(May 15, 2020 at 4:56 pm)Belacqua Wrote:(May 15, 2020 at 10:07 am)Gwaithmir Wrote: I see no reason to mince words. I'm an atheist, and that's that.
But you do have beliefs -- by which I mean things which you hold to be true about the world. And if you are a naturalist you have a metaphysical belief which can't be proved by science.
Focusing instead on one particular belief you DON'T have -- your atheism -- means that your beliefs go unexpressed, unexplained, and possibly unexamined.
I don’t see how. My lack of belief in gods - and focusing on that as the defining issue of atheism - doesn’t stop me from expressing, explaining or examining my beliefs regarding science, art, the value of friendship, social issues, etc.
Boru
‘But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods or no gods. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.’ - Thomas Jefferson