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Replying to post 45 by theophile]
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At least 3 atheists know how to play nice and share their toys with other girls and boys[/center]
theophile wrote:
I'm asking atheists to actually provide a substantive position. If not theism, then what?
That is my question. It is not asking atheists to define every possible belief but what it is that
they believe, and if they refuse to use that word, then what it is that they
think.
But you have to realize that at least SOME atheists think about the questions you ask below. It's as if you can't imagine that we do.
I won't do that joke pizza thing.. I promise.
theophile wrote:
Again, to reiterate my questions:
- On what vision of the world we should work towards.
Human flourishing.
theophile wrote:
On what values we should base our decisions and actions.
Human flourishing.
theophile wrote:
On how we should interact with each other.
In a way that enhances the human flourishing.
theophile wrote:
On what the relationship should be between man and woman, human and animal, human and world more broadly.
I don't think that the animals have any philosophy. We should treat animals in a "humane" way, I suppose. As to each other.. Let's increase the human flourishing.. and reduce the human suffering.
Are any of my answers agreeable to you?
theophile wrote:
Table stakes to be able to question is to have something to question.
But I think you want to debate some secular moralist, and perhaps, in the philosophy section. These questions have nothing to do with "god beliefs", of course.
theophile wrote:
Sorry if this is too elementary for you, but it's the way it is.
We are all on different levels.
It might be very important to some theists to actually hear how atheists think. Since atheists don't think about "God"... our thinking might seem very alien.
I can assure you that we are quite human.
theophile wrote:
I don't question atheists here because atheists don't provide substantive positions of their own in the place of theism.
I think that a lot of secular people ( people with no beliefs in "God" ) have been turning to the principles of humanism. That's the kind of thing that most atheist I know of are talking about these days. But we can believe in gods and STILL be a humanist... I know a lot of theists around here who are humanists.
It's only some fundamentalists who will insist that we can't be "good" if we don't believe in their idea of a god or a goddess.
Are you falling for that one?
By looking at your questions, it's almost as if you are skeptical that atheists can be good people. I assure you that at least three of us are.
If you have any follow up questions, don't be shy.
At least you are trying to ask questions.
I give you points for that
theophile wrote:
They just assault theism (and thus theists tend only to defend in conversations with them).
Theists are the ones making the claims.
Asking people to DEFEND their wonderful claims isn't an "assault".
Maybe you should stop with the WAR metaphor, and think of debates as a way to understand one another and to reach AGREEMENTS.
This isn't a war.
i am not attacking you.
If you don't think that theism can be flawed, it's going to be a problem when we point out problems with it. A lot of theists come in here, try to preach, and then get clobbered with challenging questions. A lot of them get offended by that kind of thing, and leave.
How DARE we challenge their cherished beliefs?...
Some of them stay and just dig in for the long haul. No real understanding happens with someone like that. I'd like to promote a better way.
I ask difficult questions...
Some people choose to answer them some do not.
That's up to the individuals.
Some people are actually INTERESTED in the answers. Some people don't care about what other people think. When someone never asks me questions, I figure that they don't care about what I think. It's just an observation.
I get a lot of that in here.
Hence, this sub-forum.