Theologicamol Questions

[Keith Whitener]

If Atheism is lack of belief, what differentiates it from agnosticism?

[Pastor Josh]

I enjoy reading Alvin Plantinga and Richard Swinburne because they're so interestingly wrong.

I haven't read either.  What are they wrong about?

[Pastor Josh]

If Atheism is lack of belief, what differentiates it from agnosticism?

I might be wrong here,  but my understanding is that an agnostic, meaning "without knowledge" in Greek, claims that knowledge of God is impossible, and then usually conclude that it is an irrelevant question.  Alternatively, an atheist, meaning "godless" in Greek, claims that there is no God. 

[Come on, Jason]

Which FOT thread would a just god prefer, this one or this one?

[erika]

If Atheism is lack of belief, what differentiates it from agnosticism?

I might be wrong here,  but my understanding is that an agnostic, meaning "without knowledge" in Greek, claims that knowledge of God is impossible, and then usually conclude that it is an irrelevant question.  Alternatively, an atheist, meaning "godless" in Greek, claims that there is no God. 

Right. Atheists don't believe in god at all and agnostics realize that you can't prove whether or not god exists. So rather than say "there is no way that god exists" they just sort of say "god might exist but we'll never know" which seems pretty reasonable to me.

[Steve of Bloomington]

I believe atheism can also mean just non-religious.  However since the word is 'loaded' a lot of people opt for agnostic instead.

atheism can mean 'without a theism' or 'an ism without a the'.  Or something.

[yesno]

I enjoy reading Alvin Plantinga and Richard Swinburne because they're so interestingly wrong.

I haven't read either.  What are they wrong about?

They operate from premises I do not share, and do not treat their opponents' ideas charitably.

[Pastor Josh]

I believe atheism can also mean just non-religious.  However since the word is 'loaded' a lot of people opt for agnostic instead.

atheism can mean 'without a theism' or 'an ism without a the'.  Or something.

I'm not sure that's right.   I read a lot of skpeitcal/scientific blogs, many of which are written by atheists.  Most of them are careful to maintain a distinction between non-religious and atheistic.  Technically you may be right, but it seems an important distinction.  Non-religious people can have wacky ideas about past lives and spirit mediums and what not; it simply means they aren't part of an organized religion.  Atheists make a positive claim about the nature of the universe.

[DoodleJump!]

Which FOT thread would a just god prefer, this one or this one?

This is the first time I've read that other thread- and
 

Sorry, Bonnie. I couldn't resist

I can't see what the sign was! Poo. Too late.

[chrisfoll577]

This is the first time I've read that other thread- and
 

Sorry, Bonnie. I couldn't resist

I can't see what the sign was! Poo. Too late.

If I recall, I think it had something to do with your band.

[DoodleJump!]

This is the first time I've read that other thread- and
 

Sorry, Bonnie. I couldn't resist

I can't see what the sign was! Poo. Too late.

If I recall, I think it had something to do with your band.

Ah, makes sense! Thanks!
and sorry for the break in thread-thought, Pastor Josh.

[iAmBaronVonTito]

i am enjoying reading this thread.

[Phantom Hugger]

This is the first time I've read that other thread- and
 

Sorry, Bonnie. I couldn't resist

I can't see what the sign was! Poo. Too late.

[ben]

Yep.  So?

Eye for an eye?  I never said that, you did.  Why are you so angry over a harmless post?

Oh I'm not angry just giving you a hard time.

I'm really sorry too.  Sorry to everyone.  REALLY.  And sorry most to you and Dave.  Sorry Dave.  I was just being a jerk.

And I am sorry if my response was too snippy. It's been a tough month (and I am almost at the end of being able to use that as an excuse any more, so something tragic's probably about to happen to me.)

I will say that I find Pastor Josh's response to me to err slightly on the side of dismissiveness; I am faced with a youth leader who wants to take MY CHILDREN to the creation museum in Kentucky, because he believes the Adam and Eve stories, and the flood story to be LITERALLY TRUE. It probably drives me as crazy as random capitalization probably drives OTHER people crazy.

In other words, people in positions of authority in my church use crazy backwards approaches to biblical inerrancy to defend their actions. I need help in addressing these folks without seeming all condescending about it, so even though Pastor Josh told me these are the "wrong questions", they are answers I could sincerely use help with.

Anyways, Ben, you're great, you keep doing what you're doing. Pastor Josh, I am thrilled that you are here and that you engage openly with people from backgrounds different from your own. I got my first kiss, at age 4, in a performance of the Night Before Christmas in the basement of a United Methodist Church, one of my many fond memories.

I did not remember that part from earlier in the thread about the 'wrong questions' - I understand your response Dave and that might drive me crazy as well.  With the economic downturn and unemployment I've been going through a lot too - I know you've been going through even more though, and send you my best wishes.  stay strong, buddy. 

all the best to everyone

ben

[Steve of Bloomington]

That Creation Museum in Kentucky is insane.

I know 'cuz we went.  It was a journalistic kind of thing.

Were I Dave From K-ville, I'd have similar reservations.