(November 18, 2016 at 4:57 pm)Neo-Scholastic Wrote: If atheism was simply the lack of belief in god(s) then cabbages are atheists. It’s a dodge. Atheism is actually an opinion about the proposition that god(s) exist.
Robvalue retreats from my critique (atheism does not recognize and cannot work with spiritual truths) on the grounds that it was a definitive statement and not a generalization open to qualification. In fact the opinion that god(s) do not exist is overwhelmingly associated with ontological naturalism. If his wife is an exception then she is certainly in the minority.
But back on point, the topics in Exodus are not confined to a slave revolt, inexplicable plagues, and the adventures of an ancient people during migration. When someone who doesn’t believe in God reads Exodus only things such as those are subject to inquiry. Did this happen and if so when? Etc. On the other hand the believer reads the text to learn about things like Divine Providence. If someone doesn’t believe in a spiritual truth like Providence it doesn’t make any sense for him inquire about how it works.
Wrong. A cabbage cannot choose to have any beliefs, or lack thereof, because it is not a conscious being. Atheism is simply a lack of belief in any god or gods. Whatever assumptions you make about atheists are your own assumptions and have nothing to do with any actual atheists.
It's very possible that most atheists are naturalists... so what? What exactly is your point?
No.... Try to understand, if we can't look at Exodus, or any of the other books in the bible for that matter, and find historical accuracy within its claims or stories, then what is the bible? That makes the bible just a book of loosely connected, fictional stories that are supposed to teach us something about how to live our lives. Then we consider the fact that the bible condones slavery, violence, genocide, etc. etc. and we realize that its not even very good at teaching us how to live. So then that just makes it a bronze age book of loosely connected fictional stories. Huh... go figure.
“Love is the only bow on Life’s dark cloud. It is the morning and the evening star. It shines upon the babe, and sheds its radiance on the quiet tomb. It is the mother of art, inspirer of poet, patriot and philosopher.
It is the air and light of every heart – builder of every home, kindler of every fire on every hearth. It was the first to dream of immortality. It fills the world with melody – for music is the voice of love.
Love is the magician, the enchanter, that changes worthless things to Joy, and makes royal kings and queens of common clay. It is the perfume of that wondrous flower, the heart, and without that sacred passion, that divine swoon, we are less than beasts; but with it, earth is heaven, and we are gods.” - Robert. G. Ingersoll
It is the air and light of every heart – builder of every home, kindler of every fire on every hearth. It was the first to dream of immortality. It fills the world with melody – for music is the voice of love.
Love is the magician, the enchanter, that changes worthless things to Joy, and makes royal kings and queens of common clay. It is the perfume of that wondrous flower, the heart, and without that sacred passion, that divine swoon, we are less than beasts; but with it, earth is heaven, and we are gods.” - Robert. G. Ingersoll
