The Wow I Can't Believe That News Story Thread

Chula Vista · 06-03-2018, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

Let me know if you'd like to have a constructive discussion without resorting to petty insults.

Poor, poor, frown boy. Guess I chapped your ass.

Ja, guess you just don't understand the word atheist, in all of its uses mate. Your world view on stuff like this is not the be all/end all. Stop glamming yourself.

Pretentious comeback in 5... 4... 3... 2...

~~MicShazam~~ · 06-03-2018, 02:35 PM

Imagine there's an old guy who's lived alone on a completely desolate island for his entire life. He does not know how he got there and he does not know of any other humans. He doesn't believe in any gods, as no one taught him of gods and he didn't come up with the idea himself even for a moment in all those years. He is therefore not a theist. Non-theist. Atheist.

But has he rejected the idea of theism? Strictly speaking, no. He's never even thought of it in any way shape or form.

So far, so good.

Suddenly, one day, a bunch of theists arrive by ship. They get to know the old man and teach him of their gods, whom they believe to be real.

If the old man buys into their stories; he's now a theist. If he doesn't, he's still an atheist and has rejected the idea of theism.

In either case, he was an atheist who never rejected theism before they arrived.

Agree or disagree?

~~Cuthbert~~ · 06-03-2018, 02:36 PM

Edit - ffs Mic just posted ignore me.

~~MicShazam~~ · 06-03-2018, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fluff

Edit - ffs Mic just posted ignore me.

lol sorry

What were you gonna say?

**Frownland** · 06-03-2018, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MicShazam

Imagine there's an old guy who's lived alone on a completely desolate island for his entire life. He does not know how he got there and he does not know of any other humans. He doesn't believe in any gods, as no one taught him of gods and he didn't come up with the idea himself even for a moment in all those years. He is therefore not a theist. Non-theist. Atheist.

But has he rejected the idea of theism? Strictly speaking, no. He's never even thought of it in any way shape or form.

So far, so good.

Suddenly, one day, a bunch of theists arrive by ship. They get to know the old man and teach him of their gods, whom they believe to be real.

If the old man buys into their stories; he's now a theist. If he doesn't, he's still an atheist and has rejected the idea of theism.

In either case, he was an atheist who never rejected theism before they arrived.

Agree or disagree?

Agree.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

This is what I'm getting at. Atheism can be used as a descriptive term, but self-identified atheism requires a knowledge of religion and/or god(s).

**Frownland** · 06-03-2018, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

Let me know if you'd like to have a constructive discussion without resorting to petty insults.

Quote:

Originally Posted by OccultHawk

I'm not interested

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chula Vista

I'm not interested

Thanks for letting me know.

OccultHawk · 06-03-2018, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

Thanks for letting me know.

No problem, Juggs

~~Cuthbert~~ · 06-03-2018, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MicShazam

lol sorry

What were you gonna say?

Not a lot, just commented on the latest instalment of Chula vs Frown but it didn't make sense after you posted so I edited it.

Anteater · 06-03-2018, 02:42 PM

Theism and atheism are both valid as long as you are trying to address some sort of fundamental question and you can explain it coherently. The most basic one being "what was the first cause?". Go back far enough and science in it's current form goes into territory just as fantastical as anything a Bible thumper would come up with. Some of the more scientifically-minded theists argue that our universal laws had to have been "programmed" into existence, and they see it as proof of a creator of some kind. A twist on the idea of an "intelligent designer".

On the other hand, we don't have hard proof of a creator in the traditional sense. Is there evidence, however, of some kind of "intent" in our observable surroundings? That's where I'm seeing a lot of debates recently.

**Frownland** · 06-03-2018, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anteater

Some of the more scientifically-minded theists argue that our universal laws had to have been "programmed" into existence, and they see it as proof of a creator of some kind. A twist on the idea of an "intelligent designer".

That seems like more like a consequence of pop science than a consequence of atheism or a scientific mind.

06-03-2018, 02:35 PM	#11702 (permalink)
~~MicShazam~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Aalborg Posts: 7,634	Imagine there's an old guy who's lived alone on a completely desolate island for his entire life. He does not know how he got there and he does not know of any other humans. He doesn't believe in any gods, as no one taught him of gods and he didn't come up with the idea himself even for a moment in all those years. He is therefore not a theist. Non-theist. Atheist. But has he rejected the idea of theism? Strictly speaking, no. He's never even thought of it in any way shape or form. So far, so good. Suddenly, one day, a bunch of theists arrive by ship. They get to know the old man and teach him of their gods, whom they believe to be real. If the old man buys into their stories; he's now a theist. If he doesn't, he's still an atheist and has rejected the idea of theism. In either case, he was an atheist who never rejected theism before they arrived. Agree or disagree?

06-03-2018, 02:36 PM	#11703 (permalink)
~~Cuthbert~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Black Country Posts: 8,827	Edit - ffs Mic just posted ignore me.