quisquose Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 Only if you define 'militant' as being a 'one minded pursuit'. I don't, I understand it to mean things like 'aggressive, insulting, goading etc', in which case I'm not being militant. You said 'combative' earlier, dropped that one now you realise it sort of applies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewheeldave Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 How can somebody be militant about a lack of belief in something? This is why I keep asking for examples. I gave one- I wasn't talking about you- you don't seem to be being particularly insulting/goading in this thread. I was talking about an atheist, engaged in a discussion with a believer, who gives up on the reasoning approach, and resorts, as some atheists do, to using terms that are provocative, goading or insulting. It's not due to his/her lack of belief in God, but they are being militant, they are an atheist, and, they are being militant in a discussion about atheism/religious belief. So they shouldn't really be too upset if they get labelled as a 'militant atheist'. It does serve a purpose, because there are plenty of atheists who can participate in a reasonable and rational discussion with believers, so it's just one way of distinguishing them from the others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewheeldave Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 You said 'combative' earlier, dropped that one now you realise it sort of applies. Did I? In what context? Could you quote the post, I wouldn't mind seeing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootsBooster Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 No, I'm not 'dodging', I've explicitly said that I'm not going to give examples, as doing so, IMO, is not going to progress things, and will, IMO, just increase the confusion further. Perhaps you could give some examples of how atheists are never militant? Not sure how, but, as you seem to be so much into examples, you might be able to come up with something? OK. Can you relate any of those into the discussion then? Which discussion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewheeldave Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 Which discussion? This one, of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quisquose Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 Did I? In what context? Could you quote the post, I wouldn't mind seeing it. Here: http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?p=9218378#post9218378 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewheeldave Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 Here: http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?p=9218378#post9218378 OK, cheers- On the contrary, no I don't, as, by definition, a 'miltant' is 'Having a combative character; aggressive, insulting etc', and, if a particular atheist happens to be 'Having a combative character; aggressive, insulting etc', then, said atheist is a militant one. We don't need to know his/her name etc, an atheist behaving militantly, is, by definition, a 'militant atheist'. (Similarly, a stamp collector behaving militantly, would be a 'militant stamp collector'). So, what's your point? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quisquose Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 I gave one- I'm asking for examples of that, not just a repetition of that. Specific examples, people and actions, so that we might rationally debate the validity of your claim that the use of the term 'militant atheist' is valid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewheeldave Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 I'm asking for examples of that, not just a repetition of that. Specific examples, people and actions, so that we might rationally debate the validity of your claim that the use of the term 'militant atheist' is valid. So, waht's wrong with- ....an atheist, engaged in a discussion with a believer, who gives up on the reasoning approach, and resorts, as some atheists do, to using terms that are provocative, goading or insulting. It's not due to his/her lack of belief in God, but they are being militant, they are an atheist, and, they are being militant in a discussion about atheism/religious belief. So they shouldn't really be too upset if they get labelled as a 'militant atheist'. Any example I did give would merely be an instance of the above, so, if you disagree that the above constitutes a militant atheist, adding on real-world instances isn't going to change your mind is it? You need to state if the above constitutes a militant atheist, or not, and, if not, why not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quisquose Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 So, what's your point? Everybody is militant on occasion by your own low threshold definition. Even you with respect to your public claims about the competence of your GP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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