(November 13, 2017 at 8:11 pm)Whateverist Wrote:(November 13, 2017 at 12:27 pm)Neo-Scholastic Wrote: That alone would not make it 'delusional' to believe in supernatural phenomena whether it's ESP, ghosts, alien abductions, NDE's or any other claim for which a skeptic does not accept as having sufficient evidence.
I don't think I ever said it was delusional, did I?
(November 13, 2017 at 12:27 pm)Neo-Scholastic Wrote: Just because those types of phenomena cannot be easily tested in a laboratory under controlled conditions doesn't mean it is irrational to think they could be real.
I personally think it is a little epistemically sloppy, but I don't claim to know what standard everyone must adhere to in order to be called 'rational'. It doesn't tempt me in the least. But to each his own. I'm willing to trust the rationality of those who do profess to believe in things supernatural in measure with the way I experience them to be. Whether or not someone harbors such a belief does not automatically make them a loony in my book.
(November 13, 2017 at 12:27 pm)Neo-Scholastic Wrote: The larger point is that atheists putting theistic beliefs in the same category as a serious mental illness is a mild form of anti-religious bigotry.
On that I would agree.
Whateverist, all Theists I am sure love you because you are down to earth and look at Theists as worthy of a discussion. Our problem is with the great amount that are vocal and they say a lot of irrational garbage or just reassert their disbelief emotionally as a reaction when something for all they know (because they haven't analyzed enough to deny it) proves God.
If I see Atheists properly understand my arguments and argue with me presenting them properly, I would not have this impression that the vocal Atheists here over all are not searching to know the truth or settle this dispute.