mijopaalmc
Philosopher
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Well, neither do all people who I identify as Christians, al least not in any way that meaningfully distinguishes them from homochthonous religions.
The dreaded "A" word
- Thread starter TimCallahan
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Well, neither do all people who I identify as Christians, al least not in any way that meaningfully distinguishes them from homochthonous religions.
DGM
Skeptic not Atheist
Take out the word "God" and you support my view.
DGM
Skeptic not Atheist
This is an example from of a religion. Not necessarily yours.
ETA: You do realize there are thousands of religions in this world?
Why is it a problem that you belong to one?
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TimCallahan
Philosopher
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No, I don't feel particularly insulted, nor am I hurt by this. However, I do feel ethically compelled to call the game. Perhaps you will remember that book, Games People Play. A "game" in the book's terminology, is a dishonest transaction, where the one perpetrating the game is actually intent on something other than what they are ostensibly aiming at. Often it's a desire to put the other party down. Usually, unless the other party calls the game-player on what he or she is pulling, the game is set up to put the victim in a no-win situation.
Your barbs are set up to do just that. If the other party choses to stoically put up with them, then you get away with continually zinging them without having to face any consequences for your rudeness. If they respond and object to your barb, you accuse them, directly or indirectly of being overly sensitive. I'm not sensitive to your snotty remarks. However, I do feel an ethical obligation to call them for what they are.
The anonymity of forums, such as this one, enables you to play this game: You can hide behind the identity of "epix" rather than revealing who you are. One reason I use my actual name is for the sake of honest disclosure. Another key to your game-playing may have something to do with maturity: Once you've passed beyond your teen years, perhaps you will at last be capable of civilized discourse.
DGM
Skeptic not Atheist
DGM
Skeptic not Atheist
Strange indeed.
Slowvehicle
Membership Drive , Co-Ordinator,, Russell's Antin
Scary? No.
You may propose whatever ignorant argument you choose, as long as you do not mind having it pointed out to you that the argument is, in fact, ignorant and incorrect; or that you are using a word in an egregiously overinclusive way, a way that robs the word of any real meaning.
Man U. fans a religion? I call Poe.
Slowvehicle
Membership Drive , Co-Ordinator,, Russell's Antin
No, not strange at all. It has been carefully, patiently and exhaustively explained to you why your assumption (that atheism is a religion) is in error, and this based on your own hand-picked definitions of religion. If you choose to ignore this explanation, to not even query it, but to carry on as though these explanations had never happened at all, then it would seem to me that a reasonable explanation for this odd behaviour is simply the enjoyment of annoying people. This is my understanding of the definition of a troll.
Mike
Mark6
Philosopher
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A bit off-topic: my understanding is that's exactly how anti-Semitism started. AFAIK, there was no persecution or prejudice against Jews before Roman conquest. Jews certainly had enemies, but were not thought of as some "strange others" -- when part of (say) Assyrian empire, they were just one of subject peoples, no different from Beduins or Midians.
Things changed with Romans, due to seemingly a minor thing. To Romans, mealtimes were very important, and they made all important deals at the dinner table. Jews' kosher laws prevented them from sharing meals with Romans, which Romans perceived as deliberate insult. Not to mention Jews refused to worship Roman Emperor as god, and generally would not act as proper conquered subjects, despite several pretty decisive military defeats.
So Romans disliked Jews the way they did not dislike, say, Egyptians or Gauls. And when Christianity started, Christians quickly figured out that if they are to have any kind of future in Roman empire, they had to distance themselves from Jews. Which they did, quite emphatically.
To summarize: from Roman point of view, Jews were obnoxious even when they were not deliberately trying to be obnoxious (and some of them did try). And that's where antisemitism comes from.
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DGM
Skeptic not Atheist
Go with that.
Slowvehicle
Membership Drive , Co-Ordinator,, Russell's Antin
It has been pointed out to you, multiple times (and twice in point-by-point detail: http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/showthread.php?postid=9433373#post9433373; http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/showthread.php?postid=9433389#post9433389) that the label you want to applydoes not refer to lack of belief in a 'god' or 'gods'.
Your strident insistence that it does, does not make it so.
Slowvehicle
Membership Drive , Co-Ordinator,, Russell's Antin
DGM
Skeptic not Atheist
I understand. You don't belong to a group with a common belief.
You religious types are so fun to mess with.
smartcooky
Penultimate Amazing
Hitler was dreaming of a perfect race that would make a perfect nation out of the Third Reich. That wouldn't be possible until the last drop of Cyclon B falls on the last Jew.
Aah, those perfection seekers. They never learn.
You win the Godwin for this one. Congrats.
So awarded...
Slowvehicle
Membership Drive , Co-Ordinator,, Russell's Antin
DGM
Skeptic not Atheist
I bet you have a bumper sticker that proclaims your elegance to the belief that is not a religion.
