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forgesteel

Joined: 30 Aug 2005 Location: Earth
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Posted: Sat Oct 01, 2005 6:38 am Post subject: atheism not a good alternative to theism |
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Isn't an atheist just as wildly dogmatic and speculative as a theist in his assertions regarding things that are essentially unknowable? If not, why do you think so?
Cheers, |
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Manner of Speaking

Joined: 09 Jan 2003
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Posted: Sat Oct 01, 2005 7:02 am Post subject: Re: atheism not a good alternative to theism |
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forgesteel wrote: |
Isn't an atheist just as wildly dogmatic and speculative as a theist in his assertions regarding things that are essentially unknowable? If not, why do you think so?
Cheers, |
Aren't you making a statement, but attempting to avoid responsibility for substantiating the statement by phrasing it in the form of a question? If not, why do you think so?
Cheers, |
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Summer Wine
Joined: 20 Mar 2005 Location: Next to a River
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Posted: Sat Oct 01, 2005 8:01 am Post subject: |
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Atheists believe there is no God, because they can't see him. (Just like the wind). Non Atheists believe there is a God because they can feel him. (Just like the wind).
If neither side forces the other to accept their view, why argue about it. Let the Atheists live without criticism, Let the Non Atheists live without criticism.
For Everyone, why does God have to prove his existance to you? What have you done to make him need too? |
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fiveeagles

Joined: 19 May 2005 Location: Vancouver
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Posted: Sat Oct 01, 2005 8:58 am Post subject: |
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Quote: |
If neither side forces the other to accept their view, why argue about it. Let the Atheists live without criticism, Let the Non Atheists live without criticism. |
Do you honestly think this will ever happen? When you have radical religious zealots killing people. ie. terrorists, bombing abortionist clinics etc...
There will always be a political agenda by both sides. There will never be peace until Jesus comes.
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For Everyone, why does God have to prove his existance to you? What have you done to make him need too? |
He doesn't have to, but does so out of mercy and kindness. He does so because He longs for a relationship. He loves to reveal Himself so we may enter into deeper communion.
Faith is the evidence of things NOT seen and the substance of things hoped for.
I think of when Jesus revealed Himself to Thomas after the ressurrection. He didn't reveal Himself to prove that He was raised from the dead, but because He longed to enter into a relationship with Thomas. A relationship not based upon proof, but upon substance.
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jayjayjay

Joined: 27 Aug 2005
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Posted: Sat Oct 01, 2005 9:34 am Post subject: |
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Summer Wine wrote: |
Atheists believe there is no God, because they can't see him. (Just like the wind). Non Atheists believe there is a God because they can feel him. (Just like the wind).
If neither side forces the other to accept their view, why argue about it. Let the Atheists live without criticism, Let the Non Atheists live without criticism.
For Everyone, why does God have to prove his existance to you? What have you done to make him need too? |
Sides? Oh come on. Who is drawing lines in the sand besides you? Now this is painful. We are all brothers and sisters on this ball of mud...no matter what. |
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Rteacher

Joined: 23 May 2005 Location: Western MA, USA
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Posted: Sat Oct 01, 2005 4:03 pm Post subject: |
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We are only "brothers and sisters" because God is the seed-bearing Father of us all (and material nature is the "mother" impregnated by the glance of God...) If God does not exist (in the minds of atheists) the concept of "brotherhood" gets done in by "might makes right"... |
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forgesteel

Joined: 30 Aug 2005 Location: Earth
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Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2005 1:45 am Post subject: substantiation and responsibility |
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Manner of Speaking wrote: |
forgesteel wrote: |
Isn't an atheist just as wildly dogmatic and speculative as a theist in his assertions regarding things that are essentially unknowable? If not, why do you think so?
Cheers, |
Aren't you making a statement, but attempting to avoid responsibility for substantiating the statement by phrasing it in the form of a question? If not, why do you think so?
Cheers, |
Attempting to avoid responsibility? No. Stating an opinion? Yes. My agnostic stance seems to be inherently virtuous in that I am not claiming I know. In this stance, until either side puts up, I figure they ought to shut up. Another virtue of agnosticism is it seems inherently more skeptical than the other two camps.
Atheists claim they /know/ no god exists. I ask them, "How do you know he/ she/ it doesn't exist? As far as I know, you haven't searched and scoured the universe completely enough (i.e. in its entirety) to be able to state a definate opinion on the matter." Theists claim they /know/ god exists. Similarly, I ask them, "How do you know god exists? Can you show me him/ her/ it or proof of same?" Neither substantiate their claims very well, most especially the fundamentalists of both camps.
You're right, though. Freedom is a two-edged sword. Therefore I will substantiate my stance: Freethinkers begin by doubting everything. Therefore, I doubt the statement that 'god exists' and the assertion that he/ she/ it 'doesn't exist.'
Now you can go ahead and answer my original questions, if you will.
Cheers, |
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Summer Wine
Joined: 20 Mar 2005 Location: Next to a River
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Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2005 1:54 am Post subject: |
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If there are no sides, why the differences?
I made changes to the original.
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Sides? Oh come on. Who is drawing lines in the sand besides you? |
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igotthisguitar

Joined: 08 Apr 2003 Location: South Korea (Permanent Vacation)
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Rteacher

Joined: 23 May 2005 Location: Western MA, USA
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Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2005 3:45 am Post subject: |
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Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Krishna appearing as His own devotee to spread the chanting of Hare Krishna all over India, presented the philosophy that we are simultaneously one and different from God. We are one in quality, like a drop of sea water is the same quality as the ocean, but are different quantitatively - as the ocean is much greater than a single drop of water. All living entities are also spiritually the same, but we are materially different in so many ways. As far as philosophers go, every philosopher has to have his or her own speculative take on the big picture in order to become distinguished. The Absolute Truth is too inconceivably great to be understood by a speculative process. Only by mercifully revealing Himself to nonenvious pure souls - since the beginning of creation - can we understand something about God.
For those who may object to refer to God as "He" instead of "She" or "It" God is "Male" in the sense of being the seed-bearing Father of all living beings (impregnating material nature with his glance) and also in the sense of being the supreme enjoyer of all loving relationships with His innumerable separated parts-and-parcels (our spiritual identities were created to give pleasure to God - in that sense we are all female...) Actually, sometimes God (or Vishnu) incarnates as a woman (Mohini murti) and sometimes as an animal (like Hayagriva, the horse incarnation...)
The impersonal sound representation of the Absolute Truth is the transcendental sound "aum" (which is also contained within the personal name "Rama"... Impersonalists think that the formless spiritual light or "Brahman" is the highest realization. Mystic yogis think that visualizing the supersoul (paramatma) localized feature of God within the heart is the highest realization. And devotees of God (or bhaktas) realize that the highest realization of the Absolute Truth is the Supreme Personality of Godhead - Krishna (or Bhagavan) ...
The following painting depicts Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Brahma and Shiva are the most powerful demigods, in charge of material creation and destruction, respectively. And Vishnu is an expansion of God acting as the maintainer of all living entities...
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khyber
Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Compunction Junction
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Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2005 8:58 am Post subject: |
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that looks like pre chateaux Lake Louise. |
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Rteacher

Joined: 23 May 2005 Location: Western MA, USA
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Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2005 11:06 am Post subject: |
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... yes - Canada is truly "God's country" (it's so cold in winter that only God could live there...)  |
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Rteacher

Joined: 23 May 2005 Location: Western MA, USA
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Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2005 5:33 am Post subject: |
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Eh?... |
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Manner of Speaking

Joined: 09 Jan 2003
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Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2005 6:14 am Post subject: Re: substantiation and responsibility |
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forgesteel wrote: |
Attempting to avoid responsibility? No. Stating an opinion? Yes. My agnostic stance seems to be inherently virtuous in that I am not claiming I know. In this stance, until either side puts up, I figure they ought to shut up. Another virtue of agnosticism is it seems inherently more skeptical than the other two camps.
Atheists claim they /know/ no god exists. I ask them, "How do you know he/ she/ it doesn't exist? As far as I know, you haven't searched and scoured the universe completely enough (i.e. in its entirety) to be able to state a definate opinion on the matter." Theists claim they /know/ god exists. Similarly, I ask them, "How do you know god exists? Can you show me him/ her/ it or proof of same?" Neither substantiate their claims very well, most especially the fundamentalists of both camps.
You're right, though. Freedom is a two-edged sword. Therefore I will substantiate my stance: Freethinkers begin by doubting everything. Therefore, I doubt the statement that 'god exists' and the assertion that he/ she/ it 'doesn't exist.'
Now you can go ahead and answer my original questions, if you will.
Cheers, |
Which was:
Quote: |
Isn't an atheist just as wildly dogmatic and speculative as a theist in his assertions regarding things that are essentially unknowable? If not, why do you think so? |
Interesting question...
I don't know if I have come off as "wildly dogmatic", if I have it certainly wasn't my intention. It would be a lie to say that dogmatic Atheism doesn't exist; certainly in the history of the last century, dogmatic Atheism has killed and persecuted millions of people in the former Soviet Union, Democratic Kamuchea, and even today in China and other countries. There's no excuse for it; dogmatic Atheism is as abhorrent to me as...dogmatic anything, I guess. I guess it's inherent in the nature of Atheism to regard anyone who does believe in the existence of gods as delusional and wrong. Not much room for tolerance there, unless you believe in tolerance and respect for difference as ends in themselves.
I think the answer to your question would be yes, as far as belief goes. Atheists cannot offer absolute proof that gods don't exist, and I'd be a bit nervous of one who was so closed-minded as to say so. All they can do point out what they feel is an absence of evidence affirming the existence of gods, as defined in some of the more popular religions. As an Atheist, I'm convinced that gods don't exist, but my personal conviction is not meant as an obligation that others must adhere to. Usually they don't express it as an expectation of what others MUST believe, but as an expression of what they believe. Atheists believe gods don't exist, but usually express their belief as 'there just doesn't seem to be any convincing evidence supporting the idea of deities.'
I guess the reason why I express these ideas on this forum is, as an Atheist, you're usually in the minority. People sometimes state theistic ideas and beliefs on the assumption that everybody shares these beliefs. There's nothing in the idea of Atheism that obligates you to get others to think the same way, 'spread the Good Word' so to speak, in contrast with some monotheistic religions. Theoretically I have more to fear from fundamentalist Islam than the average Christian. Islam at least teaches tolerance for 'peoples of the Book'; Atheists, however, are infidels to be fought and killed.
The assumption that others share your religious beliefs, or that you have the right to prosletize them on discussion boards - or that everybody thinks the same way you do about religion - is a bit like lighting up a cigarette in a crowded restaurant without asking. Even if secondhand smoke was absolutely harmless, it's still a little rude. When things get a little too "fundamental", it may be necessary sometimes to discuss Atheism just the tiniest bit, if for no other reason than to broaden the horizons.  |
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mithridates

Joined: 03 Mar 2003 Location: President's office, Korean Space Agency
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Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2005 7:58 am Post subject: |
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I used to frequent alt.atheism all the time so I'm used to this sort of discussion. However, I'm sorry to say but most atheists are not real atheists. Here are some of the types:
1)I don't like Christianity / used to be a Christian type atheists. They're mostly opposed to Christians deciding government policy. That's fine.
2)I really just don't believe in God type atheists. I'll explain that in a bit.
3)Who knows, I'm just certain that no religion can really explain things and none of them can logically be correct because innocent people would be damned by default etc. kind of atheists.
Now, #1 is more defined by being opposed to Christianity or maybe Islam. You'll notice very little concern with buddhism, and that's because they're concerned with societal effects of religion, little more.
#2 type atheists are funny, because they don't believe in something that by definition is beyond the universe itself. That's fine, but to decide not to believe out front in something you haven't defined in the first place, that's just silly. If we're talking about gods with a lower-case g, well that's polytheism and not many people in the west really believe in that anyway.
#3 people are really just agnostic.
In short, atheist usually means 'I don't like Christianity' / 'I choose not to believe in something beyond definition' / 'I'm really agnostic'. IMO all atheists are agnostic, it's just that they choose a bit stronger a position to argue against religion. That's fine. Argue against religion. But to outright believe that something beyond definition should first be measured to be proven? Do I really have to explain how silly that is? Argue against religion itself, not the existence of God. |
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