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Pointless Debate

U

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
Isnt it illogical for an athiest (one who knows God does not exist defin. for this thread) to debate God's existence?

i.e. If I had an invisible box (whats in the box!! Sorry, Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt movie flash back) and millions of people just believed it exist and I know it does not....why would I say "it 'could' exist" literally just because believers made a claim? With God, why would I want evidence for someone that does not exist? What is behind building debates around nothing?

Maybe it could be because in some atheist definitions, there is only a disbelief in God which, that, doesnt require that God be non-existent. It leaves room for debate because they are hanging on possibilities, theory, philosophy.

If God does not exist and the athiest knows this (hence why he's an athiest) why debate "nothing"?
 
Aupmanyav

Aupmanyav

Be your own guru
Carlita said:
If God does not exist and the athiest knows this (hence why he's an athiest) why debate "nothing"?
Click to expand...
Why play soccer? Eleven persons on one side and eleven on the other trying to put a ball in a netted rectangle? What is the use, spending billions, fans breaking each others' heads? Competition, sparring. That is enjoyable, sharpens the mind. That is why people do it provided they have spare time. If they do not have spare time, then they will say 'some other time'.

Similarly, if theists know that there is a God, then why debate? Dismiss the atheist as an ignorant. Just say 'You don't know, I know'.
Mestemia said:
Because unlike the theist, the atheist acknowledges he may be wrong?
Click to expand...
Not a chance. I do agree that there are various shades of theists and atheist. As for myself, I am a strong atheist.
 
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U

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
I cant catch the point through online sarcasim. I wouldnt find it productive to debate about an imaginary football team as if I am seriously inquiring the score of an non existant game. Maybe talking about fictional characters, its appropriate. Maybe if I had a dream, it would make for interesting conversation. If I was only talking in hypetheticals I can get a philosophical and theological take of a nothing talked into existence through peoples passion over it real or not. It could be good table talk.

Underneath all of these reasons and others, the question is, why talk about nothing? What will the athiest learn from a thiest from a religious standpoint excluding that of curiousity, provoking, learning about differing views, and maybe religious study.

Why or how will it benefit an atheist (as described in OP) to talk about nothing?

Aupmanyav said:
Why play soccer? Eleven persons on one side and eleven on the other trying to put a ball in a netted rectangle? What is the use, spending billions, fans breaking each others' heads? Competition, sparring. That is enjoyable, sharpens the mind. That is why people do it provided they have spare time. If they do not have spare time, then they will say 'some other time'.

Similarly, if theists know that there is a God, then why debate? Dismiss the atheist as an ignorant. Just say 'You don't know, I know'.Not a chance. I do agree that there are various shades of theists and atheist. As for myself, I am a strong atheist.
Click to expand...
 
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U

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
Mestemia said:
Um...
Because unlike the theist, the atheist acknowledges he may be wrong?
Click to expand...
Not all atheist have that wiggle room. If something does not exist why make room for it as if it may someday? My OP says that an atheist Knows God does not exist. A thiest Knows God does exist. Direct opposites.

My question, why talk about nothing?
 
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Willamena

Willamena

Just me
Premium Member
Carlita said:
Isnt it illogical for an athiest (one who knows God does not exist defin. for this thread) to debate God's existence?

i.e. If I had an invisible box (whats in the box!! Sorry, Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt movie flash back) and millions of people just believed it exist and I know it does not....why would I say "it 'could' exist" literally just because believers made a claim? With God, why would I want evidence for someone that does not exist? What is behind building debates around nothing?

Maybe it could be because in some atheist definitions, there is only a disbelief in God which, that, doesnt require that God be non-existent. It leaves room for debate because they are hanging on possibilities, theory, philosophy.

If God does not exist and the athiest knows this (hence why he's an athiest) why debate "nothing"?
Click to expand...
Would you like to debate an empty box?
 
Bunyip

Bunyip

pro scapegoat
Carlita said:
Isnt it illogical for an athiest (one who knows God does not exist defin. for this thread) to debate God's existence?

i.e. If I had an invisible box (whats in the box!! Sorry, Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt movie flash back) and millions of people just believed it exist and I know it does not....why would I say "it 'could' exist" literally just because believers made a claim? With God, why would I want evidence for someone that does not exist? What is behind building debates around nothing?

Maybe it could be because in some atheist definitions, there is only a disbelief in God which, that, doesnt require that God be non-existent. It leaves room for debate because they are hanging on possibilities, theory, philosophy.

If God does not exist and the athiest knows this (hence why he's an athiest) why debate "nothing"?
Click to expand...
Imagine that your president introduced a suite of repressive laws on the basis that an invisible wizard had instructed him to do so. Wouldn't you think it useful to question the existence of said invisible wizard?
Religion and the impact it has on civilisation is hardly nothing.

Another great example is this; Imagine that the president told you that his invisible wizard was insisting that you cut off the end of your newborn babies penis, and slice off the labia and clitoris of his twin sister. Would you want some evidence of this invisible wizard first? Or would you just go ahead with the genital mutilation of your children?
 
D

Desert Snake

Veteran Member
Bunyip said:
Imagine that your president introduced a suite of repressive laws on the basis that an invisible wizard had instructed him to do so. Wouldn't you think it useful to question the existence of said invisible wizard?
Religion and the impact it has on civilisation is hardly nothing.
Click to expand...
You consider that an accurate analogy of your society?
 
icehorse

icehorse

......unaffiliated...... anti-dogmatist
Premium Member
For my money, any atheist worth their salt allows an ever so slight possibility that diety(s) might exist.

Second, for my money, I mostly don't care what people believe in their own homes. What I DO care about is when people take their beliefs of the unprovable, supernatural, and usually immoral, into the public sphere, and try to impose these beliefs onto others.
 
Bunyip

Bunyip

pro scapegoat
Carlita said:
I dont fit that category a lot of steong atheists dont. Why would an atheist talk about nothing?
Click to expand...
Theism is one of the most influential concepts in human civilisation - how can it make sense to you to reduce it to nothing?
 
U

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
Unless youre trying to change the world views for an atheistic view of life or maybe running fkr congress to present your values as more logical than theist, then depending on your arguments, it may stand up for vote.

In regular conversation where wizards dont exists, unless talking for curiosity, study, fun, to learn a differing view, In Itself, I dont see how talking about nothing acheives anything.

Bunyip said:
Imagine that your president introduced a suite of repressive laws on the basis that an invisible wizard had instructed him to do so. Wouldn't you think it useful to question the existence of said invisible wizard?
Religion and the impact it has on civilisation is hardly nothing.

Another great example is this; Imagine that the president told you that his invisible wizard was insisting that you cut off the end of your newborn babies penis, and slice off the labia and clitoris of his twin sister. Would you want some evidence of this invisible wizard first? Or would you just go ahead with the genital mutilation of your children?
Click to expand...
 
U

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
Gosh dont take it so personal. We all have different reasons to talk about God. IN ITSELF what does the conversation serve for an atheist who KNOWS God does not exist?
 
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U

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
lewisnotmiller said:
Because we live in a world full of theists. We live in a world full of religion. Our belief in God, or even God's existence doesnt change that.
Click to expand...
Unless youre preasured to talk about God, not all atheist in a christian ennvironment dont put energy into something irrelevant to their lives.
People realize this when they get older. Live for yourself (or your God etc) not for others...they arent you.
 
U

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
Bunyip said:
It is more accurate now, please read the re-edit.
Click to expand...
BOTH are not productive. I used it as an example not to proove its existence. Thats illogical to do so unless you have a reason to talk abount an "invisible" box? Give me an idea why talk about an invisible God.
 
Bunyip

Bunyip

pro scapegoat
Carlita said:
Unless youre trying to change the world views for an atheistic view of life or maybe running fkr congress to present your values as more logical than theist, then depending on your arguments, it may stand up for vote.

In regular conversation where wizards dont exists, unless talking for curiosity, study, fun, to learn a differing view, In Itself, I dont see how talking about nothing acheives anything.
Click to expand...
Just substitute 'wizard' for 'god' if that confused you. How is God nothing Carlita?
 
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