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We all did.
Nah she doesn't, she's lying to herself! :P
Heretics!
Burn 'em all! : )
Burn 'em all! : )
Build a bridge out of 'em!
Damn i miss The Inquisition so much.
They don't make cool lads like 'em anymore : )
They don't make cool lads like 'em anymore : )
The Spanish Inquisition... expected by nobody since 1970
It's the extremism that's ridiculous, no matter the belief.
There ya go. All of your problems answered.
Relevance?
Relevance: he knows how the magnets work? : )
Back on topic, I was looking over this topic again, and Colbert said something that sums it up entirely:
(@ bill o'reilly) "There must be a god, because I don't know how things work"
In Colbert's superb video, Nahin, O'reilly uses the analogy with the sun, just like he used it with the tides. Nahin, how do you explain the sun going up and down?
(@ bill o'reilly) "There must be a god, because I don't know how things work"
In Colbert's superb video, Nahin, O'reilly uses the analogy with the sun, just like he used it with the tides. Nahin, how do you explain the sun going up and down?
It is a phosphorescent yo-yo of course.
This is why the sun and clouds go up and down and all that. Duh...
I may get my hand slapped for troll feeding...
ShankTank said:
"atheism is a belief, surprise surprise to atheists"
Yup, I'm pretty surprised. Would you like to elaborate so I have something meatier to dismantle?
ShankTank said:
"atheism is a belief, surprise surprise to atheists"
Yup, I'm pretty surprised. Would you like to elaborate so I have something meatier to dismantle?
Atheists believe there is not a god.
Of course, that kind of thinking can be pushed to such extremes that one could argue that the only thing you know is that there are thoughts flying around in your mind, and the rest of reality is a belief.
Of course, that kind of thinking can be pushed to such extremes that one could argue that the only thing you know is that there are thoughts flying around in your mind, and the rest of reality is a belief.
That's it? That's the most there is to the argument?
The very definition of the word atheism indicates a lack of belief, not a contrary belief. Atheism, by it's own definition, applied to theism, is the opposite of belief.
The very definition of the word atheism indicates a lack of belief, not a contrary belief. Atheism, by it's own definition, applied to theism, is the opposite of belief.
To disbelieve in something is the same as believing that it is not. They are the same thing. Think of it like a number - belief is positive, disbelief is negative. If you reverse the frame of reference, you have to swap the signs. To say that I disbelieve in the existence of sentient life on Mars is the same as saying that I believe there is no sentient life on Mars. I have not been there personally and have not seen sufficient evidence to know that there is no sentient life there (perhaps hidden beneath the surface), so a negative belief is the strongest statement I can make regarding it.
Note that my definition of Atheism is not "the lack of belief in a god", but rather "the belief that there is no god". Lacking belief only indicates that you do not have an opinion one way or the other. Rather than a positive or negative number, it is merely a zero. Most definitions of Atheism, however, indicate a disbelief in the existence of a god, rather than merely a neutral opinion.
To quote a dictionary:
Atheism \A"the*ism\, n. [Cf. F. ath['e]isme. See {Atheist}.]
1. The disbelief or denial of the existence of a God, or supreme intelligent Being.
[1913 Webster]
There are, of course, some dictionaries that define it using "lack of belief" rather than "disbelief", but common use seems to indicate the above meaning. Until somebody can find proof of the nonexistence of god, Atheism will remain a belief.
Please do understand that I'm not trying, by explaining that Atheism is a belief, to make it seem less valid or anything. Though I happen to not be an Atheist, I freely admit that it seems the more likely option.
Note that my definition of Atheism is not "the lack of belief in a god", but rather "the belief that there is no god". Lacking belief only indicates that you do not have an opinion one way or the other. Rather than a positive or negative number, it is merely a zero. Most definitions of Atheism, however, indicate a disbelief in the existence of a god, rather than merely a neutral opinion.
To quote a dictionary:
Atheism \A"the*ism\, n. [Cf. F. ath['e]isme. See {Atheist}.]
1. The disbelief or denial of the existence of a God, or supreme intelligent Being.
[1913 Webster]
There are, of course, some dictionaries that define it using "lack of belief" rather than "disbelief", but common use seems to indicate the above meaning. Until somebody can find proof of the nonexistence of god, Atheism will remain a belief.
Please do understand that I'm not trying, by explaining that Atheism is a belief, to make it seem less valid or anything. Though I happen to not be an Atheist, I freely admit that it seems the more likely option.