[extropy-chat] Atheism in Decline

[Mike Lorrey]

--- Jeff Medina <analyticphilosophy at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Rather, your pre-established notion that most atheists suffer from
> stunted knowledge of theology moves you to misinterpret what atheists
> wrongly. Joseph did not claim that calling one particular belief in
> your religion (e.g., Genesis) metaphorical makes you an atheist. Not
> even close. But if you believe that *all* of Christianity is
> metaphorical, then you are not a Christian. This is not up for debate
> -- the meanings of words are determined by use, and the *vast*
> majority of those using the term "Christian" quite surely use it in
> such a way that "Christian who doesn't believe in God or Christ as
> real" is as self-contradictory as "square circle."

You are wrong in both parts. It isn't "my" religion, because, unlike
theists or atheists, I refuse to conclude until more information is
available for conclusive odds in the Simulation Argument to be
determined. Preliminary evidence is currently in favor of the theists,
but inconclusive.

Secondly, I didn't say that "all" christianity is metaphorical, so once
again your reading comprehension is suffering. Many events of the Bible
are known to have actually happened, so those parts are not
metaphorical.

> 
> If you follow all the tenets of a particular religion, yet do not
> believe in its claims in a metaphysical sense (e.g., do believe in
> the
> external, independent reality of the religion's gods, angels, devils,
> spirits, energies, or what have you), then you're a non-religious
> person using a religion's principles as guides to your action.

This claim by you is one more example of the stunted spiritual
education of atheists as well as scriptural literalists. The debate
over monism vs dualism has a long and storied history in religious
circles, which you'd know if you had a sophisticated theological
grounding. Monism is the lack of belief in any afterlife or existence
other than the physical, while dualism is the belief in supernatural
existence and the afterlife. Monism is a broadly respected theological
position which some argue is the majority belief among Jews, for
example.
Nor does looking at deities in either a metaphorical sense, or in a
deist sense (where if they exist supernaturally, they do so outside our
universe and cannot interfere in it), demonstrate any lack of religion.
Claiming otherwise demonstrates another lack of theological
sophistication.

> *Everyone*, even the most 'devout' atheist, has some beliefs on what
> is or is not the best way to interact with the world. Having such a
> system of beliefs does not make you religious, on pain of making the
> term "religious" meaningless (because it would then apply equally to
> every human being who has ever existed), and also again on pain of
> conflicting with the majority usage of the term.

Presuming a majority usage is a bit presumptious.

Mike Lorrey
Vice-Chair, 2nd District, Libertarian Party of NH
"Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom.
It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves."
                                      -William Pitt (1759-1806) 
Blog: http://intlib.blogspot.com


	
		
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