I know it has been asked many times...

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In my online experience, since 2007, many avowed atheists here and elsewhere remind me of Doubting Thomas: highly intelligent, well read and thoughtful people with questions that won't be satisfied by superficial answers. I respect them.

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Mocking smugness? Hint of bitterness?

Surely you're speaking of RJHinds spending so much time in the science forum, spewing his ignorance and defending the closed-minded world from the evil, godless freethinkers from the comfy confines of his armchair. Yes, interesting.

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"I don't disagree with the observation you are making, however the smilie of Thomas is not entirely appropriate as Thomas was a disciple and already part of the faith..."

"A doubting Thomas is a skeptic who refuses to believe without direct personal experience—a reference to the Apostle Thomas, who refused to believe that the resurrected Jesus had appeared to the eleven other apostles, until he could see and feel the wounds received by Jesus on the cross. The episode is related in the Gospel of John, though not in the three synoptic Gospels." (wiki) (King James Version) text (John 20:24-29) is:

24. But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the LORD. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. 26. And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 27. Then saith He to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My LORD and my God. 29. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."

Intent of the reference was to illustrate skepticism in seeking the truth.

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Yes, obviously I knew you weren't referring to him.. I was being sarcastic, merely pointing out the hypocrisy of this thread.

As far as his behavior there and atheists here, there is no real comparison. Atheists try to educate, Hinds tries to ignorate.

*Yes, I made that word up. I couldn't thing of an antonym for educate 🙂

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Assume anything you want. But the hypocrisy I was pointing out was your one-sided complaint about atheists.

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If the atheist viewpoint is most welcome, why do you care why they spend so much time here?

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Edit: Yes, realized it was off topic, extraneous and irrelevant. Healthy Skepticism is the characteristic I respect because it's a positive component of someone's search in any realm, irrespective of predispositions or hang ups or tentative beliefs.

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Some theists here have obliquely mentioned personal experiences that cement their faith, but they are understandably reluctant to talk about them with a bunch of strangers. Also, there was once a skeptic admitting doubt and fear of death, but they got immediately flooded with the usual, evangelical 'turn to Jesus and it'll all be OK!' crap.