The atheist thread

[Provost Harrison]

Well that is exactly what he has done. Did you not read his posts?

[Kuciwalker]

I do. He's never claimed they are infallible. He's claimed that they happen to be a bit more intelligent than your average rabid evangelical atheist (e.g. you) and their arguments aren't so trivially debunked.

[Provost Harrison]

Debunked eh? The only thing I've ever come across is skirting around the issue and a bit of intellectual masturbation without ever addressing the core issue - God is a man-made concept.

However with your snarly attitude Kuci, the only thing you are demonstrating is your personal dislike of me. Now wait for Oncle Boris to defend himself and go and slope of to one of your many varied bathrooms - you're making my skin crawl.

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Provost Harrison
Debunked eh? The only thing I've ever come across is skirting around the issue and a bit of intellectual masturbation without ever addressing the core issue - God is a man-made concept.

Reread my post. He's claiming that the [more sophisticated] arguments for god are not as easily debunked.

However with your snarly attitude Kuci, the only thing you are demonstrating is your personal dislike of me. Now wait for Oncle Boris to defend himself and go and slope of to one of your many varied bathrooms - you're making my skin crawl.

Ding.

[Cort Haus]

: popcorn:

[Sandman]

Originally posted by Elok
I tried "Why I am not a Christian" once. I got disgusted and tossed it away. He makes the classical error of "Religious people committed atrocities, therefore religion causes atrocities." Granted, he wrote it before WWII, but the French Revolution or even colonial excess is proof enough that any ideology will do as an excuse. He tries to cover that base later by claiming that all ideologies with strong followings (such as Stalinism) are "religions." Succeeding by redefining the terms of the argument is not a victory.

Really, though, I consider all utopians close-minded, and he was definitely utopian with his fantasies of an age of reason governed by logic and whatnot. Utopian is probably not the right word; I mean people who believe "if only OUR sort were in charge, all problems would vanish because WE are superior to THEM." As though a simple change of opinions could change human nature! (Before someone objects: I believe in the divine transformation of human nature, not just covering it up by begging Jesus to let sin slide. Changing your opinion is just the beginning.) I disagree with both Democrats and Republicans for the same reason. I much prefer skeptics like Voltaire, who had the sense to see that human sorrow comes to pass because human beings are crazy, none excepted.

Russell was a committed Christian for much of his life. You can probably find some of his earlier writings floating about.

[Jon Miller]

Much of his life is the first 18 years? He lived to be quite old, I think you are mistaken.

Jon Miller

[Sandman]

You could be right. However, he only started regarding religion as damaging in the 1920s.

[Jon Miller]

atheist != evangelical atheist != religion is evil (damaging) atheist

His first wife was a Christian, but he grew to dislike her fairly quickly and had a long string of affairs and wives after her.

Jon Miller

[molly bloom]

Originally posted by Oncle Boris

He's making you drool, isn't he ?

It's that Flaubert look. Can't resist it... must try... no, I've Salammboed all over myself.

Tabernac.

[Fake Boris]

Tabernac.

Half-remembered Arcand dialogue ?

[molly bloom]

Originally posted by Oncle Boris


Half-remembered Arcand dialogue ?

I used to own a dubbed copy of 'The Decline And Fall Of The American Empire'- dubbed into North Americanese, alas.

No, just an interest in swear words of the world.

My background is Irish Catholic, which as a culture seems to have rather fewer swear words directly attributed to religious figures/objects than say, Italian or French Canadian.

On the other hand if you read Roddy Doyle's novels (esp. The Barrytown Trilogy) or watch Alan Parker's 'The Commitments' you'll see how much profanity can be a part of the everyday vocabulary of some working class Dubliners.

Trois contes. Sean Connerie.

[Robert]

Originally posted by Oncle Boris
I'm probably not a believer per se, but I reckon that St. Augustine, Aquinas, Spinoza, (and plenty others) are much more intelligent than your typical 'if God created the world then who created God ?' folks.

+1

[Elok]

Sandman: I'm not sure how that answers my objections; C.S. Lewis was an atheist for many years, but that didn't make him any less of a Christian, nor does it stop most atheists from detesting him (I know Molly does).

[Kuciwalker]

I liked C.S. Lewis. Or at least his books.