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Post by sitelmun on Dec 1, 2011 12:45:40 GMT
Atheists surely can't go through their lives not having any beliefs in things that they have no empoirical evidence for. So where do atheists draw the line?
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Post by ksen on Dec 1, 2011 13:23:44 GMT
They probably draw the line where they are most comfortable . . . kinda like everyone else.
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Beau
Junior Member
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Post by Beau on Dec 1, 2011 14:29:52 GMT
Do theists have empirical evidence?
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B
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Expect Us
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Post by B on Dec 1, 2011 14:29:57 GMT
Well gee Sitel, are you talking about beliefs in fairies, yetis and gods which you seem to uphold by trying to attack atheists with all of their different backgrounds with your threads or are you talking about sometimes rational and irreligious beliefs in fellow human beings, belief in the power of love and belief in anything else that has no empirical evidence but still common among humans everywhere?
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Post by flyingteapot on Dec 1, 2011 15:38:42 GMT
Atheists surely can't go through their lives not having any beliefs in things that they have no empoirical evidence for. So where do atheists draw the line? I suggest that you go look up the word "Atheist" in a standard dictionary. You will probably find that atheism is the lack of belief in one specific thing, i.e, existence of gods. It does not mean that they don't have ANY beliefs, only in one less thing than you. Its like saying "You are not american. So you are not human"
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Post by ksen on Dec 1, 2011 15:42:16 GMT
Its like saying "You are not american. So you are not human" Yeah, but that one's true. /patriot
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Beau
Junior Member
Posts: 55
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Post by Beau on Dec 1, 2011 16:05:47 GMT
This forum needs angry smileys.
Just so you know, ksen, I'm waving my fist at you right now.
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Post by ksen on Dec 1, 2011 16:07:05 GMT
What? I can't understand non-human speech. :smug:
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Beau
Junior Member
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Post by Beau on Dec 1, 2011 16:14:52 GMT
Oh, I was just growling.
Don't mind me.
:irate:
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Bayes
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Post by Bayes on Dec 2, 2011 3:08:36 GMT
Do theists have empirical evidence? What does that have to do with the question?
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Bayes
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Post by Bayes on Dec 2, 2011 3:11:18 GMT
Atheists surely can't go through their lives not having any beliefs in things that they have no empoirical evidence for. So where do atheists draw the line? I refuse to believe or disbelieve in anything without evidence one way or the other personally. I'm not an Atheist though. I will make working assumptions when the evidence is not clear enoguh one way or the other, but so far I haven't found any reason to make an assumption about the existence of gods or lack thereof. I only need assumptions when they will influence my actions and I don't see how the presence or absence of gods determines my behavior. I will throw out a prayer to whoever seems most appropriate sometimes, since at worst it is a waste of a little breath and mental energy. I am not however willing to bind my moral code to any of the ones established in the pursuit of the various dieties that different groups hold up as their ideals.
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Post by flyingteapot on Jan 12, 2012 13:19:35 GMT
Its like saying "You are not american. So you are not human" Yeah, but that one's true. /patriot I hope you are joking. Patriotism is overrated.
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Post by Worldquest on Jan 15, 2012 0:11:57 GMT
Atheists surely can't go through their lives not having any beliefs in things that they have no empoirical evidence for. So where do atheists draw the line? I suggest that you go look up the word "Atheist" in a standard dictionary. You will probably find that atheism is the lack of belief in one specific thing, i.e, existence of gods. It does not mean that they don't have ANY beliefs, only in one less thing than you. Its like saying "You are not american. So you are not human" I agree that atheism is the absence of belief in god. But with the absence of belief in something, there must be the presence of a belief in an alternative. You can't not believe in something without having a belief in either its opposite or an alternative.
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Post by flyingteapot on Jan 15, 2012 0:35:31 GMT
I suggest that you go look up the word "Atheist" in a standard dictionary. You will probably find that atheism is the lack of belief in one specific thing, i.e, existence of gods. It does not mean that they don't have ANY beliefs, only in one less thing than you. Its like saying "You are not american. So you are not human" I agree that atheism is the absence of belief in god. But with the absence of belief in something, there must be the presence of a belief in an alternative. No. I lack belief in Leprechauns too. Doesn't mean it is impossible that they exist. Doesn't mean I have to believe in an alternative to leprechauns. Believing and not believing are two separate things. If I believe claim A is wrong, then I know that there is an alternative claim B or the opposite claim C in which I believe. If I don't believe claim A, it means that I am not convinced claim A is believable. Suppose I didn't know anything about mathematics. You come to me and claim 2 + 2 = 4. The burden of explaining why 2 + 2 = 4 lies on you, not on me. As long as you don't prove your claim, I don't believe you. I don't need to have a belief that 2 + 2 = 5 ( alternative claim) or 2 + 2 = 4 does not exist as a mathematical concept (opposite claim).
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Post by Worldquest on Jan 15, 2012 0:41:09 GMT
I'm not sure why you base your beliefs on what other people tell you. The burden, if you even want to call it that, is on everybody. You're your own person, you have thoughts and beliefs, and that's all down to you, not anyone else. If you believe something or don't believe something it is because you have an opinion on it one way or another. So if you don't believe that a creator exists, then you must have a reason. And that reason must necessarily involve believing an alternative. It sounds like you're trying to be 100% unbiased and impartial, but you're a living being, so however much you try you simply cannot be those things.
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