RJS

<a href="http://www.equip.org/free/CP0110.htm" target="_blank">http://www.equip.org/free/CP0110.htm</a>

Marz Blak

(BIG yawn)

Javaman

Looks like that Hank fella is a pretty good salesman. I guess he has to be to support those nine kids of his.

RJS, you want to post some of your own thoughts on this? You've probably been around here long enough to realize that this guys opinion about atheists has little relation to most atheistic holdings.

Autonemesis

No it isn't. Atheist is an adjective used to describe viewpoints that do not refer to diety. In other words, there's "what theists believe" and then there's "everything else". Atheism refers to "everything else".

While this assertion certainly belongs in the category of "everything else" it is not representative of any supposed global atheist opinion or claim. The only global characteristic of atheist thought is the lack of any reference to diety.

Neither does theism, else there would not be any atheists. Never mind the fact that atheism is a description of a viewpoint, not of the universe.

Neither can your banker, but I imagine that does not keep you from cashing your paycheck. This answer doesn't even address the silly claim that "the atheist is unable to provide one [an explanation]". Obviously he is quite capable of providing such an explanation in great detail, and has done so with great effort over the centuries. Theists simply reject that explanation because it refutes theirs.

[ September 10, 2002: Message edited by: Kind Bud ]</p>

RJS

I really just wanted to gather a few reactions from some of the regulars.

I do tend to agree with this paragraph.

"The atheistic world view is inadequate for many other reasons as well. First, atheism cannot adequately explain the existence of the world. Like all other things, the world in which we live cries out for an explanation which is clearly beyond itself -- however, the atheist is unable to provide one. Second, the atheistic world view is unable to provide the necessary preconditions to account for the laws of science, the universal laws of logic -- and, of course, absolute moral standards. In short, the atheistic world view cannot account for the meaningful realities of life."

Tom Sawyer

Once again a xian has totally misrepresented what atheism is.

No it doesn't. Atheism is a lack of belief in any kind of God. It does not state the logical impossibility of a God, just that there is no evidence that the atheist believes that supports that possibility.

Most of the posts on this forum belie this statement.

Oh, give it a rest, already.

No, I deny the existence of God due to the lack of evidence.

Marz Blak:
Amen

Bill Snedden

&lt;YAWN&gt; is right. Can you say, "begging the question?" Good, I thought you could.

"The theistic world view is inadequate for many other reasons as well. First, theism cannot adequately explain the existence of "God". Like all other things, the existence of an invisible, immaterial, all-powerful, all-knowing, all-good entity cries out for an explanation which is clearly beyond itself -- however, the theist is unable to provide one. Second, the theistic world view is unable to explain why "God" is a necessary and sufficient precondition for the laws of science, the universal laws of logic -- and, of course, why, if there is a "God", there don't seem to be any absolute moral standards. In short, the theistic world view cannot account for the meaningful realities of life."

Regards,

Bill Snedden

[ September 10, 2002: Message edited by: Bill Snedden ]</p>

Mageth

Ultimately man does not deny the existence of God for lack of evidence, but because man does not want to be accountable to his creator.

Personally, I lack belief in god(s) because of lack of evidence, no matter what motivations "deep thinkers" like this try to put on me.

Like all other things, the world in which we live cries out for an explanation which is clearly beyond itself -- however, the atheist is unable to provide one.

I've never heard the "world" cry out for anything. That's our own heads doing the crying out. And it may very well be that there is no "explanation beyond itself."

In short, the atheistic world view cannot account for the meaningful realities of life.

My "meaningful reality" is that I'm alive, have but a short while to enjoy it, and can perhaps learn a bit about the wonderful universe in the meantime. Personally, I don't require anything else.

Javaman

Atheism in itself does not try to. Again, putting words into others mouths.

Jayhawker Soule

I don't.