Strange Notions is a new Disqus site run by Brandon Vogt to try to discuss Rationality and Reason with Athiests. He may well succeed with some, but there is one subset of atheism he will never succeed with. On Richard Dawkin's spectrum of theistic probability , those with a score 6 and above often fall into something I term fundamentalist atheism. Many of them come from fundamentalist Christian backgrounds, if not in their generation, then within three generations of their recent past. Fundamentalist Atheism starts with the assumption that the supernatural doesn't exist and that the natural world is all there is, and runs with it, denying any data to the contrary. I've always been one to consider the natural to be a subset of the supernatural- that is the only real difference between the natural and the supernatural to me is the line of the shared scientific knowledge of mankind. A scientist, therefore, if he is to learn anything new about the universe, needs to have h...
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As is the false PETA equivalency between animals and humans. Language studies in the higher apes have shown that there is a significant difference in ability between even the smallest human fetus and an ape.
There is a significant difference. I'm saying that you and your family are victims, not perpetrators.
There is no spirit world. The material is all that is. Is that demonic ignorance, just a misconception or the truth?
"Neither my opinions nor my family are under demonic influence."
is followed by
"There is no spirit world. The material is all that is."
Which is a demonic statement in and of itself.
Some of our greatest scientists only believe in the natural material universe or the multiverse. Are they demonic (or at least influenced by it)?
Why choose supernatural explanations when natural explanations are more than adequate?
Natural explanations take more effort but are more satisfying because they can be addressed. "The demon made me do it" is the end of the discussion.
Are you a polytheist? Is the world filled with invisible saints and demons controlling the thoughts of men (which violates free will)? Sounds positively pagan.
And yes, in many ways, it would seem pagan to modern ears, but that makes it in no way any less true.
Populations hysterically acting on irrational beliefs does NOT require the supernatural. The miracle is that it does not happen more often.
"In no way less true"? What is your evidence? Using the supernatural to explain that which we do not understand is no answer.
It is in fact a better answer than ignoring the situation, which is what most Americans now do.
Unfortunately, the all too human tendency to use force to
oppress the lower classes is ubiquitous in history. The
difference lies in the available technology. The police
force with military grade weaponry? May the Saints
preserve us! Public outrage has fallen on the deaf ears of
power elite. And the wealth inequality continues to expand.
I agree ignoring the problem is no solution but how
does hypothesizing demons lend to a solution?