Citizen Bob wrote:
> On Sun, 31 Dec 2006 02:13:48 GMT, "Mike Painter"
>
sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>>>>>> Like claiming that God does not exist.
>
>>>> Atheism is not a claim,
>
>>> Atheists can and do make claims.
>
>>>> The only one making a claim in this case is YOU.
>
>>> So you claim, Septic. Doh! Self-refute much?
>
>>If there was any relation between "Atheism is not a claim," and "Atheists
>>can and do make claims." your statement might be valid.
>
> Atheism is the claim that God does not exist, and atheists make that
> claim.
>
That is only a claim that some atheists make. It is not a claim made
by all atheists.
> Atheists try to weasel word by saying atheism is a lack of belief in
> God. That's still a claim however you make it.
>
It is a different claim.
Claim 1: God does not exist.
Claim 2: I lack belief in God.
Those are two very distinct claims that mean completely different
things. The first is a statement with god as the subject. The second
is a statement with self as the subject.
Atheists claim #2. Some atheists claim #1.
> And as a claim it must be justifed rationally otherwise it's an
> ideology based on emotion and not reason.
The first claim is a negative that cannot be proven. It has yet to be
disproven.
The second claim is testable through experimentation. Ask an atheist:
"Do you lack belief in god?" If the answer is 'true' for all atheists,
then the claim is supported.
> It is based on intense
> anti-religious bigotry.
>
Hmm.... a sweeping accusation of bigotry. Isn't a sweeping (negative)
generalization a symptom of prejudice, which in turn is a
characteristic of bigotry?
Are you accusing any particular individuals of anti-religious bigotry?
Are all such accusations justified? If any one such is not, would that
not constitute an ad hom? Re: your 'Sport' discussed in other posts:
If an unjustified accusation is cast upon a whole set of people, do we
add up all the 'ad hom' attacks as individual losses in the scorebook?
Seems to be a high risk scoring strategy to cast sweeping negative
aspersions. On one hand it is likely to stimulate ad hom attacks in
response - but it may constitute such in itself.
