Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

MellowDem

(5,018 posts)
28. Many people on here mislabel atheism and agnosticism...
Wed May 29, 2013, 10:58 PM
May 2013

which I think is what the OP is getting at. Indeed, a full thread about how one should be an agnostic instead of an atheist was going on... which is funny, considering they're not either/or, they're completely different questions.

Also, a very common tactic of theists in debates (not necessarily always on here) is to mislabel what atheism is. A belief system, gnostic atheism, anti-theism, faith-based, etc., mostly as a way to stick to technicalities and avoid the unanswerable questions they receive. Considering theists are making the incredible claims, the burden of proof is on them, but this is a way to shift that attention away from themselves, or to pretend that atheists indeed have the same burden because they somehow make similar claims. "Moving the goal posts" by being indirect with definitions of words is a classic defense of many theists, which is why the definitions of words are so important for any meaningful discussion to occur.

Most of the snarky non-answers on here are very similar to the snarky non-answers many theists in the real world usually give, which probably explains the frusteration of the OP.

The OP asked, in the religion forum, how others would label him based on his beliefs, in order to have a discussion about labels and definitions of words. Instead, he's getting a lot of snark. Not surprising at all as to why he's frusterated.

How do you define yourself? cbayer May 2013 #1
Agnostic Atheist... Humanist_Activist May 2013 #4
Great! You have now answered your own question and don't need a poll cbayer May 2013 #5
I'm more interested in how you would define me, since you have some odd beliefs... Humanist_Activist May 2013 #7
I have absolutely no interest in defining you and cbayer May 2013 #9
Of course not, that's what adjectives are for... Humanist_Activist May 2013 #10
Words are not meaningless to me, of course. cbayer May 2013 #16
Wow, that didn't take long. goldent May 2013 #24
+ struggle4progress May 2013 #22
human. robinlynne May 2013 #2
Thanks for identifying my species, now that we got that out of the way... Humanist_Activist May 2013 #11
absolutely no snarkiness intended. it was simply empathy. robinlynne May 2013 #38
Need a little help here. Are you smaller than a breadbox? n/t dimbear May 2013 #3
Unitarian egold2604 May 2013 #6
Uhm, Unitarians believe in one, singular god, with an indivisible godhead... Humanist_Activist May 2013 #8
The poster may have been posting about UUs. safeinOhio May 2013 #12
True, but that's a specific organization, I was thinking more traditionalist Unitarians... Humanist_Activist May 2013 #15
You. Bad Thoughts May 2013 #13
An anti Godist. asjr May 2013 #14
While I am opposed to the idea of gods, that wasn't evident i my initial post. n/t Humanist_Activist May 2013 #18
No, but it's evident in your attitude. That might make you anti-theist, I suppose. cbayer May 2013 #19
Having a bad attitude doesn't make one an anti-theist... Humanist_Activist May 2013 #31
Dymo. rug May 2013 #17
Sounds like you're insecure if you need to ask others what you are. Starboard Tack May 2013 #20
What's with the attitude? Having a bad day? LeftofObama May 2013 #21
Many people on here mislabel atheism and agnosticism... MellowDem May 2013 #28
I guess it makes you an atheist with some agnostic leanings. hrmjustin May 2013 #23
That sounds right. Iggo May 2013 #25
No, it makes him an agnostic atheist... MellowDem May 2013 #26
I am just a plain Christian so I will take your word for it. hrmjustin May 2013 #27
Don't take my word for it... MellowDem May 2013 #30
Thank you very much, it was a helpful video. hrmjustin May 2013 #32
No problem! nt MellowDem May 2013 #33
He is what he decides to identify himself as. westerebus May 2013 #34
Exactly. That is why I defer to others when they tell me a term is offensive. cbayer May 2013 #35
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder... westerebus May 2013 #37
Whether something is offensive is completely subjective... MellowDem May 2013 #40
I think I was not clear. cbayer May 2013 #41
Whether they are "targets" or not makes no difference... MellowDem May 2013 #42
I guess I am still not being clear. cbayer May 2013 #43
So you don't stop saying a word just because a group finds it offensive... MellowDem May 2013 #44
It's language that is not clear. Jim__ May 2013 #45
I think you are right about this. cbayer May 2013 #46
Of course not. MellowDem May 2013 #39
Then you will need to speak to the poster of the OP. westerebus May 2013 #47
You! You are a bunghole mindwalker_i May 2013 #29
An Atheist LostOne4Ever May 2013 #36
Latest Discussions»Issue Forums»Religion»Question, I don't know if...»Reply #28