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If atheism is incoherent, whose fault is that?
June 19, 2012 at 11:45 am
If atheism is incoherent, in what does the incoherence lie?
Following a related thread at the bottom of the "New Theism" thread I found an exchange that raised this question for me. From October 22, 2011 ( http://atheistforums.org/thread-8981-page-13.html) I read:
(October 22, 2011 at 9:42 am)Mister Agenda Wrote: (October 11, 2011 at 9:32 am)sonofodin Wrote: Because of the ambiguous nature of the word "god", atheists assume far too much and hold an illogical standpoint.
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Unless you define god as an alien being(not supernatural) that exists in nature, atheism is logically incoherent.
Sorry, dude, theological noncognitivists are a subset of atheists.
Seems obvious to me that the only thing incoherent about the atheist's position is its being about God. The concept of God, at least the Christian god, is indeed a troubled one.
Perhaps the statement "unicorns did not trample my garden again today" is a meaningless one and therefore lacking in a truth value. Nonetheless if people start coming to my door and urging me to join them in worshiping unicorns I have grounds for announcing my lack of belief. Atheism is only a response to an irrational circumstance. I don't think the taint of incoherence belongs to the atheist.
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RE: If atheism is incoherent, whose fault is that?
June 19, 2012 at 11:56 am
You are correct!
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RE: If atheism is incoherent, whose fault is that?
June 19, 2012 at 12:51 pm
No theist has described what god is in a way that I found at all illuminating. They always seem to have the "but ah" part of the description where you are expected to take an illogical leap into the supernatural with no real justification.
You can fix ignorance, you can't fix stupid.
Tinkety Tonk and down with the Nazis.
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RE: If atheism is incoherent, whose fault is that?
June 19, 2012 at 2:40 pm
(This post was last modified: June 19, 2012 at 2:41 pm by Welsh cake.)
There's no inherent incoherency with "atheism", its just a lack of belief in supernatural magical deities.
Its the underwhelmingly ignorant and erroneous presumptions theists keep making about "atheism" and the context its used in that's the problem. They're so backward they assume belief in god is default state and everything to the contrary requires proof and evidence for disbelief.
We're not to be held accountable for their failure to understand the definition of atheism as much as it aggravates us when they assert otherwise.
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RE: If atheism is incoherent, whose fault is that?
June 19, 2012 at 2:50 pm
I forgot who said it but something to the affect "Atheism is the noise a rational person makes in the face of absurdity". Not those exact words but I think it might have been Richard Dawkins.
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RE: If atheism is incoherent, whose fault is that?
June 19, 2012 at 3:22 pm
The believers get to share their own view of a god/gods and how they interpret him/them, but oh, when an atheist says anything about the deities, suddenly every statement is wrong, misunderstood or delusional. Unfair! I bet that I can come up with a much cooler god than any faithful can! *sulk*
When I was young, there was a god with infinite power protecting me. Is there anyone else who felt that way? And was sure about it? but the first time I fell in love, I was thrown down - or maybe I broke free - and I bade farewell to God and became human. Now I don't have God's protection, and I walk on the ground without wings, but I don't regret this hardship. I want to live as a person. -Arina Tanemura
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RE: If atheism is incoherent, whose fault is that?
June 19, 2012 at 4:13 pm
(June 19, 2012 at 3:22 pm)Kayenneh Wrote: The believers get to share their own view of a god/gods and how they interpret him/them, but oh, when an atheist says anything about the deities, suddenly every statement is wrong, misunderstood or delusional. Unfair! I bet that I can come up with a much cooler god than any faithful can! *sulk*
Challenge proposed. My bank account is ready and the tithes are pending; should your God meet acceptable levels of coolness - I'm talking awesomesauce here, so get to the converting.
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RE: If atheism is incoherent, whose fault is that?
June 19, 2012 at 4:17 pm
You wouldn't understand the awesomeness of my god anyways, so it would be futile to even explain it to you. /imitation of theists
When I was young, there was a god with infinite power protecting me. Is there anyone else who felt that way? And was sure about it? but the first time I fell in love, I was thrown down - or maybe I broke free - and I bade farewell to God and became human. Now I don't have God's protection, and I walk on the ground without wings, but I don't regret this hardship. I want to live as a person. -Arina Tanemura
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RE: If atheism is incoherent, whose fault is that?
June 19, 2012 at 4:27 pm
(June 19, 2012 at 4:17 pm)Kayenneh Wrote: You wouldn't understand the awesomeness of my god anyways, so it would be futile to even explain it to you. /imitation of theists
I'm in, when do I get my weekly allowance of guilt, reinforced with righteous indignation?
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RE: If atheism is incoherent, whose fault is that?
June 19, 2012 at 4:39 pm
(June 19, 2012 at 4:27 pm)gringoperry Wrote: (June 19, 2012 at 4:17 pm)Kayenneh Wrote: You wouldn't understand the awesomeness of my god anyways, so it would be futile to even explain it to you. /imitation of theists
I'm in, when do I get my weekly allowance of guilt, reinforced with righteous indignation?
One of the best jokes told to me, actually when I was a liberal Christian, long ago was by a friend at the time "I am the only Jewish kid sent to Catholic school, that way I get to feel twice as guilty about everything I do"/
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