This is not something I really expect any of you to understand. If you could understand it, you wouldn't be religious. These debates usually end up here: with the theist trying very, very hard to recast the atheist as just another kind of theist. Usually you're trying to recast us as some level of satanist who is trying to deny God for dark reasons, or someone who is angry with God. If you can do this to your own satisfaction, you have kept your world God-centered by assigning the atheist a role in it that you can recognize and understand.
I suppose I shouldn't let it irritate me... we are fortunately no longer in an era where your type can get your hands on my type and bring on the copper boot or whatever. Tell you what... I'll let you have the rest of the thread. I actually DO have laundry and errands to run out there in the real world. And we all know this will never come to any conclusion that satisfies anyone. You all have a good 2012, and let's all hope that the truth didn't lie with the Mayans after all.
You've got the best part of a year to go shopping, even if it does.
Ciao!
That, by definition, is belief.
The determination of the validity of evidence is subjective on your part as your criteria is whether or not YOU think it's valid, not whether or not it really, truly IS objectively valid.
If you could understand it, you wouldn't be religious. These debates usually end up here: with the theist trying very, very hard to recast the atheist as just another kind of theist.
I can understand it because I was once where you are. I was essentially an atheist at one time until Reality Himself smacked me upside the head.
Usually you're trying to recast us as some level of satanist who is trying to deny God for dark reasons, or someone who is angry with God. If you can do this to your own satisfaction, you have kept your world God-centered by assigning the atheist a role in it that you can recognize and understand.
Nope. I don't try to recast any atheists as *satanists*. Yes, I believe that he exists, too, but that does not by default mean that everyone who rejects the concept of God embraces the concept of satan. If someone doesn't believe enough in the supernatural to believe in God, there's no reason to expect them to believe enough in the supernatural to believe in demons or angels.
Besides, most satanists are more likely anti-theists as opposed to a-theists.
Have a Happy New year.