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Post by Arlon10 on Jul 24, 2018 22:09:43 GMT
I have never said atheism is a "religion." I said it is a "belief," but it is only a simple belief. It is not a systematic belief with a structure. On the old board some Christians readily agreed that atheism is not a "belief" meaning that it had no structure as their beliefs do. I agree with them that atheism has no structure (officially), but I disagree on the point of belief. Atheism is definitely a "belief" albeit a simple one. Although it still has no structure atheists do form "groups," but not all groups are "religions." Groups of atheists can be much like those groups of "Christians" who have no structure to their beliefs. When is an 'absence of belief' a belief in and of itself? I see it more as a viewpoint, or worldview,if you wish. I think it therefore is a matter of semantics, however you are clearly backing down from your original position on this thread that 'atheists' have more than the commonality of an absence of belief and that you characterise them in a myriad of other ways as a group, including their intelligence etc. You have been called on that and now you are backflipping. Anyway I was answering Drystyx when he claimed it was a religion. An "absence of belief" is b__ls__t when the person joins debates making arguments against the existence of god. An "absence of belief" is obvious when there is no developed thought such as would proceed from some sorts of beliefs. |
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Post by goz on Jul 24, 2018 22:28:15 GMT
You seem to be suggesting that someone's motivation for having a position or a belief is what benefits they get from it? Is that right? Are you saying that's how you made your decision to believe in God? Cos you thought there was something in it for you? Personally I believe things because they seem correct to me. I look at the arguments for and against something, consider the evidence and then (regardless of any personal gain or loss - or any other wishful thinking) I come to a conclusion. But perhaps your beliefs are more easily bought. That is still ignoring reality just as I explained the last time. You obviously suffer from a delusion that there is one and only one motivation. There are many different motivations and many different people. The benefits people might get from joining a large group is just one of the many reasons. You seem to be saying that if one person is motivated by such gains then all of them are and there can be no other motivation. Or perhaps you want to say that if you can find another motivation then the one I found must be wrong. That's because you have suffered brain damage. Either you hit your head on a door recently, or severely abused alcohol and drugs all your life, or something between. No, it does not follow logically at all that if some people join groups for the benefits of numbers and nothing else, that I joined anything ever for the same reason. I have found, and you would have too if you weren't incapacitated, that there are a lot of people who join groups merely for the safety in numbers they feel and nothing else whatever. I do not have to prove that's the only reason that people join groups. It is not. I never said it was. Lots of other people join groups because they like the other goals that group pursues like a more civil society or understanding great mysteries or whatever. Again there will be different motives for different people. You have not given any sane reason why my observation must be incorrect. It remains obvious that many atheists and fundamental Christians in significant numbers only care about membership in their group and no other rules matter. Since atheists only share one thing in common and that is an absence of belief in a God or gods, they tend NOT to form groups, as you agreed, there is no structure possible for such a nebulous and varied 'group'. It is YOUR concept of atheists being a group with discernible and common traits that is at issue here, and frankly your concept is total bullshit. It also doesn't do you any favours that you belittle other posters with a different view to you as 'brain damaged'. Get over yourself! |
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Post by goz on Jul 24, 2018 22:35:41 GMT
When is an 'absence of belief' a belief in and of itself? I see it more as a viewpoint, or worldview,if you wish. I think it therefore is a matter of semantics, however you are clearly backing down from your original position on this thread that 'atheists' have more than the commonality of an absence of belief and that you characterise them in a myriad of other ways as a group, including their intelligence etc. You have been called on that and now you are backflipping. Anyway I was answering Drystyx when he claimed it was a religion. An "absence of belief" is b__ls__t when the person joins debates making arguments against the existence of god. un An "absence of belief" is obvious when there is no developed thought such as would proceed from some sorts of beliefs. Well, there we have it. You belittling other people for a disparity in their belief to your own. Am I brain damaged too? As an atheist I have given a great deal of thought to the matter, read the arguments for and against God, been totally unconvinced by any of them and rejected the idea of a creator and god figure. It is really that simple. Lack of evidence, lack of logic and a hearty dose of scepticism for the motivations of those who adopt religion, seeing it merely as a control mechanism designed to regulate society along misogynistic, immoral, un-egalitarian, corruptible and unempathetic lines. Basically the concept of God is a giant hoax. IMHO |
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Post by Arlon10 on Jul 24, 2018 23:29:10 GMT
An "absence of belief" is b__ls__t when the person joins debates making arguments against the existence of god. un An "absence of belief" is obvious when there is no developed thought such as would proceed from some sorts of beliefs. Well, there we have it. You belittling other people for a disparity in their belief to your own. Am I brain damaged too? As an atheist I have given a great deal of thought to the matter, read the arguments for and against God, been totally unconvinced by any of them and rejected the idea of a creator and god figure. It is really that simple. Lack of evidence, lack of logic and a hearty dose of scepticism for the motivations of those who adopt religion, seeing it merely as a control mechanism designed to regulate society along misogynistic, immoral, un-egalitarian, corruptible and unempathetic lines. Basically the concept of God is a giant hoax. IMHO "Belittling" people isn't something only I do on this board, or haven't you noticed?  Of all the members of this board I especially go out of my way to find the tiniest scrap of sense if anyone can make any.
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