(June 14, 2016 at 2:43 pm)Rhythm Wrote: Blaming god is more humoring the delusions of the afflicted than a statement of a privately held position. Atheists don't actually think that god does anything, but some of us know enough to realize that god-speak is the most effective route into a thick skull.
Very true.
This is why I reluctantly bring up attrocities caused by, or ordered by, the various god characters in religious texts. It causes way too many theists to think we actually believe in the gods, but do not like their actions depicted in the religious texts.
You'd believe if you just opened your heart" is a terrible argument for religion. It's basically saying, "If you bias yourself enough, you can convince yourself that this is true." If religion were true, people wouldn't need faith to believe it -- it would be supported by good evidence.
