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Author Topic:   Atheist vs Agnostic
Dan Carroll
Inactive Member


Message 4 of 111 (189468)
03-01-2005 1:15 PM
Reply to: Message 1 by Monk
03-01-2005 11:40 AM


I consider myself an atheist, and I don't fit either of those definitions.
The existence of God is just a non-issue to me. Or at most, as much of an issue as the existence of radioactive, tap-dancing lemurs living in my small intestine.
Those lemurs would sure explain the occasional trouble I have pooping. But that's it. No lemur fur in the bowl, no sound of tap shoes in the night, no geiger counters going crazy when they get passed over my stomach.
I guess they... might still be there? But there's nothing to suggest it.
There seems to be a basic assumption in our culture that the idea of God has to be given some credence. But to date, I can't get anyone to give me a valid reason why this should be the case... why the idea of God should be treated any more seriously than the idea of radioactive, tap-dancing lemurs. Hell, at the very least I can tell you what a lemur is, and identify these specific lemurs by their radioactivity and their dancing skill.
So, in the absence of any new evidence, neither God nor the lemurs really get another thought. They're non-issues.
So to answer your question, I'm an alemurist as well. But I don't think the lemurs are a credible enough idea to give them the dignity of alemognisticism.

"Creationists make it sound as though a theory is something you dreamt up after being drunk all night."
-Isaac Asimov

This message is a reply to:
 Message 1 by Monk, posted 03-01-2005 11:40 AM Monk has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 6 by Monk, posted 03-01-2005 1:36 PM Dan Carroll has replied

  
Dan Carroll
Inactive Member


Message 7 of 111 (189471)
03-01-2005 1:39 PM
Reply to: Message 6 by Monk
03-01-2005 1:36 PM


See above. "God is just a non-issue to me."
Doesn't mean that my mode of thought is true for all atheists. But that gets us into the trouble of trying to use one-sentence definitions for entire swaths of people.
This message has been edited by Dan Carroll, 03-01-2005 13:41 AM

"Creationists make it sound as though a theory is something you dreamt up after being drunk all night."
-Isaac Asimov

This message is a reply to:
 Message 6 by Monk, posted 03-01-2005 1:36 PM Monk has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 9 by Monk, posted 03-01-2005 1:57 PM Dan Carroll has replied

  
Dan Carroll
Inactive Member


Message 10 of 111 (189474)
03-01-2005 1:59 PM
Reply to: Message 8 by PaulK
03-01-2005 1:49 PM


However since "agnostic" is often taken as meaning someone who takes no position at all on the question I do not usually describe myself as an agnostic.
If it helps, "atheist" is usually taken to mean "nun-rapist".

"Creationists make it sound as though a theory is something you dreamt up after being drunk all night."
-Isaac Asimov

This message is a reply to:
 Message 8 by PaulK, posted 03-01-2005 1:49 PM PaulK has not replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 12 by Loudmouth, posted 03-01-2005 2:01 PM Dan Carroll has not replied

  
Dan Carroll
Inactive Member


Message 13 of 111 (189477)
03-01-2005 2:02 PM
Reply to: Message 9 by Monk
03-01-2005 1:57 PM


Does that mean that you don't know what to say about God and you are unsure of how to define your concept of atheism?
Could'ja go read my initial post? I wasn't just trying to give my fingers a work-out, y'know.
God is a non-issue. People have presented a concept called "God" to me. They can't tell me what it is, what it looks like, where it is, or how it did what it's supposed to have done, but they do say it exists.
My response is to say "Yyyyyyeah. What's for lunch?"
"God" is simply an idea to which I give no credence. Much like the aforementioned lemurs.

"Creationists make it sound as though a theory is something you dreamt up after being drunk all night."
-Isaac Asimov

This message is a reply to:
 Message 9 by Monk, posted 03-01-2005 1:57 PM Monk has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 16 by Monk, posted 03-01-2005 2:15 PM Dan Carroll has replied

  
Dan Carroll
Inactive Member


Message 20 of 111 (189488)
03-01-2005 2:41 PM
Reply to: Message 16 by Monk
03-01-2005 2:15 PM


Well, you have done the same thing with your concept of atheism. (i.e. can't tell me what it is).
I told you exactly what it is for me. Several times.
If you choose not to listen, that's your business.

"Creationists make it sound as though a theory is something you dreamt up after being drunk all night."
-Isaac Asimov

This message is a reply to:
 Message 16 by Monk, posted 03-01-2005 2:15 PM Monk has not replied

  
Dan Carroll
Inactive Member


Message 25 of 111 (189496)
03-01-2005 3:14 PM
Reply to: Message 23 by Monk
03-01-2005 3:05 PM


Am I being coherent?
...nah. Way too easy.

"Creationists make it sound as though a theory is something you dreamt up after being drunk all night."
-Isaac Asimov

This message is a reply to:
 Message 23 by Monk, posted 03-01-2005 3:05 PM Monk has not replied

  
Dan Carroll
Inactive Member


Message 33 of 111 (189505)
03-01-2005 3:34 PM
Reply to: Message 30 by 1.61803
03-01-2005 3:30 PM


Bigfoot is not god, fairies are not god.
So what?
Seriously, this isn't meant to be patronizing. An equal amount of evidence exists to suggest the existence of all three... the square root of diddly-squat.
What makes God so special?
If you feel comfortable in the stance "Bigfoot does not exist", then why not "God does not exist"?

"Creationists make it sound as though a theory is something you dreamt up after being drunk all night."
-Isaac Asimov

This message is a reply to:
 Message 30 by 1.61803, posted 03-01-2005 3:30 PM 1.61803 has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 34 by 1.61803, posted 03-01-2005 3:51 PM Dan Carroll has replied
 Message 46 by nator, posted 03-01-2005 9:51 PM Dan Carroll has replied

  
Dan Carroll
Inactive Member


Message 36 of 111 (189509)
03-01-2005 4:17 PM
Reply to: Message 34 by 1.61803
03-01-2005 3:51 PM


Good point. I am not so sure Big foot does not exist.
Fair enough.
But my stance is that at a certain point, this idea takes us through to "does lakjrelkjas exist?"
"Um... what's lakjrelkjas?"
"Doesn't matter. Does it exist?"
"I, uh... guess I don't know? What?"
Do you see what I mean? At a certain point, it's just sensible for me to say, "If nothing suggests it, then at least for all intents and purposes, no. It doesn't exist."
Hows them lemurs doing
Gummin' up the works somethin' fierce, let me tell you...

"Creationists make it sound as though a theory is something you dreamt up after being drunk all night."
-Isaac Asimov

This message is a reply to:
 Message 34 by 1.61803, posted 03-01-2005 3:51 PM 1.61803 has not replied

  
Dan Carroll
Inactive Member


Message 56 of 111 (189610)
03-02-2005 9:23 AM
Reply to: Message 46 by nator
03-01-2005 9:51 PM


That which we don't have positive evidence for, we just don't pay any attention to.
Well... yeah! That's what I've been saying.
Nothing to suggest God exists, so it's kinda foolish to go around working under the assumption that it's an idea worth paying mind to. Of course, if anyone walks up to me with evidence that God (whatever that is) is there, I'm not gonna clamp my hands over my ears and scream "NONONONONO!"
I'm also not gonna hold my breath waiting for it.

"Creationists make it sound as though a theory is something you dreamt up after being drunk all night."
-Isaac Asimov

This message is a reply to:
 Message 46 by nator, posted 03-01-2005 9:51 PM nator has not replied

  
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