Debunked: Socialism has never worked

[Sparko]

When stamp-collectors start insisting that philately is required to be moral or hold office, demand financial concessions and tax immunity for stamp-clubs, and insist that all kindergarteners join the APS and learn about penny reds, I'll be impressed by your counter-argument.

And then astampists would NEED to defend their views against the stampists, right? They can't go around complaining about the stampists and say they don't have to defend their astampist views. That would be idiotic and counter-productive.

[JimL]

Right. and you don't have to defend or promote your disbelief, right?

So please, stop doing it. We are sick and tired of listening to you and tassman doing it.

ok? thanks.

Too bad, this is a debate forum Sparko, if you are sick and tired of listening to us, then there is a simple solution, stop listening.

[Adrift]

Too bad, this is a debate forum Sparko, if you are sick and tired of listening to us, then there is a simple solution, stop listening.

And his point soars over your head.

[JimL]

When non-stamp collectors start labeling themselves a-stampists, attend huge conferences discussing their a-stampism, write popular books on not collecting stamps, debate stamp collectors at lecture halls, Ted Talks, and nightly on online forums, and start evangelising their a-stampism on billboards and the sides of buses, I'll be impressed with the analogy.

So you would like it if Atheist would just shut up and keep their opinions to themselves. Gotcha! Too bad, ain't gonna happen.

As Christians have been telling you on this forum for a decade, we reject your definition of faith that is belief without evidence or believing something you know ain't so, and embrace the definition of faith that is confidence in the one who has offered us good reason to believe that he is trustworthy.

Reject it all you want, its your right to believe in, and to put your confidence in, a ficticious character.

[JimL]

And his point soars over your head.

No, it was a stupid and hypocritical point. You don't want to listen, then go away and don't listen.

[Sparko]

And his point soars over your head.

JimL is not the brightest bulb in the box.

[Sparko]

Too bad, this is a debate forum Sparko, if you are sick and tired of listening to us, then there is a simple solution, stop listening.

Folks, you can't make this stuff up.

[Roy]

And then astampists would NEED to defend their views against the stampists, right? They can't go around complaining about the stampists and say they don't have to defend their astampist views. That would be idiotic and counter-productive.

That'd depend on whether the philatelists presented anything to respond to. If the philatelists waxed lyrical about how stamp-collecting was valuable and produced evidence and arguments regarding its importance and the effects it had on behaviour and the economy, then yes, the aphilatelists should address those. But if all the philatelists ever did was make vague references to the existence of arguments and evidence but never present any, or insist that the aphilatelists defend aphilatelism while constantly ducking, weaving and side-stepping any discussion of philately, then no.

[Adrift]

So you would like it if Atheist would just shut up and keep their opinions to themselves. Gotcha! Too bad, ain't gonna happen.

Not at all. To the contrary, what I'd like atheists to do is have the courage of their convictions, and stop hiding behind this "we lack a belief" nonsense.

[JimL]

Not at all. To the contrary, what I'd like atheists to do is have the courage of their convictions, and stop hiding behind this "we lack a belief" nonsense.

Why, will the semantics really make you feel better?

[Adrift]

No, it was a stupid and hypocritical point. You don't want to listen, then go away and don't listen.

You can not be this thick. I refuse to believe it. Sparko is not telling you to not debate. He's saying that if you have no belief, no view on the subject "does God or does God not exist", then stop wasting everyone's time coming to this forum debating about it. He's attempting to get you to see the absurdity of your claim that you lack a belief, and yet you argue daily about a belief that you claim to lack.

[Adrift]

Why, will the semantics really make you feel better?

What?

[Zymologist]

Why, will the semantics really make you feel better?

Us theists need whatever we can get. If we didn't have religion, no doubt it would be drugs, or worse.

[Sparko]

That'd depend on whether the philatelists presented anything to respond to. If the philatelists waxed lyrical about how stamp-collecting was valuable and produced evidence and arguments regarding its importance and the effects it had on behaviour and the economy, then yes, the aphilatelists should address those. But if all the philatelists ever did was make vague references to the existence of arguments and evidence but never present any, or insist that the aphilatelists defend aphilatelism while constantly ducking, weaving and side-stepping any discussion of philately, then no.

You were the one who presented the example of stampists doing things astampists did not like. If you were an astampist who didn't like what the stampists were doing it would behoove you to argue against them and present a case against stampism. If you don't want to argue against them, then that is your problem alone. It won't bother the stampists if you don't argue against them, it makes it easier for them to promote stampism.

[Roy]

Not at all. To the contrary, what I'd like atheists to do is have the courage of their convictions, and stop hiding behind this "we lack a belief" nonsense.

I have a viewpoint concerning theistic beliefs. I'm happy to defend it. It's not a belief in the sense that most religions are beliefs.