Ohnhai writes:
The majority of Atheists would honestly state:
I Freely admit that my belief in the non-existence of the God/s could be wrong. As I can’t prove 100% their lack of existence it would be dishonest of me to say other wise. Though I firmly and resolutely BELIVE that the God/s do NOT exist, IF I was to come across some evidence that was UNDENIABLE, that proved the existence of the God/s then I would have to re-adjust my world view accordingly.
You would be hard pressed to get the majority of Theists to honestly state:
I Freely admit that my belief in the existence of the God could be wrong. Though I believe God to exist, it would be dishonest of me not to acknowledge as a human I am not infallible. Though I firmly and resolutely BELIVE that the God/s Do exist, IF I was to come across some evidence that was UNDENIABLE, that undermined his existence, then I would have to re-adjust my world view accordingly.
I absolutely agree that you have outlined the two great statements that highlight the gulf between two peoples. It is also a general statement since you can substitute evolution for GOD or Flat Earth for GOD or any other strongly held belief and the division still remains.
I do disagree though with the statement that it would be hard to get the majority of Theists to agree that is found in your second paragraph. Theists too are often capable of reasonable, rational thought and acknowledging when we got it wrong.
The big difference between the Theistic and Atheistic positions is that the Theists, if right, have a BIG bonus that the Atheists can never have.
If the Atheists are right, when the Theist dies, that is it, there is just nothing afterwards.
BUT... if the Theist is right, we get to stand there at the Pearly Gates to welcome all our Atheist friends and say "Told you so!" I have already signed up to be on CrashFrog's welcoming committe and have a place set for him at the great fish fry and BBQ.
Aslan is not a Tame Lion
™ Version 4.2
