Biblical Biology, Genesis 30:37-42

[Subduction Zone]

I used that article because i thought @thomas t could relate to a religious writer

But the word's come from Dawkins himself, i did watch the original interview and was quite surprised by his words.

If he cannot be sure, that makes him agnostic or at most a borderline between agnostic and atheist

One can be unsure and still be an atheist. In fact it all but guarantees it. Atheism is just a lack of belief.

 

[ChristineM]

One can be unsure and still be an atheist. In fact it all but guarantees it. Atheism is just a lack of belief.

He prefers to be known as agnostic

 

[Subduction Zone]

He prefers to be known as agnostic

That is fine. Most agnostics are atheists, even if they do not like the title.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

[QUOTE="Subduction Zone, post: 6925100, member: 63191"Atheism is just a lack of belief.[/QUOTE]
Atheism is just a word, and the map is not the territory.

 

[ChristineM]

That is fine. Most agnostics are atheists, even if they do not like the title.

Yup.

 

[thomas t]

For me it does not count so much if someone regards himself as an atheist or an agnostic. For me, it's both "without faith".
Here in the thread, I'm focussed on people who want to persuade people to lose faith in God.

There are far more prominent atheists

Who is that?
I meant atheists or agnostics who are prominent for their criticism with regard to faith.
I'm eager to know whom you consider the most prominent atheist/ the most prominent atheist resource page of the world who are well-known because they criticice faith.

How do you know at least some are not christians liking his FB posts?

he wants to persuade people to lose faith: listen to minute 0:35 of this video here, in which he speaks about people who have "vague yearnings to leave their religion and wish they could". For me it's evident that the whole video is designed for them.

 

[ChristineM]

For me it does not count so much if someone regards himself as an atheist or an agnostic. For me, it's both "without faith".
Here in the thread, I'm focussed on people who want to persuade people to lose faith in God.


Who is that?
I meant atheists or agnostics who are prominent for their criticism with regard to faith.
I'm eager to know whom you consider the most prominent atheist/ the most prominent atheist resource page of the world who are well-known because they criticice faith.

he wants to persuade people to lose faith: listen to minute 0:35 of this video here, in which he speaks about people who have "vague yearnings to leave their religion and wish they could". For me it's evident that the whole video is designed for them.

Not sure anyone wants to persuade anyone to lose their faith, they can tell facts in comparison to belief but usually a none believer doesn't give a damn what someone else believes until they try to force that belief down their throats. Trust me on this, throughout history far more atheists have lost their lives or been attacked to believers than vice versa.


Richard Branson, Bill Gates, Douglas Adams and many more. Ahh, you are moving the goalposts, ok, Voltaire, David Hume, Thomas Paine, Baron d'Holbach....

I really don't think there are any, what you consider prominent atheists. Atheism isn't like that. There may be some self styled critics of religion, they don't do it in the name if atheism but give their own opinion off their own back.

I can give valid criticism without problem when needed. There is so much in the bible that just does not make sense given todays knowledge. That doesn't stop religion trying to force me to accept the errors/faults


So you want to keep people who want to leave religion chained? How sad is that? People have their own right to live as they want so long as its legal.

Do you have any objection to religious people going round in press gangs? Knocking at someone's door and disturbing their peace to "spread the word"?


If your religion cannot stand honest criticism then there is something wrong with the religion, not the critic.

 

[Subduction Zone]

Not sure anyone wants to persuade anyone to lose their faith, they can tell facts in comparison to belief but usually a none believer doesn't give a damn what someone else believes until they try to force that belief down their throats. Trust me on this, throughout history far more atheists have lost their lives or been attacked to believers than vice versa.


Richard Branson, Bill Gates, Douglas Adams and many more. Ahh, you are moving the goalposts, ok, Voltaire, David Hume, Thomas Paine, Baron d'Holbach....

I really don't think there are any, what you consider prominent atheists. Atheism isn't like that. There may be some self styled critics of religion, they don't do it in the name if atheism but give their own opinion off their own back.

I can give valid criticism without problem when needed. There is so much in the bible that just does not make sense given todays knowledge. That doesn't stop religion trying to force me to accept the errors/faults


So you want to keep people who want to leave religion chained? How sad is that? People have their own right to live as they want so long as its legal.

Do you have any objection to religious people going round in press gangs? Knocking at someone's door and disturbing their peace to "spread the word"?


If your religion cannot stand honest criticism then there is something wrong with the religion, not the critic.

How could you forget Hitchins? If anything he was the closest atheist to what the OP was asking about.

 

[Subduction Zone]

Here is one atheist that regularly, and very convincingly, argued against belief.

 

[ChristineM]

How could you forget Hitchins? If anything he was the closest atheist to what the OP was asking about.

I have my own views on Hitchens, not quite Dawkins but i have little doubt he was also in it for the fame and ultimately book sales

 

[Subduction Zone]

I have my own views on Hitchens, not quite Dawkins but i have little doubt he was also in it for the fame and ultimately book sales

Gasp!!. How could you impute anything but the purest of motives for the great Hitch?

Seriously he was human too and sometimes let his personal feelings overrule him. His dislike of certain people he saw as hypocrites, such as Mother Theresa, caused his almost impeccable reasoning to suffer at times.

 

[ChristineM]

Gasp!!. How could you impute anything but the purest of motives for the great Hitch?

Seriously he was human too and sometimes let his personal feelings overrule him. His dislike of certain people he saw as hypocrites, such as Mother Theresa, caused his almost impeccable reasoning to suffer at times.

I was with him on the mother Theresa thing

 

[Subduction Zone]

I was with him on the mother Theresa thing

I am not so sure if Mother Theresa was evil instead of incompetent due to her faith. Her actions were quite often n contradictory and harmed those she wanted to help.

 

[ChristineM]

I am not so sure if Mother Theresa was evil instead of incompetent due to her faith. Her actions were quite often n contradictory and harmed those she wanted to help.

I think she used the poor to promote and expand her fundamentalist Catholicism.

 

[Subduction Zone]

I think she used the poor to promote and expand her fundamentalist Catholicism.

Yes, I am sure that she did.

 

[thomas t]

Not sure anyone wants to persuade anyone to lose their faith, they can tell facts in comparison to belief but usually a none believer doesn't give a damn what someone else believes

I agree, most atheists seem to not want to convert anyone. Dawkins wants to persuade (see video in last post) in contrast.
Dawkins is known for his atheism (agnosticism). Type in Dawkins on youtube... and what you get is his criticism of faith. That's what I call prominent atheist. Hitchens is also a prominent atheist/agnostic, as I would call him.

I still hold that the Bible makes great sense today.

That doesn't stop religion trying to force me to accept the errors/faults

No Christian should force anything on anyone.

So you want to keep people who want to leave religion chained?

no.

If your religion cannot stand honest criticism then there is something wrong with the religion, not the critic.

It can.

in press gangs?

that's not my way of sharing the Gospel.