Is Theism arrogant?

I'm concerned here with the claim of arrogance.Some have said, I think, that any claim that makes an assumption about what people think or feel is arrogant, and that the claims of theism do this.We need to make a distinction: there are claims about (a)what people ought to think or feel and (b)what people do in fact think or feel.Some claims about what people ought to think or feel:Everyone ought to believe in God.
Everyone ought to believe in TOE.Claims about what people do in fact think or feel:Everyone feels the presence of God.
Everyone has secret fears.
Anyone who claims to feel the presence of God is deluded. What they feel, without knowing it, is the cultural pressure to be a believer.Any difference in the arrogance levels of these claims?This message has been edited by robinrohan, 10-24-2005 05:07 PMThis message has been edited by robinrohan, 10-28-2005 08:21 AM

OK, I changed it.

But what about the choices I offered in the OP? Which are arrogant?You know what I think? Anyone who disagrees with your basic view point is considered in your eyes arrogant.This message has been edited by robinrohan, 10-29-2005 08:36 PM

I don't think any of them are arrogant. The very nature of a claim carries with it the idea that the claimer is right and anyone who disagrees with him is wrong. Arrogance only occurs with claims that include a personal element--e.g., "I, being an X, am better than you, being a Y."

Look at the definition you provided. It's says making exorbitant claims of RANK or ESTIMATION. It's talking about the rank one assigns oneself, as explained by "giving one's self an undue degree of importance." To be arrogant, it has to be a claim about oneself, that oneself is superior. It's not about making claims about what somebody else thinks or feels. Prophex made no claim about his superiority or about someone else's inferiority.

You say he didn't generalize? Not just from this theist, but theists in general. They're arrogant, acording to Hager. Why? They are constantly making comments about what he, Hager, thinks and feels--like that he--being one of a group called "everyone"--feels the presence of God.It's like saying that everyone has a conflict, Oedipal or Electra, with their parent of the same sex. So Hager would respond, how dare you make such a comment about my unconscious feelings? What arrogance! I expect a withdrawal of that statment, with apologies.Or it's like the sentimental comment that everyone responds to love.So Hager might respond, I for one do not respond to love, and therefore I expect you to withdraw that statement immediately, with apologies.Does one note something about the typical tone of Hager's remarks?I do.ABE: His tone conveys this idea: "I am this special person not to be generalized about." However, it's ok for him to generalize about the arrogance of theists, which is also a supposed private feeling the theists have.This message has been edited by robinrohan, 10-31-2005 07:13 AMThis message has been edited by robinrohan, 10-31-2005 07:26 AM

Quote mining? I don't see how it could be. It's not like it was taken out of context. It was your main point. Look at your subtitle--"Theistic Arrogance."

Nothing wrong with nihilism in my view. It is quite reasonable.

I don't know why you say that. If it wasn't reasonable, I would change my mind.

I try to figure things out. Is that so terrible?