Sibboleth
Labour
'Sit on my finger, sing in my ear, O littleblood.'
Posts: 15,805
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Post by Sibboleth on Jun 21, 2015 18:10:41 GMT
I think that would mostly depend on how you defined the term.
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Post by Davıd Boothroyd on Jun 21, 2015 20:23:31 GMT
A group of people only has any meaning when there is something linking the members of that group. People are never linked by the absence of a characteristic possessed by others. Viz: 'People whose hobby isn't collecting stamps' is not a group. If we're defining atheism as a simple lack of religious belief then your arguments are actually quite correct. But if we're using the word as a shorthand for (say) anti-clericalism, secularism and so on (as is often done in English, like it or not), then that would be a different matter. 'Lack of religious belief' is exactly how I'm defining atheism. Anti-clericalism and secularism are most definitely not the same thing at all.
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Post by greenchristian on Jun 21, 2015 20:26:09 GMT
'Lack of religious belief' is exactly how I'm defining atheism. You think that atheism has nothing to do with not believing in the existence of God?
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J.G.Harston
Lib Dem
Leave-voting Brexit-supporting Liberal Democrat
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Post by J.G.Harston on Jun 21, 2015 20:34:52 GMT
If we're defining atheism as a simple lack of religious belief then your arguments are actually quite correct. But if we're using the word as a shorthand for (say) anti-clericalism, secularism and so on (as is often done in English, like it or not), then that would be a different matter. It's fairly clear that (for instance) the Dechristianisation of France (which can be argued to be one of the world's first truly modern atrocities) was motivated by deeply held beliefs and that it would be very silly to claim that it was not carried out by a group. But surely you can be religious and anti-clerical? Quakers. You can also be an athiest and a Quaker.
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Post by Davıd Boothroyd on Jun 21, 2015 20:51:45 GMT
'Lack of religious belief' is exactly how I'm defining atheism. You think that atheism has nothing to do with not believing in the existence of God? It is a word used to describe the lack of a belief. The 'a' in atheist comes from the Greek negative. So it simply means not being a theist. Some who are atheists are so because they have a belief that there is no god.
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Post by greenchristian on Jun 21, 2015 20:57:57 GMT
You think that atheism has nothing to do with not believing in the existence of God? It is a word used to describe the lack of a belief. The 'a' in atheist comes from the Greek negative. So it simply means not being a theist. Some who are atheists are so because they have a belief that there is no god. I was replying to a post where you said it was a "lack of religious belief". And there are religions which do not require a belief in God. Buddhism being the largest.
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Post by carlton43 on Jun 21, 2015 21:16:10 GMT
But surely you can be religious and anti-clerical? Quakers. You can also be an athiest and a Quaker. Maybe! But surely not an atheist?
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Post by carlton43 on Jun 21, 2015 21:18:46 GMT
'Lack of religious belief' is exactly how I'm defining atheism. You think that atheism has nothing to do with not believing in the existence of God? My deconstruction algorithm is still working on your essential point!
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jun 21, 2015 21:38:31 GMT
Quakers. You can also be an athiest and a Quaker. Maybe! But surely not an atheist? A lot of British Quakers are nontheist. Perhaps(?) even around half, depending on how you define it. (Though this is not true amongst Quakers in most of the rest of the world).
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Post by East Anglian Lefty on Jun 22, 2015 9:35:43 GMT
Arguments about whether or not it's rational to have faith strike me as a clear category error. You can believe it is rational to have faith (indeed most with faith will do so, because who likes to think their deepest beliefs are irrational?) but faith is not dependent upon rational calculation. They're two different yardsticks.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jun 22, 2015 16:51:11 GMT
Can you set up your own thread on the off topic page please gentleman, as I keep thinking there is a new poll but instead it is your discussion in regards to religion.
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Post by Davıd Boothroyd on Jul 3, 2015 13:57:13 GMT
ComRes for Daily Mail:
Con 39% (-2) Lab 27% (-2) Lib Dem 9% (+1) UKIP 11% (+1) SNP 5% (NC) Green 6% (+1)
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The Bishop
Labour
Down With Factionalism!
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Post by The Bishop on Jul 4, 2015 9:18:09 GMT
Yeah, whatever.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jul 31, 2015 8:28:16 GMT
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Post by Andrew_S on Aug 16, 2015 21:44:31 GMT
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Post by MeirionGwril on Aug 17, 2015 4:35:07 GMT
The latest Comes poll also puts the Conservatives 9 pets ahead of Labour in Scotland. If Labour were in power would they be saying that they had no right to pass laws over Scotland? Me thinks not. Typical of the tories to have more pets that anyone else....
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The Bishop
Labour
Down With Factionalism!
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Post by The Bishop on Aug 17, 2015 9:27:45 GMT
I think that is more ComedyResults living up to its name again than anything meaningful, tbh.
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Post by Davıd Boothroyd on Aug 17, 2015 9:33:57 GMT
It's the Scottish crossbreak within a UK-wide poll. So the sample in Scotland will have been tiny and as always, the crossbreaks are not subject to any correction for being a skewed sample.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2015 10:02:47 GMT
link to breakdownThought you might be interested in the breakdown of the earlier tables Most telling and
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Post by Davıd Boothroyd on Aug 18, 2015 15:40:18 GMT
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