Big Bang?

[Malignd]

<<I respect your faith -- your belief that there are
no gods. And basically that's all I've been saying all
along, that people's beliefs should be respected.>>

I don't think the two positions are necessarily
parallel and reversible, although they can be made to
seem so in argument.  A theist believes in God,
believes there is such an entity--all-knowing creator,
listener to prayers, jolly old soul--whatever.  It is
a particular belief about a particular idea.

An atheist may not believe in such a thing, but may
count it as one among many things he may or may not
believe exists, UFOs, Santa Claus, unicorns, honest
politicians.  As such, there is no polar opposition,
specifically, to God.  That argument is made without
reflection by believers because (I think) they cannot
imagine that one might simply disregard the entire
notion of God as too absurd to waste time on.  They
insist, instead that there is a falling away from the
Godhead, or the bold and active taking of a stance
against.  Etc.  That need not be the case.  Dismissing
the notion of God as primitive and idiotic is not
equivalent to Belief There Is No God and not the
negative mirror image of a Belief in God.




		
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