Comments on: The Four Cs of Atheism http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/06/03/the-four-cs-of-atheism/ by Hemant Mehta Sun, 27 May 2012 21:04:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: John Pritzlaff http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/06/03/the-four-cs-of-atheism/#comment-399218 John Pritzlaff Sun, 22 Nov 2009 11:48:10 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/06/03/the-four-cs-of-atheism/#comment-399218 Brian, Few atheists claim certainty that there is no god. One of the most common misunderstandings about atheism is that it cannot exist side by side with agnosticism. You don't have to have proof that there is no god to be an atheist, and in fact I've never encountered an atheist who claimed proof. Atheism is the neutral position with respect to gods, just as not believing in teapots and unicorns is also neutral. You can't prove that there isn't an extremely small teapot orbiting earth right now, but there is no evidence for it and no reason to believe it. Brian,

Few atheists claim certainty that there is no god. One of the most common misunderstandings about atheism is that it cannot exist side by side with agnosticism. You don’t have to have proof that there is no god to be an atheist, and in fact I’ve never encountered an atheist who claimed proof.

Atheism is the neutral position with respect to gods, just as not believing in teapots and unicorns is also neutral. You can’t prove that there isn’t an extremely small teapot orbiting earth right now, but there is no evidence for it and no reason to believe it.

]]> By: Brian http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/06/03/the-four-cs-of-atheism/#comment-399046 Brian Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:55:58 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/06/03/the-four-cs-of-atheism/#comment-399046 I also must disagree on the first point, but for a different reason: Atheism certainly is not a position that makes no leaps of faith. To say that there is no god takes a leap of faith, as we cannot prove it. To say that you do not know or that you do not care is the only position that requires no leap of faith. I also must disagree on the first point, but for a different reason: Atheism certainly is not a position that makes no leaps of faith. To say that there is no god takes a leap of faith, as we cannot prove it. To say that you do not know or that you do not care is the only position that requires no leap of faith.

]]> By: How will religion ultimately disappear? The death of Christianity, Islam and all the other religions. | Rational Understanding http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/06/03/the-four-cs-of-atheism/#comment-387159 How will religion ultimately disappear? The death of Christianity, Islam and all the other religions. | Rational Understanding Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:02:19 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/06/03/the-four-cs-of-atheism/#comment-387159 [...] the post titled “The Four Cs of Atheism”, it gives us a set of wonderful rules! http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/06/03/the-four-cs-of-atheism/ I will end on this note: we are all perhaps guilty of producing statements that we know will get [...] [...] the post titled “The Four Cs of Atheism”, it gives us a set of wonderful rules! http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/06/03/the-four-cs-of-atheism/ I will end on this note: we are all perhaps guilty of producing statements that we know will get [...]

]]> By: Andy Jewell http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/06/03/the-four-cs-of-atheism/#comment-179967 Andy Jewell Thu, 05 Jun 2008 16:26:28 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/06/03/the-four-cs-of-atheism/#comment-179967 I disagree that atheists are contradiction-free. To the extent that you accept both General Relativity and Quantum, you have a contradiction. A more correct phrasing might be that atheists accept their contradictions and don't try to hide them. Contradictions are the best part of science, because you know that there are exciting new truths right behind them. I disagree that atheists are contradiction-free.

To the extent that you accept both General Relativity and Quantum, you have a contradiction.

A more correct phrasing might be that atheists accept their contradictions and don’t try to hide them.

Contradictions are the best part of science, because you know that there are exciting new truths right behind them.

]]> By: matt http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/06/03/the-four-cs-of-atheism/#comment-179691 matt Thu, 05 Jun 2008 08:09:16 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/06/03/the-four-cs-of-atheism/#comment-179691 I must suggest Christians and Atheist to read this book "<a href="http://jaajoe.com/Books/Book-Review-The-End-of-Reason.html" rel="nofollow">The End of Reason</a>" by Dr. Ravi Zacharias. This book forces the reader's mind to do the critical thinking that is so lacking in Christianity today. It should also be considered required reading for the atheist who has never really looked at a logical argument for the existence of God, or the Christian who has never really critically analyzed his own faith. Check out more information on <a href="http://jaajoe.com/Books/Book-Review-The-End-of-Reason.html" rel="nofollow">The End of Reason here </a> I must suggest Christians and Atheist to read this book “The End of Reason” by Dr. Ravi Zacharias. This book forces the reader’s mind to do the critical thinking that is so lacking in Christianity today. It should also be considered required reading for the atheist who has never really looked at a logical argument for the existence of God, or the Christian who has never really critically analyzed his own faith. Check out more information on The End of Reason here

]]> By: cognitive dissident http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/06/03/the-four-cs-of-atheism/#comment-179205 cognitive dissident Wed, 04 Jun 2008 17:08:11 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/06/03/the-four-cs-of-atheism/#comment-179205 The final three items seem unassailable, but I disagree with the first: Berkshire describes atheism as “conservative” merely because it avoids faith in favor of empiricism. In doing so, he leaps from political conservatism (protection of the status quo and support for religious traditions regardless of the lack of evidence) in his first sentence to a very different general cautious attitude in the second. Calling this aspect of atheism “cautious” would preserve Berkshire’s alliterative list, although “freethinking liberalism” would preserve the political link. Bertrand Russell said it best: <blockquote>“The essence of the Liberal outlook lies not in what opinions are held, but in how they are held: instead of being held dogmatically, they are held tentatively, and with a consciousness that new evidence may at any moment lead to their abandonment. This is the way in which opinions are held in science, as opposed to the way in which they are held in theology. […] Science is empirical, tentative, and undogmatic; all immutable dogma is unscientific. The scientific outlook, accordingly, is the intellectual counterpart of what is, in the practical sphere, the outlook of Liberalism.” (“Philosophy and Politics,” 1950)</blockquote> The final three items seem unassailable, but I disagree with the first: Berkshire describes atheism as “conservative” merely because it avoids faith in favor of empiricism. In doing so, he leaps from political conservatism (protection of the status quo and support for religious traditions regardless of the lack of evidence) in his first sentence to a very different general cautious attitude in the second. Calling this aspect of atheism “cautious” would preserve Berkshire’s alliterative list, although “freethinking liberalism” would preserve the political link. Bertrand Russell said it best:

“The essence of the Liberal outlook lies not in what opinions are held, but in how they are held: instead of being held dogmatically, they are held tentatively, and with a consciousness that new evidence may at any moment lead to their abandonment. This is the way in which opinions are held in science, as opposed to the way in which they are held in theology. […] Science is empirical, tentative, and undogmatic; all immutable dogma is unscientific. The scientific outlook, accordingly, is the intellectual counterpart of what is, in the practical sphere, the outlook of Liberalism.”

(“Philosophy and Politics,” 1950)

]]> By: How will religion ultimately disappear? The death of Christianity, Islam and all the other religions. « Rational Understanding’s Blog http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/06/03/the-four-cs-of-atheism/#comment-179133 How will religion ultimately disappear? The death of Christianity, Islam and all the other religions. « Rational Understanding’s Blog Wed, 04 Jun 2008 15:08:39 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/06/03/the-four-cs-of-atheism/#comment-179133 [...] the post titled “The Four Cs of Atheism”, it gives us a set of wonderful rules! http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/06/03/the-four-cs-of-atheism/ I will end on this note: we are all perhaps guilty of producing statements that we know will get [...] [...] the post titled “The Four Cs of Atheism”, it gives us a set of wonderful rules! http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/06/03/the-four-cs-of-atheism/ I will end on this note: we are all perhaps guilty of producing statements that we know will get [...]

]]> By: Brian E http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/06/03/the-four-cs-of-atheism/#comment-179130 Brian E Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:55:06 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/06/03/the-four-cs-of-atheism/#comment-179130 @Mark: Some people just want to be sheep You nailed it right there, pun intended. This is an excellent article, and I love his 'unconvincing arguments' list. I mailed it out to several people when it was only at 21; I might have to re-visit that. This guy should consider writing a book, if he hasn't already (as I demonstrate my laziness to actually go to Amazon and search...) @Mark: Some people just want to be sheep

You nailed it right there, pun intended.

This is an excellent article, and I love his ‘unconvincing arguments’ list. I mailed it out to several people when it was only at 21; I might have to re-visit that. This guy should consider writing a book, if he hasn’t already (as I demonstrate my laziness to actually go to Amazon and search…)

]]> By: blackskeptic http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/06/03/the-four-cs-of-atheism/#comment-178818 blackskeptic Wed, 04 Jun 2008 06:48:42 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/06/03/the-four-cs-of-atheism/#comment-178818 I don't think atheists are contradiction-free. And about "you can't lose what you didn't have" ... I agree except that even though god probably doesn't exist, he is very real to many people and so unreal things manifest themselves in very real ways. Someone said the invisible and the nonexistent look very similar (I think it was Hitchens), but what I'm saying is that for someone deconverting, it can really feel like a loss (even if it is just in your heart). Like if you feel there's something in the dark, your body really reacts to it. It might be nothing, but the reactions are real (okay, I know I beat that point over the head). Overall, I like you post, but I think you give atheists too much credit. And I'm an atheist. No. I'm not a <strong><b>self-hating atheist</b></strong>, but I try to give credit where credit is due. I don’t think atheists are contradiction-free. And about “you can’t lose what you didn’t have” … I agree except that even though god probably doesn’t exist, he is very real to many people and so unreal things manifest themselves in very real ways. Someone said the invisible and the nonexistent look very similar (I think it was Hitchens), but what I’m saying is that for someone deconverting, it can really feel like a loss (even if it is just in your heart). Like if you feel there’s something in the dark, your body really reacts to it. It might be nothing, but the reactions are real (okay, I know I beat that point over the head).

Overall, I like you post, but I think you give atheists too much credit. And I’m an atheist. No. I’m not a self-hating atheist, but I try to give credit where credit is due.

]]> By: Darryl http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/06/03/the-four-cs-of-atheism/#comment-178777 Darryl Wed, 04 Jun 2008 05:25:31 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/06/03/the-four-cs-of-atheism/#comment-178777 Too much like a Baptist preacher forcing his points into a neat alliteration. Too much like a Baptist preacher forcing his points into a neat alliteration.

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