@Intrepid,
Intrepid wrote:
Labels are easy and quite often have no real meaning.
I'll agree that some labels offer little identification. Most of the labels we are talk about don't fall into that category.
Intrepid wrote:
To call someone a Christian does not mean that they are a Christian.
I agree.
Intrepid wrote:
To say one believes in God does not mean that they believe in God.
I disagree. If a person proclaims this belief, then you can say they don't believe in the god you believe in, but you can't assert that they don't believe in a god. They are very much atheist.
Intrepid wrote:
Many in this thread have mentioned not wanting to devulge their leanings to the world at large. For some, it is easier to say they are Christian or have a believe in God etc. just to fit in with the 'mainstream' and not have to be bothered.
Yes, often a component of the atheist experience is managing social interactions. Some Atheist may choose to exist in cognito identifying themselves to other as Christians (or whatever local religion). Some Atheists will simply just not broadcast their views, and let people assume they fit the Christian status quo.
Intrepid wrote:
Just as I believe that many who claim to be atheists are actually closet agnostics.
Of course there are. There are lots of people who are the "mad at god" types. Those aren't atheists. You can't be mad at what does not exist. If a person is directing their emotions at a god in their brain, then they are theists because they still engage idea of divine governance of the universe.
This is group WAY over exaggerated in popular media. It's the Lt. Dan meme. I think its popularity stems from the comfort it provides theists; it's a blanky.
Intrepid wrote:
A label by any other name......
A good chat about monikers but in the end we are talking about the ships we sail on, not the flags we fly.
A
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