TnTComic
Atheism doesn't try to explain anything. Its not a real belief, its an adjective that describes a person's opinion on god's existence.

Hate to be a bitch, but Atheism is a noun. ;)

However I do agree with you. Saying that Atheism is like faith in god is a bit like saying the atmosphere is the same as a vacuum. One is the absence of the other, they are not similar. Atheism is not a belief, it is the absence of a belief. It doesn't require study or proof because it claims nothing.

I say again it's up to people who make claims to support them.

And once again, I point to the dictionary definition of atheism which again states:

Atheist: a person who denies or disbelieves the existence of a supreme being or beings.

...and if the dictionary is not good enough for you, then we are speaking a different language, and this debate is pointless.

Definitely. The burden of the proof is on the prosecution.

If our courts operated like religious people who say "prove god doesn't exist", the District Attorney would accuse someone of murder and say "prove you didn't do it". Honestly, the concept of proving a negative is purty silly.

Ok... Going around in circles again, back to the start. I dunno you guys, I've tried to expand this debate and head out onto interesting paths but you keep coming back to the shallows (you as in lot'sa people, no one specific so don't get sad). Dictionary definitions again?????? Man we should ban that... :(
The last few remarks are pointless, without merit, dull, tedious, frustratingly DUMB. GAH! Not for what they say, but for what they don't say. They ground they travel over is the kind of thing you should totally skip to start with because it's such an irrelevant obvious, puerile aspect of the thing. I'm disappointed that it's come back to this yet again. You have made this discussion fail because you can't get past definitions... It's like a school project you get given and all you do is copy an encyclopaedia entry verbatim. A kid's version.

-The above was just a rant about the direction of the thread, not speaking in a moderator and admin capacity, but as a participant and the thread originator. :)

-But on that note, who reckons we should lock this bloated behemoth, put it out of its misery, kill it dead, and consign it to the grave of spent, talked out debates? If not, it's just going to keep sucking in contributions that could be better posted in more interesting, progressive threads, but instead they die under the moronic weight of this sad slug of a megga thread. :(

ozoneocean
Ok... Going around in circles again, back to the start. I dunno you guys, I've tried to expand this debate and head out onto interesting paths but you keep coming back to the shallows (you as in lot'sa people, no one specific so don't get sad). Dictionary definitions again?????? Man we should ban that... :(
The last few remarks are pointless, without merit, dull, tedious, frustratingly DUMB. GAH! Not for what they say, but for what they don't say. They ground they travel over is the kind of thing you should totally skip to start with because it's such an irrelevant obvious, puerile aspect of the thing. I'm disappointed that it's come back to this yet again. You have made this discussion fail because you can't get past definitions... It's like a school project you get given and all you do is copy an encyclopaedia entry verbatim. A kid's version.

The problem with your thread is that it started on a lameass assumption. Does Atheism make sense? Given my understanding of the nature of faith and atheism, I believe I have done that. But you of course know better than me since I and my arguments are in a word dumb. It's interesting to note that your response to my position is an insult.

And I am curious, if we are not to consult a dictionary to settle semantics, then who decides, YOU?? Are you the sole arbiter of words meanings? Oh yes lets ban the dictionary because it disagrees with your assumptions.

Perhaps I am just being puerile again, but when you misuse words I feel its fair to point it out. Obviously I have a lot to learn from you.

And please I would like to see that dictionary or encyclopaedia that has all my well reasoned arguments in it. Thinking is so damn hard, I would really like to just copy my next argument out of a book, I am after all kinda dumb you know.

I think what really ticks you off is that you are incapable of responding to my arguments, so it's easier to just mock me(sigh, gah ) and complain that I don't understand you. The fact is I understand you all to well. You are an intellectual bully, and you're mad that I am not impressed.

Anytime you want to return to civil debate, I am ready to respond, but please spare me your insults, they don't do anything but make you look petty.

And since your big beef is that the thread has strayed(I disagree), let me take this opportunity to state simply what I have beeen trying to reason out rationally.

Does Atheism make sense to me? Yes.

Well the point of these sorts of thread isn't to simply answer a question, or else why do we have an entire forum for debate and discussions?

Basically, you use a question as a start off point to move along deeper into the topic, not paddle around the edges like kids. It's the difference between doing an essay as a 10 year old school kid and doing one as a 25 year old post grad student. Personally, I'd prefer something more like post grad level analysis... You know, where you could be given a sentence like "I am a fish" and write a 200 page novella about it? :)

Obviously that's cartoonishly extreme, but approaching subjects with a more slightly more adult level of enquiry would be appreciated. No need to go post grad, but no kid's stuff either ;)
-Oh, I did say that rant wasn't directed at anyone in particular too, just a frustrated reaction to the tail chasing here.

You see, initial questions can almost never be lame, especially if the premise is serious, it's how you approach them that matters.

Just to ask again though; this "debate" is tuckered out? Tired from tail chasing? All played out with no more to go? The horse died some time ago and its carcass has been well and truly beaten flat?
If so, we can close and move to better things :)

I'm cool like that

Okiedokie then :)