Murphy Jnr Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 I know, i told you it did, but you said only because it's my "ideal" It was a confirmation of what you were saying nothing more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootsBooster Posted January 8, 2012 Author Share Posted January 8, 2012 But it could be said that the absence of belief comes only with the ability to believe or not. The definition of the word doesn't describe the thought involved in making a decision either way. An absence (by definition) doesn't come from anywhere! There doesn't have to be any thought or a decision. If a door is brown, whether it was brown originally (natural wood) or because it was painted brown doesn't matter. The door is still brown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy Jnr Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 An absence (by definition) doesn't come from anywhere! There doesn't have to be any thought or a decision. If a door is brown, whether it was brown originally (natural wood) or because it was painted brown doesn't matter. The door is still brown. Mmmm! Not so sure this is a good comparison. The door is brown because we know what brown is. Someone unaware will have to rely on being shown as the colour itself cannot be described sufficiently to identify it, the colour exists regardless. To the uninitiated it could also be described as green and accepted as that until such time as they are corrected. I think we should agree to differ but it's been interesting RB. I'm not eloquent enough to put in words what my head is saying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootsBooster Posted January 8, 2012 Author Share Posted January 8, 2012 Mmmm! Not so sure this is a good comparison. The door is brown because we know what brown is. Someone unaware will have to rely on being shown as the colour itself cannot be described sufficiently to identify it, the colour exists regardless. To the uninitiated it could also be described as green and accepted as that until such time as they are corrected. I think we should agree to differ but it's been interesting RB. I'm not eloquent enough to put in words what my head is saying. Let me put it this way then... Imagine that belief in God's existence is a physical thing. It's a certificate saying "I believe 100% that God exists" If a person doesn't have this certificate (belief) it doesn't matter whether they gave it away or just never had one in the first place. That person still has no certificate (belief). An atheist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy Jnr Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 Let me put it this way then... Imagine that belief in God's existence is a physical thing. It's a certificate saying "I believe 100% that God exists" If a person doesn't have this certificate (belief) it doesn't matter whether they gave it away or just never had one in the first place. That person has no certificate (belief) either way. An atheist. No I think you're losing it now let it go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootsBooster Posted January 8, 2012 Author Share Posted January 8, 2012 No I think you're losing it now let it go. Very poor indeed. Anyway, back on topic and moving on from theism/atheism.... A better example of this willingness to accept what you are told without question comes from conspiracy fans. I don't mean conspiracy theorists, actual genuine ones who think things through and put a theory forward, I mean the over-enthusiastic fans of conspiracy theories who will grab on to seemingly any explanation other than the most likeliest. These people will choose rumour over rationality every time, regardless of whatever facts are presented to them. The most ironic thing is that these people will often champion the phrase "Question everything" but never seem to question the unfounded rumours they frequently latch on to. I'm sure many of us remember last years flood of conspiracy threads and the complete absence of rationality put forward in them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spinac Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 My cat is an atheist. I'm an atheist too (and a protheist) not an antitheist. "Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.” Buddha (er no I'm not a Bhuddhist, but I do believe the above should be central to any teaching, philosophy or religion. The search for truth should be a personal journey not an indoctrination) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harleyman Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 We are all born non-political also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forumosaurus Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 We're programed equally as much by our environment other than people. And it's not 'some people' who go through life not questioning what we believe, it's 'all' people. There are certain things that all of us unquestionably believe and there isn't a problem with that unless you have evidence to argue that that belief might not be true. I unquestionably believe that my cat is alive as I watch it now, and it's not dead with an incorporeal being manipulating its movements, because I don't have evidence to suggest otherwise. You're only ignorant if you can see otherwise, or you're able to see otherwise and you reject it without reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flamingjimmy Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 Cheers for the derogatory reply (yes I did read your post before you edited it)- discussion with you is as unpleasant as usual. I'll continue in a more grown up manner than you seem capable of. I didn't mean for you to see that, it was just my honest reaction. I did delete it pretty much straight away and it was pretty tame anyway. It's all very well and good to hop up there on your high horse but I edited the insult out of my post, because I thought better of it. Also, I can see you edited your post too. At least we agree this time. Kudos for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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