Jason Lisle: Creationism exists, but atheism doesn't

[Cyberman]

Exactly. Fundies don't seem to have a problem with science when it doesn't tread on their sacred ground. It's only when the magic book is threatened - or imagined to be - that science becomes this satanic conspiracy.

[Rhondazvous]

I doubt very seriously that there is a way to define knowledge that both atheists and theists will agree on.   If we just make it clear what we mean, the theist will be forced to come up with convoluted explanation and obfuscations for what he means and why his beliefs don't dovetail with reality. He will never acknowledge this, but he can't help revealing this. There's an African proverb that betrays the theist's attempt to explain himself: Where words fail, more will not prevail.

The funny thing is that IF and this is a big if, you are in classroom discussing things that have no obvious religious impact, theists tend to define knowledge in about the same terms as atheists.  It's only when religious beliefs enter the mix that knowledge begins to change definition. . .

In fact it's definitional special pleading.

It's as if the fear of Hell and loss of social standing within the Church turns religious belief into a blind spot beyond which they cannot see once they get into that mode.