I suppose I am fundamentally anti-theist in that I think theism represents irrational and badly defined thinking. This in itself has a knock-on effect, causing people to be more likely to adopt other irrational beliefs which hamper their ability to make rational decisions about reality. These decisions affect everyone around them, not just themselves.

I think it's a "bad idea", but that doesn't mean I'm advocating doing anything about it, except promoting critical thinking.

I'm much more concerned with how religious dogma directly causes tangible harm.

(August 29, 2015 at 3:18 am)robvalue Wrote: I suppose I am fundamentally anti-theist in that I think theism represents irrational and badly defined thinking. This in itself has a knock-on effect, causing people to be more likely to adopt other irrational beliefs which hamper their ability to make rational decisions about reality. These decisions affect everyone around them, not just themselves.

I think it's a "bad idea", but that doesn't mean I'm advocating doing anything about it, except promoting critical thinking.

I'm much more concerned with how religious dogma directly causes tangible harm.

I agree with this.  I would take it one little step further,  I am anti dogma, anti-blind faith statements, and anti statements of belief that not only don't have any observational support but also counter observation.  I am going out on a limb here and trashing the definitions of "faith" and "belief".  although the wiki says different, I think all beliefs and faiths should have some supporting observation before they are weighted as more or less valid.  I also would toss philosophy in there, they think critically, write real pretty, and kick out as much if not more bs then religion.


 I also would encourage critical thinking by using cherry picking and apoplectics.  Using them as a weapon against religion really doesn't help people think.  They seem to mean "shut up and do what your told" and "screw what you leaned today, great grandpa's idea he formed in 18 ought 92 is as good as it gets." is bs.  It may take a little longer but at least it gets them thinking and the short term effect could be splintering larger sects to make a religion less powerful.

(August 28, 2015 at 11:54 pm)Shuffle Wrote: I am saying that it doesn't differentiate atheists from theists, which could be confusing if we have a new person join the forum.

Godwin? That you?

I don't normally point out language mistakes and make them myself. I simply thought it funny given the theme of this thread hinging on you attempting extract fly shit from pepper regarding the definition of anti-theist; even after Ben was kind enough to paste them into the thread.

You now double down invoking a comparison to Hitler because I should have simply understood your meaning, yet you go out of your way to mangle the definition of a well defined term. I am quite certain I'm not the one with a problem understanding.

(August 29, 2015 at 8:09 am)Cato Wrote:

(August 28, 2015 at 11:54 pm)Shuffle Wrote: I am saying that it doesn't differentiate atheists from theists, which could be confusing if we have a new person join the forum.

Godwin? That you?

I don't normally point out language mistakes and make them myself. I simply thought it funny given the theme of this thread hinging on you attempting extract fly shit from pepper regarding the definition of anti-theist; even after Ben was kind enough to paste them into the thread.

You now double down invoking a comparison to Hitler because I should have simply understood your meaning, yet you go out of your way to mangle the definition of a well defined term. I am quite certain I'm not the one with a problem understanding.

But I DON'T understand whether or not the person is a theist or not based on "anti-theist." You understood what I meant, however I don't understand others when they use suck a vague term.  You can only be an atheist atheist, or a theist theist, but you can be a anti-theist atheist AND a anti-theist theist.

And no, I am not comparing you to Hitler. Calm down.

(August 27, 2015 at 10:41 am)robvalue Wrote: I think you just want as many labels as possible

The obvious label whore is obvious.

(August 29, 2015 at 1:08 pm)Shuffle Wrote: But I DON'T understand whether or not the person is a theist or not based on "anti-theist." You understood what I meant, however I don't understand others when they use suck a vague term.  You can only be an atheist atheist, or a theist theist, but you can be a anti-theist atheist AND a anti-theist theist.

And no, I am not comparing you to Hitler. Calm down.

Don't be obtuse. You're trying to use an exception to claim confusion where there is none. As a percentage of all anti-theists, how many do you honestly think believe in God? What does that percentage drop to on an atheist forum?

You still haven't seemed to grasp that religious views are being solicited by the field, not whether or not one is an atheist. You are the only one that seems to think anti-theist is a vague term and have conveniently ignored everyone's willingness to help you overcome your ignorance.

(August 29, 2015 at 1:37 pm)Cato Wrote:

(August 29, 2015 at 1:08 pm)Shuffle Wrote: But I DON'T understand whether or not the person is a theist or not based on "anti-theist." You understood what I meant, however I don't understand others when they use suck a vague term.  You can only be an atheist atheist, or a theist theist, but you can be a anti-theist atheist AND a anti-theist theist.

And no, I am not comparing you to Hitler. Calm down.

Don't be obtuse. You're trying to use an exception to claim confusion where there is none. As a percentage of all anti-theists, how many do you honestly think believe in God? What does that percentage drop to on an atheist forum?

You still haven't seemed to grasp that religious views are being solicited by the field, not whether or not one is an atheist. You are the only one that seems to think anti-theist is a vague term and have conveniently ignored everyone's willingness to help you overcome your ignorance.

This makes more sense now. I get it.

(August 28, 2015 at 9:26 pm)Pizza Wrote:

(August 28, 2015 at 9:24 pm)Shuffle Wrote: ??? I am sorry, but I don't really understand what you just said.

Not all theists are religious.

it's kinda strange to believe in a god that got no way to communicate with the humans, he's just there hiding and being invisible, worthless, meaningless, pointless and insignificant.
I think that qualifies for not existing.

(August 29, 2015 at 4:43 pm)Marsellus Wallace Wrote:

(August 28, 2015 at 9:26 pm)Pizza Wrote: Not all theists are religious.

it's kinda strange to believe in a god that got no way to communicate with the humans, he's just there hiding and being invisible, worthless, meaningless, pointless and insignificant.
I think that qualifies for not existing.

these are adjectives that describe how you and those like you feel.  people say the same thing about the ort cloud.

(August 29, 2015 at 7:14 am)comet Wrote: I also would encourage critical thinking by using cherry picking and apoplectics.  

I just had to cherry pick this out since thinking of cherry picking as a tool of critical thinking sent me into gales of apoplectic laughter.  It's okay.  I'm over it now.