(April 22, 2013 at 5:27 pm)Joel Wrote: When someone says "There is a God." I say "I don't believe you." It's just that simple.

That prompts theists to insist on falsely equivocating their baseless beliefs with conclusions we have drawn as a result of critical analysis. That's why my only response to their assertion is to demand that they prove it. So far, I'm pitching a perfect game.

Atheism has not made me different. It is a result, rather than a cause, of the progress I've made in life.

(April 22, 2013 at 8:44 pm)Simon Moon Wrote: There are 2 truth claims regarding the existence of the teapot, or a god.

The first is that it exists. The other is that it does not exist.

If someone claims a god exists, when an atheist responds, "I don't believe you". This position of the lack of belief in a god or a teapot, does not necessitate having the inverse belief.

Here's an example. Lets say there's a contest to guess how many gumballs there are in a large jar. Closest wins. If someone claims that there is an even number of gumballs, without having any sort of evidence, and I say, "I don't believe you". That doesn't mean I now believe there is an odd number of gumballs in the jar. I withhold belief on either possibility until there is supporting evidence.

Wish it been explained to me that clearly at first. When I was still a christian and even after I changed to deism I thought atheists were all gnostic. Once I realized this was not the case I wasn't so bothered by it. It was an ignorant assumption to make but I can understand why I did think that since my first encounters were with youtube atheists. I have since realized youtube comment sections are not a good way to judge a group of people.

Yes. I don't feel like scum anymore. I don't feel like shit anymore. I'm not afraid anymore.

I love myself now. I accept myself now. I smile more. I'm happier. I'm free. I make my own decisions. I think for myself.

Perhaps it's not atheism that changed me... but religion had me trapped and now that I'm free I can be my original self.

The rest of this conversation is silly, but...

(April 22, 2013 at 5:48 pm)Dawud Wrote: It's not a mute point - most people have belief in their knowledge to some degree...

It's a "moot" point. Moot.

That irritates me whenever I see that.

I feel better now.

(April 22, 2013 at 10:08 pm)thesummerqueen Wrote:

(April 22, 2013 at 5:48 pm)Dawud Wrote: It's not a mute point - most people have belief in their knowledge to some degree...

It's a "moot" point. Moot.

That irritates me whenever I see that.

I feel better now.

Well thanks for not remaining mute on the proper use of "moot".

The rest of it wasn't worth commenting on, what can I say.

At the end of the day. You can produce the magical teapot. I have tea-brewer next to the coffee machine at work here.

Also, I will not believe the magical teapot in space, until the person making the claim provide physical evidence.

I have always been an atheist. I would not know what I would be like with religion, since it has never been a part of my life. I do not live for some magical after life. I enjoy the current one, and I have no need to regret anything I do, because magical sky god is against my actions.

(April 22, 2013 at 5:26 pm)Dawud Wrote: You don't have any belief regarding God?

God was created by man.

(April 22, 2013 at 11:30 pm)Free Thinker Wrote:

(April 22, 2013 at 5:26 pm)Dawud Wrote: You don't have any belief regarding God?

God was created by man.

What reason should I believe in this man made idea?

(April 22, 2013 at 8:44 pm)Simon Moon Wrote:

(April 22, 2013 at 5:39 pm)Dawud Wrote: If you were to logically necessitate that there were no teapot then surely you would believe there was no teapot? Are you telling me you would have no belief about the teapot in this situation? Like if someone said to you - "Do you believe there is no teapot" you would say "I don't believe anything about that teapot"....

I'd say that's strange...

So you don't have any beliefs about God? You don't believe it's imaginary? So you accept the possibility (though maybe slight) that God exists?

There are 2 truth claims regarding the existence of the teapot, or a god.

The first is that it exists. The other is that it does not exist.

If someone claims a god exists, when an atheist responds, "I don't believe you". This position of the lack of belief in a god or a teapot, does not necessitate having the inverse belief.

Here's an example. Lets say there's a contest to guess how many gumballs there are in a large jar. Closest wins. If someone claims that there is an even number of gumballs, without having any sort of evidence, and I say, "I don't believe you". That doesn't mean I now believe there is an odd number of gumballs in the jar. I withhold belief on either possibility until there is supporting evidence.

Just to be clear - this is what I'm saying in a nutshell...

And that withholding a belief and believing the opposite are 3 different things.

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(April 22, 2013 at 11:30 pm)Free Thinker Wrote:

(April 22, 2013 at 5:26 pm)Dawud Wrote: You don't have any belief regarding God?

God was created by man.

Here we see a typical example of an atheist belief about God

god = idea

All I'm trying to say is that being an atheist means that you have certain belief or knowledge about the way the world is and that this has an effect in atheists lives. I believe that most people believe their knowledge I. As much as belief is holding something to be true (the everyday definition).

The reason that Im harping on is that Im trying to disprove Rhythms hypothesis that atheism has no effect in people's lives which is total BS.
I am also clarifying the quite widely accepted difference between claiming no knowledge about something and denial of that.

Any if your constant objections to this are supporting these statements:

1. Atheism has no effect in anyone's life.
2. To claim there is no God is to know there is no God but this is not to believe their is no God (belief meaning holding something to be true)

I don't agree with the above statements and I ask that you join me in their rejection or face absurdity.

So do all atheists here think that statement 1 and 2 are correct like Rhythm

Or Rhythm, are you finally going to admit that knowledge of a God free existence changes behaviour?

Stop pretending I'm stupid - I know you agree with the rejection of the above silly ideas!

It's just your inability to agree with the fact that assuming no God is the default position that leads you to deny them.

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*2 different things