Having and using an understanding of a theists beliefs is a excellent way in which to argue how absurd their position is. It seems you fail to understand the intentions of Atheists who use this method.

Clearly. Must be new to atheism??

I try not to mention god.

(March 21, 2011 at 12:35 pm)the6dead Wrote: I try not to mention god.

DOH!

(March 21, 2011 at 12:35 pm)the6dead Wrote: I do not think it is necessary to believe that the same God who has given us our senses, reason, and intelligence wished us to abandon their use, giving us by some other means the information that we could gain through them

-- Galileo Galilei

DOH!

Once you use your opponents’ holly-book for prove or explanation, you’re admitting the legitimacy of the holiness of that book, or doctrine. Can’t you just say religion stinks at that is final for me…

(March 21, 2011 at 5:28 pm)fr0d0 Wrote:

(March 21, 2011 at 12:35 pm)the6dead Wrote: I try not to mention god.

DOH!

(March 21, 2011 at 12:35 pm)the6dead Wrote: I do not think it is necessary to believe that the same God who has given us our senses, reason, and intelligence wished us to abandon their use, giving us by some other means the information that we could gain through them

-- Galileo Galilei

DOH!

I only mention god once the second one was a quote from Galileo. I know I said god four times.

Zen Badger wrote:
"What the hell are you on about????

We use religion to refute religion, not to justify atheism, which is simply an absence of belief(in a god or gods) and requires no more justification than a lack of belief in Russel's teapot.

As to attacking religion and other ridiculous beliefs such as homeopathy and creationism?

I do it because I enjoy it.
________________________________________________________________________________________


“We use religion to refute religion”! Once you use your opponents’ holly-book for prove or explanation, you’re admitting the legitimacy of the holiness of that book, or doctrine. Can’t you just say religion stinks and that is final…

I understand what you are trying to say. You may as well say that atheists shouldnt even call themselves atheists. If a christian comes up and starts preaching, then an atheist should not counter them and just walk off as if they dont care. The problem is, if you are an atheist in an atheist minority country, then you must FIGHT for your rights. Because if you just "walk off" then the theists will legislate their religious rules until eventually you can no longer "walk off", you now have to financially support their mythology. You now have mandatory church attendance and so forth. American atheists tend to be VERY vocal because of this. This is a GOOD thing. It is insuring that secularism will continue in America.

Besides, you will find that most of the atheists on this forum dont go by just "atheist", they prefer to go by other names that explain what they DO believe. The fact that we DONT believe isnt the issue on an atheist forum. Most of the members go by; nihilist, materialist, utilitarian, absurdist, existentialist, etc.. and sometimes they stack them like myself I am a Absurdist and materialist. If the topic was always about atheism we would become bored quickly.

We also have believers on this board, and we discuss theology. As much as I knock theology, the more you learn about it, the more you learn about what makes some societies tick, and how some people used to think back in the pre-scientific years. Sure I think religion is absurd, but if it makes people feel good then who am I to get in the way of their philosophical suicide? As long as they keep it personal (read as: dont legislate those beliefs into laws) then I would gladly sit down, have a cold beer with the "cool" believers, and discuss some of their mysticism. I find much comedy fuel in it. The fundies (read as: fundamentalist hard core preachy types) on the other hand will force me to mock them as cold and cruel and efficiently as possible in order to get the most people laughing at the fundy as I can.

Your question: Can atheists live without mentioning god, religion and the likes?

My answer: I dont know. Thats a good question. Religion is pretty popular, so I would just outright say probably not.

(March 21, 2011 at 7:05 pm)reverendjeremiah Wrote: I understand what you are trying to say. You may as well say that atheists shouldnt even call themselves atheists. If a christian comes up and starts preaching, then an atheist should not counter them and just walk off as if they dont care. Your question: Can atheists live without mentioning god, religion and the likes?

My answer: I dont know. Thats a good question. Religion is pretty popular, so I would just outright say probably not.

When arguing with a theist, just speak the truth and say out right that religion and god are fake, you’re wasting your time and brains mister!

(March 21, 2011 at 6:36 pm)sun Wrote: Once you use your opponents’ holly-book for prove or explanation, you’re admitting the legitimacy of the holiness of that book, or doctrine. Can’t you just say religion stinks at that is final for me…

Then they claim you dont believe out of ignorance and laziness, and all of their friends start nodding their heads.

(March 21, 2011 at 7:24 pm)sun Wrote: When arguing with a theist, just speak the truth and say out right that religion and god are fake, you’re wasting your time and brains mister!

I normally pick and choose my fights, especially in public view. And saying religion and gods are fake is not what I tell them. I say that religious books are fiction with a dose of historical places and events to make the story more convincing, and that Gods and angel and ghosts are merely fictional characters that exist only in our imaginations and the media we invent them upon as far as I am concerned.

Telling them that it is fake will only piss them off, especially if they know something about definitions and philosophy.

P.S. - Could you please quit SCREAMING on the forum?