RE: Atheism is a religion
January 9, 2012 at 8:27 pm
(This post was last modified: January 9, 2012 at 8:54 pm by Whateverist.)
(January 9, 2012 at 2:22 pm)downbeatplumb Wrote: Is amkerman talking of the god of spinoza?
http://www.waterwind.com/spinoza.html
If so, then he should change his beliefs tag to deist.
It certainly isnt the christian god he believes in.
You give him too much credit. It takes a staunch fundie xtian to get his head lodged this far up his ass. All the fluffy, nonsensical questions are just cover.
(January 9, 2012 at 3:28 pm)amkerman Wrote: I merely asked questions about reality. I think the answers are pretty obvious.
They always are when fundies reason from their conclusions.
(January 9, 2012 at 3:28 pm)amkerman Wrote: What I want to know is whether atheists believe in reality as I have defined it using the dictionary.
The bite sized definition you isolated was sufficiently incomplete for your purposes. "Reality" is what is whether or not anyone perceives or believes it. Perception is the process by which reality registers in our consciousness.
A "belief", as right thinking people use the word, is an operational hypothesis based on reasonable evidence. Not all beliefs about reality are equal. Some people are poor observers. Some reason poorly. Others, like you, don't reason at all; you just believe in the inerrant word of god as revealed in the bible.
Do you see now why your effort to make the case that reality is unknowable or only knowable through belief makes no sense? Or is what "makes sense" also just a matter of belief from where you stand?
Please do not think we are having a debate. That would be giving you too much credit. I just think it is instructive to look at how beginning with belief as you do can totally erode a person's values and ability to reason. If even one person turns back from the precipice of blind faith because of your example, then the loss of your humanity will not have been in vain.
