Enmos
Valued Senior Member
Are theists afraid of atheists?
- Thread starter Medicine*Woman
- Start date
Why do you say that? It is the only logical reason there is to believe in anything of fantasy....which is simply because it does no harm to believe in fantasy, given normal people who can separate fact from fiction.
And on the off chance, fantasy becomes reality is icing on the cake.
What's so absurd about believing in Santa Claus, unless in the situation that the belief would cause harm? You aren't a scrooge are you?
It's not a logical reason, and that's his point. The Wager assumes too much about the nature of a god or an afterlife.
I suppose you are right, but there is nothing wrong with believing in fantasy so long as the belief is not immoral. And, if the fantasy is proven true, then that person who believed is "one-up." That is the essence of Pascal's Wager that is the only argument to believe in God, or any myth.
I am defining immoral here from the utilitarian point of view.
There is no proving of the fantasy as truth. And who says what is immoral? The question is, does it negatively affect people. And in this case, yes, it does.
No proving of the fantasy as truth? Don't you dream of future innovations and how they can improve people's lives? Things like the automobile were things of fantasy before someone had a dream of something better than horse drawn buggy. How do those fantastic ideas become reality?
You can't prove fantasy as truth without a dream, hope, and faith that what you believe is true...
It is possible to prove anything, once the evidence uncovered. Does that mean there are pink elephants? No, just like there is no God, but I'm talking about fantasy and believing in myth. That is not harmful unless the person is not able to separate fact from fiction. And if that person can't, like some Christians, it has the potential to be deadly, but only in the wrong hands like the KKK, Hilter, and Isalmic terrorists. The fact of the matter is that most Christians and most non-Christians are the same when it comes to a moral compass.
You are a scrooge. lol You would have all the fun sucked out of life if this is what you think...
The reason I say this, is if 'There is no proving of the fantasy as truth' then what is the point of "reaching towards the stars"?
Does believing in something that does not exist negatively affect people? In all cases, no. How one responds to that belief is another matter entirely, and that is why I bring in the character of the person to my statement.
Are atheists afraid of theists? Hmmm....
So, you're whining because you wrongly assume they're copied from that site. And even though the crux of the post is to demonstrate that those biblical quotes confirm my argument, you conveniently ignore that and focus on the irrelevant.
It would appear focusing on the irrelevant is what you're best suited.
Bah Humbug!
There's an astronomical difference between deciding to believe something on the off chance it might turn out to be true & believing things might be possible which are currently not known.
I reach for the stars. It pains me that I can't be zipping around out there exploring different planets & galaxies.
I need to know everything. I need to KNOW. Not pretend to know. If I can't know something, it won't do me any good to fool myself into thinking I know.
In addition to this & JDawg's comments, Pascal's Absurdity ignores what kind of life I'd have if I accept it as opposed to otherwise. The Holy Cost is more than I can pay.
There's an astronomical difference between deciding to believe something on the off chance it might turn out to be true & believing things might be possible which are currently not known.
I reach for the stars. It pains me that I can't be zipping around out there exploring different planets & galaxies.
I need to know everything. I need to KNOW. Not pretend to know. If I can't know something, it won't do me any good to fool myself into thinking I know.
In addition to this & JDawg's comments, Pascal's Absurdity ignores what kind of life I'd have if I accept it as opposed to otherwise. The Holy Cost is more than I can pay.
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Simon Anders
Valued Senior Member
1) some atheists say here (and elsewhere) say atheism is not a belief. Do you disagree with them?
2) what do you mean by legitimate belief
3) what makes you think theists are afraid of atheism? are there theists here who you think are afraid of atheism?
Simon Anders
Valued Senior Member
And again. Many atheists think that atheism is a lack of belief. Generally people group around things they have in common not around things they lack in common. There are exceptions, but i wonder if you have noticed that a number of atheists think atheism is not a belief and in fact that you are misusing the term.
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M*W: Atheism is the lack of belief in gods. I would consider that it is a belief, but certainly not a religion. I believe that no gods exist. I don't believe in theism. I am specifically an anti-christian.
My OP was just a query. Some theists seem to be afraid of atheists. From my own personal experience when asked what is my religious designation, I always say atheist. You'd think I had the plague from they way people (mostly Blacks) act toward the admission of atheism. I don't make a habit of broadcasting my atheism, but when asked for say a hospital admission, I was treated rudely and hatefully by the admissions clerk (a young Black woman). It just makes me wonder how widespread this fear of atheism is.
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M*W: An atheist is someone who lacks belief in gods.
Simon Anders
Valued Senior Member
If people weren't afraid, they wouldn't believe in nonsense.
Most people are afraid of what they don't understand & most theists don't understand atheists.
Many theists feel threatened by the possibility that someone can actually not believe what they think they must believe.
The Holy Babble commands to preach to & convert everyone. It even says to preach to animals.
Then of course, there is xenophobia & conformism.
Fear is the root of evil.
Most people are afraid of what they don't understand & most theists don't understand atheists.
Many theists feel threatened by the possibility that someone can actually not believe what they think they must believe.
The Holy Babble commands to preach to & convert everyone. It even says to preach to animals.
Then of course, there is xenophobia & conformism.
Fear is the root of evil.
A lack of belief in gods doesn't imply one believes no gods exist.
I for example neither believe gods exist nor do I believe gods don't exist because 1) I find the term "god" void of any discernible definition from which I could even begin to draw a meaningful conclusion; and 2) belief is completely irrelevant to a something's existence.
Simon Anders
Valued Senior Member
swarm,
she made the following statement in what I quoted:
Which is very clear and was the reason I responded to her the way I did. She also said
my emphasis. 'it' referring to atheism.
If like Phlogistan, an atheist here, you believe atheism is merely a lack of belief in God, then you also disagree with her self-labeling. If like me you believe that Medicine Woman is an atheist even though she does not merely lack a belief in god or Gods but believes these things do not exist, then you disagree with Phlogistan.
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We're not afraid of atheists in the least which is why we don't try to censor them as they do with us. Many atheists forums don't allow preaching because they're afraid of the truth. But we know that they can't hurt us because they don't have the truth. So we don't need to censor them even though they're proud of swearing and hating God. After all, there's a reason that the words of atheists aren't considered to be preaching and the words of Christians are. That shows that even atheists know they're not telling the truth.
You misunderstand the difference between censorship and asking for supporting evidence.
No, we don't allow preaching simply because it is merely that: preaching a point of view with no evidentiary support - i.e. opinion rather than fact.
Proud of swearing? Evidence?
How can we hate something that probably doesn't exist?
Because atheists try to provide factual supprt and Christians don't?
Simply false...That shows that even atheists know they're not telling the truth.