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RE: Why Carl Sagan rejected atheism
October 30, 2013 at 10:29 am
(October 30, 2013 at 10:04 am)Walking Void Wrote: Conservative fundamentalists can be antitheistic. Not all religious followers tolerate other sects, as obvious as that is. That's a curious one. Although fundamentalists might display behaviours towards other religious beliefs which are comparable to those of anti-theists, they clearly can't be anti-theists when they're already theists. In the same vein, once couldn't refer to some theists as atheists because they believe in 'only one more god'.
Demonstrating a corollary does not an equivocation make.
But maybe I'm focussing too much on our differences and not enough on our similarities 
Sum ergo sum
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RE: Why Carl Sagan rejected atheism
October 30, 2013 at 11:47 am
(October 29, 2013 at 10:29 pm)Lemonvariable72 Wrote: I do, and it really pisses me off when people behave that way Fair enough, I guess. Atheism has just never been a big thing to me. I can understand how others might feel different though.
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RE: Why Carl Sagan rejected atheism
November 3, 2013 at 7:43 am
Quote:An atheist is someone who is certain that God does not exist, someone who has compelling evidence against the existence of God
This contradicts what pretty much every atheist I have ever talked to mentioned about the burden of proof falling on the theist. To quote Hermione, "You can say anything exists if there's no proof that it doesn't."
Gay used to mean happy, now it means homosexual and is a slang term for retard. The definition of words change over time and one word can have multiple definitions. I don't understand why 'atheist' has to boil down to one concrete definition.
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RE: Why Carl Sagan rejected atheism
November 3, 2013 at 12:23 pm
Vinny, you and I need to officially debate sometime, fake atheist vs. fake Christian. I find you a pathetic excuse for a poe.
"You don't need facts when you got Jesus." -Pastor Deacon Fred, Landover Baptist Church
™: True Christian is a Trademark of the Landover Baptist Church. I have no affiliation with this fine group of True Christians ™ because I can't afford their tithing requirements but would like to be. Maybe someday the Lord will bless me with enough riches that I am able to.
And for the lovers of Poe, here's your winking smiley: 
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RE: Why Carl Sagan rejected atheism
November 4, 2013 at 2:11 am
(November 3, 2013 at 12:23 pm)YahwehIsTheWay Wrote: Vinny, you and I need to officially debate sometime, fake atheist vs. fake Christian. I find you a pathetic excuse for a poe.
I kinda love how the facade completely dropped on this one.  Vin must be really getting the True Christian's goat, here. 
"YOU take the hard look in the mirror. You are everything that is wrong with this world. The only thing important to you, is you." - ronedee
Want to see more of my writing? Check out my (safe for work!) site, Unprotected Sects!
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RE: Why Carl Sagan rejected atheism
November 4, 2013 at 2:55 am
(November 3, 2013 at 12:23 pm)YahwehIsTheWay Wrote: Vinny, you and I need to officially debate sometime, fake atheist vs. fake Christian. I find you a pathetic excuse for a poe.
I second that motion
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
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RE: Why Carl Sagan rejected atheism
November 4, 2013 at 6:15 am
(November 3, 2013 at 7:43 am)ToriJ Wrote: I don't understand why 'atheist' has to boil down to one concrete definition. Hi Tori,
It doesn't, necessarily. Most people are happy to agree the useful definitions of the word at the beginning of a discussion. The key point is the 'default assumption' of the word. Using your analogy, the vast majority of people use the word 'gay' to mean 'homosexual' therefore that is the the default assumption; when people vary from that common use, they usually provide context or explanation which makes their usage clear. The battle is to change the default assumption of 'atheism' to 'an absence of theism' (the strictest, most elegant & etymologically precise definition) in order to counter the misinformed, bias-ladened usage which is most common amongst the religious. Those who regularly tout 'a denial of god/s' as the definition are one of the biggest barriers to mainstream acceptance of atheism and feed institutionalised bigotry.
Sum ergo sum
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RE: Why Carl Sagan rejected atheism
November 5, 2013 at 11:49 pm
(November 3, 2013 at 12:23 pm)YahwehIsTheWay Wrote: Vinny, you and I need to officially debate sometime, fake atheist vs. fake Christian. I find you a pathetic excuse for a poe.
Let's do it!
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RE: Why Carl Sagan rejected atheism
November 6, 2013 at 2:17 am
"Two shall enter! None shall leave!"
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