Comments on: Assertions Are Easy http://www.rationalitynow.com/blog/2009/09/24/assertions-are-easy/ Promoting rational thought above dogma. Mon, 19 Jul 2010 19:42:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Dan http://www.rationalitynow.com/blog/2009/09/24/assertions-are-easy/comment-page-1/#comment-690 Dan Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:20:19 +0000 http://www.rationalitynow.com/blog/?p=1467#comment-690 The "learn something new" aspect is one of the things that really helps for me. Sometimes I'll hear something that seems suspect, and in the case of researching it, I'll find out all kinds of great information that I otherwise would never have found. I agree about putting the onus on them, but the problem is that what they consider "proof" is generally not what any reasonable scientist would consider proof. ie... "Just look at the beautiful trees! How can you think God doesn't exist when such beauty is all around us!" Ummm... The “learn something new” aspect is one of the things that really helps for me. Sometimes I’ll hear something that seems suspect, and in the case of researching it, I’ll find out all kinds of great information that I otherwise would never have found.

I agree about putting the onus on them, but the problem is that what they consider “proof” is generally not what any reasonable scientist would consider proof. ie… “Just look at the beautiful trees! How can you think God doesn’t exist when such beauty is all around us!”

Ummm…

]]> By: Chris Bloom http://www.rationalitynow.com/blog/2009/09/24/assertions-are-easy/comment-page-1/#comment-689 Chris Bloom Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:10:31 +0000 http://www.rationalitynow.com/blog/?p=1467#comment-689 Great post, but it really points out the futility of arguing with a fundamentalist. I say it's high time we stopped bending over backwards to try to dispute what they say. Stop wasting our time trying to debunk their extraordinary claims. It's time to finally put the onus on them - god exists? prove it. miracles happen? explain them? the fossil record is a lie? prove it? Ah, forget it. I can already see waiting around for a rational answer and sifting through the dogmatic statements would be MORE infuriating than repeating myself over and over and over and over again. I guess I'll stick to rational "debate". At least I am bound to learn something new while debunking them. Great post, but it really points out the futility of arguing with a fundamentalist. I say it’s high time we stopped bending over backwards to try to dispute what they say. Stop wasting our time trying to debunk their extraordinary claims. It’s time to finally put the onus on them – god exists? prove it. miracles happen? explain them? the fossil record is a lie? prove it?

Ah, forget it. I can already see waiting around for a rational answer and sifting through the dogmatic statements would be MORE infuriating than repeating myself over and over and over and over again. I guess I’ll stick to rational “debate”. At least I am bound to learn something new while debunking them.

]]> By: Dan http://www.rationalitynow.com/blog/2009/09/24/assertions-are-easy/comment-page-1/#comment-599 Dan Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:52:02 +0000 http://www.rationalitynow.com/blog/?p=1467#comment-599 I'm diggin' the mantra. :-) I’m diggin’ the mantra. :-)

]]> By: anti_supernaturalist http://www.rationalitynow.com/blog/2009/09/24/assertions-are-easy/comment-page-1/#comment-597 anti_supernaturalist Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:49:57 +0000 http://www.rationalitynow.com/blog/?p=1467#comment-597 <b>a truth that's told with bad intent, beats all the lies you can invent</b> - Blake The concept of ‘belief in…’ allows for the belief claim to be completely idiosyncratic, completely false, completely lacking in evidence. Thus, faith which amounts to trusting some authority, be it person or text, gets on quite well even if one's beliefs are irrational, immoral, manipulative lies — just like all creeds of xianity. Thus a mantra contra xians: <i>You're welcome to your own beliefs, but not your own truths.</i> <i>You're welcome to your own faith, but not your own knowledge.</i> <b>You may not impose your fictions on anyone.</b> the anti_supernaturalist a truth that’s told with bad intent,
beats all the lies you can invent – Blake

The concept of ‘belief in…’ allows for the belief claim to be completely idiosyncratic, completely false, completely lacking in evidence.

Thus, faith which amounts to trusting some authority, be it person or text, gets on quite well even if one’s beliefs are irrational, immoral, manipulative lies — just like all creeds of xianity.

Thus a mantra contra xians:

You’re welcome to your own beliefs, but not your own truths.
You’re welcome to your own faith, but not your own knowledge.
You may not impose your fictions on anyone.

the anti_supernaturalist

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