Atheism (Agnosticism)

by David Turell , Sunday, August 24, 2008, 02:18 (5934 days ago) @ George Jelliss

Discussions of "atheism" cause me increasing irritation. I'm with Sam Harris in thinking that it is an unhelpful term. I'm a rationalist, and that leads me to the conclusion that most of the many types of "god" espoused by the many types of theists have no reality. So I suppose am an "atheist" in respect of those concepts. - This discussion group is made up of people who do not believe there is a divine force, who do believe there is a divine force, and those who don't know either way. English terms force us to discuss atheism, agnosticism and theism. Perhaps 'atheism' is being perceived as being delivered as a derogatory term. That should not be so. I consider myself a rationalist also, but I have reached a different conclusion than George from the same evidence. He is just as correct as I am. We will never know the 'entire truth' that underlies our reality as we are allowed by our brains and bodies to perceive it. Quantum uncertainty blocks the path of discovery and there are no proposals among scientists that there is a way past that wall. And I agree with George that the helterskelter theologies of the many religions create enormous uncertainty as to the 'truth',and suggest that none of them is any closer to the truth than those of us thinking for ourselves as we offer our opinions here.