atheist quotes

[Edwardo Piet]

Unless I misunderstand Dawkins' milestones, he is not " close to a 7 " as you say, rather resolutely a 6.

Next, definitions. I am hoping Orwell was using " despise " not as another word for " hate " but rather " look down on with contempt " ( Chambers dictionary ).

The point is that if such a thing as the christian God exists, I would not be rushing to fall to the ground worshipping or praying for some miracle or other to happen! Rather I would be questionning him/she/it along the lines of how the poet Shelley described God in his epic poem " Queen Mab"

quote- God,Hell and Heaven.
A vengeful, pitiless, and almighty fiend,
Whose mercy is a nickname for the rage
of tameless tigers hungering for blood.
Hell, a red gulf of everlasting fire,
Where poisonous and undying worms prolong
Eternal misery to those hapless slaves
Whose life has been a penance for its crimes.
And Heaven, a meed for those who dare belie
Their human nature,quake,believe, and cringe
Before the mockeries of earthly power.

Couldn't put better myself!

I quote from TGD: "I count myself in category 6, but leaning towards 7 - I am agnostic only to the extent that i am agnostic about fairies at the bottom of the garden."

So basically as I said...the possibility of God is so tiny that the amount I hate, dislike, get annoyed by, or 'despise' him is equally incredibly incredibly recurring tiny as his possibility....which is as tiny as the possibility of 'fairies at the bottom of the garden.'

This could be a misunderstanding....I DO dislike the 'IDEA' of God....but I don't DESPISE him because I can't despise something or someone that I am almost entirely certain does not exist. This is not emotional.....I dislike the idea of the universe coming to an end right this second....but there isn't really emotion attached to that.

The definition of 'despise' I understand is one of great hatred....

From the online dictionary for example: Despise: to regard with contempt, distaste, disgust, or disdain; scorn; loathe.

From merriam-webster dictionary: Despise: DESPISE may suggest an emotional response ranging from strong dislike to loathing.

And from my very own Collins English Dictionary and Thesaurus: Dictionary: 'To look down on with contempt; scorn: he despises flattery. [c13:from OF despire, from L despicere to look down, from DE- + specere to look]...also though in the thesaurus: vb=look down on, abhor, contemn, deride, detest, disdain, disregard, flout, have a down on (inf.), loathe, neglect, revile, scorn, slight, spurn, undervalue.

All these words (and phrases) imply emotional dislike....especially the word loathe which is one of the word 'despise''s synonyms.

I dislike the idea of Hell...(AND heaven). But I don't despise heaven and hell because I don't believe they exist....

The amount I despise the idea of God, Satan, Heaven and Hell is so small that you can't call it despising... it's extremely extremely extremely recurring mild emotional dislike...IF it is even emotional AT ALL. It probably is to SOME SMALL extent because I think every thought carries some emotion; but because that emotion of dislike is SO small....you can't really call it despising, hating, loathing or scorning.