Sucky atheist arguments

Fellow atheists and heathens - which is your least favorite argument for atheism? Here's mine:

I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one less god than you do. Once you understand the reason you reject other gods, you will understand why I reject yours.

For starters, no, we are not both atheists, by definition. Believing in even one god is one too many. 😛

It almost hits Pascal's Wager-like levels of suckitude with its whole 'it's only a matter of degree ... you are 99% of the way there to being an atheist, just take that last little step....' attitude.

Chess players should know the power of 'one' - the extra pawn that wins the endgame. Removing God from a belief system is more like removing the Queen from the board - no, scratch that, God is like a piece that can move to EVERY square on the board, enter and leave the board at will, etc. etc. Chess with a God piece would be some bizarro version of the game we currently play.

It ends on a crappy note by implying that the reasons for rejecting any god-concept are the same. This is patently false. For example, the Argument from Evil works great against a 3-O, morally perfect god - but not so much against a 'lesser' god.

Originally posted by SwissGambit
Fellow atheists and heathens - which is your least favorite argument for atheism? Here's mine:

I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one less god than you do. Once you understand the reason you reject other gods, you will understand why I reject yours.

For starters, no, we are [b]not both atheists, by definition ...[text shortened]... orks great against a 3-O, morally perfect god - but not so much against a 'lesser' god.[/b]

I disagree. I think it is important for theists to know why they reject the gods of other religions and for a moment look at the atheists position and see their own religion in the same light that they look at other religions. It is fairly common to see theists on these boards ridiculing other theists for their obvious delusions and ridiculous beliefs, but have a blind spot when it comes to their own beliefs.

Originally posted by SwissGambit
Fellow atheists and heathens - which is your least favorite argument for atheism? Here's mine:

I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one less god than you do. Once you understand the reason you reject other gods, you will understand why I reject yours.

For starters, no, we are [b]not both atheists, by definition orks great against a 3-O, morally perfect god - but not so much against a 'lesser' god.[/b]

I think any idea of God we have that implies that God is subject to existence/nonexistence, is an inadequate idea of God. So my least favorite category of arguments are those that assume that our ideas of existence and non-existence can be properly applied to God. This is probably all arguments, both for and against.

Originally posted by twhitehead
I disagree. I think it is important for theists to know why they reject the gods of other religions and for a moment look at the atheists position and see their own religion in the same light that they look at other religions. It is fairly common to see theists on these boards ridiculing other theists for their obvious delusions and ridiculous beliefs, but have a blind spot when it comes to their own beliefs.

I don't really disagree with that. I just think the argument quoted is a lousy means of achieving the desired result.

Originally posted by JS357
I think any idea of God we have that implies that God is subject to existence/nonexistence, is an inadequate idea of God. So my least favorite category of arguments are those that assume that our ideas of existence and non-existence can be properly applied to God. This is probably all arguments, both for and against.

This forum must be a depressing read for you. 😛

Originally posted by SwissGambit

God is like a piece that can move to EVERY square on the board, enter and leave the board at will, etc. etc.

Surely you are thinking of the Knight here. See Alice Through the Looking Glass for details. The Knight appears and disappears in a most disconcerting way because of its unique and, from the perspective of a pawn like Alice, seemingly impossible method of moving.

Originally posted by finnegan

God is like a piece that can move to EVERY square on the board, enter and leave the board at will, etc. etc.

Surely you are thinking of the Knight here. See Alice Through the Looking Glass for details. The Knight appears and disappears in a most disconcerting way because of its unique and, from the perspective of a pawn like Alice, seemingly impossible method of moving.

If she think that's disconcerting, wait until she encounters castling and en passant!

Originally posted by SwissGambit
Fellow atheists and heathens - which is your least favorite argument for atheism? Here's mine:

I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one less god than you do. Once you understand the reason you reject other gods, you will understand why I reject yours.

For starters, no, we are [b]not both atheists, by definition ...[text shortened]... orks great against a 3-O, morally perfect god - but not so much against a 'lesser' god.[/b]

i disagree, that's one of the best arguments. it forces the stark reality of the frailty of the theist's belief system.

Originally posted by SwissGambit
This forum must be a depressing read for you. 😛

There are islands of peace and inspiration, in this ocean of disputation.

Originally posted by VoidSpirit
i disagree, that's one of the best arguments. it forces the stark reality of the frailty of the theist's belief system.

So what is your least favorite argument for atheism?

Originally posted by SwissGambit
So what is your least favorite argument for atheism?

when i hear it, i'll let you know.

Originally posted by SwissGambit
I don't really disagree with that. I just think the argument quoted is a lousy means of achieving the desired result.

What is the desired result?

The typical theist, thinks his views/beliefs are perfectly reasonable / normal and that an atheist is weird for not believing in God - or as seems quite common, the theist believes the atheist to be a closet theist. Certainly most theists seem to think that the options are a) believe in God or b) do not believe in God. Yet they don't see it that way when addressing other religions/beliefs. They treat some beliefs (such as the existence of santa claus, as outright nonsensical, and others as 'other paths to the same truth' ie they share the same God. But they typically would not think of the possibility that they are closet believers in Santa Claus.

Originally posted by twhitehead
What is the desired result?

The typical theist, thinks his views/beliefs are perfectly reasonable / normal and that an atheist is weird for not believing in God - or as seems quite common, the theist believes the atheist to be a closet theist. Certainly most theists seem to think that the options are a) believe in God or b) do not believe in God. Yet t ...[text shortened]... y typically would not think of the possibility that they are closet believers in Santa Claus.

The desired result is to get them to apply some skepticism to their own beliefs.