An experiment in Atheism

Discussion in 'Religion Archives' started by S.A.M., Jun 23, 2007.

  1. (Q) Encephaloid Martini Valued Senior Member

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    Like belief in unicorns and leprechauns. No reasoning required, just faith. Yes, I think I got it.
     
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  3. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

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    Thats not faith. You gotta larn to use de dicksheenary sometime!

    Main Entry: 1faith
    Pronunciation: 'fAth
    Function: noun
    Inflected Form(s): plural faiths /'fAths, sometimes 'fA[th]z/
    Etymology: Middle English feith, from Anglo-French feid, fei, from Latin fides; akin to Latin fidere to trust -- more at BIDE
    1 a : allegiance to duty or a person : LOYALTY b (1) : fidelity to one's promises (2) : sincerity of intentions
    2 a (1) : belief and trust in and loyalty to God (2) : belief in the traditional doctrines of a religion b (1) : firm belief in something for which there is no proof (2) : complete trust
    3 : something that is believed especially with strong conviction; especially : a system of religious beliefs <the Protestant faith>
     
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  5. Carcano Valued Senior Member

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    Yes, faith/belief is merely chosen, not attained.
     
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  7. ashura the Old Right Registered Senior Member

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    Doesn't that fit the bill for belief in unicorns and leprechauns?
     
  8. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

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    Not unless your belief in them includes loyalty, fidelity and trust, not to mention utter conviction.

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  9. GeoffP Caput gerat lupinum Valued Senior Member

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    Because there's no evidence for any god.
     
  10. ashura the Old Right Registered Senior Member

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    And if it does?
     
  11. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

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    What sort of evidence would you require of God?

    Anyway, don't atheists lack a belief in God and embrace theism since they have no concept or whatever the au courant definition is?
     
  12. Carcano Valued Senior Member

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    Two different principles here:

    Loyalty and belief.

    You could say that you believe in unicorns, but to say they have your loyalty is something else altogether.

    There can be no loyalty to something unless you believe in it.

    In its religious meaning, the word faith tends to refer to BOTH belief and loyalty...both principles joined together like siamese twins.
     
  13. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

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    In that case it would be faith, of course.

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  14. Carcano Valued Senior Member

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    Utter conviction is just an extreme belief.

    Still not an article of knowledge attained, but merely an opinion chosen.
     
  15. ashura the Old Right Registered Senior Member

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    Then I don't understand why you pointed out the definition of faith to Q's example as a way of saying it's wrong. There's no mention of reasoning in the definition or his example.
     
  16. SnakeLord snakeystew.com Valued Senior Member

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    Yeah, in your last post to me. Should have defined what you meant by "god" right at the start no? You originally were telling me that atheism is a belief that there is "no god", not "the god of the arabs" etc.

    However, I do not actively believe that mermaids don't exist. I do not actively believe that mermaids do exist. I understand the concept but I lack a belief either way. They might, they might not.. So really at the end of the day it doesn't matter.
     
  17. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

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    My bad.

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  18. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

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    If you understand the concept you cannot claim a lack of belief. A lack of belief implies the nonexistence of a tenet.

    i.e. I have a lack of belief in pink elephants. WTF?

    belief:any cognitive content held as true

    I have a lack of cognitive content in pink elephants?
     
  19. SnakeLord snakeystew.com Valued Senior Member

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    But I just did, so clearly I can. Whether you think it stands up under scrutiny is a different matter altogether. However, what would you call a lack of belief for or against? (As explained with my 'belief' or lack thereof concerning mermaids). I don't know if they do or do not exist and frankly I don't really care. Is that a belief?
     
  20. scorpius a realist Valued Senior Member

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    atheism is TRUE
    theism is FALSE
    faith is beliving in something you know dont exist,
    do you get it ?
     
  21. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

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    Do you have a cognitive content on mermaids?

    Do you believe they don't exist or is there a possibility that they do?
     
  22. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

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    Define atheism is True.
     
  23. SnakeLord snakeystew.com Valued Senior Member

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    No more so than I do with gods.

    Maybe, maybe not, (unless you have some specific god in mind).
     

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