I have had extensive conversations with a theologian, my father (he has a doctorate in theology). I finally decided that I don’t have to change his mind, he has faith and that’s all there is to it. He’s well read, believes in science, evolution, etc. However, he accepts that there is an all powerful god so practically no argument can change that belief.

With respect to cognition, when I asked him about the possibility that computer thought might be indistinguishable from human or at least higher level animal thought some day, his reply was that such would be a kind of an illusion of consciousness but that “real” consciousness is by definition not a mechanical thing and only possible in a living organism.

I feel like most religious people are like my father in that they have unexamined categories that allow religious ideas to coexist with modern science in their personal metaphysics.

I love my father so we simply don’t talk about religion (or politics) anymore.