Need for a separate Atheism forum

[_Sam Harris]

Poor Liz has had her work cut out for her these past few days...

[_Some Schmo]

Boards go in cycles.

Topics spawn other topics of a similar nature, so you'll see a whole slew of posts about one topic for a while. Next week we'll probably be inundated with polygamy posts, then the week after that will be prophets and lack of prophecy...

Yep, true dat.

[_Sam Harris]

I say we start a cycle about how interesting it is to watch Schmo's avatar...I like to see Homer's eyes follow that donut...

[_Jersey Girl]

After looking at all the posts in both the Celestial and Terrestrial forums about atheism, I was thinking it should be given its own forum.

You know, mok, I don't think so. I think the interaction and exchange of thought between believers and non-believers is an important piece of the dynamic of this board. I'm not sure how a separate Atheism forum would really work.

[_Sam Harris]

Well, it would give the conspiracy smellers somewhere to play when it's sniffed on the breeze that religion is out to kill us all again...

And then when the air quality is safe once more...we can all reconvene.

[_bcspace]

After looking at all the posts in both the Celestial and Terrestrial forums about atheism, I was thinking it should be given its own forum.

Atheists and Theists have no common basis for discussion. It all comes down to "Does God exist or not?" and having made that decision, never the twain shall meet.

[_Chap]

It all comes down to "Does God exist or not?" ...

Not really. Putting the question that way suggests that we are agreed that the only question to be answered is whether a certain entity with well-agreed properties. e.g. a pink unicorn, exists or not.

The fact is that there are an almost infinite number of ways to assert a theist existence claim - many of them involving a number of entities designated as being 'gods'.

I bet that you disbelieve most of the different groups of people who have asserted or still assert that their deity or deities exist. I agree with you there. The only difference between us is that I also disbelieve your claim that your particular 'god' actually DOES exist.

[_bcspace]

It all comes down to "Does God exist or not?" ...

Not really. Putting the question that way suggests that we are agreed that the only question to be answered is whether a certain entity with well-agreed properties. e.g. a pink unicorn, exists or not.

Such must be answered before there can be any common ground. Where you see comon ground is actually atheist vs. atheist or theist vs. theist, never atheist vs. theist.

If neither one or the other is convinced of this basic question, then it's essentially like their speaking a different language. It's analogous to a trinitarian and an LDS person each saying that the Three are one, but meaning something entirely different and neither having the Bible to argue from.

The fact is that there are an almost infinite number of ways to assert a theist existence claim - many of them involving a number of entities designated as being 'gods'.

I bet that you disbelieve most of the different groups of people who have asserted or still assert that their deity or deities exist. I agree with you there. The only difference between us is that I also disbelieve your claim that your particular 'god' actually DOES exist.

Indeed. There is common basis for theist on theist debate. For example, between to Bible believers of differing sects.

[_Chap]

It all comes down to "Does God exist or not?" ...

Not really. Putting the question that way suggests that we are agreed that the only question to be answered is whether a certain entity with well-agreed properties. e.g. a pink unicorn, exists or not.

Such must be answered before there can be any common ground. Where you see comon ground is actually atheist vs. atheist or theist vs. theist, never atheist vs. theist.

If neither one or the other in convinced of this basic question, then it's essentially like their speaking a different language.

The fact is that there are an almost infinite number of ways to assert a theist existence claim - many of them involving a number of entities designated as being 'gods'.

I bet that you disbelieve most of the different groups of people who have asserted or still assert that their deity or deities exist. I agree with you there. The only difference between us is that I also disbelieve your claim that your particular 'god' actually DOES exist.

Indeed. There is common basis for theist on theist debate. For example, between to Bible believers of differing sects.

You mean you have more in common with an Aztec sun-worshipper tearing the hearts from living human victims that you do with your 21st century American neighbor who just happens not to believe in any deity?

Wow. You don't feel a little touch of reductio ad absurdum coming on, do you?

[_bcspace]

You mean you have more in common with an Aztec sun-worshipper tearing the hearts from living human victims that you do with your 21st century American neighbor who just happens not to believe in any deity?

Both believing in deity, we have more common for debating whether or not tearing hearts out is what deity wants.

Wow. You don't feel a little touch of reductio ad absurdum coming on, do you?

Not at all. But I do feel a lot of erroris in correlation comming from you.