Atheism is not a belief, so why would anyone lie that it is?

[Sheldon]

Many atheists frequently make arguments about the impact of Christianity on society, which requires them to make a judgement about what they count as Christianity. Predictably, this usually ends up being Christians doing bad stuff = definitely Christianity, Christians doing good stuff = definitely unconnected to their Christianity

Straw man

 

[Sheldon]

Make no mistake Colter - I am here to crush your theistic hopes and dreams.

Woah there fella, that's parts of the secret charter, first rule of atheist club, DON'T TALK ABOUT ATHEIST CLUB...

Nuff said....

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

When one Christian claims another Christian isn't a Christian which Christian is right? Who decides?

Good freaking question. It ain't me... no way I want that stinky job.

Non-Christians have just as much right to decide who they want to view as Christians as Christians do.

And this makes it okay to tell people what they believe, does it? This makes it such that the person being told what it is they believe shouldn't complain? Stop being a brick wall.

Many atheists frequently make arguments about the impact of Christianity on society, which requires them to make a judgement about what they count as Christianity. Predictably, this usually ends up being Christians doing bad stuff = definitely Christianity, Christians doing good stuff = definitely unconnected to their Christianity

I normally stay away from that stuff. There is plenty enough to criticize in the FACT that none of this stuff can be properly validated or demonstrated to be true. None of it. That's loads of room for criticism. That a particular Christian went off his rocker and made a bunch of people drink poison doesn't speak to Christianity itself, but to the very plausible dangers of accepting what amounts to DOG CRAP as justification for making important decisions in your life. This is not something specific to Christianity, nor to religion. And it should be criticized and rooted out wherever it is found. At least, I believe so... and as you basically just stated for me: "I have just as much right to decide what I want to be doing as you do." Oh wait... you don't have a right to decide what I should be doing. Oh dang for you. Hahahahahahahahahaha...

 

[Spirit of Light]

Straw man

Are you always correct in everything you say or believe you know the answer to I never seen you say something like.

" you might be on to something" or " you know, you are right about that"....

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

Woah there fella, that's parts of the secret charter, first rule of atheist club, DON'T TALK ABOUT ATHEIST CLUB...

Nuff said....

Dude... I am still smiling over this post.

 

[Sheldon]

Are you always correct in everything you say or believe you know the answer to I never seen you say something like.

" you might be on to something" or " you know, you are right about that"....

No, so that last claim is a straw man, and I;ve said pretty much those exact words on here. This is also an ad hominem attack, if I am wrong about something, as I must inevitably be sometimes, then address what I've said, and show why it is wrong, instead of attacking me.

 

[Spirit of Light]

No, so that last claim is a straw man. This is also ad hominem, if I am wrong about something, as I must inevitably be sometimes, then address what I've said, and why it is wrong, instead of attacking me.

It was no attack on you, it was a question asked, because even I seldom take part in your threads I happen to look in to them from time to time.
Sorry if my quest harmed you.

 

[Colt]

So theistic anger at atheists having the temerity to investigate religious claims and submit them to critical scrutiny justifies labelling their lack of belief as a belief, in order to avoid the burden of proof theistic belief incurs. I find that absurd sorry. This is a religious debate forum, it's in the title, so debate should be anticipated.

When religions keep their beliefs to themselves, and stop trying to force barbaric and pernicious bronze age Bedouin morality on the world, then I will keep my lack of belief to myself. If someone can publicly voice a belief, then others can comment, get over it.

As if the Atheist were just sitting on a park bench in Religious Forums channeling Nietzsche when "suddenly" religious people show up .

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

Are you always correct in everything you say or believe you know the answer to I never seen you say something like.

" you might be on to something" or " you know, you are right about that"....

Well... in this case, @Augustus is demonstrably just being obstinate and raising talking points about things "people are doing" that literally NO ONE in this thread is doing. It is really, really weird.

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

As if the Atheist were just sitting on a park bench in Religious Forums channeling Nietzsche when "suddenly" religious people show up .

No... again... I told you plainly: I am here to give you the smack down. I knew you'd be here... I knew you'd be making wild-*** claims... and that is exactly why I am here.

 

[Sheldon]

It was no attack on you, it was a question asked, because even I seldom take part in your threads I happen to look in to them from time to time.
Sorry if my quest harmed you.

I'm not harmed, debate is a harmless pastime, well for me anyway, but the question seemed loaded to me. As I said I cannot, nor can anybody else, always be right, but I'd like to believe I am careful about making claims, and making sure they are based on something tangible and compelling. If I was forced into making retractions often that'd be a bad sign one would think.

In terms of this thread I'm not the one telling others expressly against their repeated assertions, what they think or believe as if they don't know, to me that is a preposterous thing to do. That's without people misrepresenting what I've said about word definitions and the value of reference tools like dictionaries. The real irony is the sheer and obvious subjective bias people are exhibiting, while falsely accusing me of it.

The ad hominem I can shrug off, we are all sometimes a little less patient and focussed than we should be, we are after all only evolved apes...

 

[Spirit of Light]

I'm not harmed, debate is a harmless pastime, well for me anyway, but the question seemed loaded to me. As I said I cannot, nor can anybody else, always be right, but I'd like to believe I am careful about making claims, and making sure they are based on something tangible and compelling. If I was forced into making retractions often that'd be a bad sign one would think.

In terms of this thread I'm not the one telling others expressly against their repeated assertions, what they think or believe as if they don't know, to me that is a preposterous thing to do. That's without people misrepresenting what I've said about word definitions and the value of reference tools like dictionaries. The real irony is the sheer and obvious subjective bias people are exhibiting, while falsely accusing me of it.

The ad hominem I can shrug off, we are all sometimes a little less patient and focussed than we should be, we are after all only evolved apes...

Thank you for explaining your view. Now I may understand your future comments a bit better. ( and I will not ask loaded/attacking questions again

 

[Colt]

Make no mistake Colter - I am here to crush your theistic hopes and dreams.

I'm not special, and I don't consider myself particularly insightful... just realistic. In fact, most of the things I post that harangue theists so much I consider to be simple, plain, ordinary and accessible insights. I am honestly entirely shocked when people haven't thought about the types of things I put forward to them that confound them. When I use the word "obviously" I literally mean that I thought it was 100% obvious.

I have no positive prescriptions of what you should believe Colter. All I know is that if you believe in God, you have no realistic/cogent foundational support for that notion. You can't have. And if you did, then that is what you'd bring to the table. Not the crap I have seen you try to make do with so far.

If your motivation is to crush religion rather than refine and improve it then you need a different hobby.

 

[stevecanuck]

Atheism is belief, a way of life when you join religious forums to promote it. The real neutral, I don care, just stay off my lawn-Atheists, aren't here. So when Atheist put forth this "we are a special class of non-conformist who require delicate consideration because we are so insightful and unique" on a religious forum, some find that laughable! So you get called out for declaring the special case-ness of your non-belief, belief.

Yup, ^. Exactly like that.

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

If your motivation is to crush religion rather than refine and improve it then you need a different hobby.

Says you. I see it as a harmful stain on the intellectual prospects of humanity as a whole. It doesn't need improved... its entire foundation is unworthy of trying to build on top of.

 

[Sheldon]

As if the Atheist were just sitting on a park bench in Religious Forums channeling Nietzsche when "suddenly" religious people show up .

Fascist German philosophers are great fun I'm sure, he did die of syphilis after all, but not really my idea of a fun topic. Also with the word religious in the title, again how much of a shock could it be that there are (whisper it) religious people here?

Where I'm dubious, apart from imaginary deities obviously, is the idea atheists shouldn't have an opinion on publicly expressed beliefs, just because they don't share them. That's ironically when I'm not being lectured on how shallow atheism is, because it doesn't examine the big questions, or have any real answers. Though why this particular disbelief should differ from all others and have answers, is never quite made clear. How much do people learn from not believing in mermaids or the Yeti nonsense?

Damned if I do, and......well just damned really.

 

[Sheldon]

Yup, ^. Exactly like that.

I like it, pithy and concise, yet expansive and inciteful. What a wonderful economy with words you have.

Ok that's the levity out of the way. Whilst brevity is to be admired, especially in theists who are so often prone to lengthy woolly and vapid platitudes, do you think you might offer some reasoning on the topic. maybe approaching a cogent idea or argument?

 

[Sheldon]

What I don't get is why you waste so much time attacking the beliefs of others for not comporting with your own,

Nurse! nurse! Over here stat, I seem to have laughed my arse clean off.

 

[stevecanuck]

I like it, pithy and concise, yet expansive and inciteful. What a wonderful economy with words you have.

Ok that's the levity out of the way. Whilst brevity is to be admired, especially in theists who are so often prone to lengthy woolly and vapid platitudes, do you think you might offer some reasoning on the topic. maybe approaching a cogent idea or argument?

The post that he responded to states my position.

 

[IndigoChild5559]

That is not a\n answer. He could still be a Christian in the truest sense of the word.

This is disengenuous.