(August 27, 2014 at 6:25 pm)Statler Waldorf Wrote: What is the name for the philosophical position that the Twilight characters do not exist? Where are the hundreds of books defending this position and the hatred for these characters? Where are the conventions concerning their non-existence? Where are the online communities? Where are the documentaries ridiculing them? Atheists’ behavior indicates that they know there is an existential difference between God and Edward.
If people formed a religion around these characters, gained power and tried to get laws passed, started wars, persecuted minorities, etc based on them, you can bet there would be an outcry.
Quote:Nobody expresses it as such though. “If God Existed, He’d Not Be Great” By Christopher Hitchens. I missed that one.
Looks like you also don't understand rhetoric and hyperbole, too.
Quote:Then they’d be agnostics, not atheists.
Agnosticism and atheism are not mutually exclusive positions. Most atheists are agnostic.
Quote:..and yet he does not write an entire book dedicated to any other fictional character.
Yes he does. He talks abut Hinduism and Islam in his book.
Quote:That’s the point, what he says he believes does not conform to his behavior. If I tell you that I believe climate change is going to cause Florida to be submerged under water and then I buy a beach front house in Florida you’re going to question whether I really believe what I claim to believe.
He's not talking about 'God' in the book, he's talking about what the followers of various gods do in their names.
Quote:
Easy.
P1 Only Yahweh Exists
P2 [Insert other god’s name] is not Yahweh
C. Therefore, [insert other god’s name] does not exist.
Massively and laughably fallacious.
Quote:Behavior that is consistent with your claimed believes would go a long ways.
Speaking out against the actions of various theists is not the same as hating the god they believe exists.
You'd believe if you just opened your heart" is a terrible argument for religion. It's basically saying, "If you bias yourself enough, you can convince yourself that this is true." If religion were true, people wouldn't need faith to believe it -- it would be supported by good evidence.