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Do you KNOW God does not exist?

Do you KNOW God does Not exist?

  • Yes, I know He does not exist

    Votes: 16 30.2%
  • No, I do not know He does not exist

    Votes: 10 18.9%
  • No, I believe He exists

    Votes: 5 9.4%
  • No, I believe He does not exist

    Votes: 10 18.9%
  • Yes. I know He does exists

    Votes: 12 22.6%

  • Total voters
    53
  • Poll closed .

Blastcat

Active Member
Bigfoot is the mythical (or possibly real, I guess) creature. There is no claim. I can speak of Bigfoot without making any claim that he actually exists.

The claim that Bigfoot is real is a claim.
You can speak of Bigfoot as only a myth if you like. That would be making a claim.

The idea that Bigfoot EXISTS is a claim.
The idea the guy doesn't is also a claim.

The WORD "Bigfoot" is a concept and not a claim, so maybe THAT'S what your pedantry is focused on.
 

leibowde84

Veteran Member
The claim that Bigfoot is real is a claim.
You can speak of Bigfoot as only a myth if you like. That would be making a claim.

The idea that Bigfoot EXISTS is a claim.
The idea the guy doesn't is also a claim.

The WORD "Bigfoot" is a concept and not a claim, so maybe THAT'S what your pedantry is focused on.
It's not pedantry. You said the wrong thing. There are many staunch theists on this site that make this mistake with staunch confidence. I wasn't sure. Sorry about that.
 

Blastcat

Active Member
It's not pedantry. You said the wrong thing. There are many staunch theists on this site that make this mistake with staunch confidence. I wasn't sure. Sorry about that.

HOW did I say the wrong thing?

I'm very wiling to concede a piece of pedantry.

YOU SAID that Bigfoot wasn't a belief.
I said that the BELIEF in Bigfoot was a belief.

I said that BIGFOOT was a claim.
Depending on the pedantic use of the word "was" or "is" .. it is a claim and it isn't a claim.

So, shall we debate what "IS" means?
I USED the word "is" to designate one way that the word "Bigfoot" can be used.

How precise do you want our language to be, exactly?
 

leibowde84

Veteran Member
HOW did I say the wrong thing?

I'm very wiling to concede a piece of pedantry.

YOU SAID that Bigfoot wasn't a belief.
I said that the BELIEF in Bigfoot was a belief.

I said that BIGFOOT was a claim.
Depending on the pedantic use of the word "was" or "is" .. it is a claim and it isn't a claim.

So, shall we debate what "IS" means?
I USED the word "is" to designate one way that the word "Bigfoot" can be used.

How precise do you want our language to be, exactly?
Oh, maybe I misunderstood. "Bigfoot" is a word, not a claim. It is not a part of a statement. Belief in Bigfoot is a belief, but that is merely redundant. That was my point.
 

Blastcat

Active Member
BIgfoot is a word.
It's also a claim.
It's also a myth.
It's also the missing link.
It's also a hoax.
It's a lot of things.

Let's say one day, they discover Bigfoot.

it may be a guy in a gorilla suit.
It may be an evolutionary discovery of the century.
It may be me. I am that hairy.
It may turn out to be an alien.

It may be gay. There's lots of that. Bigfoot comes out.. in more ways than one, reads the headline.
Oh, Bigfoot might BE a headline.

Bigfoot might be a very short poem.
An even shorter novel.

Bigfoot might be a brand of shoes. For .. big people.
Bigfoot might be a cookie.
Bigfoot might be a big.. foot.
Bigfoot might be a rock band.
Bigfoot might be mighty.

Bigfoot might be an insult.
Bigfoot might be an aspiration.
BIgfoot might be an anagram for Big Indecent Gigantic Feet On Ontologically Challenged Terrestrials. Ok, admittedly, not a perfect anagram, but I've seen worse.

BIGFOOT might be a typo for Bagfool.
 

Shad

Veteran Member
Example....the parables of the Carpenter....as truth.
No proving required....just your understanding.

Meaningless rhetoric?.....I think not.

Truth is about facts of reality. Subjective truths do not always represent reality as these are mind dependent.

It is rhetoric as you claimed some have truths others do not have. However if one can not prove these subjective truths are correct then it is empty rhetoric. No more than my subjective truth is that a or all religions are false which can be opposed by one claiming their religion is right. We have two subjective truths which contradict each other. One of us is correct, one of us is not.
 

Cephus

Relentlessly Rational
Bigfoot is the mythical (or possibly real, I guess) creature. There is no claim. I can speak of Bigfoot without making any claim that he actually exists.

But there are plenty of people who do speak of Bigfoot that are making a claim that he actually exists. Likewise, I can speak of God without making any claim that God is real, just as you can do it while claiming God is. How are these things any different?
 

Thief

Rogue Theologian
Truth is about facts of reality. Subjective truths do not always represent reality as these are mind dependent.

It is rhetoric as you claimed some have truths others do not have. However if one can not prove these subjective truths are correct then it is empty rhetoric. No more than my subjective truth is that a or all religions are false which can be opposed by one claiming their religion is right. We have two subjective truths which contradict each other. One of us is correct, one of us is not.

You would then insist....the parables are empty rhetoric?
 

`mud

Just old
Premium Member
All of life, in some ways, is only 'empty rhetoric'.
In all, life itself is a contradiction, it's kind of hard to find the object.
I'm still trying to find the objective to the subjective realities.
The purpose has to be there somewhere, doesn't it Thief ?
Maybe we'll find the differences in the afterlife,
if we're lucky, or blessed.
But life is stuff after all, regardless the contradiction.
~
'mud
 

Blastcat

Active Member
You would then insist....the parables are empty rhetoric?

The parables are usually that. Very little "wisdom" involved.
You can poll most Kindergarden kids for the kind of simplistic morality found in the Bible.

IN FACT.. most kids that age are NOT as astonishingly barbaric, so you would find a WAY better morality in most Kindergarden classes.

Be kind to others, share your toys and DON'T threaten HELLFIRE if others don't do what you like.
How about we throw away the Bible and keep Dr. Zeus?
 

Thief

Rogue Theologian
The parables are usually that. Very little "wisdom" involved.
You can poll most Kindergarden kids for the kind of simplistic morality found in the Bible.

IN FACT.. most kids that age are NOT as astonishingly barbaric, so you would find a WAY better morality in most Kindergarden classes.

Be kind to others, share your toys and DON'T threaten HELLFIRE if others don't do what you like.
How about we throw away the Bible and keep Dr. Zeus?

How about 'Lord of the Flies'.....it's all about kids...I'm sure you will enjoy.
 

Blastcat

Active Member
How about 'Lord of the Flies'.....it's all about kids...I'm sure you will enjoy.

And it's a work of fiction.
Are you saying that most kids left alone would sink into depraved behavior, as depicted in the book?

For every case of a gang, there is a case of a group of childhood friends who loved one another and NEVER hurt one another.

You might not have heard of children being kind to other children.
I have.

And AS to your suggestion of giving INAPPROPRIATE reading material to young children.
Bad suggestion.

I suggest that NO kindergarten would have that book in it's library.
Your jokes are hilarious.

Do you have anything serious to add?
 

Thief

Rogue Theologian
And it's a work of fiction.
Are you saying that most kids left alone would sink into depraved behavior, as depicted in the book?

For every case of a gang, there is a case of a group of childhood friends who loved one another and NEVER hurt one another.

You might not have heard of children being kind to other children.
I have.

And AS to your suggestion of giving INAPPROPRIATE reading material to young children.
Bad suggestion.

I suggest that NO kindergarten would have that book in it's library.
Your jokes are hilarious.

Do you have anything serious to add?

I grew up in the housing projects of a mid size city.
Do I know the depravity of young minds?....yes I do.

Seriously though.....It is written.....of such as these is made the kingdom of heaven.
You can stand before God and make your denial again.

Who knows....you might spanked!
 

Blastcat

Active Member
I grew up in the housing projects of a mid size city.
Do I know the depravity of young minds?....yes I do.

Seriously though.....It is written.....of such as these is made the kingdom of heaven.
You can stand before God and make your denial again.

Who knows....you might spanked!

I didn't ask you about the bad kids.. I asked you about any NICE ones?
Heard of such a thing as a NICE group of kids?

Maybe you haven't.
Too bad.

SERIOUSLY it is written?
WELL then.. whatever is WRITTEN just HAS to be true.

Seriously, in the real world, and not in any fantasy land, I can't stand "in front" of your imaginary friend.
I'm not the one denying reality here.

I am not the one who can't tell the difference between make-believe and reality.
 

Thief

Rogue Theologian
I didn't ask you about the bad kids.. I asked you about any NICE ones?
Heard of such a thing as a NICE group of kids?

Maybe you haven't.
Too bad.

SERIOUSLY it is written?
WELL then.. whatever is WRITTEN just HAS to be true.

Seriously, in the real world, and not in any fantasy land, I can't stand "in front" of your imaginary friend.
I'm not the one denying reality here.

I am not the one who can't tell the difference between make-believe and reality.

Of course there are 'nice kids'.......so what if you don't like me?
seriously
 

Blastcat

Active Member
Of course there are 'nice kids'.......so what if you don't like me?
seriously

SERIOUSLY?

I never said anything about liking you or disliking you.
SERIOUSLY.. let's not get personal , NOR make personal attacks.

My POINT was that "The Lord of the Flies" is a horrible distopic view of childhood.
Most kids I KNOW are perfectly loving, caring, kind, generous, happy kids.

I don't LIVE in a depressing distopia. I've been in MANY terrible places in the world.
The kids were mostly all wonderfully nice.

Yes, there are exceptions.
That happens. Bad things happens.

Bad things happens to kids, and they react badly sometimes.
I'm shocked that your view of humanity is so poor.

Maybe the Lord of the Flies and inner city gangs are representative of ALL children to you.
That would be very sad for you, indeed, if that were the case.

Your view would not only be narrow, but tragically negative, if that were the case.
I hope it really isn't the case.

I am HAPPY that you know nice kids, though.
Let's try to make it a better world for ALL children.
 
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