Striving to make others disbelieve in God — a question of ethics/morality

[Sherlock Holmes]

I have no obligation to play your silly semantic game you think makes for a valid argument. You made a claim. I directly refuted that claim, showing you the definition of the word atheism. You remain, demonstrably incorrect.

If answering my questions is difficult for you then what do you suggest we do?

Once again you appear confused about the difference between "refute" and "rebut".

 

[Sherlock Holmes]

No God as an idea to begin with would not produce any evidence of the contrary.

Do you believe that nothing you've ever seen, heard or observed in any way appears to be evidence for God?

 

[rahl]

This is not true, are you are you aware there are different definitions of "atheism"?

of course it's true, as I've shown you.

 

[rahl]

If answering my questions is difficult for you then what do you suggest we do?

Once again you appear confused about the difference between "refute" and "rebut".

I have no obligation to play your silly semantic game you think makes for a valid argument. You made a claim. I directly refuted that claim, showing you the definition of the word atheism. You remain, demonstrably incorrect.

 

[Sherlock Holmes]

of course it's true, as I've shown you.

I have no obligation to play your silly semantic game you think makes for a valid argument. You made a claim. I directly refuted that claim, showing you the definition of the word atheism. You remain, demonstrably incorrect.

I politely asked some questions, you seem reticent to answer my questions honestly I can only wonder why that might be.

In a public forum like this, repeatedly refusing to answer or even acknowledge questions from an opponent speaks volumes about the integrity and solidity of your position.

These are the questions I asked and are causing you so much trouble:

I assume facts matter to you? perhaps I should not assume that?

You're being watched, I'm being watched - which of us do you think looks to have the stronger case? stronger arguments?

 

[Manc Skipper]

If we use one of the several definitions that it has then yes, it is a "lack of belief in a deity" - but lack of belief is a state of mind based on another belief, the belief that there's not justification, no evidence to support a belief in a deity.

So you must believe there's no evidence in order to decide not to believe in God.

Fake argument. B does not follow from A

 

[distraff]

In what sense is it supposedly moral or ethical to strive to make others disbelieve in God?

An extra question: What use could supposedly be derived from it?

For those who answered "religion teaches evil": can it be demonstrated that religion supposedly teaches more evil than any other ideology, such as atheism?

Humanity is better off knowing the truth whatever it is. Whether or not God exists has a big impact on how I want to live my life.

 

[Daisy]

An interesting article...

Where religious belief and disbelief meet

When it comes to religion, believers and nonbelievers appear to think very differently. But at the level of the brain, is believing in God different from believing that the sun is a star or that 4 is an even number?

www.uclahealth.org

 

[rahl]

I politely asked some questions, you seem reticent to answer my questions honestly I can only wonder why that might be.

In a public forum like this, repeatedly refusing to answer or even acknowledge questions from an opponent speaks volumes about the integrity and solidity of your position.

These are the questions I asked and are causing you so much trouble:



You're being watched, I'm being watched - which of us do you think looks to have the stronger case? stronger arguments?

I have no obligation to play your silly semantic game you think makes for a valid argument. You made a claim. I directly refuted that claim, showing you the definition of the word atheism. You remain, demonstrably incorrect.

 

[Ginger Ale]

Do you believe that nothing you've ever seen, heard or observed in any way appears to be evidence for God?

Never, but I'm not looking for that as a reason. I don't look for signs of a God. When I get better because I have good medical care, I thank the doctor, not a God. I don't think God gives me a miracle if I find a good job, etc. I don't ask a God to help me if I'm distressed, I seek help from those who are good at helping others in distress. I don't pray to a God to help me attain a good outcome to anything like sports or a medical test. I see others do it, and wonder why they need a Genie in a Bottle.

 

[Manc Skipper]

Yes, I love Agnostic for that reason. They exhibit pure faith. Theists often claim faith, but it's based on the travel words and promises. Agnostics just have faith that what's meant to be will be, regardless of intervention. Faith in some sort of plan or no plan at all. Pure faith.

Gnostic: Having (religious) knowledge. a-gnostic Not having (religous) knowledge. As with atheism, no faith necessary.

 

[Individual]

Have you read it and decided for yourself or have you simply accepted other people's word for it?

Your question makes no sense. But I have read some of it, as translated by another human to English, as well as other religious writings.
You either believe or you don't.

 

[Valery]

I love everyday of my life

Said no honest person ever..

 

[ataraxia]

Atheists see religion as a threat. They see "In God we trust" on the money and it makes them want to flip tables.

If I didn't believe in something, I wouldn't even notice it.

So then surely you were against the Muslim ban, am I right?

 

[zyzygy]

Said no honest person ever..

How would you know what an honest person is?

 

[zyzygy]

So then surely you were against the Muslim ban, am I right?

I see religion as a primitive and superstitious belief.

 

[Sherlock Holmes]

Fake argument. B does not follow from A

What are you referring to as "B" and "A"?

 

[Sherlock Holmes]

Never, but I'm not looking for that as a reason. I don't look for signs of a God. When I get better because I have good medical care, I thank the doctor, not a God. I don't think God gives me a miracle if I find a good job, etc. I don't ask a God to help me if I'm distressed, I seek help from those who are good at helping others in distress. I don't pray to a God to help me attain a good outcome to anything like sports or a medical test. I see others do it, and wonder why they need a Genie in a Bottle.

I'm not sure how "Never" answers my question (it may do but it reads oddly), do you answer "yes" or "no" to my question? did you mean "no"?

 

[Sherlock Holmes]

Your last post was a vacuity, seems you really do not like answering questions, even polite reasonable questions.

 

[Ginger Ale]

Gnostic: Having (religious) knowledge. a-gnostic Not having (religous) knowledge. As with atheism, no faith necessary.

Well, yes, and no. Faith isn't only for the religious. I have faith in things other than religion. Agnostics seem to have faith in whatever happens happens.

That's why I call it pure faith. They don't believe in a human's word on the subject and from what I understand don't believe any human knows how, why, or whether or not there was any intervention from a God or whatever at all. They sort of just live free on the subject with a maybe, maybe not, I don't know, I don't care.

Agnostics neither believe nor disbelieve. The faith is in whatever is, is, and I don't need to know.

An atheist is pretty fricken sure, there is no God.

 

[Ginger Ale]

I'm not sure how "Never" answers my question (it may do but it reads oddly), do you answer "yes" or "no" to my question? did you mean "no"?

I've never seen, heard or observed in any way what appears to be evidence for God.
So, that would me no.

 

[Manc Skipper]

Well, yes, and no. Faith isn't only for the religious. I have faith in things other than religion. Agnostics seem to have faith in whatever happens happens.

That's why I call it pure faith. They don't believe in a human's word on the subject and from what I understand don't believe any human knows how, why, or whether or not there was any intervention from a God or whatever at all. They sort of just live free on the subject with a maybe, maybe not, I don't know, I don't care.

Agnostics neither believe nor disbelieve. The faith is in whatever is, is, and I don't need to know.

An atheist is pretty fricken sure, there is no God.

Like many words, "faith" can have multiple meanings. I have faith that the sun will rise tomorrow, but that is based on the evidence that it has "risen" since long before I was alive, and will carry on doing so until the planet no longer exists. I have no faith that gods exist. There is no supernatural.
We are natural. We have no way to access a supernatural by natural means other than by imagination.

 

[Ginger Ale]

Like many words, "faith" can have multiple meanings. I have faith that the sun will rise tomorrow, but that is based on the evidence that it has "risen" since long before I was alive, and will carry on doing so until the planet no longer exists. I have no faith that gods exist. There is no supernatural.
We are natural. We have no way to access a supernatural by natural means other than by imagination.

I understand and agree with what you are saying, I was talking more about faith that it's all going as intended, without having to know. But, I am not an agnostic, so it's just my opinion. I can only give a definitive answer regarding myself.
I have only admired a few agnostics in my time.

I as an atheist do not think there is a God of any kind who created it all. I can say that with certainty about myself.

 

[calamity]

I've never seen, heard or observed in any way what appears to be evidence for God.
So, that would me no.

There are times in all of out lives when something that feels like it could be a god appears to intervene in out behalf. But, of course, the idea defies logic and can be explained away in much more rational terms than invoking sky daddy. For the most part, we should be able to conclude that being given the gift of "salvation" is a human condition we invented to comfort ourselves. As for miracles--I am sure "god" did not make it so I survived a car crash while handing some 4-year-old leukemia.

 

[Ginger Ale]

There are times in all of out lives when something that feels like it could be a god appears to intervene in out behalf. But, of course, the idea defies logic and can be explained away in much more rational terms than invoking sky daddy. For the most part, we should be able to conclude that being given the gift of "salvation" is a human condition we invented to comfort ourselves. As for miracles--I am sure "god" did not make it so I survived a car crash while handing some 4-year-old leukemia.

Nor did he enable those Hollywood stars and Football players to achieve those awards. Watching them walk the red carpet, with the homeless man in the background is proof of that. Like I said, somewhere along the line God was replaced with a Genie who grants wishes.