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MellowDem

(5,018 posts)
39. Of course not.
Thu May 30, 2013, 01:08 PM
May 2013

Otherwise words have no meaning. A person may call themselves a fish. They aren't a fish.

Words have meaning, they are not completely subjective. Atheism and agnosticism are actually fairly clear definitions, compared to many other words.

Many people may think they are something they actually aren't, happens all the time. Usually it's because they want the benefits of the label without actually ascribing to what the label is. It's considerate to inform people that their beliefs don't actually match up with the label they've given themselves, so they can better understand reality and themselves. If they wish to continue to identify themselves that way, that's fine, no one can stop them, but all that says is that they identify that way, not that they actually are what they claim to be. And it shows they're intellectually dishonest.

It's called cognitive dissonance. This is something many theists have to engage in all the time, considering the inherent contradictions of many of their belief systems and religious texts, so perhaps the idea of saying they are one thing while holding beliefs that actually contradict what they just said is a usual practice. More likely, theists just ignore any contradicting ideas. That's what I did when I was a theist.

To recap: If you want words to have meaning, then people are not what they say they are simply because they identify as such.


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 #39