The logical fallacy of atheism

[Sonofason]

- Most atheists that I've met do not claim that God doesn't exist; they claim that there isn't enough evidence for God to justify belief.

- It's reasonable to reject certain god-concepts based on lack of evidence if the god-concept has implications that imply physical evidence should exist. For instance, Harold Camping's God was supposed to have destroyed the Earth in 2011. The fact that we're here now suggests that his god-concept was false.

That is what they say to sound reasonable, but that is not what they believe.

 

[Sapiens]

Err ... who is the "they" that says it?

 

[Sonofason]

Err ... who is the "they" that says it?

I believe I was referring to those atheists referred to by 9-10ths_Penguin, the one's that he claims to have met that "do not claim that God doesn't exist, but claim that there isn't enough evidence for God to justify belief."

It would be unreasonable for an atheist to admit that they have a belief that no God exists. So they don't admit it. They're atheists, they're not stupid.

 

[Bunyip]

I believe I was referring to those atheists referred to by 9-10ths_Penguin, the one's that he claims to have met that "do not claim that God doesn't exist, but claim that there isn't enough evidence for God to justify belief."

It would be unreasonable for an atheist to admit that they have a belief that no God exists. So they don't admit it. They're atheists, they're not stupid.

Why would anyone have a problem 'admitting' that they disbelieve in
god due to the lack of evidence? After all it is the same reason that you disbelieve in Santa.

 

[Sapiens]

I think what Sonofason is getting at is that atheists do not engage in belief. We are inclined to say something on the order of, "given the utter lack of evidence it is rather improbable that any gods exist." But the real point is that we are all atheists together when it comes to Zeus or Osiris or Jupiter, I just carry it one god further than do a lot of you.

 

[McBell]

That is what they say to sound reasonable, but that is not what they believe.

And this is what you tell yourself so you can sleep better at night.

See how easy it is to make a bold empty claim as though it were fact?

 

[LuisDantas]

Why would anyone worry about people who find statements of disbelief in God unreasonable?

People who make a point of judging us "unreasonable" will find an excuse to - and do.

 

[Willamena]

I think what Sonofason is getting at is that atheists do not engage in belief. We are inclined to say something on the order of, "given the utter lack of evidence it is rather improbable that any gods exist." But the real point is that we are all atheists together when it comes to Zeus or Osiris or Jupiter, I just carry it one god further than do a lot of you.

You make it sound like people engage belief in the same way they choose a t-shirt to put on today.

 

[McBell]

You make it sound like people engage belief in the same way they choose a t-shirt to put on today.

they don't?

 

[serp777]

So what does it represent?

Terms, in language are: "words and compound words that in specific contexts are given specific meanings—these may deviate from the meanings the same words have in other contexts and in everyday language." (wiki)

A term means something when you use it or it's not a term.

You can't invent a new number that is not a number. If it's a number, then it's a number. So... what does the term above mean? What is its specific meaning in this specific context?

If you don't have one, then you didn't invent a term, but you just invented a word without meaning or definition.

And likewise, I didn't invent the term God, but I similarly just used a word without meaning or definition.

 

[RitalinOhD]

I believe I was referring to those atheists referred to by 9-10ths_Penguin, the one's that he claims to have met that "do not claim that God doesn't exist, but claim that there isn't enough evidence for God to justify belief."

It would be unreasonable for an atheist to admit that they have a belief that no God exists. So they don't admit it. They're atheists, they're not stupid.

How is it you seem to think you know the mind of an atheist better then they do? Atheists don't claim that God doesn't exist because that knowledge is unknowable. It's really that simple. Lack of any evidence is a perfectly reasonable cause of that conclusion. Any person that claims they know for sure that God does/doesn't exist is either brainwashed or lying.

 

[outhouse]

Any person that claims they know for sure that God does/doesn't exist is either brainwashed or lying.

That simply is not true. Man creates gods.

With education and knowledge one see's that man has a very long history of creating thousands of gods at will.

With that same education you will see ancient Israelites plagiarizing Canaanite mythology compiling two deities into one deity after 622 BC the government made monotheistic reforms.


The Christians plagiarized the OT and changed the definition at will again with their additions to the definition.

islam plagiarized the concept changing the definition once again.


And so it is not hard at all to show how mythology changes and is solely defined by man, as different cultures have different needs. AND the gods always mirror the cultures needs and wants to a T


It would be the EXACT same thing if I said you cannot prove my little yellow squeaky bath ducky is not the creator of the world 6000 years ago, and he is your father so obey! because the book I decided to write says its true.

 

[Ouroboros]

And likewise, I didn't invent the term God, but I similarly just used a word without meaning or definition.

The term God does have a meaning and certain definitions in a given context.

The word you invented is not a term since it doesn't have a definition. Give it a definition first, then it's a term.

 

[Koldo]

How is it you seem to think you know the mind of an atheist better then they do? Atheists don't claim that God doesn't exist because that knowledge is unknowable. It's really that simple. Lack of any evidence is a perfectly reasonable cause of that conclusion. Any person that claims they know for sure that God does/doesn't exist is either brainwashed or lying.

What do you mean by 'know for sure'?
Depending on what you mean by that, I would say there is hardly anything that can be known for sure.

 

[RitalinOhD]

What do you mean by 'know for sure'?
Depending on what you mean by that, I would say there is hardly anything that can be known for sure.

Know for sure. As in claim absolute knowledge that a God does or does not exist. Not sure what was cryptic about that.


And you may say that there is hardly anything that can be known for sure. That doesn't stop others from making outlandish claims of absolute knowledge about unknowable things.

 

[Koldo]

If you have not experienced God, you might have cause not to believe in God. But you certainly have no cause to believe that no God exists.

Lack of evidence is sufficient reason to believe that something doesn't exist.

 

[Koldo]

Know for sure. As in claim absolute knowledge that a God does or does not exist. Not sure what was cryptic about that.


And you may say that there is hardly anything that can be known for sure. That doesn't stop others from making outlandish claims of absolute knowledge about unknowable things.

There is at least one other way to interpret the 'know for sure': being certain. That's why I asked.

 

[RitalinOhD]

There is at least one other way to interpret the 'know for sure': being certain. That's why I asked.

Gotcha

 

[Twilight Hue]

Now in terms of here he is, there he is.... there is no tangible evidence for the existence of God as it would be understood in the most basic definition. However, to say that God does not exist because of a lack of evidence is a fallacy. That fallacy is called argument from ignorance. Therefore, the die-hard atheist is practicing a belief system because they believe there is nothing after death. A truly scientific mind would question both view points & contemplate how to test the theory. Just saying....

Which brings one to a realm of conjecture.

Logically no god exists for the very fact no god is announcing he's there directly. Therefore making it perfectly logical at present to say there is in fact no God there.

 

[outhouse]

Which brings one to a realm of conjecture.

Logically no god exists for the very fact no god is announcing he's there directly. Therefore making it perfectly logical at present to say there is in fact no God there.

Add to that, ancient man lived in a world of mythology when these gods were solely defined by man.