Tell me you read Numbers more than once. With a straight face…
You cant observe God e.g. with instruments.
You can observe the text of any religious book, and none claim to be written by anyone but humans. They can claim that they read something into the texts, or that they tell us something about divinity, but nothing directly.
that’s two categories; knowledge based in derivative information, and let us say ‘meta-knowledge’ NOT based in derivative information = belief.
Morphy - No disrespect, but so what? So what if he got some humans on the payroll to write books for him? The guy who pays the hit man is still guilty of murder. I’m with you on your conclusion, but philosophy isn’t about the conclusions. It’s about the arguments.
Religious people believe in magic.
Faust, I’m curious.
I have always held that Atheists have an actual legitimate complaint (not claim, merely complaint). I have never bothered to mention it because common atheists are so busy spouting nonsense. I somewhat stopped defending Christians for a similar (although not identical) reason (when everyone is being stupid, which side does one stand on?). I am curious, considering your theme in this thread if you can identify the Atheist’s truly legitimate complaint against the other religions … ?
Why wouldn’t a good, non-political atheist argue with theist assertions and arguments. Once an issue is on the table, the lack sets up a response.
I can see deciding that good atheists would not go on a crusade, taking on the burden and the initiative, but from there I don’t get it.
The complaint is that christianity and religion are ruining the world and have been since they started. They SLOW down the natural human advancement.
The problem with that complaint is that it seems to be clearly wrong. The most scientifically and technologically advanced nations all have Judeo-Christian roots. They are also the most democratic, healthy, and economically prosperous.
Go do some history. I just did some, and it showed what you just said is wrong.
Well that explains everything and certainly puts me in my place. 
Seriously, go do the history… You will see how far behind we really are due to religion.
So just to be clear : you have done this research and you have reached certain conclusions but you will only tell me the conclusions. You won’t give me the data, reasoning and logic behind it. You expect me to replicate your research.
Their writings speak for themselves.
Hopefully, Faust has a less idiotic response.
It may look idiotic to an idiot.
Could you specifically say which part of what he wrote is incorrect and how you determined this.
Of course even those who believe in one or another denominational God are atheists with regard to all the other ones.
Wouldn’t they have to be?
Or does that get tricky?
I don’t know why this statement gets so much air time. It makes no sense simply based on the definition of theist/atheist.
It’s like saying that a married guy is a bachelor with respect to every woman except his own wife.
=D>
I made a thread which shows in history that we could have been much farther than we are right now, had people not given into creating false answers.
Genius figures in history that invoke creationism/god to satisfy their not knowing. Reaching the limits of their knowledge and discovery.
So no, it is not clearly wrong. Just because a nation is advanced thanks to SCIENCE, doesn’t mean they could not have been even farther if not for obstacles.