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They use terms in an attempt to equate belief with non belief or pretend atheism is a religion too. You need to understand their indoctrinated views of atheism is what they post from.
They would not be able to differentiate a theist from atheist in the street or a bank queue.
They use terms in an attempt to equate belief with non belief or pretend atheism is a religion too. You need to understand their indoctrinated views of atheism is what they post from.
i suppose their argument would suggest that everybody "believes" in something, it's just that their belief is more than a belief...
i am trying to put on those old shoes
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They would not be able to differentiate a theist from atheist in the street or a bank queue.
While the above is not my unqualified position, it is not dogma if dogma is as defined by the OP (and the dictionary), because it is not a principal laid down by an authority. Also it's a position that is implicitly based upon the overwhelming preponderance of evidence, not simply parroted. Where I would disagree with this as a literal statement is that I'm not willing to assign absolute zero probability to SOME kind of god and I do not want to appear to be closed minded as to any possible evidence that might arise, however vanishingly improbable I might think that is. However, you have to admit that in practical terms, the two statements you cite are functionally identical, it is only a matter of nuanced communication and mindset which one you would subscribe to.
Therefore, "I see no reason to believe in god" is really not different from "there is no possibility of a god" other than IMO the latter is not properly thought out and lacks precision of expression. It's my guess that 90% of anyone saying "no possibility", if they thought it through carefully, would rephrase the 2nd version more like the 1st, and most of the other 10% would not be 100% intellectually honest, they would simply be trying to be provocative.
While the above is not my unqualified position, it is not dogma if dogma is as defined by the OP (and the dictionary), because it is not a principal laid down by an authority. Also it's a position that is implicitly based upon the overwhelming preponderance of evidence, not simply parroted. Where I would disagree with this as a literal statement is that I'm not willing to assign absolute zero probability to SOME kind of god and I do not want to appear to be closed minded as to any possible evidence that might arise, however vanishingly improbable I might think that is. However, you have to admit that in practical terms, the two statements you cite are functionally identical, it is only a matter of nuanced communication and mindset which one you would subscribe to.
Therefore, "I see no reason to believe in god" is really not different from "there is no possibility of a god" other than IMO the latter is not properly thought out and lacks precision of expression. It's my guess that 90% of anyone saying "no possibility", if they thought it through carefully, would rephrase the 2nd version more like the 1st, and most of the other 10% would not be 100% intellectually honest, they would simply be trying to be provocative.
Well, I try to be respectful and non-confrontational. I may be the only atheist some people will know (or know that they know). If I am their only frame of reference, I want to make sure that they find atheists to be reasonable and pleasant. I definitely don't want to turn people away from rethinking their beliefs just because they only atheist they come in contact with is a jerk.
I find that more people consider what I think and believe if I don't yell or shove it in their faces.
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