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That is incorrect
Theists believe gods exist, that is an assertion that bares the burden of proof.
Atheists disagree with the above assertion, but that is not saying that god does not exist. Think of it as an I do not know.
Now if an atheist says there is no god... now that atheist bares the burden of proof as well.
In disagreeing with an assertion are you not stating god does not exist?
I do not know that there is no GOD... but the god you define and believe in I know does not exist.
Then your belief is self defeating because in order to know that my God doesn’t exist you would need enough true knowledge about my God to know Him.
Then your belief is self defeating as well sir
"In disagreeing with an assertion are you not stating god does not exist?"
No, rejecting a claim is not the same as claiming the opposite. Again the best analogy is criminal court and a jury,
1. The claim is an accusation of guilt.
2. Innocence is a default position until guilt is proved beyond a reasonable doubt.
3. The jury have to determine whether guilt (the claim) has been sufficiently proved.
4. The jury are under no obligation to determine innocence, only if the claim has been properly evidenced.
5. A juror can maintain a disbelief in the claim (guilt) as sufficient evidence has not been presented, but still not know whther the accuse is innocent.
This then is analogous to the claim a deity exists, one can disbelieve the claim as insufficiently evidenced without knowing whether the claim is true or not. it's also important here to understand that analogy is imperfect because the god claim makes unfalsifiable claims about the supernatural.
How can an atheist be an atheist if he says there is no good? That statement violates the "absence of belief" clause for atheism.
Only if we appeal to absolute certainty.
That sounds awfully made up. But suppose there is a person absolutely certain that God doesn't exist. Is he an atheist?
Can anyone be absolutely certain?
I don't see why not. Certainty seems subjective and opinion-based. There are people who are absolutely certain they are god, despite you and I thinking otherwise. Perhaps a better question would be why bring up absolute certainty, if you don't believe it's possible? That's why all this seems awfully made up.
Are you absolutely certain your particular god is real?
Nope, so what does that make me?
Human
Are you absolutely certain of that? Actually I have a better question. If you're not absolutely certain God doesn't exist. Sure you can place the burden of proof on me, but regardless of how well or badly I can defend my religion, you technically can't say my beliefs are wrong. Since you're not absolutely certain they are wrong. Right?
So again I do back to the answer... does god exist!
I do not know
I am saying I do not know, you are saying he does.
Right, therefore you can't say my belief is wrong.
The only correct belief is I do not know
How can you challenge me to a debate when you don't even know what the right answer is? Are we having a debate about who doesn't know the most?
this is only on the topic of "does god exist" this in no way is talking about Jesus, the Bible, Christian morals...when it comes to the over all question does (A) god or gods exist my answer is I do not know. Now if you want to debate over the god of the Bible I have no issue saying I know he doesn't exist!
Is there a particular god you're uncertain about? Perhaps a particular religion you're not absolutely certain is false?
No
So you're absolutely certain every claim ever made about god is false. But somehow, you're still not sure there isn't a god. Are you pulling your concept of god from a particular personal philosophy?
How can i reject every big foot claim ever made, but not be certain there isn't a big foot? What is there left to be uncertain about after I reject everything?
If someone says they know what the lottery numbers will be tomorrow you can say:"I don't believe you. " or "how do you know that? " without claiming that you, yourself do know what they are going to be.
I'm not sure this relates to the discussion. Explain the parallel?
You said:"How can i reject every big foot claim ever made, but not be certain there isn't a big foot? What is there left to be uncertain about after I reject everything?"
Now insert my lottery analogy.
Right but it doesn't quiet match up. We know that irrespective of the winner, a lottery number will always be announced. You may not believe the person when they say they know what the number will be, yet you know that even by luck they may have guessed right.
There is no mythical lottery going around, in which big foots, goblins, and fairies are chosen at random to exist. If you reject all claims of big foot, you've rejected big foot. Big foot can't exist outside the claims about it, and neither can god.
Put it this way. If I tell you I just saw a creature, that was half cat half lettuce, which I'll call the Catlettuce, and you say I'm lying.. By rejecting the only claim you've ever heard of a Catlettuce, you've rejected the idea of a Catlettuce entirely. It doesn't make sense to reject my claim, but suddenly be open to the possibility that a Catlettuce exists. It also doesn't make sense to reject all known claims about god, but still be open to the possibility of a god.
"That sounds awfully made up. But suppose there is a person absolutely certain that God doesn't exist. Is he an atheist?"
Yes. Have you heard the phrase all thumbs are fingers but not all fingers are thumbs? It applies here. Claims to knowledge, correct or otherwise, do not determine whether someone is an atheist or not. They are an atheist if they don't believe in a deity or deities, irrespective of what they claim to know about the claim a deity or deities exist.
By definition an atheist does not believe a god exists.
"If you believe God doesn't exist, you're not an atheist"
NOUN
Disbelief or lack of belief in the existence of God or gods.
Sigh...
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