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Dawkins!

Smoke

Smoke

Done here.
Storm said:
I don't know if he does or not. I'm asking some of those who have been supporting him.
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I don't know, either. But if nobody knows of an example of his calling people delusional, there's not much point to criticizing him for it.
 
rasor

rasor

Member
Sunstone said:
Not necessarily. If ten people all say they saw an accident on the corner of Boulder and Tejon at 11:00 March 5, 2002, that is surely evidence of some sort that there might have been an accident on that corner at that time. Yet, it is ultimately only personal evidence.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal#searchInput


Personal means "of or pertaining to a person, or belonging to a person in some way",

So if there's ten people its hardly personal.
 
Autodidact

Autodidact

Intentionally Blank
stephenw said:
Why do you think Dawkins sees belief in little green men as being an acceptable inference and God as not?
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You are mistaken about Dawkins. He has never asserted that there are "little green men" or that aliens have visited earth. On the contrary. It is irresponsible at best, and dishonest at worst, to spread this slander. Please stop, withdraw, and apologize. Thank you.

Which is not the same as the belief that there is a good chance that there exists life on some other planet somewhere in the universe. I think any reasonably informed person thinks that's a good bet, including me.
 
Autodidact

Autodidact

Intentionally Blank
stephenw said:
God doesn't change my behaviour. I rear my children, treat others, vote, think and do everything the same as a theist as I did as an atheist. The only difference is that I feel more comfortable with myself. As such I have to disagree that a belief in God is any different than a belief in aliens.
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Please tell this to the many Christians who have argued to me that the fact that Jesus has changed their life so dramatically is prove that He exists.
 
Autodidact

Autodidact

Intentionally Blank
lilithu said:
Fine, you don't consider making a blanket statement that theists are delusional to be bigoted.

What about all theists are stupid?
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Yes, that would be bigoted.

"My suggestion is that you won't find any intelligent person who feels the need for the supernatural."
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Not quite the same, but source please?
What about religion is inherently violent?
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Not quite what he said.
"To fill a world with religion, or religions of the Abrahamic kind, is like littering the streets with loaded guns. Do not be surprised if they are used."
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So true. I speak as the descendant of centuries of victims of violent religion. To a Jew, the word "Christian" means basically, scary dangerous person to avoid. That is because Christians have spent the last 1500 years trying to destroy us individually and collectively.

What about religion is a disease?
"Happily, viruses don't win every time. Many children emerge unscathed from the worst that nuns and mullahs can throw at them."
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 So true.
 
Autodidact

Autodidact

Intentionally Blank
It gets their attention. It gets them to ask themselves important questions about the basis of their belief, if any. They have to ask themselves what is the definition of a delusion, why would someone apply that definition to their beliefs, how are their beliefs not delusional and why or why not. Either they find they cannot answer these questions satisfactorily, which could cause them to rethink their belief system, or they can, and their beliefs are strengthened. Either way, it provides a different perspective and valuable questioning.
 
Storm

Storm

ThrUU the Looking Glass
And you can't do that without maligning our sanity? You REALLY think that's the best way to get people to seriously consider your perspective?
 
Autodidact

Autodidact

Intentionally Blank
Storm said:
And you can't do that without maligning our sanity? You REALLY think that's the best way to get people to seriously consider your perspective?
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I think it's a way.

Hey, Storm, are you a panentheist, and what is a non-theist God-believer? Cuz I'm not sure, but I don't think Dawkins or I are referring to your beliefs.
 
Autodidact

Autodidact

Intentionally Blank
Storm said:
And what, pray tell, is the crucial difference between "you're stupid" and "you're delusional"?
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One is about intelligence, and the other about being mistaken, no matter how intelligent. Obviously many very intelligent schizophrenics are delusional. There is not a strong relationship between being intelligent and faith and lack thereof. (Although there is some weak correlation between intelligence and lack of religious faith.)
 
Storm

Storm

ThrUU the Looking Glass
Autodidact said:
I think it's a way.

Hey, Storm, are you a panentheist, and what is a non-theist God-believer?
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Theism to me means classical theism, the belief that God is a supernatural deity. I don't hold to such a belief.

Cuz I'm not sure, but I don't think Dawkins or I are referring to your beliefs.
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Not directly, but that doesn't make your characterizations any less offensive.
 
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