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RE: Tooth Fairy Bullshit
January 19, 2017 at 5:55 pm
(January 19, 2017 at 5:33 pm)Crossless1 Wrote: (January 19, 2017 at 5:29 pm)SteveII Wrote: I think the biggest difference is that there are rational reasons to believe in God and there are none to believe in the tooth fairy. So to equate the two is to intentionally dismiss the fact that people have rational reasons for their belief. Dismissing a person's thinking process in such an open and mocking way is disrespectful and "douchbagish".
Do you mean to say there are rational reasons to believe in a Deist god, or any theist's god?
I defend the Christian version and think it has the most rational complete worldview. However, just the basic concept of God is not irrational--and many people just stop there and are content with that level of detail.
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RE: Tooth Fairy Bullshit
January 19, 2017 at 5:58 pm
From Chinatown: 'Course I'm respectable. I'm old. Politicians, ugly buildings, and whores all get respectable if they last long enough.
Same applies to belief in gods.
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RE: Tooth Fairy Bullshit
January 19, 2017 at 6:00 pm
(January 19, 2017 at 5:29 pm)Jesster Wrote: As an added note, CL, I do have plenty of respect for you. That's why I bother having real conversations with you. I think you're very level-headed even when I disagree with you.
(January 19, 2017 at 5:29 pm)SteveII Wrote: I think the biggest difference is that there are rational reasons to believe in God and there are none to believe in the tooth fairy. So to equate the two is to intentionally dismiss the fact that people have rational reasons for their belief. Dismissing a person's thinking process in such an open and mocking way is disrespectful and "douchbagish".
Again, how you view tooth fairy believers is your problem to work out. I am giving them more credit than you are. Maybe you are being the douchebag. 
If you think believing in the tooth fairy is rational, then you would be objectively wrong. It is not rational. As a parent of 5 children, it was me who put the dollar under the pillow. You are simply elevating the belief in the tooth fairy with no warrant to avoid the the mockery charge.
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RE: Tooth Fairy Bullshit
January 19, 2017 at 6:02 pm
(This post was last modified: January 19, 2017 at 6:05 pm by Jesster.)
(January 19, 2017 at 5:55 pm)SteveII Wrote: (January 19, 2017 at 5:33 pm)Crossless1 Wrote: Do you mean to say there are rational reasons to believe in a Deist god, or any theist's god?
I defend the Christian version and think it has the most rational complete worldview. However, just the basic concept of God is not irrational--and many people just stop there and are content with that level of detail.
So you're saying that belief in tooth fairies is irrational. Why should I think a god belief is any more rational?
Does my very disbelief based on my own rational thinking offend you?
If you think your god belief is rational, are you saying my disbelief is irrational? If so, you're being as much of a "douche" to me as you think I am to you.
Please enlighten me if you'd like to elaborate on any of that, though.
(January 19, 2017 at 6:00 pm)SteveII Wrote: (January 19, 2017 at 5:29 pm)Jesster Wrote: As an added note, CL, I do have plenty of respect for you. That's why I bother having real conversations with you. I think you're very level-headed even when I disagree with you.
Again, how you view tooth fairy believers is your problem to work out. I am giving them more credit than you are. Maybe you are being the douchebag.
If you think believing in the tooth fairy is rational, then you would be objectively wrong. It is not rational. As a parent of 5 children, it was me who put the dollar under the pillow. You are simply elevating the belief in the tooth fairy with no warrant to avoid the the mockery charge.
I'm saying there are reasons people think the tooth fairies are real. I think they are mistaken, but they do believe because they have been convinced. If I didn't think they were mistaken, I would believe along with them. Same thing with god belief.
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RE: Tooth Fairy Bullshit
January 19, 2017 at 6:04 pm
From the child's perspective, belief in the tooth fairy is perfectly rational. Tooth goes in, money comes out. That there is someone who knows what's really going on is part of the point.
![[Image: religion-cultsleaderdead.jpg?w=652]](https://skeptic78240.files.wordpress.com/2016/12/religion-cultsleaderdead.jpg?w=652)
Comparing the two characters is a way of pointing that out.
At the age of five, Skagra decided emphatically that God did not exist. This revelation tends to make most people in the universe who have it react in one of two ways - with relief or with despair. Only Skagra responded to it by thinking, 'Wait a second. That means there's a situation vacant.'
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RE: Tooth Fairy Bullshit
January 19, 2017 at 6:06 pm
(January 19, 2017 at 5:13 pm)Catholic_Lady Wrote: Absolutely. If I met an adult in our society who genuinely believed in the tooth fairy, I'd think there is something pretty wrong with them. Whether being crazy, or childish, or just stupid. Because it is not a belief that is held by the people of our society.
As I said, I don't believe Buddha was a God, just as I don't believe the tooth fairy is real. But the fact that one is a commonly held belief and the other is not, changes things about the type of people who would believe in them.
So are you saying one is deserving of respect and the other is not (not putting words in your mouth, honestly asking)? I don't think that's a particularly fair way to think. Hell, that's especially true when you read the Bible and come across the "Narrow is the path and few are those who will find it" (paraphrasing) part and you realize that Jesus said that the "true" beliefs will NOT be the ones held by the majority.
Have you ever noticed all the drug commercials on TV lately? Why is it the side effects never include penile enlargement or super powers?
Side effects may include super powers or enlarged penis which may become permanent with continued use. Stop taking Killatol immediately and consult your doctor if you experience penis enlargement of more than 3 inches, laser vision, superhuman strength, invulnerability, the ability to explode heads with your mind or time travel. Killatoll is not for everyone, especially those who already have convertibles or vehicles of ridiculous size to supplement penis size.
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RE: Tooth Fairy Bullshit
January 19, 2017 at 6:07 pm
(January 19, 2017 at 5:29 pm)Jesster Wrote: As an added note, CL, I do have plenty of respect for you. That's why I bother having real conversations with you. I think you're very level-headed even when I disagree with you.
I feel the same way about you.
"Of course, everyone will claim they respect someone who tries to speak the truth, but in reality, this is a rare quality. Most respect those who speak truths they agree with, and their respect for the speaking only extends as far as their realm of personal agreement. It is less common, almost to the point of becoming a saintly virtue, that someone truly respects and loves the truth seeker, even when their conclusions differ wildly."
-walsh
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RE: Tooth Fairy Bullshit
January 19, 2017 at 6:09 pm
(January 19, 2017 at 6:02 pm)Jesster Wrote: (January 19, 2017 at 5:55 pm)SteveII Wrote: I defend the Christian version and think it has the most rational complete worldview. However, just the basic concept of God is not irrational--and many people just stop there and are content with that level of detail.
So you're saying that belief in tooth fairies is irrational. Why should I think a god belief is any more rational?
Does my very disbelief based on my own rational thinking offend you?
If you think your god belief is rational, are you saying my disbelief is irrational? If so, you're being as much of a "douche" to me as you think I am to you.
Please enlighten me if you'd like to elaborate on any of that, though.
Yes, the tooth fairy belief is irrational. You would have logically undercut all the reasons why a person might believe in God to equate the two. You are incapable of doing that.
You do not offend me.
I did not say your disbelief is irrational.
Quote:
(January 19, 2017 at 6:00 pm)SteveII Wrote: If you think believing in the tooth fairy is rational, then you would be objectively wrong. It is not rational. As a parent of 5 children, it was me who put the dollar under the pillow. You are simply elevating the belief in the tooth fairy with no warrant to avoid the the mockery charge.
I'm saying there are reasons people think the tooth fairy are real. I think they are mistaken, but they do believe because they have been convinced. If I didn't think they were mistaken, I would believe along with them. Same thing with god belief.
Sure, there might be reasons to believe the tooth fairy is real. None of them rational. The existence of reasons does not equal rationality.
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RE: Tooth Fairy Bullshit
January 19, 2017 at 6:10 pm
(January 19, 2017 at 2:03 pm)Tartarus Sauce Wrote: (January 12, 2017 at 11:19 am)Catholic_Lady Wrote: As I said on a different thread, one of the double standards I see among some people here (not all) is that they are quick to attribute a person's bad actions to their religious beliefs. But when a person does something good after being inspired/influenced by their religious beliefs to do so, all of the sudden religion has nothing to do with that person's actions.
This is one of the main reasons I don't post on atheist boards that often anymore. There is a legitimate prejudice against theism that goes beyond criticism and skepticism and enters the realm of bigotry. Being a theist, any kind of theist, is seen as more than just flawed belief by some, but as an intractable character defect that compromises everything about the individual. There are certainly some theists whose convoluted beliefs make this a reality, but a non-insignificant portion of atheists on online communities like this one incorrectly project the psychosis of fundamentalists onto theists of all stripes.
I certainly understand the sentiment of CL and your statement here but I don't think positive things the religious do are anything to be concerned about nor do they warrant heated discussion.
When it comes down to it theists are impacting people in negative ways that hinge directly upon their religious ideology and directly impact people who do not share that ideology.
If water rots the soles of your boots, what does it do to your intestines?
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RE: Tooth Fairy Bullshit
January 19, 2017 at 6:13 pm
(January 19, 2017 at 6:09 pm)SteveII Wrote: Yes, the tooth fairy belief is irrational. You would have logically undercut all the reasons why a person might believe in God to equate the two. You are incapable of doing that.
You do not offend me.
I did not say your disbelief is irrational. No, I think people do have reasons to believe in a god. I just think they are mistaken about those reasons. If I say someone is wrong, is that disrespecting them in any way? I think not. I think it's far more respectful to be honest with them. If you are offended by that, then that is your problem.
(January 19, 2017 at 6:09 pm)SteveII Wrote: Sure, there might be reasons to believe the tooth fairy is real. None of them rational. The existence of reasons does not equal rationality.
And why should I believe your beliefs are any more rational if I have found no reason to believe in them after many years of looking into it? The only way I think I could get around offending you here is if I started believing as well. I'm still not sorry that this offends you. I am still not disrespecting you no matter how you say you feel about it. Your feelings are your own to control.
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