[All_¥our_Bass]

Originally Posted by SolNiger

That's a very good read. As an agnostic I find Atheists self-righteous opinions extremely irritating.

[JBroll]

As an autotheist I find agnostics' smug superiority complex and assumptions about my self-righteousness extremely irritating.

Jeff

[All_¥our_Bass]

Originally Posted by Metal Ken

To prove a point? I Don't see whats wrong with that. On top of it, they got a free book. I'd openly deny god for a free book.

[Nick]

Originally Posted by The Dark Wolf

But maybe not. Nick thinks my belief in God is ridiculous... (I have many reasons for belief in God. Some logical, some empirical, some personal. Einstein himself believed in God, and there is an eminently logical, rational mind. ) Yet I don't think his lack of belief in God is ridiculous. In fact, I respect his views and opinions, just like I hope he respects mine.

like i said, im cool with people believing what they want to if it enhances their life in some way then great .

[The Dark Wolf]

Originally Posted by Nick

like i said, im cool with people believing what they want to if it enhances their life in some way then great .

And that is the sum of wisdom, my friend.

[Carrion]

Originally Posted by JBroll

As an autotheist I find agnostics' smug superiority complex and assumptions about my self-righteousness extremely irritating.

Jeff

As a pantheist I...

[hairychris]

Does Apathist count?

If so, I'm there...!

[noodles]

As a moderator, I find this thread derailing.

[JBroll]

Originally Posted by noodles

As a moderator, I find this thread derailing.

As a derailer, I find this thread too moderate.

Jeff

[Variant]

Originally Posted by hairychris

It's a funny old argument and it seems like the person quoted by the OP needs to sort their definitions out.... I'm with Nick's view, on the whole, and would like to chuck a couple of things out:

1) Some atheists can be annoying and self-righteous, yes. But they never claim to have an answer for everything like their theist equivalents.

2) Atheism is not a positive belief. It's simply the lack of 'theism'. I suppose these militant atheists should really be called antitheists!

3) (A)gnosticism is to do with knowledge, (a)theism is to do with belief. I am an 'agnostic atheist' - I don't know whether there's a god or not, and therefore I don't believe in one. However the chances of this god, if it does exist, being the one describes by x prophet in y holy book is passing slim.

4) People who call themselves pure agnostics are trying to avoid the question. 'I don't know' is not a logical answer to the question 'do you believe in a god?'!!

Actually I've just read the quote from the OP again. It's bollocks. The author is confusing atheism as a concept with atheists as people. What religious believers don't tend to understand is that the only thing that can be said as being common to atheists is their lack of theism. There is no positive belief structure to atheism.

By positive I don't mean good, only active belief (I believe in god in the same way that I collect stamps as a hobby). You can use this lack of belief as a starting point for other things, but in itself it's nothing. I may not collect stamps but I do read books in the time that I spend not admiring the morning's post.

And as for thinking that believers are crazy... well, look at the many unfounded claims of religions and ask if, taken out of the religious context, these claims could be taken seriously. As an answer to this just look at how believers of one religion look at the beliefs of people in another!

This post is chock full of win! +rep to you sir.