Seriously

[robvalue]

Yeah, I've recently starting wanking over the Ignostic position, which is I think a form of strong atheism. I'm taking the stance that there are no worthy claims yet made to "not know about".

In all practical senses, I'd be a strong atheist. I acknowledge there could possibly be a creator, but to call it "God" is ridiculous. If there is one, it almost certainly has done nothing here since starting off the universe, and is of no relevance.

But I guess I'll stick to agnostic in general, just for the open mind. We need a term for "open minded atheist". I want as many labels as possible, what's the maximum at one time?

[Thumpalumpacus]

We need a term for "open minded atheist". I want as many labels as possible, what's the maximum at one time?

Ask Starbucks, they've done the research in that department.

[downbeatplumb]

We need a term for "open minded atheist". I want as many labels as possible, what's the maximum at one time?

Ask Starbucks, they've done the research in that department.

You try asking for a small coffee.

[Thumpalumpacus]

Ask Starbucks, they've done the research in that department.

You try asking for a small coffee.

Hamlet would be worn down.

[Whateverist]

For someone to say there must be a God, for how else can we explain the existence of the universe.... or for someone to say there cannot be a God because we cannot prove the existence of such a God... are equally unacceptable!

As robvalue and some others have said, most atheists do not acknowledge god, but do not insist that there is none. I on the other hand insist that there is no god. It is like standing in an empty driveway. There is no car, no evidence, nothing to prove. A theist, however, insists that there is a god because the book god wrote says there is a god or they 'feel' there is a god or last, but not least by any stretch of the imagination, they have talked to god.

We all know what a car is and presumably it is pretty easy to tell if there is one in the driveway or not. What's a god? Where's its 'driveway'? Big difference. Being a level 6 atheist has nothing to do with certainty and everything to do with speaking accurately.

[user]

To me, whether or not there is a God is irrelevant. Because even if there is a God, the possibilities are endless.

it could be that there are several gods, it could be that there is one but he is evil, maybe the greeks were right. Maybe there are Gods but they do not know that we exist, or do not care, perhaps the universe centers around some other living creatures in some distant planet, and we were an accident. maybe the dogs are the main creatures, and we are just kinda here as the antagonists... Maybe there is a God, but there is no afterlife, maybe there is a God and we all go to hell regardless etc... (ENDLESS possibilities)

Now, given these endless possibilities, every individual religion has about as much odds as being the one true religion as me stumbling upon a billion dollars on the street randomly. Islam is not true because the prophet with endless wisdom had sex with a 9 year, that's a veto right there. Christianity is not accurate because they have 50+ bibles written 50 to 100 years after the supposed fact, and no official historic evidence back it up what so ever.

So rather than considering all that and spending my life trying to overthink something I will never have an answer to, why not just follow Common sense and science. Establish and live by morals that are good by international and common sense standards, then if any religion is true, I can still die satisfied with my life. I will have no problem looking the islamic God in the eye, giving him the finger, and telling him I would rather go to hell than live in a heaven full of pedophiles and terrorists. I will not have any problem looking the christian God in the eye and ask him why he sent us a load of crap as stories instead of just telling people who he was without bread crums and bullshit. Etc..

Just be good, the rest is irrelevant.

[Ryantology]

Theists take refuge in solipsism, and we're expected to avoid saying anything definitive.

It's hard to have a debate when one side decides that the rules of engagement only apply to the other side.

[W.Smith]

Yo all, thanks for all the great answers and input you have posted. I truly appreciate the discussion we have had in this topic