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And what superior way do you suggest to determine the meaning and definition of words & terms than dictionaries?
Are they not typically the expert source to provide such information?
I thought I was pretty clear. They are written for a general audience, and as a result they are too broad to support a serious discussion. Read almost any scholarly article, and they will spend some time explaining the specific definition they are using for the purposes of that article, specifically because there are too many definitions in the dictionary for clarity.
The experts you reference write definitions to support multiple usages, even though in conversation only one use among the many available is intended.
Your pantheistic definition does have internal consistency. I admit that. I contend that it is also completely useless, because you are using a definition for god that is in the minority and not intended by most people.
Getting back to faith, unless we are discussing the same definition, christians do exactly what you do. They argue for an absurd definition of faith, one that describes the word in a way that they do not intend when discussing their deity. When somebody inevitably agrees that their fringe definition is true in some cases, they then say: aha, therefore god. This despite the fact that the fringe definition does not support god.
And what superior way do you suggest to determine the meaning and definition of words & terms than dictionaries?
Are they not typically the expert source to provide such information?
The mass of humanity does not consult a dictionary before talking or writing.
So a dictionary is a tool, and nothing more.
I just had a great discussion today with a foreigner. As usual he slaughtered the English language. And yet I understood every sentence and we had a great conversation for almost twenty minutes.
I look forward to the time when you move on from Buddhism, as I did, closer to true enlightenment as Jesus, the Maitreya who Buddha expected, achieved for us all.
I think it's repulsive when christians STEAL other religions.
I look forward to the time when you move on from Buddhism, as I did, closer to true enlightenment as Jesus, the Maitreya who Buddha expected, achieved for us all.
What did you know or practice of Buddhism, and for how long?
I didn't care for either and I've already moved on from Siddhartha Gautama and Joshua Benjoseph long ago.
May Enlightenment continue to grow and succeed in these dark ages full of entrapping delusions
When will the pitiful groupies who have sold themselves short cease waiting for nothing and start moving on to finding their own integrity?
I dislike trying to discuss things based upon dictionary definitions. Dictionaries are general reference texts, designed to provide as broad a series of definitions as possible. In addition to that, there are numerous dictionaries out there, which allows people to shop a variety of definitions until they find the one that suits their specific purpose. GoldenRule and Tzap both do this, with some absurd results. The conversation usually devolves to bickering about semantic differences, and never seems to address the real topic.
As I see it, the word faith as used by theists is basically a belief without supporting evidence. They then try to confuse the issue by speaking of faith, but using analogies where we do have supporting evidence. They hope nobody will notice the shift, and use that sophistry to declare victory.
It is a hollow victory though, because they must know they are referring to different things with one word.
As I see it, the word faith as used by theists is basically a belief without supporting evidence. They then try to confuse the issue by speaking of faith, but using analogies where we do have supporting evidence.
You do have the evidence ? That’s a nice little claim right there!
Now before I call it a hogwash, let’s cut the crap, and go straight into the heart of it.
Please take the stage and present your EVIDENCE that there is no afterlife, and there is no God.
Be precise, short and sweet. No hanky panky. Just present the evidence.
I think it's repulsive when Christians STEAL other religions.
Your anger and revulsion for the corrupt "precepts and doctrines of men" that you thought was Christianity is no excuse to remain unenlightened. Do you still meditate and seek the truth? Be diligent and it will come to you as it did to me.
Your anger and revulsion for the corrupt "precepts and doctrines of men" that you thought was Christianity is no excuse to remain unenlightened. Do you still meditate and seek the truth? Be diligent and it will come to you as it did to me.
Meditate on the opposite and you will find the opposite; seek anything, and your mind can pretend to find it for you.
Meditate on nothing (not yet knowing the truth) and you will find what your subconscious-body (so easily prone to comfort) wishes you to find. Seek nothing (with no desire) and your mind can pretend to find what your subconscious-body (so easily prone to delusion) feels comfortable thinking is a good answer.
Following fast, and following faster, to some unmerciful disaster.
You do have the evidence ? That’s a nice little claim right there!
Now before I call it a hogwash, let’s cut the crap, and go straight into the heart of it.
Please take the stage and present your EVIDENCE that there is no afterlife, and there is no God.
Be precise, short and sweet. No hanky panky. Just present the evidence.
Again? OK, we have evidence all the claims of an afterlife are cultural products of the brain, and not real experiences of a real after life.
And logically, if you have no evidence for the counter claim that it does exist, then your are most probably wrong.
And if you still want to argue probability is not evidence, do not even bother to rise out of bed, as you use probability as evidence every day of your life. In fact you should not even be living in a house, just in case it falls in on you. Do you have a tent?
You do have the evidence ? That’s a nice little claim right there!
Now before I call it a hogwash, let’s cut the crap, and go straight into the heart of it.
Please take the stage and present your EVIDENCE that there is no afterlife, and there is no God.
Be precise, short and sweet. No hanky panky. Just present the evidence.
First, I was speaking of theists making claims based on analogies for which they have evidence, then trying to run that into evidence of god by changing topics. I meant theists have evidence that ladders work, they use the word faith, then claim that because we have evidence that a ladder is reliable, that means we have faith, therefore god exists.
Much as you have done here. I am talking about evidence in one area, and you are suddenly demanding that I have evidence of a negative in another area entirely. That is not at all what I said, and is a derail of the conversation to avoid dealing with my point, which is another dishonest theistic debate tactic.
Quickly responding to your derail, I need not present evidence for or against a thing that you claim exists. It is your claim, you have the burden of proof to support it. I am on solid ground to say that I do not accept your claim until you provide sufficient evidence.
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