I'm always questioning my own beliefs.
And I'm always listening to the thoughts of others in case I'm wrong. I'm not arrogant enough to believe that I'm absolutely right- just that, based on what I know now, my answers are good enough for me to follow.

Atheists- the sort who lecture religious people as though they're idiots- have also taken a leap of faith, only in the opposite direction. God's existence or non-existence cannot be proven or disproven- there's only opinion. So they've assumed that God doesn't exist, and sneer at anyone who believes otherwise. They're just as zealous as the worst fundies you can find, and every bit as smug.

I can accept the beliefs of others as something that works for them. No problem at all- just as long as they don't try to force me to their view. If they begin trying to browbeat me, we're gonna tangle.

To me the entire question of the existence of God- and religion in general- is a great and entertaining thought game. There's a limit to how seriously I can take it, so I don't get heavily invested in any one view and am willing to argue from any side of it. Which often makes me unpopular with those who have strong convictions...
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Thu 11 Dec 2008, 20:21, 1 reply)

We;ve been here before.
Atheism isn't a leap of faith; it's a simple recognition that there's no reason at all to believe in a deity, and that there are reasons not to. It's parsimonious and in intellectually good taste.

I heard Jonathan Miller speaking a couple of weeks ago, and he was saying that he wasn't even in favour of the word "atheism", since the non-belief in a deity ought to be so much of a given that it goes unnoticed. It's a fair point...
( Enzyme is powered by sunlight, Fri 12 Dec 2008, 9:35, closed)

^This
The scientific viewpoint is one of only giving credit to a viewpoint based on evidence.

If a viewpoint goes against the evidence, or has no evidence to support it then it can be dismissed until such time as evidence is presented.

I accept the idea of 'God' as much as I accept the idea of dragons or a hollow Earth - there is no material evidence to support the theory and thus it can be safely dismissed for the present.
( chenobble rocking his explorer beard on, Fri 12 Dec 2008, 12:27, closed)

*grin* I had forgotten about that.
Yes, I do recall now getting into that debate with you. That was fun.

But I'm not going to re-kindle that here. I know well enough that you could out-debate me any day.
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Fri 12 Dec 2008, 14:02, closed)