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Originally Posted by Charlatan
As for your contention that Atheism is a religion. There is just no arguing with that. You are 100% wrong in your position. Based on *any* definition of religion I know, being an Atheist has nothing to do with religion and it has little to do with faith.
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I may be mistaken, but SF's assertion of Atheism being a religion seemed to be directed more towards its following and less towards its actual definition. Atheism, indeed, does not act as most religious bodies do, or even resembles a religion for that matter. There is, however, a risk of it becoming "religious." Spokespersons for Atheism must tread lightly upon the method in which they spread their message. It would be very easy for any one of those representatives to start preaching Atheism, or eventually even forcing it upon others.
Atheist are most certainly a persecuted minority in most countries. It is this intollerance most religions pass down through their teachings, intentionally or unintentionally, that I cannot stand. It certainly justifies the disputable connotation of anger tied to Atheism. Hopefully fortitude against such things become tied to Atheism as well, because the last thing this world needs is another intollerant religion.
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Originally Posted by Strange Famous
since Dawkins makes so much of his claim to be a scientist, people that support him should have a little respect of the scientific method... science can only prove that things are true, not really that things cannot be true - unless every circumstance can be controlled.
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Huh? Redundance aside, I'm not sure what you mean by this. Are you talking about scientific process of elimination?
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If you observe a pond and see 100 white swans, then you can say you have proved that a swan can be white, but it isnt so easy to say that it is impossible for there ever to be a black swan.
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We don't know if there even is a swan; we don't even know if there is a pond; we don't know if we are capable of ever even observing the swan or its environment. We can hardly speculate on assumptions. Scientific method is only applicable when a theory has some basis of plausible relevance in reality. In the case of Atheism and religion, neither can logically refute the other. Though, as far as we know, Atheism is more correct than religion, from a logical point of view.