What is BELIEF ?

by EdenOne 233 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  OnTheWayOut

  It really is the same-old same-old arguments. Christians insist on personal anecdotes as evidence for their God and they, along with others, insist on hardcore evidence from nonbelievers that God doesn't exist. This is because they know such evidence couldn't possibly exist.

  There is at least an equal amount of anecdotal evidence that the god of Christianity doesn't exist as there are personal anecdotes that "He" does exist - the inaction in many circumstances and allowing of evil upon his worshippers. And believers know good and well that fantastical stories about Superman, Santa Claus, other gods, etc. allow them to dismiss belief without the same type of evidence they demand from nonbelievers in their fantastical God.
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  Chris Hannover

  "The plural of anecdote is not data, the plural of opinion is not fact." - Susan Fiske
• 

  talesin

  Eden

  I'm not in this to 'win'. That's what this thread is all about, imho. So, I'll address your comment to me.

  
  Well, are you sure you got your facts right?
  "By now, the difference between being an atheist and being an agnostic should be pretty clear and pretty easy to remember. Atheism is about belief, or specifically what you don't believe. Agnosticism is about knowledge, or specifically about what you don't know. An atheist doesn't believe in any gods. An agnostic doesn't know if any gods exist or not. These can be the exact same person, but need not be."
  Extracted from atheism.about.com
  .. you're welcome.
  Eden

  Talesin: Actually, it's exactly the opposite.

  Like I said, it's all about semantics.

  Atheism is our natural state - we are born with no knowledge of any type of deity. Societal and family tradition may teach us that there is a "G*d". There is absolutely NO evidence of a 'supreme' being - none. This is how this atheist sees the equation.

  Agnostics have been taught 'religion', and don't really believe it, but are either unsure of what they believe (intellectual honesty) or hedging their bets (emotionally driven, and *wishing* for any easy answer).

  Oh, and by the way .... it may be fine for others that you choose to quote some website to make your entire point, but personally, I feel that your arguments lack substance because of it.

  
  

  tal :sunglasses:

  
  

  
  

  
  
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  Finkelstein

  You go to far when you add, "without testable evidence."

  Belief . .. OK how about a conceptual idea held exclusively in human imagination .