If I say, "There is no Santa Clause" no one has a problem with my conclusion, and no one accuses me having "faith" that there is no Santa Clause. No one makes my not believing in Santa a religious stance in any way, shape or form. Nor does anyone insist that I can't say there is no Santa because no one can prove a negative. or that Santa may exist in some form that is yet to be defined.
But if is say, "There is no god?" Suddenly I am some kind of dogmatic, anti-religious religious person. Yet the reasons for saying "There is no god" and "There is no Santa" are exactly the same.
The word chopping attempts to try and show that no one can possibly know about god's existence, one way or the other, always come across as rather lame. Say the word "god" and everyone kind of knows what is being discussed. That "thing" doesn't exist. People who understand that are atheists. People who don't are something else.
But if is say, "There is no god?" Suddenly I am some kind of dogmatic, anti-religious religious person. Yet the reasons for saying "There is no god" and "There is no Santa" are exactly the same.
The word chopping attempts to try and show that no one can possibly know about god's existence, one way or the other, always come across as rather lame. Say the word "god" and everyone kind of knows what is being discussed. That "thing" doesn't exist. People who understand that are atheists. People who don't are something else.
