(February 2, 2015 at 1:35 pm)AFTT47 Wrote:(February 2, 2015 at 12:46 pm)whateverist Wrote: Agreed. I'm also happy to acknowledge that any hunch I may communicate regarding the existence of god, is not up to my highest standards of knowledge claims. I may exclaim that there is no way I get dealt a straight flush in the next hand of poker, but I realize there actually is a very, very small chance it will happen. Nonetheless I'm folding my shitty starting cards without a worry.
The situation with god claims is much, much worse than for being dealt a straight flush. With the latter, we all understand what a straight flush will look like, and its probability is not zero. If anyone ever turns one over, we'd all recognize it. No one knows what a god would look like, and there is little or no agreement between those few who do claim to know. I'm fine with dismissing god claims without careful examination. However that doesn't mean I believe no gods exist, and I know full well I have no argument for their non-existence. I just carry on as if that were true as a practical matter as I have better things to do, no expectation of that a good case for god's existence will ever be found, and no interest.
Practical strong-atheism. This is the same thing Christians do with every other God concept out there.
Assuming you mean to characterize my position as "practical strong-atheism", that tells me more about you than it does about me. Now at least I know what you mean by those words.
I don't describe my position that way. Perhaps you should concentrate on describing your own position and leave it to others to do the same. It is, after all, the only position you are qualified to speak on.
(February 2, 2015 at 1:35 pm)AFTT47 Wrote: The thing that galls me is that none of these fine variations on disbelief amount to squat in the real world. Regarding how he or she carries on with his or her life, a non-believer is a non-believer. Our morals, our political stances, our philosophies are not changed the slightest by it. Whether we are strong-atheist or traditional agnostic, we carry on as if God does not exist. No practical difference.
They don't amount to squat given your level of discernment and ear for nuance. That much I believe. You must be kind of new to atheism. You still talk in the black/white, absolute terms of a true believer. It can take a while for that to fade.
