tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3381224391260954323.post6239869566613931586..comments2023-05-26T01:08:22.886-07:00Comments on The Religion Virus: Most Atheists are RIGHT: Religion really does cause violenceCraig A. Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10569974341270668010noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3381224391260954323.post-40159364581714314162008-11-04T15:03:00.000-08:002008-11-04T15:03:00.000-08:00It isn't religion that is inherently bad or malici...It isn't religion that is inherently bad or malicious (though it cannot be denied that most religious texts carry terrible moral instruction), what is most troubling is that people are very made to believe something w/out question. They are told that faith is a virtue, though it is more an abandonment of critical thought. Once you open the door for blind faith, for corroded critical though processes you are more susceptible to suggestion. You can be implanted with racist and caste notions, and you deny the moral lessons that could be learned by observing the plight of your fellow man.<BR/><BR/>just to start things off right :) any discussion needs qualification of terms, just so we're on the same page:<BR/><BR/>As has been clearly stated before Atheism is not a belief, it is the state of not having belief.<BR/><BR/>categorization:<BR/>atheist= having no belief in a greater being/beings<BR/>theist= having belief in a greater being/beings<BR/>subcategories of theist-<BR/>monotheist= having belief in ONE greater being in exclusion of all others<BR/>polytheist= having belief in MANY greater beings<BR/>pantheism= having belief in ONE greater being that manifests itself as all creation, including entities of great power with seeming separate, even opposing, qualities.<BR/><BR/>nonexclusive categorization:<BR/>gnostic = having (of having the belief of having) "proof" or knowledge of the existence of a greater being/beings<BR/>agnostic = having (of having the belief of having) NO "proof" or knowledge of the existence of a greater being/beings<BR/><BR/>thus it is possible to be classified as:<BR/>Gnostic Polytheist = having 'proof' that verifies the belief in the existence greater beings<BR/>Agnostic Monotheist = having no 'proof' in the existence of ONE greater being in the exclusion of all others, yet maintaining belief in that entity<BR/>Gnostic Atheism = having 'proof' that verifies the non-existence of greater beings, thus negating belief in greater beings<BR/>Agnostic Atheism = having no 'proof' that verifies the non-existence of greater beings while maintaining no belief in greater beings<BR/><BR/>"proof" is in quotation marks because it is evidence that may be spurious or unfounded, though held as truth for the possessor of said proof. Gnosticism is knowing, having a knowledge, to support your belief. If that knowledge is from a spurious or imaginary source, well then it is just that more difficult for others to discount. Some people fabricate evidence that verifies the non-existence of a greater being, just as some fabricate evidence that verifies the existence of the self-same greater beings. Just because someone believes that the evidence is irrefutable does not make it beyond refute.<BR/><BR/>Gnostic Atheism is not in-fact an oxymoron. Just as someone can believe based on unfounded evidence, so too can someone not believe based on unfounded evidence. It doesn't speak to the Atheist as being particularly critical in their thinking, but it does not make the category moot.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com