(October 11, 2013 at 5:44 pm)Vincenzo "Vinny" G. Wrote:

(October 11, 2013 at 5:38 pm)pocaracas Wrote: So are the beliefs of every theist on this forum... so what?
It's just that theirs are a bit more irrational...

Surely if you sit with your thumb up your ass when people insult theists, you should do the same for everything I say.

I should?
That's not in the job description... I looked it up.

(October 11, 2013 at 5:44 pm)Vincenzo "Vinny" G. Wrote: Do you believe one cannot shine a critical light on atheist's claims equal to the one that is shined on theists?

For the millionth time... atheists don't make claims.... ok, some may make a few, but not in general.
For the most part, an atheist is a person who does not see enough reason to accept the claim that a god exists.
If and when someone presents enough reason to accept that, the atheist becomes a theist... In my personal case, I foresee very little chance of that happening in my lifetime. But hey... who knows?...

There is a minority of atheists who actually claim that god does not exist. They're usually adamant concerning a specific god claim or a few of them. At some point, they must extrapolate to all god claims. Perhaps they're right. It's intuitively very likely that they are. But who knows?...

As for you... keep shining the light, but try not to be a cunt about it... and try not to keep misrepresenting the people who actually identify themselves as atheists.

(October 11, 2013 at 6:17 pm)pocaracas Wrote:

(October 11, 2013 at 5:44 pm)Vincenzo "Vinny" G. Wrote: Surely if you sit with your thumb up your ass when people insult theists, you should do the same for everything I say.

I should?
That's not in the job description... I looked it up.

(October 11, 2013 at 5:44 pm)Vincenzo "Vinny" G. Wrote: Do you believe one cannot shine a critical light on atheist's claims equal to the one that is shined on theists?

For the millionth time... atheists don't make claims.... ok, some may make a few, but not in general.
For the most part, an atheist is a person who does not see enough reason to accept the claim that a god exists.
If and when someone presents enough reason to accept that, the atheist becomes a theist... In my personal case, I foresee very little chance of that happening in my lifetime. But hey... who knows?...

There is a minority of atheists who actually claim that god does not exist. They're usually adamant concerning a specific god claim or a few of them. At some point, they must extrapolate to all god claims. Perhaps they're right. It's intuitively very likely that they are. But who knows?...

As for you... keep shining the light, but try not to be a cunt about it... and try not to keep misrepresenting the people who actually identify themselves as atheists.

You just admitted your job description is not to get butthurt when I point out atheists are stupid. That's all I wanted to hear.

Atheists are not rational, they don't care about reasons. So enough about the nonsense that atheists "don't see enough reason." Does this idiotic post reflect reason to you?

(October 11, 2013 at 6:27 pm)Vincenzo "Vinny" G. Wrote: You just admitted your job description is not to get butthurt when I point out atheists are stupid. That's all I wanted to hear.

You have a knack for coming up with things other people don't say and claim they did...
Good luck with your life, if you're doing that to everyone around you...

(October 11, 2013 at 6:27 pm)Vincenzo "Vinny" G. Wrote: Atheists are not rational, they don't care about reasons. So enough about the nonsense that atheists "don't see enough reason."

People are not 100% rational. They're not machines.
We're human... but we try to, at least on some occasions, be as rational as possible.
Some people, on the other hand, embrace an irrational position and cherish it, feed it, nurture it... until it grows out of control... those people can be dangerous.

(October 11, 2013 at 6:27 pm)Vincenzo "Vinny" G. Wrote: Does this idiotic post reflect reason to you?

DP is a deist. He should know what his position is much better than I would. If he chooses to define it as he did, then that must be what he considers it to be.
Why do you think it's idiotic for him to define deism as he did?

(October 11, 2013 at 6:40 pm)pocaracas Wrote: Some people, on the other hand, embrace an irrational position and cherish it, feed it, nurture it... until it grows out of control... those people can be dangerous.

And I happen to think these people are atheists. So what's the problem?

(October 11, 2013 at 6:52 pm)Vincenzo "Vinny" G. Wrote:

(October 11, 2013 at 6:40 pm)pocaracas Wrote: Some people, on the other hand, embrace an irrational position and cherish it, feed it, nurture it... until it grows out of control... those people can be dangerous.

And I happen to think these people are atheists. So what's the problem?

Why do you think atheists are dangerous?

(October 11, 2013 at 7:29 pm)pocaracas Wrote:

(October 11, 2013 at 6:52 pm)Vincenzo "Vinny" G. Wrote: And I happen to think these people are atheists. So what's the problem?

Why do you think atheists are dangerous?

Because anti-intellectualism, as displayed on this forum is dangerous.

The response to foreign views are not "I disagree because it is incorrect."

but

"I think it's stupid because I don't like it."

As such, the focus is on feelings, not on facts. And the moment you take the focus off of facts, you lose sight of reality, and you can't trust the people anymore.

(October 11, 2013 at 6:17 pm)pocaracas Wrote: For the millionth time... atheists don't make claims.... ok, some may make a few, but not in general.

Bullshit! You claim that God does not exist. Only the agnostic does not make a claim, one way or the other. For example, you never hear an atheist say, "I never said God didn't exist."

(October 11, 2013 at 8:28 pm)Vincenzo "Vinny" G. Wrote:

(October 11, 2013 at 7:29 pm)pocaracas Wrote: Why do you think atheists are dangerous?

Because anti-intellectualism, as displayed on this forum is dangerous.

The response to foreign views are not "I disagree because it is incorrect."

but

"I think it's stupid because I don't like it."

As such, the focus is on feelings, not on facts. And the moment you take the focus off of facts, you lose sight of reality, and you can't trust the people anymore.

Each person here replies according to their own knowledge of whatever is being discussed...sometimes it is as you describe it...sometimes you get some damn good posts.

Many topics discussed on this forum cannot be labeled as correct or incorrect. Some people feel it's one way, others feel it's the other way.
Take this mind/brain problem... you think they're separate entities, I think one derives from the other.
You cannot show me how your view it's correct. I can't either... although the evidence collected from brain damaged people hints in my favor, I cannot say that I(or anyone) know for sure that that is the case.
If you think that this inability to prove to you how my point of view seems more reasonable than yours is a display of anti-intellectualism, then, again, we must disagree. It is purely because I lack the knowledge to make a purely 100% airtight case...and maybe no one on this planet can...yet.


On this forum, the norm is that the focus is on facts... or lack thereof.

---

(October 11, 2013 at 10:44 pm)ChadWooters Wrote:

(October 11, 2013 at 6:17 pm)pocaracas Wrote: For the millionth time... atheists don't make claims.... ok, some may make a few, but not in general.

Bullshit! You claim that God does not exist. Only the agnostic does not make a claim, one way or the other. For example, you never hear an atheist say, "I never said God didn't exist."

That is incorrect.
The common sentence among atheists on this forum is "I do not accept the claim that a god exists."
I can't remember any of the resident atheists claiming that good does not exist, but I'm sure there may be some.
From the lack of belief in the claim that a god exists, arises the notion of approaching any situation under the assumption that no gods exist. Maybe that's what's confusing you...
Also, most here identify themselves as agnostic atheists, as we don't know and don't believe. I don't know why we have to keep writing this... is it such a difficult concept for you to wrap your head around?

(October 12, 2013 at 3:07 am)pocaracas Wrote:

(October 11, 2013 at 8:28 pm)Vincenzo "Vinny" G. Wrote: Because anti-intellectualism, as displayed on this forum is dangerous.

The response to foreign views are not "I disagree because it is incorrect."

but

"I think it's stupid because I don't like it."

As such, the focus is on feelings, not on facts. And the moment you take the focus off of facts, you lose sight of reality, and you can't trust the people anymore.

Each person here replies according to their own knowledge of whatever is being discussed...sometimes it is as you describe it...sometimes you get some damn good posts.

Many topics discussed on this forum cannot be labeled as correct or incorrect. Some people feel it's one way, others feel it's the other way.
Take this mind/brain problem... you think they're separate entities, I think one derives from the other.
You cannot show me how your view it's correct. I can't either... although the evidence collected from brain damaged people hints in my favor, I cannot say that I(or anyone) know for sure that that is the case.
If you think that this inability to prove to you how my point of view seems more reasonable than yours is a display of anti-intellectualism, then, again, we must disagree. It is purely because I lack the knowledge to make a purely 100% airtight case...and maybe no one on this planet can...yet.


On this forum, the norm is that the focus is on facts... or lack thereof.

---

(October 11, 2013 at 10:44 pm)ChadWooters Wrote: Bullshit! You claim that God does not exist. Only the agnostic does not make a claim, one way or the other. For example, you never hear an atheist say, "I never said God didn't exist."

That is incorrect.
The common sentence among atheists on this forum is "I do not accept the claim that a god exists."
I can't remember any of the resident atheists claiming that good does not exist, but I'm sure there may be some.
From the lack of belief in the claim that a god exists, arises the notion of approaching any situation under the assumption that no gods exist. Maybe that's what's confusing you...
Also, most here identify themselves as agnostic atheists, as we don't know and don't believe. I don't know why we have to keep writing this... is it such a difficult concept for you to wrap your head around?

You are one of the most intellectual engaging people on this forum. I'm not telling this to give you a big head, but as a fair acknowledgement of your positive attitude.

But I hope in your claim that the norm is a focus on facts, you will be active in calling out your comrades who fail to meet that standard. Or at the very least acknowledge there is a problem in this area.

(October 12, 2013 at 5:14 am)Vincenzo "Vinny" G. Wrote: You are one of the most intellectual engaging people on this forum. I'm not telling this to give you a big head, but as a fair acknowledgement of your positive attitude.

Big head.... accomplished!

(October 12, 2013 at 5:14 am)Vincenzo "Vinny" G. Wrote: But I hope in your claim that the norm is a focus on facts, you will be active in calling out your comrades who fail to meet that standard. Or at the very least acknowledge there is a problem in this area.

Yeah... and no... again, it's not my job to tell each person how to reply to others.
Each will reply within their knowledge, mood, whatever... The forum has mods to keep each member within the rules.

I can understand how some people here sort of feel insulted by the way you make your points... and then reply to you in an aggressive way, like cato did there... It's human nature...