(August 8, 2013 at 2:38 pm)bennyboy Wrote:(August 8, 2013 at 11:00 am)Texas Sailor Wrote: Actually, the suffix (-ist) denotes a person. Plus, everyone knows that all dogs go to heaven anyway.
-ist
a suffix of nouns, often corresponding to verbs ending in -ize or nouns ending in -ism, that denote a person who practices or is concerned with something, or holds certain principles, doctrines, etc.: apologist; dramatist; machinist; novelist; realist; socialist; Thomist.
Dictionary.com
"atheist" is actually a ternary form, and is ambiguous: a + the(os) + ist
1) a + theist (not a person who ascribes to the idea of "God")
2) athe(os) + ist (one who ascribes to the idea of "not God")
(1) is often referred to as soft atheism, and (2) as hard atheism. Most atheists these days, I think, are soft atheists, because why bother trying to prove a negative position when it's easier to make the guy telling fairy tales take the BOP?
Bless your heart for trying, but It doesn't matter how you slice these terms. This person is convinced that their understanding of Atheism prevents our opinions of Theistic propositions from being valid, and does not appear interested in learning about our ACTUAL position. Whateverist posed the perfect question. Until it is answered, we cannot know how to proceed.
