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To: dr_lew
They weren't "merely mentioned", they were elevated to the same status as believers, which has never been done in Presidential discourse, AFAIK. Well, unbelievers have their rights, to be sure, but to equate unbelief with belief is indeed a slam against belief. It demotes it to nothingness, to be honest, mere personal whim.

Not at all, it points out that belief is a choice. It is that or a form of slavery--you're not making the case that belief overtakes one ala possession? In that case, there would be no freedom of choice, and without that, belief is meaningless, more, it is offensive to the concept of one's god.

To claim that nonbelief is a whim would be offensive were I to care what others think. It is only offensive to the nature of belief itself, which you seem to think is a value on its own(Nazis, Islamists and Liberals believe, too--but then, you're more offended that I, a pro-life, pro-American conservative is allowed to be mentioned in the same breath as Muslims).

You are either confused or playing wordgames here. Belief is a choice of a personal view of the universe, based on personal experience and consideration, one the believer believes is the truth; nonbelief is a choice of a personal view of the universe, based on personal experience and consideration, one the believer believes is the truth.

I must say, your reaction is most interesting.

24 posted on 01/27/2009 1:32:05 AM PST by Darkwolf377 (Pro-Life Atheist)
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To: Darkwolf377
To claim that nonbelief is a whim would be offensive were I to care what others think. It is only offensive to the nature of belief itself, which you seem to think is a value on its own(Nazis, Islamists and Liberals believe, too--but then, you're more offended that I, a pro-life, pro-American conservative is allowed to be mentioned in the same breath as Muslims).

Muslims are the same wild card as nonbelievers. It's a question of communal understanding, a common language. If individuals have their personal doubts, that's their business, but the community must acknowledge a common spiritual bond, or else there is no community, and this is where we stand today. The "religious right" is a sort of rump parliament.

27 posted on 01/27/2009 1:53:46 AM PST by dr_lew
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