(July 23, 2012 at 9:44 am)GodlessGirl Wrote:It's more of a method then an arguement, and it's a bit gish gallop, IMO. It's also a bit of a Hasty Generalization. If your argument were stronger it could be done without the gish gallop, see min's pot.
(July 23, 2012 at 12:18 pm)apostasin Wrote: Hello,If your strongest argument against religion is that it causes problems "we can never even hope to solve violently urgent matters such as over-population, climate-change and the rapid expenditure of fossil fuels with no Plan B in sight " in modern times, you might have an issue there. Aside from the false cause fallacy, it reads more like an appeal to pitty. Religion is fairly "harmless" currently and can be a means for the masses to seek comfort and a sense of belonging in something bigger than themselves. It, historically, has been quite harmful. It currently uses it's position to influence governments and protect the abuses of children. I'd bet there are other societal structures that are more damaging in the modern era.
Welcome aboard. Hopefully you can use this forum as a place in which you can sharpen your debating and argument-presenting skills.
I think that currently the best argument for atheism isn't just to refute anyone's beliefs just for the sake of it.
The best argument in my opinion is that if we don't do something about the stronghold that Monotheistic religions enjoy and enforce today, then we can never even hope to solve violently urgent matters such as over-population, climate-change and the rapid expenditure of fossil fuels with no Plan B in sight.
Some people would argue that any of the above could be even more pressing than religion itself, claiming that religion is "harmless" and merely a means for the masses to seek comfort and a sense of belonging in something bigger than themselves. The problem is, solving *any* of the aforementioned problems means letting go of religion first, and in the most expeditious manner possible.
Lastly, may I suggest a text-color other than pink? Took a while to make out what you wrote there.
"There ought to be a term that would designate those who actually follow the teachings of Jesus, since the word 'Christian' has been largely divorced from those teachings, and so polluted by fundamentalists that it has come to connote their polar opposite: intolerance, vindictive hatred, and bigotry." -- Philip Stater, Huffington Post
always working on cleaning my windows- me regarding Johari
always working on cleaning my windows- me regarding Johari