SI
SI
discoversearch

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor.  We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community.  If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.
Pastimes : Let's Talk About Our Feelings!!!
 Public ReplyPrvt ReplyMark as Last ReadFilePrevious 10Next 10PreviousNext  
To: E who wrote (25125)10/1/1998 4:57:00 PM
From: Rick Julian  Read Replies (2) of 108807
 
E,

Your interpretation of my post demonstrates the difficulty of deists and atheists engaging in meaningful and constructive discussion about the matters at hand: most atheists can't competently debate these issues because their knowledge base of spiritual thought from around the world in its many and varied forms--from literal understanding of scripture, to the symbolic and metaphoric meaning of such scripture, to esoteric notions which augment and expand the notions of said scripture--most atheists must plead utter ignorance. Yet I can easily adopt the atheist position with one simple sentence: "I don't believe in god." Ipso facto, I've recited the bulk of atheistic thought.

Good debaters are prepared with a fundamental knowledge of both the pro and con stances. I have yet to encounter an atheist who comes prepared with enough knowledge of my position to make a discussion fruitful, while I feel completely competent to assume the atheist position. Most intelligent believers have wrestled with doubt and it provides more than adequate training to assume the atheistic stance. Personally, I find atheism to be intellectual somnambulism, with atheists assuming a passive role in allowing science to dictate to them the nature of reality--a reality defined by instruments of measure (as though a spectrum analysis of the color blue is anything remotely close to the vision of the color itself.)

Please prove me wrong about my assumption that most atheists' familiarity with the canon of spiritual thought is embarrassingly shallow. Would you briefly share a portion of your spiritual reading list (Christianity, Taoism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism . . .)? If you will, then I will begin to couch our conversation in specific terms you can relate to and understand.

Rick
Report TOU ViolationShare This Post
 Public ReplyPrvt ReplyMark as Last ReadFilePrevious 10Next 10PreviousNext  

HomeMailHotSubjectMarksPeopleMarksKeepersSettings
Terms Of UseContact UsCopyright/IP PolicyPrivacy PolicyAbout UsFAQAdvertise on SI
© 2025 Knight Sac Media.  Data provided by Twelve Data, Alpha Vantage, and CityFALCON News