they claim Divinity to be, looks to me.
I'm not sure that 'theoretically divine experience could not work side by side with modern science.
There 'are religious and spiritual scientists, I would think.
Brings up objections to Pros use of the Qur'an.

Rebuttals
Argues that some of Pros arguments require presupposition of religion being true.
Presents alternate explanations for Pros personal experience.

My thoughts,
Still leaning towards Con.

RFV 3/6
Pro tigerlord R2
Rebuttal 1
I think this is the type of debate that often 'happens between people of a more Materialistic bent, and people of a Religious bent.
They sometimes have 'very different views and presuppositions. So the debate becomes one between two systems, not the implications or uses of said systems.

Con 'has included sources where people have studied dreams, sources commonly recognized as scientific.

Rebuttal 2
I think it is true that science and academia, 'especially in the past,
Have a long history of being supported by religious institutions, and some directions people have taken science, were motivated by their love of their religion, and wanting to understand it more.

There 'is a difficulty though, in claiming science and religion to be the same,
Or in convincing people that religious books are science books.
'Especially if one is 'not religious.

Rebuttal 3
A person's skin being scratched, and their skin under the fingernails of a subject of homicide,
Vs someone who saw the individual killing the victim,
While I do not say that a witness holds 'no weight, I think the physical evidence would hold more.

Rebuttal 4
Hm, I don't think Con has brought up Dawkins,
But I don't think Con is wrong to use authorities as evidence to support their position.
Though such does not mean that individuals are 'wrong, or did not experience what they did,
But, the point of authorities is to have something one can turn to, as something recognized as fact by a group.
Pro himself used their religion as an authority.

Rebuttal 1
Con 'has used sources on people studying dreams and possible origins of them.

Having something verifiable 'helps voters lean to one side or the other.
Though some people have their experiences and might be leaned by less verifiable experiences, thoughts, and reasonings.
'Without those experiences, thoughts, and reasonings. One is left with the verifiable.

RFV 4/6
Rebuttal 1
I don't think Con was calling Pro a liar,
But seeing is believing, humans are fallible.

People who are Materialists, have the assumption of alternate explanations for the experiences of Spiritualists,
As Spiritualists, have the assumption of alternate explanations for the experiences of Materialists.
(I am just 'assuming Con is a Materialist in this debate though)

Rebuttal 2
Even if Con cannot 'find the Divine nature, if they can find a Materialistic explanation, it sems reasonable they should be satisfied with the Materialistic explanation.

Rebuttal 1
Logic is often a chain of thoughts, if even one link is Illogical, then the logic can become wrong, even if 99% of the rest was logical. I think.

Rebuttal 3
King Nebuchadnezzar, that some dreams come to pass, does not mean to the Materialist that the dream 'knew of the future. If I have a dream that a quarter is going to flip on heads and it 'does, that doesn't mean the dream was divinely inspired.
There are 'many dreams recorded, often vague, Oracles often vague. Leaves room for interpretation to be 'correct.

Gist of My Opponent’s Arguments
Con offers explanations, and cuts off what they see as unneeded explanation.
Religions can often be subjective.
If spirituality does not exist, then it cannot be the explanation.
The 'facts of religion, are often not the facts for people not 'of that religion, as Con has argued earlier.

Argument
Pro offers argument of Allah existing in a way that impacts the physical realm. While this 'does offer some explanation of divine/spiritual in the physical.
I think Con has an easier time by not 'needing said explanation for their argument.
I think Pros arguments could do well with people of the same presuppositions as Pro, but have trouble convincing people of different presuppositions.

Millions of testimonies,
The 'problem for Pro here, is that millions can be wrong, literally 'everyone in the world during various time periods can be wrong.
Not that it has 'no weight for consideration, but some people including myself, prefer explanations that explain it various ways that they were mistaken.
. . . Or that they were not 'wrong, but that some were not speaking literally.

Pro does offer 'possible explanation, and argues the limit of current science is not proof.
. . . It 'is true, that people can think something is impossible by their own limitations, when in truth it was possible, already in existence, or done.
But until said proof is shown, or shown as likely, many will not find the arguments of 'maybe it could exist, to be convincing.

Glancing down I see Pro and Con 'are both including videos,
WHYYYYY. Eh, I'll watch them.

RFV 5/6
Pro Video
1:25 Taking up arms,
Well, it 'can be dangerous to take up arms. It can become an all or nothing situation. Can be 'big consequences if you lose. 'And even if you win.
Violence, 'I think can often end up one's last resort, because one can be destroyed if one loses.
Even when one wins, members of one's own faction can 'again use violence and turn on you.
Infrastructure can also end up being destroyed.

3:00 Libraries being burned
Knowledge often isn't the primary loot people take before they burn, yeah.
I'm not well read enough to have a view on how seriously the military was viewed at various times in Islamic history.

8:14
Eh, I think one might see more Atheists in USA than Europe, due to there being more people in USA who view Bible literally. I could be mistaken though.

End
I 'do find it interesting to hear the viewpoints of people of other places and cultures.
Not quite how 'I see it myself. 'Lot to unpack though.

Con Americandebater24 R3 Video
Had sources.
Argues opponent used Authority of their religious book themself.
2:53 Eh, I can conceive of religion helping one in a biology class, though it would be more about the religions commentary of human effort, than any biological claims religions may or may not make.
3:44 Argues against personal claims being placed over proof.
4:21 Notes Pros use of 3rd party authority.
4:58 Notes flaws that can occur when using logic.
6:00 I'm not sure the studies say that God 'wasn't involved. But they 'do offer explanations that don't mention God, I think.
7:20 I'm not really keeping a count or knowledge of 'when, but you guys have 'both been a little aggressive. Not 'outright insulting, but 'little 'tiny bits. 'Seems to me.
9:10 Eh, I 'really don't care to comb over the debate again for conduct.

Pro tigerlord R3
Less space.
You know, 'both of you, the word/character limit in debates exists for a reason, but eh, if you both don't mind bypassing it.

I don't 'think it is 'wrong to talk to the voter in a debate, though I imagine there can be Pros 'and Cons to said tactic.

Fair to point out that it can be done to create a connection, but I don't think such is 'necessarily wrong myself.
I am of the position that emotion holds a place in debates, though a lot of people talk about 'just using logic in debates, I think such people ignore the real life application of debates.

Overemphasis on Scientific Empiricism, will appeal to some people more than others,
Will appeal to some people less than others.

For people big on science, it often 'can be a debate between religion and science,
Doesn't 'have to be, but often way it turns out,
You 'both agreed to this debate and your opponents it sounded to me when reading.

RFV 6/6
Undermining the Use of Religious Evidence
Is a fair point to make, and a consistent theme that Con has argued.
People of different beliefs, will often lack the presuppositions required to take the claims of different beliefs at face value. I think.
. . . Though one 'can argue science is not a monolith, not 'all groups believe in the same scientific claims.

Key point2
I'm not so sure about Pros claims, sources would be valuable to Pro.

Key point 3
It's too late to argue who the burden of proof rests on, (Last round)
And there are various arguments on how to apply the BoP.
I've been applying it equally to both, since it wasn't mentioned.

Pro makes decent argument about the 'application of dreams mattering more than whether the dreams are physical.
However, In my view Con has been arguing effectively against people applying only to Pros religion as well as the existence of Divine or Spiritual argued by Pro.
Though it is possible that a person possessing many of Pros views would be more convinced by Pro than myself.

Hobson and various other sciences.
The 'problem is that Pro and Con have been using the terms Divine and Spiritual, in a way I would classify as 'more than psychological/human culture/Emotion/Will/So On.
Another problem, is this all 'really feels like a final round rush, which generally is frowned upon in debates I think.

It 'is offering a lot of sources claiming the limits of science regarding dreams and consciousness.
It is also difficult to digest easily.

"I still apologize to my opponent if anything let him feel disrespectful and I will try my best to be more in up coming debates with anyone."
I think that is a nice gesture.

RFV End Thoughts
I'm not sure of DARTs stance on final round arguments.
https://www.debateart.com/forum/topics/6503-debate-protocol-last-round-new-argument

But I'm still taking the view that Cons arguments were more consistent, more simple throughout debate.
While many of Pros were last round additions.

While Con added many sources and arguments of others in the final round,
I view it more as quantity in application, than quality.

I view Cons sources of studies as more objective than the Quran.
It is possible were I a Muslim I would hold the Quran as a good source, but I am not, and do not.

I thought Pro and Con both have interesting perspectives.
But my vote in arguments and sources goes to Pro

Conduct tie.
Legibility tie, though I might lean towards Con due to structure, I found both understandable.

No one votes?

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@Americandebater24

My little bro, do not take it to heart, you mentioned about scientist before so I responded to that, and intellectually dishonest I said because you assumed religion false with the vampire example without even debated with me about this topic. How can you preasume religion false and gave vampire example. I responded to that. Everything I said was pre calculated and necessary..
Still if you are looking for respect and manners, by the command of Allah I have no right to be disrespectful to anybody.
I am toxic with toxic people. But by nature I do not like clashes and duels, this is debating platform where intellectual come and discuss their differences by debates and intellectual strength not disrespect. Mostly athiest are toxic and it's natural because their moral ground lies into nature. Which suggest survival of the fittest. We believes are bound by divine morality to behave well. Yet if a atheist demand it then it's great. So for that I say sorry. And let's move on.

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@tigerlord

"I never disrespected you, in fact in this debate I remain to the point, I do not know why you felt disrespectful. Tbh this was my best debate regarding respect, check my other debates they were far worse."

And once again, you decide to lie as if it's actually going to do you any good. Where do I start? how about the fact that you literally made claims that I was intellectually dishonest simply because I disregarded your hearsay story? Or the fact that you literally mocked my atheism by claiming that I wanted to listen to other atheists, like Richard Dawkins, even though that that was never part of the discussion to begin with. In fact, literally everything I gave was scientifically based, which had nothing to do with atheism at all. You simply made mention of it to personally attack me and my character.

Your subsequent responses have been to curse at me and call me a child. And that is before we get into you lying about me bringing up irrelevant topics and accusing of laziness simply because I took time and effort to make a video. If you genuinely can't see any of that as disrespectful, then you have some serious mental issues. that or your sense of maturity never passed the age of 5.

Lastly, telling me to look at your other debates and declaring them as far worse is actually pretty unintelligent of you. because you're essentially saying that this is the norm for you to be disrespectful and even worse manners, as if that somehow absolved your horrible behavior here, It doesn't. If anything, it gives credence to everything I've said about you. The reason why you can't handle formal debate is because you simply don't have the maturity for it. You would rather lie about your opponents and disrespect them rather than genuinely have tolerance for what they say or understand their point.

" I never thought of disrespectful at any instance in debate. Everything I said was for the sake of arguemnt. I do not know why you felt that way. Can you mentioned where my tone was disrespectful in last 2 rounds plz?"

It has nothing to do with tone. It had to do with the fact that you claimed I did intellectually dishonest things, which wasn't true, that I was somehow using atheist testimonies, which also wasn't true. And and any other accusations which were blatantly false. Then you try to make a false case of victimhood by saying I was narrowing your view simply because I made arguments against religion. At no point did I stop you from using religion as an excuse. I merely criticize the fact that you can't prove it to be true.

What you did in the comments you have made subsequently afterwards are obviously offensive and meant to be hurtful. You're not even ashamed of yourself as you willingly call yourself a toxic person as if that is something to be proud of. if you had any common decency, you could see the fault in your display of behavior. However, you've made it clear that you absolutely lack this quality that most humans possess. I don't know if it's simply because you feel emboldened by the Internet. or if it's because you had a terrible life filled with influences that were equally as toxic as you are today. or it's simply the person you're choosing to be, no matter what someone says to you. Regardless of the truth, you are a toxic person and somebody who no one can respect because you can't respect others. telling me that you've been far worse with other people doesn't justify anything.

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@Americandebater24

I never disrespected you, in fact in this debate I remain to the point, I do not know why you felt disrespectful. Tbh this was my best debate regarding respect, check my other debates they were far worse. I never thought of disrespectful at any instance in debate. Everything I said was for the sake of arguemnt. I do not know why you felt that way. Can you mentioned where my tone was disrespectful in last 2 rounds plz?

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@tigerlord

You may crave the final word, demand it even, but let's be clear: this communication breakdown? It's on you. All it would have taken to preserve any semblance of dignity was a simple agreement to disagree. But instead, you chose rudeness, disrespect. Perhaps nobody has had the courage to tell you this before, but you are not the center of the universe. When you act out, throwing tantrums and ignoring all wisdom and decency, you become something far worse than irrelevant. You become toxic, a presence people avoid, a voice they tune out. Respect is earned, and right now, you're deeply in debt.

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@Americandebater24

Waste of time, you r not my caliber, bye bye and burn

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@tigerlord

"Kid, you are already fked in debate why eating my brain here, you have not seen my toxicity yet. It's better you stop your poop eating monkey brain. And get the fk out of here."

First, if your going to call other people children, it's probably best not to act like a child yourself. Don't worry, I know a lack of a diploma, common sense, or manners has reduced you to this point.

"You have done the debate why eating sh8t here?"

Not sure if what I said triggered you to this level of stupidly or your really that pathetic. In any case, would it kill you to actually try insulting with some class? Assuming you have any to begin with.

"Brain dead person asking me to give empirical evidence of dream while it's totally related to subjective and personal interpretation and none machine or tool or measure invented which can analyse the content of dream and then coorelate it with mere physical or spiritual phenomenon."

Thank you for so willingly demonstrating what a sentence made with zero brain cells or foresight looks like. A+ for you. In other related news, You do realize that my whole point from the beginning was that because its a subjective experience we literally can't analyze it and therefore can't prove it right? In other words, you have just agreed that nothing can confirm your story.

"Your brain was tard when you instigated this debate."

So....I create a debate on a debate website no less, and that makes me a "tard"? flawless logic. Btw, while were on the topic. I guess according to that logic, you are also a tard because you not only ACCEPTED said debate and gave a personal sob story on top of it. I mean, I personally don't have enough self loathing or lack of dignity and certainly have never lacked the intellect enough to insult myself with my own reasoning. But, hey, since you can't respect others why respect yourself right?

"Now you are fked up, so crying in comment section and you reached the point, where you choose the appealing to the audience/voters by Dropping arguments and appeal to emotion.
If you have done well, you would have not begged to voters and by passing me.
Pathetic"

By all means (assuming you actually know how) look up the definitions of "appealing" and "emotion" because clearly they don't work the way you think. At no point did I ever say to voters, "Vote me for me because I feel dreams have no divine nature" Or "My opponent said mean things to me. vote against him." You on the other hand made an EXTREMELY emotional personal story trying to sway people with claims of a mystic god saving your family from a disaster and how TERRIBLE it was for you to go through it.

Here is the reality: your an ignorant toxic troll who got mad because I gave educated and documented reasons for why Dreams are the result of physical phenomenon and brain stimulation. You have no argument beyond "But I believe in Allah!" And you know that simply isn't enough. Honestly, You must not care about your God all that much to be this much of a prick.

PS. I never dropped any arguments. I simply changed the form in which I delivered it.

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@Americandebater24

Kid, you are already fked in debate why eating my brain here, you have not seen my toxicity yet. It's better you stop your poop eating monkey brain. And get the fk out of here. You have done the debate why eating sh8t here?
Brain dead person asking me to give empirical evidence of dream while it's totally related to subjective and personal interpretation and none machine or tool or measure invented which can analyse the content of dream and then coorelate it with mere physical or spiritual phenomenon. Your brain was tard when you instigated this debate. Probably you had argument with some guy in real life
Now you are fked up, so crying in comment section and you reached the point, where you choose the appealing to the audience/voters by Dropping arguments and appeal to emotion.
If you have done well, you would have not begged to voters and by passing me.
Pathetic

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@tigerlord

The assertion that I requested physical evidence of a dream is inaccurate. My request was for empirical evidence demonstrating the divine origin of dream meanings, specifically in relation to the claim that Allah is the source of these dreams. The reliance on a personal anecdote as proof is a methodological error that undermines any claim to reasoned argumentation. Furthermore, even if the request had been for physical evidence of a dream, it's a point of common scientific knowledge that brain activity associated with dreams can be measured via electroencephalography.

Look, it's time to heed your own pathetic little advice and actually grow up. The fact that you're this emotionally stunted despite supposedly being a divine Messager is embarrassing.

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@Americandebater24

Kid grow up, you are asking me to give you physical evidence for a dream, lmao.

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@tigerlord

"You right away discarded my stance which was religion, when you discuss spiritual matters, they automatically belongs to religion. Yet you right away said "They also relied primarily on their own subjective experiences and religious interpretations as opposed to facts, evidence, or anything academic""

Spirituality and religion represent different approaches to meaning, purpose, and connection. In a structured debate, the Con's responsibility is to present a counter-argument. This is not a personal attack, it's the framework of the discussion. If that fundamental dynamic is interpreted as disrespect, it might be worthwhile to reconsider your involvement in formal debate.

Whether consciously or not, your argument rested on the shifting sands of subjective experience and religious interpretation. You presented an anecdote unique to yourself, followed by an assertion of divine intervention—neither of which lends itself to empirical scrutiny. Therefore, my earlier statement remains demonstrably factual, despite your apparent surprise

"You said you would believe something come out of empirical analysis.
And so on,
Probably you are a kid, you do not know what you are saying and what that means."

My position was crystal clear: I require concrete, physical evidence – and yes, that encompasses empirical analysis – before accepting a claim as true. It's deeply ironic that you, who clearly doesn't grasp the meaning of 'irrelevant' as evidenced by your arbitrary deletion of half my points simply because you lack a counterargument, would resort to condescendingly calling me a 'kid' and implying I'm ignorant of fundamental concepts. Perhaps, before you throw around such childish insults, you should familiarize yourself with basic vocabulary and address the actual content of what I'm saying, instead of resorting to censorship. It's a sad display of intellectual laziness.

"My response was according to your response and also adequate.
Do not cry bro."

Seriously? 'Don't cry bro' is the pinnacle of your response? You're the one who resorted to deleting my points, then hypocritically addressing them, and finally launching personal attacks based on my atheism – an issue I never even raised. If anyone's 'crying' here, it's the insecure, religious zealot who crumbles into petty insults the moment their cherished narrative is questioned.

If this is how Allah's 'ambassadors' behave, then either you're utterly incompetent, or your deity has exceptionally poor taste in followers.

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@Americandebater24

You right away discarded my stance which was religion, when you discuss spiritual matters, they automatically belongs to religion. Yet you right away said "They also relied primarily on their own subjective experiences and religious interpretations as opposed to facts, evidence, or anything academic"
You said you would believe something come out of empirical analysis.
And so on,
Probably you are a kid, you do not know what you are saying and what that means.
My response was according to your response and also adequate.
Do not cry bro.

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@tigerlord

Frankly, your repeated disrespect has rendered my attempts to engage with you futile. The accusations of intellectual dishonesty, the mischaracterization of my statements, and the attacks on my character based on my atheism, along with an apparent religious bias, signal a complete disregard for constructive engagement, leading me to disengage entirely.

Respect is reciprocal – a fact you ignored. You accused me of emotional reasoning, while presenting your anecdote as evidence. Declaring yourself 'Ambassador of Islam' confirms that your engagements were always driven by bias and emotions more than mine are.

I adhered to the debate; you were the one who introduced personal narratives and religious dogma. You need to either take your own advice or avoid hypocritical criticism in the first place.

Your 'lazy' label is as baseless as all other biased positions and does not change that facts of videos always needing way more time than just a written format. So respond however you like – with a detailed response, a video like mine, or not at all. None of that is any longer a matter of my interests. Any level or action you want or think you must produce is entirely at your liberty.

This guy is so lazy.

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@Americandebater24

Do not bring irrelevant topics. 3 round and even 1 debate is not enough for it. I needed to delete some part and end up deleting little more. So tired so did not add again or added more. If you want we can start another debate about that.

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@Americandebater24

Looking forward for good debate, I shall share my own experiences about dream which comes true.