This is our moment. The upcoming congressional elections could decide whether Donald Trump and JD Vance continue to erode our democracy—or whether we reclaim accountability. clatterymachinery.wordpress.com/2025/08/29/t...
This is our moment. The upcoming congressional elections could decide whether Donald Trump and JD Vance continue to erode our democracy—or whether we reclaim accountability. clatterymachinery.wordpress.com/2025/08/29/t...
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Who's your strawman? And what's your joke?
Why must a believer explain the existence of suffering?
Hard atheism states that proving a deity is like proving a unicorn. It's an assertion that no deity exists, like believing unicorns do not exist.
No woman I have ever asked can prove to me that she has a consciousness and is not just a zombie. Therefore, I do not believe it.
Thirty Years of Allegations & Attitudes: A Source-Verified Overview of Donald #Trump and #Women clatterymachinery.wordpress.com/2025/08/15/1...
The Valuable Heirloom
The Logical Foursome
Your father was a wise man (and logically correct). It’s why murderers sometimes walk free. But that’s the tension: for soft atheists, absence of proof is enough to withhold belief; for hard atheists, it’s enough to conclude absence. Agnostics say the jury’s still out, maybe forever.
An out of the blue response! Reminds me how I was struck by lightning once in Charlevoix, QC by the river. And how cancer runs in my family. If that prayer doesn't work for you, Christians do have the Lord's Prayer. Which reminds me of the song "Walk This Way." Anyway . . .
My family's dogma asserts that women are like zombies. Prove to me you have consciousness. Until then, I won’t believe it. This flips the “prove a negative” challenge, belief needs evidence. Joseph Campbell noted myths arise from shared human patterns, not just dogma.
Thanks for your input, Bunny. It sounds like you align with soft atheism—just withholding belief until evidence arrives. Avoiding debate can be “lazy” philosophy. That’s why I mentioned the theist’s “witness” proof (especially to soft atheists): ultimately, the proof would be in the pudding.
On the other hand, when theists claim God exists through witness, the doubter can say, “I tried that Hindu (or Christian or Muslim, etc.) experiment, and it didn’t work for me.” Thus the agnostic remains. Because if it did work, the atheist’s claim would be disproven. Thus, experimentation works.
You cannot prove some negatives absolutely. Lazy soft/weak atheists simply withhold belief without claiming proof. Hard atheists assert “no gods exist,” but burden stays on claimants since proving universal absence is often impossible—think Bertrand Russell’s teapot.
Can you point out the specific part you feel I missed or didn’t address?
Your rejection is logically invalid in the context of discussing different types of atheism and how agnosticism fits in. Outside Bluesky, it’s broader than your personal view—hence the question that set you off. If you want serious discussion, I’ll continue; otherwise, I’ll step back.
If I called you by the body part you suggested in your last clause, what would that make you? I’m here to keep things civil, but you’re making it tempting to break character. You’ve been cornered and don’t like it. Look up those thinkers I mentioned—the hard atheists you denied. Then debate.
Thanks for the exchange. I read all you wrote. Sometimes these topics are tough to bridge. I appreciate your time and wish you well.
Sounds like you’re feeling a bit cornered here. No worries — happy to keep it chill if you want to lay out your points calmly.
"Money back" is fair feedback, standard Logic 101 was meant as a basic principle, not a complex treatise. If you have a better explanation of burden of proof, I’m open to hearing it. Otherwise, I’ll stick with logic as taught in university courses.
Just curious — in your no-godism, do you mean it as an absolute claim or simply that no god exists in your personal experience or worldview? There’s a big difference between belief as a fact and belief as a personal stance.
I took both 101 & 102: Or, "In Logic 101: claimant asserts P (“God exists”) and must prove it. Rejecting P, withholding belief (¬P) isn’t illogical—it’s skepticism. Claiming “negatives can’t be claimed” flips logic; it’s now your positive assertion that bears the proof burden.
Thinkers Bertrand Russell, Anthony Flew, Michael Martin & Richard Dawkins define strong atheism as believing no gods exist. They distinguish it from mere lack of belief. It’s a solid philosophical stance, not casual doubt. On “Burden of Proof”—show how it's not getting away with murder.
I mentioned belief; some atheists say, “I believe no deity exists.” Back to burden of proof, it lies with the prosecution in criminal court. The defense only needs to show “not proven.” That’s why the weak ‘burden of proof’ lets people get away with murder.
You might say “Friends is the greatest show ever”—call that Friendsism. I can live without it, so I never got into Friendsism. Likewise, many people don’t just accept atheism blindly; they explore the ideas and decide it best fits their view.
So you’re a “rejectionist” atheist—no belief, no claim. Great! It's your life to live. But philosophy still recognizes hard atheism (that no gods exist). You can call it illogical, but the philosophers who write your logic textbooks keep it in the discussion.
I’m not making up definitions. Soft/weak atheism = what you describe: no evidence → no belief. That’s personally fine, but it’s not a truth claim—just non-commitment. Strong/hard atheism is “no gods exist.” My point is about the stance’s strength, not its legality under burden of proof.
I acknowledged your position as being known as weak or soft atheism. That's what it is called. I rephrased it to call it "burden of proof" atheism for your benefit. That's your repeated position. If you don't have a million dollars, prove it. The divorce court justice wants to know. That happens.
I've acknowledged your position, and you re-assert. These "ways of being" or religions, if we can include Buddhism, say, need to be practiced to be "believed". Christian evangelicals say pray for Jesus to enter your life. Like, just look in the microscope.
Yes, and that's a logical problem. Atheists would like to forward a weak position, "No gods exists, but we are too lazy to back that position up." Furthermore, "The fact that none of my evangelical friends nor websites, say, have convinced me of anything, I assert no-godism."
What is your logic?
I have yet to assert anything. It is lazy to assert a-theism if you are not going to prove no deities exist. You're saying, "No theist has convinced me." It is just as fair to say, "No atheist has convinced me." That's why "burden of proof" atheism is known as soft or weak atheism.
An agnostic says, "It's unknowable either way". You're defending weak or soft atheism, “I don’t believe in gods”, without claiming “I know for sure none exist.” Strong or hard atheism says “I believe there are no gods”, convinced it is like saying "Unicorns don't exist." Agnosticism is strongest.
Yet, atheists don't prove no deities or deity exist. So it's really not a strong position to take. It's kind of lazy.
In his satirical poem "The Solution", Bertolt Brecht wrote... Would it not be easier In that case for the government To dissolve the people And elect another? mronline.org/2006/08/14/b...
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I signed sign.moveon.org/petitions/am...
In honor of black inventors. #BlackHistoryMonth
actionnetwork.org/letters/tell...
This cause is close to my heart - please sign: sign.moveon.org/petitions/ta...
