[MD] The End of Faith

[Ron Kulp]

Ron:
Well said Ian. I just threw that out there to illustrate the point.
Plus I just like throwing that link around.



Ian:
Hi Ron, on the specifics you may be right, but it shows how pointless
this debate is, given that you also agreed with the general point with
Platt. (We could have a debate whether a Christian was necessarily a
theist either, but that's probably a waste of time too.)

What matter is not what people "profess" to believe, a "label" they
adopt, but what people do with such beliefs, tolerance of other
beliefs, pragmatism in the face of empirical evidence etc ... quality
& values.

DMB points out that the "evil committed in the name of atheism" is
simply a meme, a cliche, a standard response trotted out in response
to anyone who suggests evil aspects of religion. (DMB gives the Sam
Harris example; I linked to a Dawkins exmple here
http://www.psybertron.org/?p=1481 )

Equally as David M points out - the authoritative belief dogmas of
religions (or any school of thought) may be evil, but even theistic
religions like Christianity have their good points. A question of
balance - saving baby from bathwater ejection.

Ian
>
> Ian:
> Hitler was an atheist.
>
> Ron:
> Hitler was a Christian
>
> http://www.nobeliefs.com/Hitler1.htm
>