Gender: Unspecified Location: One for the other hand
Before the concept of “The One True God”, he had to prove to the people that he existed by doing miracles and talking to people directly, before that people believed in all sorts of Gods and spirits.
Gender: Male Location: Drifting off around the bend
I disagree. I think that belief in the existence of God is the impetus for religion, religion is not necessary for the belief in God.
As to the nature of proof, I realize such is impossible. All the same, the evidence believed to contradict the existence of a God is also the evidence many hold as to the evidence supporting the existence of a God.
Disbelief seems to be the default position. No one is born having a belief. Beliefs are acquired through culture and education.
And why does the theist disbelieve in all other gods except for the one or few in their belief system?
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Make poverty history.
True athiesm and theism are rationally impossible positions to maintain... But there are people that will follow them irrationally.
I disagree, however, that they are points on an agnostic continuum. A part of agnosticism is a belief that the entire discussion is one that is irrelevant to life, since God doesn't seem to actually do much. I suppose athiests could hold this position, but theists would be hard-pressed to do so.
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No. This is what I'm referring to. YOu don't wake up in the morning expecting the natural laws to be redefined, or for the sky to be made of candy canes.
Gender: Male Location: Drifting off around the bend
My definition, and what I consider to be the accurate definition, is: one who believes that it is impossible to know whether there is a God. I am not speaking of groups that hold beliefs outside this. I also believe you are referring to ignosticism, not to agnosticism.
Gender: Male Location: Drifting off around the bend
You are not born with any understanding as to the natural laws, they are learned. Belief or disbelief in God at this point does not contradict prior knowledge. It is only indoctrination that makes belief more or less possible.
It might have been easier if you specified you were talking to Strong rather than Weak atheists.
And Strong atheists- assuming they are intelligent- base their ideas on their interpretation of facts and evidence, not assumption.
And no, his position is not agnostic. It is atheist. You must be clear on the strong/weak atheist distinction, and how a weak atheist is very much NOT an agnostic.
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Gender: Male Location: Drifting off around the bend
Probably I should have, although, in comments by non-Christians in reference to Christians, such distinctions are not often afforded. If one expects similar care in reference the same consideration should be given. I will attempt to reference and specify more accurately in the future, but it may be difficult as this distinction is a new concept for me.
Ok, well, I shall clarify, as I did recently in a thread around the same area.
An agnostic looks at the evidence and says that he/she is not sure, on balance, if there is a God or not.
An atheist looks at the evidence and says- there is no God.
But the storng and weak atheist has a different reasoning.
A weak atheist (it sounds perjorative, but it is not meant to be; it is just as avalid a position as strong) reasons that there is no evidence for God, and that if he did exist it would be reasonable for there to be some, and that regardless, in the rational world we live in that we base our lives upon, it is not reasonable to think something exists when there is no evidence for it. Therefore, he does not think there is a God any more than he thinks there is a tooth fairy.
A strong atheist looks at the evidence and says that the evidence actively proves that there either a. is no God or b. CANNOT be a God. The reasoning for this is many and varied.
Strong atheism can also be a philosophical position- i.e. "I can't actually prove there isn't, but I am absolutely certain there is no God based on my own understanding of the Universe", which is probably where Shaky is coming from.
So, to sum up-
A weak atheist does not think there is a God
A strong atheist thinks there is no God.
Important distinction. Push most atheists and I think you will find they are weak rather than strong; no shame to them either.
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Gender: Male Location: Welfare Kingdom of California
And I'm going to reject that Ush. Sorry, but there can't be such a thing as a weak atheist. Either you are or you aren't. Unless the word Atheist has taken a complete direction in the 21th century then I don't accep it. The very word Atheist comes from the greek word atheos which translated means "'without gods". So if a person is down to earth who lives rejecting gods by all means he/she is an Atheist. These weak atheist you speaking of are either clueless people who aren't sure what to accept or just plain confused. Because you either believe or don't believe.
Well, I am going to have to reject your rejection, WD, on the grounds it is inept.
I really don't see what you are saying there. Weak and Strong are just two different justifications for atheism, and to say a weak atheist is clueless just because he holds the position that it is not reasonable to think something exists if there is no evidence for it... is pretty silly, to be honest. It is a very credible view. Most people don't believe something until it is proven.
Weak and strong alike are both atheists, and both fit the definition of the word. They both 'are'. VERY confused by your post, to be honest. And both views DO exist, so to reject them is rather arrogant.
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Last edited by Ushgarak on Oct 3rd, 2006 at 09:34 PM
Gender: Male Location: Drifting off around the bend
Thanks for the definitions, I can understand these stances, although I think the use of the terms "theist" and "atheist" are too extreme for proper usage without such qualifiers.
As to Christianity, Mormons are Christians in our own beliefs, and if one is using the actual definition of the term. Given this, the use of the term Christian as frequently used is often in error when referring to some Christian concepts. I have taken to using the term "mainstream" to preface comments regarding the majority of Christianity's beliefs. Mormon beliefs are often so alien to mainstream Christianity that we are not viewed as Christian by mainstream Christians. Regardless of this, we believe in the Bible and live our interpretation of its teachings, and so are often lumped in with mainstream Christianity when comments are made concerning beliefs.
Sorry, does this not answer your question? [/B][/QUOTE] Sorry but you are wrong.
Theism = belief in god
Atheism = disbelief in god
Just because something can't be proven scientifically, doesn't mean it can't be believable.
The problem I have about atheism is that not many theists understand why people are atheist. Most of them are people who haven't been taught religion, or raised to support one.
Having that said, atheism is not the belief that there is no god, it is the abscence of belief of god. Atheists aren't people who decide they're not going to believe in god. Although some have made that decision, most of those "atheists" still think about if there is a god. True atheists never do that, by definition.
you fundamentalists have to remember that Atheism is not a religion, atheist parents don't go to their children, "Do not believe in god." No. They don't mention god. Most atheists haven't even heard the theory of Creationism. I know because most of my school is atheist. (Well, all the children are.) All children start off atheist because they have no knowledge of the theory of god. Religion is something that's forced upon minors to keep people inline and follow a bunch of rules that were made to stop problems in the middle east (and the continent of india) over 2,000 years ago. Yeah. So if you think Atheism is blind, think about what religion most religions are. The words "out of date" come to mind.
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Oct 3rd, 2006 08:47 PM
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