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RE: Why Do Atheists Criticize People's Beliefs?
May 21, 2017 at 7:34 am
I criticize religious ideas because they are no different than any other human idea. The human imagination has created philosophy, politics, literature, science, humor, music, religion, etc. All products of the human mind. Why does religion deserve a special place from politics? We all agree a sharp criticism of political ideas is necessary for a healthy democracy. Punishment of political ideas is a crime. At least according to Amnesty International. Religion needs to be brought down off its pedestal and worked over like all other ideas. If religion can not withstand a good debate or a bit of mockery then let it crawl back into the past from which it came! I volunteer to help with this noble task.
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RE: Why Do Atheists Criticize People's Beliefs?
May 21, 2017 at 9:03 am
(May 20, 2017 at 9:15 am)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote: (May 20, 2017 at 8:37 am)Gawdzilla Sama Wrote: I'm comforted by the fact that most people in the US who say they are religious are lying. They care about TV, beer, and football.
But they care about them with a religious devotion, so it comes to the same thing.
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RE: Why Do Atheists Criticize People's Beliefs?
May 21, 2017 at 11:00 am
(May 20, 2017 at 6:04 pm)Alex K Wrote: (May 20, 2017 at 11:25 am)Mermaid Wrote: I think criticizing the beliefs of religious people is exactly the same as religious people criticizing atheists or members of other religions.
Thinking is one thing, but being openly critical is quite another. I am all about live and let live. And yes, I know religious people don't live and let live, and I think that sucks balls. That doesn't mean I think it's ok for atheists to do it. Everyone thinks they have The Answer and The Truth.
Nope, not the same. Why?
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RE: Why Do Atheists Criticize People's Beliefs?
May 21, 2017 at 11:10 am
If a given believer was obviously not comporting themselves Scripturally, I'd think they would appreciate a rebuke, regardless of who is providing it.
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RE: Why Do Atheists Criticize People's Beliefs?
May 21, 2017 at 3:25 pm
(This post was last modified: May 21, 2017 at 3:36 pm by Alex K.)
(May 21, 2017 at 11:00 am)Mermaid Wrote: (May 20, 2017 at 6:04 pm)Alex K Wrote: Nope, not the same. Why?
Apart from the wording, it's a question of burden of proof. If some people claim to know an almighty creator figure of the universe, that's a positive claim. If the claim isn't logically justifiable it is probably wrong, and I as someone who is on the default position of not claiming a personal creator figure on those grounds am right to criticise this belief as probably false. Vice versa, criticising the atheist holding the default position of no claim, without having proper evidence, makes you wrong.
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Why Do Atheists Criticize People's Beliefs?
May 21, 2017 at 4:27 pm
(May 21, 2017 at 3:25 pm)Alex K Wrote: Apart from the wording, it's a question of burden of proof. If some people claim to know an almighty creator figure of the universe, that's a positive claim. If the claim isn't logically justifiable it is probably wrong and I as someone who is on the default position of not claiming a personal creator figure on those grounds am right to criticise this belief as probably false. Vice versa, criticising the atheist holding the default position of no claim, without having proper evidence, makes you wrong.
Ironically, the words in bold seem themselves to be unjustified. What grounds do you have for claiming this? Obviously, if you can justify a statement logically, it is probably right, but that in and of itself doesn't mean that if you can't, it's probably wrong.
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RE: Why Do Atheists Criticize People's Beliefs?
May 21, 2017 at 4:44 pm
Most people fail to understand that if the premise is wrong the logic is irrelevant.
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RE: Why Do Atheists Criticize People's Beliefs?
May 21, 2017 at 5:15 pm
(May 21, 2017 at 3:25 pm)Alex K Wrote: (May 21, 2017 at 11:00 am)Mermaid Wrote: Why?
Apart from the wording, it's a question of burden of proof. If some people claim to know an almighty creator figure of the universe, that's a positive claim. If the claim isn't logically justifiable it is probably wrong, and I as someone who is on the default position of not claiming a personal creator figure on those grounds am right to criticise this belief as probably false. Vice versa, criticising the atheist holding the default position of no claim, without having proper evidence, makes you wrong.
Ok, I see, fair enough. I am just not an arguer, so I tend to default to not arguing with people about their beliefs. As soon as it starts to have an effect on my life, I'll speak up and tell them to stop it, but I don't think I care about the burden of proof otherwise. If it makes you happy to believe in all of that bullshit, whateverrrr.
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RE: Why Do Atheists Criticize People's Beliefs?
May 21, 2017 at 5:33 pm
(This post was last modified: May 21, 2017 at 5:37 pm by Alex K.)
(May 21, 2017 at 4:27 pm)Valyza1 Wrote: (May 21, 2017 at 3:25 pm)Alex K Wrote: Apart from the wording, it's a question of burden of proof. If some people claim to know an almighty creator figure of the universe, that's a positive claim. If the claim isn't logically justifiable it is probably wrong and I as someone who is on the default position of not claiming a personal creator figure on those grounds am right to criticise this belief as probably false. Vice versa, criticising the atheist holding the default position of no claim, without having proper evidence, makes you wrong.
Ironically, the words in bold seem themselves to be unjustified. What grounds do you have for claiming this? Obviously, if you can justify a statement logically, it is probably right, but that in and of itself doesn't mean that if you can't, it's probably wrong.
Because the number of possible false claims is so large that a randomly chosen claim one is almost certainly false. Only evidence changes those odds.
The fool hath said in his heart, There is a God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
Psalm 14, KJV revised edition
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Why Do Atheists Criticize People's Beliefs?
May 21, 2017 at 5:42 pm
(This post was last modified: May 21, 2017 at 5:45 pm by Valyza1.)
(May 21, 2017 at 5:33 pm)Alex K Wrote: (May 21, 2017 at 4:27 pm)Valyza1 Wrote: Ironically, the words in bold seem themselves to be unjustified. What grounds do you have for claiming this? Obviously, if you can justify a statement logically, it is probably right, but that in and of itself doesn't mean that if you can't, it's probably wrong.
Because the number of possible false claims is so large that a randomly chosen one is almost certainly false. Only evidence changes those odds.
But when people make claims, are they generally choosing from a pool of random claims? That seems unlikely. It seems rather that most of the time they are choosing from a pool of claims they actually believe and usually, in order to actually believe in a claim there must at least be some kernel of truth to it, which cuts out most random propositions.
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