EvC Forum: Questions for Atheists

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Topic: Questions for Atheists

onifre

Member (Idle past 2979 days)

Posts: 4854

From: Dark Side of the Moon

Joined: 02-20-2008

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Message 57 of 110 (481407)
09-10-2008 7:30 PM

Reply to: Message 54 by mike the wiz
09-10-2008 5:53 PM

Re: Fictional atheists!

Hi Mike,

I am an atheist, I am also a fan of Dawkins, however, both he and I share one view about God that I have not seen mentioned yet and that is that he is not absolute about the denial of God. In his book "The God Delusion" he specifically states that on a scale of atheism between 1 and 7 he considers himself a 6 because no true scientist could ever rule out something with absolute assurance without having evidence for it.

Note: I could cite the page and paragraph but I really don't want to search for it cause im lazy. Here's a youtube video of him being interviewed by Bill Maher in which he explains his position,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tRpbkpNpgw

"All great truths begin as blasphemies"

"I smoke pot. If this bothers anyone, I suggest you look around at the world in which we live and shut your mouth."--Bill Hicks

"I never knew there was another option other than to question everything"--Noam Chomsky

This message is a reply to:
	Message 54 by mike the wiz, posted 09-10-2008 5:53 PM		mike the wiz has not replied

Replies to this message:
	Message 59 by Granny Magda, posted 09-10-2008 7:47 PM		onifre has replied

onifre

Member (Idle past 2979 days)

Posts: 4854

From: Dark Side of the Moon

Joined: 02-20-2008

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Message 60 of 110 (481416)
09-10-2008 8:00 PM

Reply to: Message 59 by Granny Magda
09-10-2008 7:47 PM

Re: Fictional atheists!

Thanks Granny Magda for the page references, damn technology is the shit!!!

I would also place myself in category 6 and I think that this way of looking at categories of belief is quite useful. I think that the kind of fallaciousness Mike is talking about is inherent in position 7, but, of course, equally inherit in position 1...

Agreed, but notice that most people with strong beliefs in God, which, as you stated, would be a 1 on that scale, will not consider themselves as being absolutists, they prefer the euphemistic approach of labeling themselves, as Carlin would say:"people of faith".

...fuck I miss George Carlin

"All great truths begin as blasphemies"

"I smoke pot. If this bothers anyone, I suggest you look around at the world in which we live and shut your mouth."--Bill Hicks

"I never knew there was another option other than to question everything"--Noam Chomsky

This message is a reply to:
	Message 59 by Granny Magda, posted 09-10-2008 7:47 PM		Granny Magda has not replied

onifre

Member (Idle past 2979 days)

Posts: 4854

From: Dark Side of the Moon

Joined: 02-20-2008

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Message 73 of 110 (481567)
09-11-2008 5:31 PM

Reply to: Message 66 by obvious Child
09-11-2008 4:19 AM

Re: Fictional atheists!

Soft atheism, otherwise known as agnosticism is the most logical position.

Which god are you agnostic about? I don't presume you are agnostic about Zues or Apollo, are you?

Is it just the Abrahamic God you are agnostic about, or is it just the concept of God that you would consider being agnostic about?

Sometimes you'll talk to an agnostic that is agnostic about Allah or Jesus but is completely atheistic about Zues, or Apollo, or any other God(s). That to me seems a bit hypocritical.

"All great truths begin as blasphemies"

"I smoke pot. If this bothers anyone, I suggest you look around at the world in which we live and shut your mouth."--Bill Hicks

"I never knew there was another option other than to question everything"--Noam Chomsky

This message is a reply to:
	Message 66 by obvious Child, posted 09-11-2008 4:19 AM		obvious Child has replied

Replies to this message:
	Message 87 by obvious Child, posted 09-12-2008 8:24 PM		onifre has replied

onifre

Member (Idle past 2979 days)

Posts: 4854

From: Dark Side of the Moon

Joined: 02-20-2008

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Message 89 of 110 (481884)
09-13-2008 9:51 AM

Reply to: Message 87 by obvious Child
09-12-2008 8:24 PM

Re: Fictional atheists!

The very concept of God and to a lesser extent which Gods if any. There's no way we can be sure if a God exists, much less which Gods exist. Soft Atheism is the most logical position as long as it's agnostic on the very idea of God.

Yeah, I agree. Which, this truly seems to be the position of most atheist, at least the one's I know. The only true absolutism that is out there is a true faith that a god exists. Atheist for the most part are humble to te existance of a god simply because one never knows unless one has evidence to the contrary. However, this should be the same position people of faith should take, IMO.

"All great truths begin as blasphemies"

"I smoke pot. If this bothers anyone, I suggest you look around at the world in which we live and shut your mouth."--Bill Hicks

"I never knew there was another option other than to question everything"--Noam Chomsky

This message is a reply to:
	Message 87 by obvious Child, posted 09-12-2008 8:24 PM		obvious Child has not replied

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