Better reasons to quit Christianity

[spockrates]

Fair enough. It was not an ad hominem attack, because I believe I have not made any assertion to attack. I stand corrected, and please accept my apology.

Of course, I'm not one to hold grudges.

Thank you.

What I don't understand, Mister is why you think I have a view on atheism, since I have not expressed one!

You've expressed your definition of atheism, which is at odds with ours, and you stick to it despite that. That's a pretty strong view about atheism.

Fair enough. Would you say I believe in definition (1) of atheism, but you believe in definition (2)? I'm thinking definition (2) is more broad and definition (1) is narrower, and perhaps speaks of a specific kind of atheism. Neither definition is necessarily wrong, it's just that not all atheists who are (2) are necessarily also (1). Do you agree?


a·the·ism
[ey-thee-iz-uhm]
noun
1. the doctrine or belief that there is no God.
2. disbelief in the existence of a supreme being or beings.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/atheism?s=t

What I have done is to ask questions about the reasons others have given why they are atheists. I'm not sure why you believe asking questions about why someone believes is the same as denying what someone believes. (However, I'd love to ask you why, if only you would care to answer!).

I'm not sure why you believe that I believe asking questions about why someone believes is the same as denying what someone believes. I'm not sure why you believe a lot of the things you've said about me.

Also fair. My thought was that you are thinking my use of the Socratic Method means I've already made up my mind that the things people are saying to me is untrue. Sounds like I've misunderstood you. Again, I apologize.

I don't think I have said that anything anyone has told me was not true--though I should make an exception in your case and say it is untrue that I'm insincere about seeking the the truth.

Seeking the truth is a two-way street. A discussion isn't someone asking more questions, getting anwers, asking more questions, getting answers, ad infinitum. When it comes to your original question, you're not giving us much back to go on in making progress. And when I did get some feedback from you (it was like extracting a tooth), your response was either borderline hostile or indicated a density that cannot be penetrated (your choice) that can be summed up as 'you became an atheist because you decided to be close-minded'. Which is why none of us is getting anywhere with you. Please just go ahead and become a Catholic.

A discussion using the Socratic Method is exactly that, though both people might ask questions, of course. I'm certainly open to answering any questions you have for me.

It seems to me your opinion of me is like that of the critics of Socrates saying he denied the pagan gods were wise simply because he asked the pious Euthyphro some questions about why he believed they were. Asking Euthyphro how he knew the gods were wise (given that the gods disagreed and fought among themselves about what was wise and what was foolish) was not the same as denying they were wise, regardless of Euthyphro's inability to answer the question. At best, the only thing Socrates' questions proved was that Eutyphro didn't know, which is quite different from asserting that what Euthyphro thought he knew was untrue.

My opinion of you is that you are amusing yourself at our expense, that is, you are a troll: your goal is to stir up reactions to get a feeling of control, your method is JAQ-ing off. It's one of the most effective methods because it keeps the game going the longest. You don't have to be impolite or insulting, so no ban, and not much ire: just the most time wasted by us for the smallest effort on your part. I am a good example of how even people who know better fall for it.

Yes, I tend to have that effect on people. Socrates said he had the same effect on people as well:

I tell you this long story, friend Theaetetus, because I suspect, as indeed you seem to think yourself, that you are in labour-great with some conception. Come then to me, who am a midwife's son and myself a midwife, and do your best to answer the questions which I will ask you. And if I abstract and expose your first-born, because I discover upon inspection that the conception which you have formed is a vain shadow, do not quarrel with me on that account, as the manner of women is when their first children are taken from them.

For I have actually known some who were ready to bite me when I deprived them of a darling folly! They did not perceive that I acted from good will, not knowing that no god is the enemy of man-that was not within the range of their ideas; neither am I their enemy in all this, but it would be wrong for me to admit falsehood, or to stifle the truth.

(Theatetus)

Best of luck to you, too. (BTW, I still like your avatar's costume!)

Thanks. I am willing to change my mind about you if I see you fully engage. The psychic thing seemed to get you going much more than anything you got in response to why someone is an atheist.

Would you like (at least for awhile) to be the one to ask questions, and have me be the one to answer them?