Look, I think the atheists are really deflecting here. I get you are insulting the beleif,not the person, but really people define themselves by their beliefs, memories, and actions. IT's one of the core things that makes a person who they are. So of course if you insult a belief (or lack-there-of) you are also insulting the person. Stop hiding and just own it.
Insulting ones belief does NOT mean you think they are a bad person, though, so on the other hand, those acting like it goes that far are too much as well.
I think it IS meant to be insulting. Not insulting on the level of like, hey you are a crazy person, but pointing out that it is childish and silly like the tooth fairy.
Look, if you just want to compare god to something that cannot be proven to exist, you can use Russel's Teapot as a great example.
If you want to make the comparison also include the idea that it is absurd, you can use the Flying Spaghetti Monster (Or the Pink Unicorn). That's why atheists invented these figures, after all.
If you want to include the idea that it is absurd AND childish AND silly, then you use the Tooth Fairy and Santa Clause.
It is the entire POINT of the comparisons, to show that that we do not believe in these other things as adults, god belief is only different in that society accepts it, and really in no other way. A lot of great minds have wasted effort trying to rationalize this one extraordinary claim as an exception when it meets no criteria to BE an exception, but instead should be held to the same standard.
I'm not saying it's ok to insult theists, Or that its too rude to use these arguments (again, I had a similar one used against me when I was a theist and I also found it insulting, but it helped me realize it was indeed an absurd belief), but just that it seems this is the entire point of the argument is to get the theist to see how ALL of these beliefs are absurd.
Is that wrong? If you went down the street unsolicited doing it, absolutely. That's an asshole thing to do. But theists are here on an atheist forum, asking us to discuss these subjects. We didn't come to a Christian forum, they came to us. Which is great! But, this is the exact proper place for using such arguments if such a place exists at all. Otherwise, we can just rename this, "Hanging Out" forum, and not discuss belief or lack-there-of at all.
Insulting ones belief does NOT mean you think they are a bad person, though, so on the other hand, those acting like it goes that far are too much as well.
I think it IS meant to be insulting. Not insulting on the level of like, hey you are a crazy person, but pointing out that it is childish and silly like the tooth fairy.
Look, if you just want to compare god to something that cannot be proven to exist, you can use Russel's Teapot as a great example.
If you want to make the comparison also include the idea that it is absurd, you can use the Flying Spaghetti Monster (Or the Pink Unicorn). That's why atheists invented these figures, after all.
If you want to include the idea that it is absurd AND childish AND silly, then you use the Tooth Fairy and Santa Clause.
It is the entire POINT of the comparisons, to show that that we do not believe in these other things as adults, god belief is only different in that society accepts it, and really in no other way. A lot of great minds have wasted effort trying to rationalize this one extraordinary claim as an exception when it meets no criteria to BE an exception, but instead should be held to the same standard.
I'm not saying it's ok to insult theists, Or that its too rude to use these arguments (again, I had a similar one used against me when I was a theist and I also found it insulting, but it helped me realize it was indeed an absurd belief), but just that it seems this is the entire point of the argument is to get the theist to see how ALL of these beliefs are absurd.
Is that wrong? If you went down the street unsolicited doing it, absolutely. That's an asshole thing to do. But theists are here on an atheist forum, asking us to discuss these subjects. We didn't come to a Christian forum, they came to us. Which is great! But, this is the exact proper place for using such arguments if such a place exists at all. Otherwise, we can just rename this, "Hanging Out" forum, and not discuss belief or lack-there-of at all.
“Eternity is a terrible thought. I mean, where's it going to end?”
― Tom Stoppard, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
― Tom Stoppard, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
