Not believing is dogmatism

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Wootah
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Not believing is dogmatism

Post #1

Post by Wootah »

If you deny something you are dogmatic.

True/false?

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bernee51
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Re: Not believing is dogmatism

Post #2

Post by bernee51 »

Wootah wrote:If you deny something you are dogmatic.

True/false?
Is not believing the same as denying?

Your topic title: Not believing is dogmatism

Then you ask about denial?

What goalposts?
"Whatever you are totally ignorant of, assert to be the explanation of everything else"

William James quoting Dr. Hodgson

"When I see I am nothing, that is wisdom. When I see I am everything, that is love. My life is a movement between these two."

Nisargadatta Maharaj

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Wootah
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Post #3

Post by Wootah »

Not believing in X where X is anything. How wide do you want the goal posts?

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McCulloch
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Re: Not believing is dogmatism

Post #4

Post by McCulloch »

Wootah wrote:If you deny something you are dogmatic.

True/false?
Implications if such a statement were true:
  • Those who deny that Sri Guru Granth Sahib1 describe the qualities of God and why one should meditate on God's name, are dogmatic.
  • Those who deny that the Sun goes around the Earth are dogmatic.
  • Those who deny that the Earth goes around the Sun are dogmatic.
  • Those who deny the healing ministry of Jim Jones are dogmatic.
  • Those who deny the evidence of evolution are dogmatic.
I do not believe that the label of dogmatism should be applied quite that widely.

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1 Insert the name of any religious text: Kitáb-i-�qán; New Testament; Tanakh, Talmud; Book of Mormon, Pearl of Great Price, Doctrine and Covenants; Rasa'il al-hikmah; numerous Vedas, Tantras and Sutras; Qur'an, Hadith; Holy Piby; Dianetics; Book of Shadows ...

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Re: Not believing is dogmatism

Post #5

Post by EduChris »

Wootah wrote:If you deny something you are dogmatic.

True/false?
If there are a limited number of options, and if one of those options must be true, and if the available evidence for each of the options is roughly equivalent, then it would be just as dogmatic to deny or affirm any of the options.

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bernee51
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Post #6

Post by bernee51 »

Wootah wrote:Not believing in X where X is anything. How wide do you want the goal posts?
you can put them wherever you like...just don't move them after they are placed.

Are denial and disbelief equivalent terms?
"Whatever you are totally ignorant of, assert to be the explanation of everything else"

William James quoting Dr. Hodgson

"When I see I am nothing, that is wisdom. When I see I am everything, that is love. My life is a movement between these two."

Nisargadatta Maharaj

sarabellum

Hi....

Post #7

Post by sarabellum »

This question has caused me some contemplation over the past few days....

IMO the "spirit" of the word "dogmatic" is lost when the definition is stretched this far...

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Question Everything
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Re: Hi....

Post #8

Post by Question Everything »

sarabellum wrote:This question has caused me some contemplation over the past few days....

IMO the "spirit" of the word "dogmatic" is lost when the definition is stretched this far...
I agree. For example, I deny the existence of any two integers that exactly equal the square root of two when one of them is divided by another.

Am I dogmatic?
"Oh, you can''t get through seminary and come out believing in God!"

current pastor who is a closet atheist
quoted by Daniel Dennett.

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Irregardless
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Re: Not believing is dogmatism

Post #9

Post by Irregardless »

Wootah wrote:If you deny something you are dogmatic.

True/false?
I deny that and anyone that disagrees with me is wrong.

On a more serious note... it is not true simply because of the meaning of the word. If I say that you stole my car and you deny it (because you didn't) would this make you dogmatic?

Not believing in a claim until sufficient evidence has been provided is not dogmatic. If anything it should be the default position of everyone, especially regarding religion.

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Post #10

Post by bjs »

Generally speaking a person is not being dogmatic when she denies something any more than a person is being dogmatic when she believes something. A person can believe or deny something in a dogmatic fashion, but the words themselves do not require that someone is being dogmatic.
Understand that you might believe. Believe that you might understand. –Augustine of Hippo

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