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"Atheists Have Faith, Just like Theists."
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Matt Dillahunty responds to the claim that people need as much faith to NOT believe in god, as to believe in god.
Credit:
Atheist Experience
http://www.atheist-experience.com/
02/10/08 #539
Credit:
Atheist Experience
http://www.atheist-experience.com/
02/10/08 #539
Feb 25, 2008 2:38 PM
Re: "Atheists Have Faith, Just like Theists."
Excellent video. I recommend headline status for this one.
Re: "Atheists Have Faith, Just like Theists."
"The caller is A total dimwit"
You'd have more sting to your criticism if your weren't too lazy to bother proofreading (at least once), ya know.
You'd have more sting to your criticism if your weren't too lazy to bother proofreading (at least once), ya know.
By: EViLMinD
Re: "Atheists Have Faith, Just like Theists."
Wow, I cannot believe how thick that caller was. It was painful hearing him get slaughtered on air.
By: sclabman
Re: "Atheists Have Faith, Just like Theists."
I don't think that 'thick' is the right description. He seemed to follow along with the arguement, slowly, and at least he didn't try to thump any religious text at all, and was in no way stubborn.
By: cheezsteak
Re: "Atheists Have Faith, Just like Theists."
I think the caller was cut off too early, his last comment must've been a joke.
The caller sounds like he might be on the verge of rethinking his beliefs.
The caller sounds like he might be on the verge of rethinking his beliefs.
By: SaladDays
Re: "Atheists Have Faith, Just like Theists."
shut up salad days! I remember you and your mormonisim. (high five! mormons rock!)
By: meat
Re: "Atheists Have Faith, Just like Theists."
I think that the clip should have been longer as well but the way the caller deepened his voice when he said, "...well how bout I come down there & punch your fat head..." signified to me that he was stymied (hence the low blow of calling the host fat). The caller had an emotional response to a logical argument that he clearly lost, this is because he's emotionally tied to his belief in god. "If you dis god, you dis me." could be the caller's motto.
By: Ellowen_Diowen
Re: "Atheists Have Faith, Just like Theists."
atheism does require faith to some degree. a lack of positive evidence can only suggest that god does not exist; because the idea of god existing is so splendid as to overcome all understanding, we must have faith that god does not exist in order for that idea to have any meaning. atheism is distinct from agnosticism in this regard; we may question the existence of god through science, logic, etc., for all time and yet god can always outlast. only through faith in the nonexistence of god does god not exist.
fathead.
fathead.
By: bobolifoo
Re: "Atheists Have Faith, Just like Theists."
The lack of positive evidence does not suggest anything. Ex nihilo nihil fit, or "Nothing comes from nothing."
It is impossible for the idea of God to "overcome all understanding." Ideas are products of the understanding.
Your problem is that you are giving attributes to the very entity whose existence we are questioning, i.e. "God can always outlast." We don't yet know that he exists, how can we possibly know his qualities?
An agnostic believes that the metaphysical status of a god is simply unknowable, that is to say, it is impossible to know whether or not a god exists. An atheist is someone who denies the existence of deities, in much the same way that one denies the existence of unicorns and Nessy, the Loch Ness Monster. While I'm not necessarily arguing for the atheist standpoint, it seems clear that atheists do not need faith to deny the existence of a deity, much like I do not need faith to deny the existence of Nessy.
It is impossible for the idea of God to "overcome all understanding." Ideas are products of the understanding.
Your problem is that you are giving attributes to the very entity whose existence we are questioning, i.e. "God can always outlast." We don't yet know that he exists, how can we possibly know his qualities?
An agnostic believes that the metaphysical status of a god is simply unknowable, that is to say, it is impossible to know whether or not a god exists. An atheist is someone who denies the existence of deities, in much the same way that one denies the existence of unicorns and Nessy, the Loch Ness Monster. While I'm not necessarily arguing for the atheist standpoint, it seems clear that atheists do not need faith to deny the existence of a deity, much like I do not need faith to deny the existence of Nessy.
By: i8ursandwich
Re: "Atheists Have Faith, Just like Theists."
Clarification: An idea cannot be inconceivable to the mind, otherwise one would have to conceive an inconceivable idea. Thus, the idea of a god cannot exceed the limits of the mind, the limits of the mind being the totality of what one can understand.
By: i8ursandwich
Re: "Atheists Have Faith, Just like Theists."
if "the lack of positive evidence does not suggest anything" then on what does an atheist base his knowing that god does not exist? faith.
commence blowing of minds.
commence blowing of minds.
By: bobolifoo
Re: "Atheists Have Faith, Just like Theists."
"...well how bout this? How bout' I come down there and punch your fat head in blah blah blah blah..." lol! wow. I thought theists were trained by jesus to be a loving turn-the-other-cheek kinda people. bad representation theist. or are you gettin all arc angel on his ass? bending the rules of christianity for your benefit.
By: meat
Re: "Atheists Have Faith, Just like Theists."
Does he actually say, "How 'bout I come down there and punch yer fat head for Jesus..."?
That really is hilarious.
That really is hilarious.
By: ice-9
