Oh, I do hate trees. I cut down every tree in my yard. Every. Last. One.

Oh, and just because I don't believe in god, doesn't mean I don't believe in anything.

And I'm not really sure Wiccans worship trees anyway.

That video has got me thinking.

What do atheists believe in?

(For purposes of this question, If you back it up with evidence it is not a belief)

amkerman wrote:That video has got me thinking.

What do atheists believe in?

(For purposes of this question, If you back it up with evidence it is not a belief)

Edited.

To be stringent, I have to say I try very hard to avoid "believing" anything unless it is necessary from contingent reasons. To top it, I try very hard to avoid holding any opinions on matters where I doubt my competence in holding an opinion (e g, about string theory, or the possibility of stable transuranium elements).

Well, what do people who don't collect stamps believe in? A whole range of shit, methinks, but nothing particularly representative of non-stamp collectors.

NilsGLindgren wrote:

amkerman wrote:That video has got me thinking.

What do atheists believe in?

(For purposes of this question, If you back it up with evidence it is not a belief)

Edited.

To be stringent, I have to say I try very hard to avoid "believing" anything unless it is necessary from contingent reasons. To top it, I try very hard to avoid holding any opinions on matters where I doubt my competence in holding an opinion (e g, about string theory, or the possibility of stable transuranium elements).

While I admire your forthrightness, your answer seems to beg the question.

Is there anything you believe in?

(Again, for purposes of this question, if you use evidence it is not a belief, but a prediction of the truth)

Also, under what circumstances do you consider belief necessary?

Atreeist.



I'll get my coat.

"Just a thought"

Dont... have one again. Please.

Pat Robertson said:

Robertson: Atheists don't believe in anything. I mean a-thea [sic] means "no god". They've got no gods. They've...They don't have anything, so they don't believe in anything. But they can protest somebody who believes in something.

I mean, Isn't this a strange thing that we would allow somebody who doesn't believe in anything to restrict the freedom of those who do? I mean it makes no sense. Sooer or later we're going to wake up but I think maybe we oughtta take our hats off to the Forest Service...this is just one minor little skirmish but these atheists are just enormously creative in figuring out things they can do to give us trouble.

Co-Host:
You know what I just thought of Pat? You know how there's different kinds of...I don't know, call 'em 'religions'? There's one called 'Wicca'. And, ah, they're all about the environment, right? So if they're a religion, that believes in the environment and believes that trees are their god, why aren't these atheists saying that we should cut down every tree? Because it's offensive. Do you know what I mean? It's the same mentality!

Robertson: Oh absolutely! Absolutely.

Co-Host: Right! Just a thought.

So stupid it deserves a transcript for posterity.

He's referencing this, BTW:

U.S. Forest Service may remove Jesus statue

WHITEFISH, MT - An uncertain future lies ahead for Big Mountain's most iconic luminary: Jesus.

The painted stone statue of Jesus Christ stands at the top of Whitefish Mountain Resort's Chair 2 and has graced the mountain for almost 60 years, paying homage to local veterans of World War II who encountered religious shrines in the remote mountain communities of northern Italy.

But despite its deep historical significance to the community, a recent decision by the U.S. Forest Service means the statue may have to be removed.

A special use permit from the Forest Service has allowed the statue to occupy a 25-by-25 foot swatch of public land since 1953. The permit recently came up for renewal and was denied after concerns were raised within the agency about the nonsecular statue violating the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

mraltair wrote:Atreeist.

I don't know why but this made me chuckle. I may use this term from now on...show those treehuggers how cool I am

Watching that, i beleve I've got a headache.

I've seen a tree, though. They have actual effects in the real world. They aren't just fairy tales.

amkerman wrote:

NilsGLindgren wrote:

amkerman wrote:That video has got me thinking.

What do atheists believe in?

(For purposes of this question, If you back it up with evidence it is not a belief)

Edited.

To be stringent, I have to say I try very hard to avoid "believing" anything unless it is necessary from contingent reasons. To top it, I try very hard to avoid holding any opinions on matters where I doubt my competence in holding an opinion (e g, about string theory, or the possibility of stable transuranium elements).

While I admire your forthrightness, your answer seems to beg the question.

Is there anything you believe in?

(Again, for purposes of this question, if you use evidence it is not a belief, but a prediction of the truth)

Also, under what circumstances do you consider belief necessary?

I consider it necessary when I have to commit to a decision on little or no knowledge. I will then have to resort to what I believe might be true - if this proves to be the case, it will be deemed intuition, if not, bad judgement.
Somebody asked an Icelandic homesteader from the Landnamaperiod, What do you believe in? to which he answered, Truir an skjalvan meg - I believe in myself. I believe in my broad axe, my well stocked larder, and my purse full of gold.
This highlights the inherent property of weaselosity in the word 'believe'. When a Christian say, I believe in god, he/she does not mean the same as I do when I say, I believe it's gonna get colder.
In the sense that the Xtian says, I believe, I doubt very much that I could be said to 'believe'.

I feel I have answered your question. If not, feel free to ask me to elucidate. However, be aware that English is not my first language.
May I enquire if you ever consider whether you are entitled to an opinion or not? This is not a trick question.

NilsGLindgren wrote:

amkerman wrote:

NilsGLindgren wrote:

amkerman wrote:That video has got me thinking.

What do atheists believe in?

(For purposes of this question, If you back it up with evidence it is not a belief)

Edited.

To be stringent, I have to say I try very hard to avoid "believing" anything unless it is necessary from contingent reasons. To top it, I try very hard to avoid holding any opinions on matters where I doubt my competence in holding an opinion (e g, about string theory, or the possibility of stable transuranium elements).

While I admire your forthrightness, your answer seems to beg the question.

Is there anything you believe in?

(Again, for purposes of this question, if you use evidence it is not a belief, but a prediction of the truth)

Also, under what circumstances do you consider belief necessary?

I consider it necessary when I have to commit to a decision on little or no knowledge. I will then have to resort to what I believe might be true - if this proves to be the case, it will be deemed intuition, if not, bad judgement.
Somebody asked an Icelandic homesteader from the Landnamaperiod, What do you believe in? to which he answered, Truir an skjalvan meg - I believe in myself. I believe in my broad axe, my well stocked larder, and my purse full of gold.
This highlights the inherent property of weaselosity in the word 'believe'. When a Christian say, I believe in god, he/she does not mean the same as I do when I say, I believe it's gonna get colder.
In the sense that the Xtian says, I believe, I doubt very much that I could be said to 'believe'.

I feel I have answered your question. If not, feel free to ask me to elucidate. However, be aware that English is not my first language.

I think you answered my questions perfectly.

May I enquire if you ever consider whether you are entitled to an opinion or not? This is not a trick question.

Have I considered it before? That's a good question. I feel I have considered the concept of what you are talking about but not in the specific context of "whether I am entitled to an opinion".

I don't assume this to be a trick question. And even If I thought it were I would answer it honestly, it's the only way I am concerned with answering any question (although I admit I have lied before, I don't know anyone who hasn't).

But let me give it a go; Am I entitled to an opinion, or not?

Yes and no.

Yes: I am entitled to have an opinion.

I am able to form opinions about things. There is no authority I perceive forcing me to think a certain way about anything, or telling me what to think about certain things. Therefore, I am entitled to an opinion, because nothing is stopping me from having one.

No: I am not entitled to assert my opinions as true.

I do not possess actual objective knowledge of anything. All my thoughts, "knowledge", and experience is based on my belief that they are objectively real. Any opinion I form, therefore, is the result of subjective bias, and therefore prejudice, whether it be malicious or benign. While I am able to form these opinions, I can claim no authority upon which to assert my opinions as true beyond my subjective beliefs, therefore, I am not entitled to have them. To claim that I am entitled to have them in this sense would be to claim that I possess objective knowledge. I do not have objective knowledge, so I am not entitled assert my opinion as true.


- So... yes in the literal sense of your question and no in a figurative sense of what I think you mean when you say "have an opinion" which I take to mean "claim knowledge of something"

If you have questions do ask.

I reckon it's much more sensible to worship trees than a genocidal god. Having stood in front of a giant New Zealand Kauri 8 metres in diameter, or under a Californian redwood 40m high or even looked over a forest of Chilean pines (monkey puzzle) - all are much more impressive than even the greatest of religion's cathedrals. And these are alive, and more importantly real.... no comparison.

Still - what a remarkably stupid argument made by Robertson's sidekick.

Hey, these people are okay by me. They go out of their way to make christians look feeble-minded and pathetic, it can only damage christianity in the long run. If they represent the razor sharp weapons of christ, then we've already won.