tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7556283067410105.post3005133570757671041..comments2023-09-17T06:30:04.126-07:00Comments on No Religion Know Reason: Conversing with believers: 15 things to NOT let them get away with.caribatheisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00141510965594558342noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7556283067410105.post-2827572359250913222013-10-26T09:09:42.401-07:002013-10-26T09:09:42.401-07:00Sorry it took me so long to get back to this. Than...Sorry it took me so long to get back to this. Thank you for your reply!Jim Habeggerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09320817826382769445noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7556283067410105.post-42236318066850558402013-07-02T13:47:45.015-07:002013-07-02T13:47:45.015-07:00*of*ofcaribatheisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00141510965594558342noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7556283067410105.post-26675937812522540772013-07-02T13:46:50.701-07:002013-07-02T13:46:50.701-07:00Thanks for your comments, Jim. I do find that '...Thanks for your comments, Jim. I do find that 'God' has some merit as a metaphor and that was why I put forward the tongue in cheek idea of ' Church of the Metaphorical God'. I also wanted to emphasise that a metaphorical God is the only one I could possibly ascribe to.<br /><br />However, I don't personally support the idea of encouraging people to use 'God' to define things that don't refer to a being that exists in reality because it leads to confusion and muddying of the waters. If you use the word 'god' when you don't believe in a literal being you can provide validation for those out there who do. When they hear you use that word they think of God as THEY perceive it and this only reinforces their belief in an entity which has no basis in reality. And beliefs in such entities are NOT harmless. When you believe in a God whose existence can't be proven but who you are convinced is telling you to behave in a certain way, you can commit atrocities in that God's name and you have no checks and balances to regulate you. <br /><br />That;'s what makes this God concept so dangerous. So, better keep God language out of metaphorical discourse as much as possible. Keep the language clear and unambiguous. Maybe there will come a time when belief in God is so rare that any reference to god would be assumed to be non literal. At that time we can return to using 'god' to enrich the language, It would be like when people say 'I thank my lucky stars;. Nobody assumes that a person who says that believes in astrology, but that's just because belief in astrology is not mainstream. So if religion drops out of the mainstream we can start using terms metaphorically. Until then, better leave them out.<br /><br />You say that all beliefs are harmful. I think beliefs are harmful when they are not based on the weight if the evidence.<br /><br />caribatheisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00141510965594558342noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7556283067410105.post-58191096728837925492013-06-30T19:24:58.200-07:002013-06-30T19:24:58.200-07:00I mean, consider the feelings involved in people s...I mean, consider the feelings involved in people saying "I *believe* ..." as opposed to saying "in my current view," "as I currently see it," or "I'm imagining that ..." for example. Then consider what those feelings inevitably lead to.Jim Habeggerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09320817826382769445noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7556283067410105.post-11555232581276527202013-06-30T19:19:14.209-07:002013-06-30T19:19:14.209-07:00I found your blog while I was searching the Web fo...I found your blog while I was searching the Web for posts by atheists about God as a metaphor. I very much liked your idea of a Church of the Metaphorical God.<br /><br />In the light of that, I'm wondering if you've critically examined the way you're conceiving your purposes in engaging with theists. Reading some of your posts, it looks to me like you conceive of your purpose, in practice, as opposed to any concept of God, indiscriminately, regardless of how someone uses the word "God." I'm not imagining that you were serious about starting a Church of the Metaphorical God, but it did seem to me that you saw metaphorical uses of "God" as not necessarily harmful in themselves. Your efforts might be more fruitful if you consider possible harmless uses of theistic language, and how to turn people away from harmful beliefs without needlessly contending against harmless uses of the theistic language.<br /><br />Also, it seems to me that your focus on belief in God is too narrow. As I see it, "all" beliefs are harmful. If that isn't obvious to you, consider what distinguishes beliefs, in practice, from the "points of view," "conceptual models," "ways of thinking," "hypotheses" and "theories" which characterize the physical sciences. Also consider the harm that has been done in the name of other beliefs besides belief in God.Jim Habeggerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09320817826382769445noreply@blogger.com