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Skeptic groups trying to marginalize atheists

Started by Cain, October 25, 2010, 04:10:35 PM

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Cain

People get invested in beliefs, and use them to signal tribal affiliation.  The beliefs then become weapons in the hands of tribalists, and we all know where that leads...

Bebek Sincap Ratatosk

Quote from: Cain on October 27, 2010, 03:46:19 AM
People get invested in beliefs, and use them to signal tribal affiliation.  The beliefs then become weapons in the hands of tribalists, and we all know where that leads...

Ice Cream Socials?
- I don't see race. I just see cars going around in a circle.

"Back in my day, crazy meant something. Now everyone is crazy" - Charlie Manson

Cain

Well, they might give out ice creams for people to eat, while burning the unbeliever.  I try to avoid such gatherings.

Cain,
in 99% of situations is the unbeliever.

Bebek Sincap Ratatosk

Quote from: Cain on October 27, 2010, 06:16:36 PM
Well, they might give out ice creams for people to eat, while burning the unbeliever.  I try to avoid such gatherings.

Cain,
in 99% of situations is the unbeliever.

Everyone likes a good burning... but they never want to take their turn  :cry:
- I don't see race. I just see cars going around in a circle.

"Back in my day, crazy meant something. Now everyone is crazy" - Charlie Manson

PopeTom

Quote from: Kai on October 27, 2010, 01:17:29 AM
Quote from: The Android on October 26, 2010, 04:18:46 PM
Quote from: Kai on October 26, 2010, 04:01:16 AM
"I don't anticipate any gods" is not the same as "I don't believe in gods".

The former is a valid believe, ie an anticipation of reality.

The latter is a belief in belief, ie an anticipation it is RIGHTEOUS to not anticipate gods.

The former is stated once and is over with.

The latter is a form of cheering and is therefore stated over and over, ad nauseum.

The latter will profess to be an atheist.

The former won't waste the time.

So if I say "I don't believe in one-winged purple monkeys", then by this logic I have a belief about one-winged purple monkeys.... ooooook.

Or you could just say "There are no one winged purple monkeys".

What I was saying was quite simply, when people actually believe something, meaning they anticipate it about reality, they don't talk about it as a belief, they speak it /as it is/. A sure sign of belief in belief as defined by Yudowsky is starting a statement with "I believe" or "I don't believe" and repeating it all the time. This is also known as cheering.

A person who just anticipated the absence of gods would say "there are no gods" or "i don't anticipate any gods" and be done with it. Most atheists don't do this.

I think it also helps that a statement like "There are no one winged purple monkeys" is falsifiable by producing a one winged purple monkey.

I think the truer test for a belief is how the person reacts if evidence is brought that perhaps that belief is unfounded.
-PopeTom

I am the result of 13.75 ± 0.13 billion years of random chance. Now that I exist I see no reason to start planning and organizing everything in my life.

Random dumb luck got me here, random dumb luck will get me to where I'm going.

Hail Eris!

BabylonHoruv

I don't believe in JHVH in the same way that I don't believe in Soviet style Communism.  It doesn't mean I don't think it exists, it just means I don't support it and think it is sold falsely by it's supporters.

(roughly the same way may Christians don't believe in the homosexual lifestyle)
You're a special case, Babylon.  You are offensive even when you don't post.

Merely by being alive, you make everyone just a little more miserable

-Dok Howl

Kurt Christ

Quote from: BabylonHoruv on October 27, 2010, 11:17:15 PM
I don't believe in JHVH in the same way that I don't believe in Soviet style Communism.  It doesn't mean I don't think it exists, it just means I don't support it and think it is sold falsely by it's supporters.

(roughly the same way may Christians don't believe in the homosexual lifestyle)
Do you specifically believe or disbelieve the existence of YHWH, or just hold a neutral position aside from your disapproval, should he/it exist?
Formerly known as the Space Pope (then I was excommunicated), Father Kurt Christ (I was deemed unfit to raise children, spiritual or otherwise), and Vartox (the speedo was starting to chafe)

Mesozoic Mister Nigel

It bother me when people use "believe in" in place of "approve" or "support". Are those words really too hard?
"I'm guessing it was January 2007, a meeting in Bethesda, we got a bag of bees and just started smashing them on the desk," Charles Wick said. "It was very complicated."


Faust

Quote from: The Lord and Lady Omnibus Fuck on October 28, 2010, 02:31:19 AM
It bother me when people use "believe in" in place of "approve" or "support". Are those words really too hard?
It is because the term "religious beliefs" is considered common terminology on this topic.
Sleepless nights at the chateau

Precious Moments Zalgo

Quote from: The Lord and Lady Omnibus Fuck on October 28, 2010, 02:31:19 AM
It bother me when people use "believe in" in place of "approve" or "support". Are those words really too hard?
Me too.  Using "believe in" in that sense is not correct.  The speaker usually means "believe on".  To "believe in" something means to believe that it exists.  To "believe on" something means to trust and have faith in it.
I will answer ANY prayer for $39.95.*

*Unfortunately, I cannot give refunds in the event that the answer is no.

eighteen buddha strike

Quote from: Doktor Howl on October 26, 2010, 11:24:04 PM
4.  God is real, and he eats your soul when you die.

Quote from: Mens Recovery Project
All music is shit to god
He thinks we're a bunch of babies
He has no patience for all our noise
He makes great big plans to destroy us.

LMNO

Also relevant...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPsdjlPVaJU


God reached his hand down from the sky
He flooded the land, the he set it on fire

He said, "Fear me again, know I'm your father,
Remember that no one can breathe underwater."

So bend your knees and bow your heads
Save your babies, here's your future...

YEAH HERE'S YOUR FUTURE!!!

God reached his hand down from the sky
God asked Noah if he wanted to die
He said, "No Sir, oh, no Sir!"
God said, "Here's your future.
It's gonna rain..."

So we packing our things
We're building a boat
We're gonna create the new master race
'Cause we're so pure, oh Lord we're so pure!!!

So here's your future...

God told his son, "It's time to come home.
I promise you won't have to die all alone.
I need you to pay for the sins I create."
Son said, "I will, but Dad, I'm afraid!!!"

So here's your future...
So here's your future...
So here's your future.


The Android

Quote from: The Lord and Lady Omnibus Fuck on October 28, 2010, 02:31:19 AM
It bother me when people use "believe in" in place of "approve" or "support". Are those words really too hard?

Yeah that does make more sense... I will try to adjust how I word it in the future.
the artist formerly known as Hoopla