(July 4, 2014 at 7:56 pm)MindForgedManacle Wrote: as I think this lacking belief stuff removes the ability for one to actually give a nuanced position when asked to.
'Lack of belief in deities' is a useful general term which covers people who class themselves as 6 or 7 on the theistic probability scale. Nuanced positions can be given in the context of what's being discussed. Here are two examples of what I mean.
1: Theist: Atheists have rejected God because they're angry with him.
Atheist: Atheism is a lack of belief in deities. We can't be angry with something we lack belief in.
2: Theist: Atheists hate God.
Atheist: Atheism is a lack of belief in deities. There are many different concepts of God ranging from Christianity to Hinduism. It's possible to hate somebody's concept while lacking belief that the concept is of something which exists as objective reality.
Where are the snake and mushroom smilies?