home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
open in:
MacOS 8.1
|
Win98
|
DOS
view JSON data
|
view as text
This file was processed as: Mailbox/MIME Entity
(archive/mbox).
You can browse this item here: introduc
Confidence | Program | Detection | Match Type | Support
|
---|
100%
| dexvert
| Newsgroup Content (archive/news)
| magic
| Supported |
100%
| dexvert
| Mailbox/MIME Entity (archive/mbox)
| magic
| Supported |
100%
| dexvert
| Internet Message Format (text/imf)
| magic
| Supported |
1%
| dexvert
| Text File (text/txt)
| fallback
| Supported |
100%
| file
| news, ASCII text
| default
| |
100%
| checkBytes
| Printable ASCII
| default
| |
100%
| dexmagic
| PrintFox/Pagefox WEAK
| default
| |
100%
| perlTextCheck
| Likely Text (Perl)
| default
| |
100%
| siegfried
| fmt/950 MIME Email (1.0)
| default
| |
100%
| detectItEasy
| Format: plain text[LF]
| default (weak)
| |
100%
| xdgMime
| message/news
| default
|
|
hex view+--------+-------------------------+-------------------------+--------+--------+
|00000000| 50 61 74 68 3a 20 62 6c | 6f 6f 6d 2d 62 65 61 63 |Path: bl|oom-beac|
|00000010| 6f 6e 2e 6d 69 74 2e 65 | 64 75 21 68 6f 6f 6b 75 |on.mit.e|du!hooku|
|00000020| 70 21 75 73 63 21 68 6f | 77 6c 61 6e 64 2e 72 65 |p!usc!ho|wland.re|
|00000030| 73 74 6f 6e 2e 61 6e 73 | 2e 6e 65 74 21 70 69 70 |ston.ans|.net!pip|
|00000040| 65 78 21 6d 61 6e 74 69 | 73 21 6d 61 6e 74 69 73 |ex!manti|s!mantis|
|00000050| 21 6e 6f 74 2d 66 6f 72 | 2d 6d 61 69 6c 0a 46 72 |!not-for|-mail.Fr|
|00000060| 6f 6d 3a 20 6d 61 74 68 | 65 77 20 3c 6d 61 74 68 |om: math|ew <math|
|00000070| 65 77 40 6d 61 6e 74 69 | 73 2e 63 6f 2e 75 6b 3e |ew@manti|s.co.uk>|
|00000080| 0a 4e 65 77 73 67 72 6f | 75 70 73 3a 20 61 6c 74 |.Newsgro|ups: alt|
|00000090| 2e 61 74 68 65 69 73 6d | 2c 61 6c 74 2e 61 74 68 |.atheism|,alt.ath|
|000000a0| 65 69 73 6d 2e 6d 6f 64 | 65 72 61 74 65 64 2c 6e |eism.mod|erated,n|
|000000b0| 65 77 73 2e 61 6e 73 77 | 65 72 73 2c 61 6c 74 2e |ews.answ|ers,alt.|
|000000c0| 61 6e 73 77 65 72 73 0a | 53 75 62 6a 65 63 74 3a |answers.|Subject:|
|000000d0| 20 41 6c 74 2e 41 74 68 | 65 69 73 6d 20 46 41 51 | Alt.Ath|eism FAQ|
|000000e0| 3a 20 49 6e 74 72 6f 64 | 75 63 74 69 6f 6e 20 74 |: Introd|uction t|
|000000f0| 6f 20 41 74 68 65 69 73 | 6d 0a 53 75 70 65 72 73 |o Atheis|m.Supers|
|00000100| 65 64 65 73 3a 20 3c 69 | 6e 74 72 6f 5f 37 36 33 |edes: <i|ntro_763|
|00000110| 32 39 33 36 30 33 40 6e | 65 77 73 2e 6d 61 6e 74 |293603@n|ews.mant|
|00000120| 69 73 2e 63 6f 2e 75 6b | 3e 0a 46 6f 6c 6c 6f 77 |is.co.uk|>.Follow|
|00000130| 75 70 2d 54 6f 3a 20 61 | 6c 74 2e 61 74 68 65 69 |up-To: a|lt.athei|
|00000140| 73 6d 0a 44 61 74 65 3a | 20 38 20 41 70 72 20 31 |sm.Date:| 8 Apr 1|
|00000150| 39 39 34 20 31 30 3a 30 | 30 3a 30 34 20 2b 30 31 |994 10:0|0:04 +01|
|00000160| 30 30 0a 4f 72 67 61 6e | 69 7a 61 74 69 6f 6e 3a |00.Organ|ization:|
|00000170| 20 4d 61 6e 74 69 73 20 | 43 6f 6e 73 75 6c 74 61 | Mantis |Consulta|
|00000180| 6e 74 73 2c 20 43 61 6d | 62 72 69 64 67 65 2e 20 |nts, Cam|bridge. |
|00000190| 55 4b 2e 0a 4c 69 6e 65 | 73 3a 20 36 35 36 0a 41 |UK..Line|s: 656.A|
|000001a0| 70 70 72 6f 76 65 64 3a | 20 6e 65 77 73 2d 61 6e |pproved:| news-an|
|000001b0| 73 77 65 72 73 2d 72 65 | 71 75 65 73 74 40 6d 69 |swers-re|quest@mi|
|000001c0| 74 2e 65 64 75 0a 45 78 | 70 69 72 65 73 3a 20 32 |t.edu.Ex|pires: 2|
|000001d0| 30 20 4d 61 79 20 31 39 | 39 34 20 30 39 3a 30 30 |0 May 19|94 09:00|
|000001e0| 3a 30 32 20 47 4d 54 0a | 4d 65 73 73 61 67 65 2d |:02 GMT.|Message-|
|000001f0| 49 44 3a 20 3c 69 6e 74 | 72 6f 5f 37 36 35 37 39 |ID: <int|ro_76579|
|00000200| 35 36 30 32 40 6e 65 77 | 73 2e 6d 61 6e 74 69 73 |5602@new|s.mantis|
|00000210| 2e 63 6f 2e 75 6b 3e 0a | 52 65 66 65 72 65 6e 63 |.co.uk>.|Referenc|
|00000220| 65 73 3a 20 3c 6f 76 65 | 72 76 69 65 77 5f 37 36 |es: <ove|rview_76|
|00000230| 35 35 33 36 34 30 32 40 | 6e 65 77 73 2e 6d 61 6e |5536402@|news.man|
|00000240| 74 69 73 2e 63 6f 2e 75 | 6b 3e 0a 4e 4e 54 50 2d |tis.co.u|k>.NNTP-|
|00000250| 50 6f 73 74 69 6e 67 2d | 48 6f 73 74 3a 20 73 75 |Posting-|Host: su|
|00000260| 6e 66 6f 72 65 73 74 2e | 6d 61 6e 74 69 73 2e 63 |nforest.|mantis.c|
|00000270| 6f 2e 75 6b 0a 4d 69 6d | 65 2d 56 65 72 73 69 6f |o.uk.Mim|e-Versio|
|00000280| 6e 3a 20 31 2e 30 0a 43 | 6f 6e 74 65 6e 74 2d 54 |n: 1.0.C|ontent-T|
|00000290| 79 70 65 3a 20 74 65 78 | 74 2f 70 6c 61 69 6e 3b |ype: tex|t/plain;|
|000002a0| 20 63 68 61 72 73 65 74 | 3d 69 73 6f 2d 38 38 35 | charset|=iso-885|
|000002b0| 39 2d 31 0a 43 6f 6e 74 | 65 6e 74 2d 54 72 61 6e |9-1.Cont|ent-Tran|
|000002c0| 73 66 65 72 2d 45 6e 63 | 6f 64 69 6e 67 3a 20 38 |sfer-Enc|oding: 8|
|000002d0| 62 69 74 0a 53 75 6d 6d | 61 72 79 3a 20 50 6c 65 |bit.Summ|ary: Ple|
|000002e0| 61 73 65 20 72 65 61 64 | 20 74 68 69 73 20 66 69 |ase read| this fi|
|000002f0| 6c 65 20 62 65 66 6f 72 | 65 20 70 6f 73 74 69 6e |le befor|e postin|
|00000300| 67 20 74 6f 20 61 6c 74 | 2e 61 74 68 65 69 73 6d |g to alt|.atheism|
|00000310| 0a 4b 65 79 77 6f 72 64 | 73 3a 20 46 41 51 2c 20 |.Keyword|s: FAQ, |
|00000320| 61 74 68 65 69 73 6d 0a | 58 72 65 66 3a 20 62 6c |atheism.|Xref: bl|
|00000330| 6f 6f 6d 2d 62 65 61 63 | 6f 6e 2e 6d 69 74 2e 65 |oom-beac|on.mit.e|
|00000340| 64 75 20 61 6c 74 2e 61 | 74 68 65 69 73 6d 3a 36 |du alt.a|theism:6|
|00000350| 37 34 30 39 20 61 6c 74 | 2e 61 74 68 65 69 73 6d |7409 alt|.atheism|
|00000360| 2e 6d 6f 64 65 72 61 74 | 65 64 3a 33 30 37 33 20 |.moderat|ed:3073 |
|00000370| 6e 65 77 73 2e 61 6e 73 | 77 65 72 73 3a 31 37 38 |news.ans|wers:178|
|00000380| 32 33 20 61 6c 74 2e 61 | 6e 73 77 65 72 73 3a 32 |23 alt.a|nswers:2|
|00000390| 33 36 31 0a 0a 41 72 63 | 68 69 76 65 2d 6e 61 6d |361..Arc|hive-nam|
|000003a0| 65 3a 20 61 74 68 65 69 | 73 6d 2f 69 6e 74 72 6f |e: athei|sm/intro|
|000003b0| 64 75 63 74 69 6f 6e 0a | 41 6c 74 2d 61 74 68 65 |duction.|Alt-athe|
|000003c0| 69 73 6d 2d 61 72 63 68 | 69 76 65 2d 6e 61 6d 65 |ism-arch|ive-name|
|000003d0| 3a 20 69 6e 74 72 6f 64 | 75 63 74 69 6f 6e 0a 4c |: introd|uction.L|
|000003e0| 61 73 74 2d 6d 6f 64 69 | 66 69 65 64 3a 20 32 39 |ast-modi|fied: 29|
|000003f0| 20 4a 75 6c 79 20 31 39 | 39 33 0a 56 65 72 73 69 | July 19|93.Versi|
|00000400| 6f 6e 3a 20 31 2e 33 0a | 0a 2d 2d 2d 2d 2d 42 45 |on: 1.3.|.-----BE|
|00000410| 47 49 4e 20 50 47 50 20 | 53 49 47 4e 45 44 20 4d |GIN PGP |SIGNED M|
|00000420| 45 53 53 41 47 45 2d 2d | 2d 2d 2d 0a 0a 20 20 20 |ESSAGE--|---.. |
|00000430| 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 | 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 | | |
|00000440| 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 41 | 6e 20 49 6e 74 72 6f 64 | A|n Introd|
|00000450| 75 63 74 69 6f 6e 20 74 | 6f 20 41 74 68 65 69 73 |uction t|o Atheis|
|00000460| 6d 0a 0a 20 20 20 20 20 | 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 |m.. | |
|00000470| 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 | 20 20 62 79 20 6d 61 74 | | by mat|
|00000480| 68 65 77 20 3c 6d 61 74 | 68 65 77 40 6d 61 6e 74 |hew <mat|hew@mant|
|00000490| 69 73 2e 63 6f 2e 75 6b | 3e 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 |is.co.uk|>. |
|000004a0| 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 77 | 69 74 68 20 68 65 6c 70 | w|ith help|
|000004b0| 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 4d 69 | 63 68 61 65 6c 20 57 61 | from Mi|chael Wa|
|000004c0| 6e 67 20 3c 6d 6d 77 61 | 6e 67 40 6d 76 2e 75 73 |ng <mmwa|ng@mv.us|
|000004d0| 2e 61 64 6f 62 65 2e 63 | 6f 6d 3e 0a 0a 54 68 69 |.adobe.c|om>..Thi|
|000004e0| 73 20 61 72 74 69 63 6c | 65 20 61 74 74 65 6d 70 |s articl|e attemp|
|000004f0| 74 73 20 74 6f 20 70 72 | 6f 76 69 64 65 20 61 20 |ts to pr|ovide a |
|00000500| 67 65 6e 65 72 61 6c 20 | 69 6e 74 72 6f 64 75 63 |general |introduc|
|00000510| 74 69 6f 6e 20 74 6f 20 | 61 74 68 65 69 73 6d 2e |tion to |atheism.|
|00000520| 20 20 57 68 69 6c 73 74 | 20 49 0a 68 61 76 65 20 | Whilst| I.have |
|00000530| 74 72 69 65 64 20 74 6f | 20 62 65 20 61 73 20 6e |tried to| be as n|
|00000540| 65 75 74 72 61 6c 20 61 | 73 20 70 6f 73 73 69 62 |eutral a|s possib|
|00000550| 6c 65 20 72 65 67 61 72 | 64 69 6e 67 20 63 6f 6e |le regar|ding con|
|00000560| 74 65 6e 74 69 6f 75 73 | 20 69 73 73 75 65 73 2c |tentious| issues,|
|00000570| 20 79 6f 75 0a 73 68 6f | 75 6c 64 20 61 6c 77 61 | you.sho|uld alwa|
|00000580| 79 73 20 72 65 6d 65 6d | 62 65 72 20 74 68 61 74 |ys remem|ber that|
|00000590| 20 74 68 69 73 20 64 6f | 63 75 6d 65 6e 74 20 72 | this do|cument r|
|000005a0| 65 70 72 65 73 65 6e 74 | 73 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 6f |epresent|s only o|
|000005b0| 6e 65 20 76 69 65 77 70 | 6f 69 6e 74 2e 20 20 49 |ne viewp|oint. I|
|000005c0| 0a 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 65 | 6e 63 6f 75 72 61 67 65 |.would e|ncourage|
|000005d0| 20 79 6f 75 20 74 6f 20 | 72 65 61 64 20 77 69 64 | you to |read wid|
|000005e0| 65 6c 79 20 61 6e 64 20 | 64 72 61 77 20 79 6f 75 |ely and |draw you|
|000005f0| 72 20 6f 77 6e 20 63 6f | 6e 63 6c 75 73 69 6f 6e |r own co|nclusion|
|00000600| 73 3b 20 73 6f 6d 65 0a | 72 65 6c 65 76 61 6e 74 |s; some.|relevant|
|00000610| 20 62 6f 6f 6b 73 20 61 | 72 65 20 6c 69 73 74 65 | books a|re liste|
|00000620| 64 20 69 6e 20 61 20 63 | 6f 6d 70 61 6e 69 6f 6e |d in a c|ompanion|
|00000630| 20 61 72 74 69 63 6c 65 | 2e 0a 0a 54 6f 20 70 72 | article|...To pr|
|00000640| 6f 76 69 64 65 20 61 20 | 73 65 6e 73 65 20 6f 66 |ovide a |sense of|
|00000650| 20 63 6f 68 65 73 69 6f | 6e 20 61 6e 64 20 70 72 | cohesio|n and pr|
|00000660| 6f 67 72 65 73 73 69 6f | 6e 2c 20 49 20 68 61 76 |ogressio|n, I hav|
|00000670| 65 20 70 72 65 73 65 6e | 74 65 64 20 74 68 69 73 |e presen|ted this|
|00000680| 20 61 72 74 69 63 6c 65 | 0a 61 73 20 61 6e 20 69 | article|.as an i|
|00000690| 6d 61 67 69 6e 61 72 79 | 20 63 6f 6e 76 65 72 73 |maginary| convers|
|000006a0| 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 62 65 | 74 77 65 65 6e 20 61 6e |ation be|tween an|
|000006b0| 20 61 74 68 65 69 73 74 | 20 61 6e 64 20 61 20 74 | atheist| and a t|
|000006c0| 68 65 69 73 74 2e 20 20 | 41 6c 6c 20 74 68 65 0a |heist. |All the.|
|000006d0| 71 75 65 73 74 69 6f 6e | 73 20 61 73 6b 65 64 20 |question|s asked |
|000006e0| 62 79 20 74 68 65 20 69 | 6d 61 67 69 6e 61 72 79 |by the i|maginary|
|000006f0| 20 74 68 65 69 73 74 20 | 61 72 65 20 71 75 65 73 | theist |are ques|
|00000700| 74 69 6f 6e 73 20 77 68 | 69 63 68 20 68 61 76 65 |tions wh|ich have|
|00000710| 20 62 65 65 6e 20 63 72 | 6f 70 70 65 64 0a 75 70 | been cr|opped.up|
|00000720| 20 72 65 70 65 61 74 65 | 64 6c 79 20 6f 6e 20 61 | repeate|dly on a|
|00000730| 6c 74 2e 61 74 68 65 69 | 73 6d 20 73 69 6e 63 65 |lt.athei|sm since|
|00000740| 20 74 68 65 20 6e 65 77 | 73 67 72 6f 75 70 20 77 | the new|sgroup w|
|00000750| 61 73 20 63 72 65 61 74 | 65 64 2e 20 20 53 6f 6d |as creat|ed. Som|
|00000760| 65 20 6f 74 68 65 72 0a | 66 72 65 71 75 65 6e 74 |e other.|frequent|
|00000770| 6c 79 20 61 73 6b 65 64 | 20 71 75 65 73 74 69 6f |ly asked| questio|
|00000780| 6e 73 20 61 72 65 20 61 | 6e 73 77 65 72 65 64 20 |ns are a|nswered |
|00000790| 69 6e 20 61 20 63 6f 6d | 70 61 6e 69 6f 6e 20 61 |in a com|panion a|
|000007a0| 72 74 69 63 6c 65 2e 0a | 0a 50 6c 65 61 73 65 20 |rticle..|.Please |
|000007b0| 6e 6f 74 65 20 74 68 61 | 74 20 74 68 69 73 20 61 |note tha|t this a|
|000007c0| 72 74 69 63 6c 65 20 69 | 73 20 61 72 67 75 61 62 |rticle i|s arguab|
|000007d0| 6c 79 20 73 6c 61 6e 74 | 65 64 20 74 6f 77 61 72 |ly slant|ed towar|
|000007e0| 64 73 20 61 6e 73 77 65 | 72 69 6e 67 20 71 75 65 |ds answe|ring que|
|000007f0| 73 74 69 6f 6e 73 0a 70 | 6f 73 65 64 20 66 72 6f |stions.p|osed fro|
|00000800| 6d 20 61 20 43 68 72 69 | 73 74 69 61 6e 20 76 69 |m a Chri|stian vi|
|00000810| 65 77 70 6f 69 6e 74 2e | 20 20 54 68 69 73 20 69 |ewpoint.| This i|
|00000820| 73 20 62 65 63 61 75 73 | 65 20 74 68 65 20 46 41 |s becaus|e the FA|
|00000830| 51 20 66 69 6c 65 73 20 | 72 65 66 6c 65 63 74 0a |Q files |reflect.|
|00000840| 71 75 65 73 74 69 6f 6e | 73 20 77 68 69 63 68 20 |question|s which |
|00000850| 68 61 76 65 20 61 63 74 | 75 61 6c 6c 79 20 62 65 |have act|ually be|
|00000860| 65 6e 20 61 73 6b 65 64 | 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 69 74 |en asked|, and it|
|00000870| 20 69 73 20 70 72 65 64 | 6f 6d 69 6e 61 6e 74 6c | is pred|ominantl|
|00000880| 79 20 43 68 72 69 73 74 | 69 61 6e 73 0a 77 68 6f |y Christ|ians.who|
|00000890| 20 70 72 6f 73 65 6c 79 | 74 69 7a 65 20 6f 6e 20 | prosely|tize on |
|000008a0| 61 6c 74 2e 61 74 68 65 | 69 73 6d 2e 0a 0a 53 6f |alt.athe|ism...So|
|000008b0| 20 77 68 65 6e 20 49 20 | 74 61 6c 6b 20 6f 66 20 | when I |talk of |
|000008c0| 72 65 6c 69 67 69 6f 6e | 2c 20 49 20 61 6d 20 74 |religion|, I am t|
|000008d0| 61 6c 6b 69 6e 67 20 70 | 72 69 6d 61 72 69 6c 79 |alking p|rimarily|
|000008e0| 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 72 | 65 6c 69 67 69 6f 6e 73 | about r|eligions|
|000008f0| 20 73 75 63 68 20 61 73 | 0a 43 68 72 69 73 74 69 | such as|.Christi|
|00000900| 61 6e 69 74 79 2c 20 4a | 75 64 61 69 73 6d 20 61 |anity, J|udaism a|
|00000910| 6e 64 20 49 73 6c 61 6d | 2c 20 77 68 69 63 68 20 |nd Islam|, which |
|00000920| 69 6e 76 6f 6c 76 65 20 | 73 6f 6d 65 20 73 6f 72 |involve |some sor|
|00000930| 74 20 6f 66 20 73 75 70 | 65 72 68 75 6d 61 6e 20 |t of sup|erhuman |
|00000940| 64 69 76 69 6e 65 0a 62 | 65 69 6e 67 2e 20 20 4d |divine.b|eing. M|
|00000950| 75 63 68 20 6f 66 20 74 | 68 65 20 64 69 73 63 75 |uch of t|he discu|
|00000960| 73 73 69 6f 6e 20 77 69 | 6c 6c 20 61 70 70 6c 79 |ssion wi|ll apply|
|00000970| 20 74 6f 20 6f 74 68 65 | 72 20 72 65 6c 69 67 69 | to othe|r religi|
|00000980| 6f 6e 73 2c 20 62 75 74 | 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 6f 66 |ons, but| some of|
|00000990| 20 69 74 0a 6d 61 79 20 | 6e 6f 74 2e 0a 0a 22 57 | it.may |not..."W|
|000009a0| 68 61 74 20 69 73 20 61 | 74 68 65 69 73 6d 3f 22 |hat is a|theism?"|
|000009b0| 0a 0a 41 74 68 65 69 73 | 6d 20 69 73 20 63 68 61 |..Atheis|m is cha|
|000009c0| 72 61 63 74 65 72 69 7a | 65 64 20 62 79 20 61 6e |racteriz|ed by an|
|000009d0| 20 61 62 73 65 6e 63 65 | 20 6f 66 20 62 65 6c 69 | absence| of beli|
|000009e0| 65 66 20 69 6e 20 74 68 | 65 20 65 78 69 73 74 65 |ef in th|e existe|
|000009f0| 6e 63 65 20 6f 66 20 47 | 6f 64 2e 0a 53 6f 6d 65 |nce of G|od..Some|
|00000a00| 20 61 74 68 65 69 73 74 | 73 20 67 6f 20 66 75 72 | atheist|s go fur|
|00000a10| 74 68 65 72 2c 20 61 6e | 64 20 62 65 6c 69 65 76 |ther, an|d believ|
|00000a20| 65 20 74 68 61 74 20 47 | 6f 64 20 64 6f 65 73 20 |e that G|od does |
|00000a30| 6e 6f 74 20 65 78 69 73 | 74 2e 20 20 54 68 65 20 |not exis|t. The |
|00000a40| 66 6f 72 6d 65 72 20 69 | 73 0a 6f 66 74 65 6e 20 |former i|s.often |
|00000a50| 72 65 66 65 72 72 65 64 | 20 74 6f 20 61 73 20 74 |referred| to as t|
|00000a60| 68 65 20 22 77 65 61 6b | 20 61 74 68 65 69 73 74 |he "weak| atheist|
|00000a70| 22 20 70 6f 73 69 74 69 | 6f 6e 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 |" positi|on, and |
|00000a80| 74 68 65 20 6c 61 74 74 | 65 72 20 61 73 20 22 73 |the latt|er as "s|
|00000a90| 74 72 6f 6e 67 0a 61 74 | 68 65 69 73 6d 22 2e 0a |trong.at|heism"..|
|00000aa0| 0a 49 74 20 69 73 20 69 | 6d 70 6f 72 74 61 6e 74 |.It is i|mportant|
|00000ab0| 20 74 6f 20 6e 6f 74 65 | 20 74 68 65 20 64 69 66 | to note| the dif|
|00000ac0| 66 65 72 65 6e 63 65 20 | 62 65 74 77 65 65 6e 20 |ference |between |
|00000ad0| 74 68 65 73 65 20 74 77 | 6f 20 70 6f 73 69 74 69 |these tw|o positi|
|00000ae0| 6f 6e 73 2e 20 20 22 57 | 65 61 6b 0a 61 74 68 65 |ons. "W|eak.athe|
|00000af0| 69 73 6d 22 20 69 73 20 | 73 69 6d 70 6c 65 20 73 |ism" is |simple s|
|00000b00| 63 65 70 74 69 63 69 73 | 6d 3b 20 64 69 73 62 65 |cepticis|m; disbe|
|00000b10| 6c 69 65 66 20 69 6e 20 | 74 68 65 20 65 78 69 73 |lief in |the exis|
|00000b20| 74 65 6e 63 65 20 6f 66 | 20 47 6f 64 2e 20 20 22 |tence of| God. "|
|00000b30| 53 74 72 6f 6e 67 0a 61 | 74 68 65 69 73 6d 22 20 |Strong.a|theism" |
|00000b40| 69 73 20 61 20 70 6f 73 | 69 74 69 76 65 20 62 65 |is a pos|itive be|
|00000b50| 6c 69 65 66 20 74 68 61 | 74 20 47 6f 64 20 64 6f |lief tha|t God do|
|00000b60| 65 73 20 6e 6f 74 20 65 | 78 69 73 74 2e 20 20 50 |es not e|xist. P|
|00000b70| 6c 65 61 73 65 20 64 6f | 20 6e 6f 74 0a 66 61 6c |lease do| not.fal|
|00000b80| 6c 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 74 | 68 65 20 74 72 61 70 20 |l into t|he trap |
|00000b90| 6f 66 20 61 73 73 75 6d | 69 6e 67 20 74 68 61 74 |of assum|ing that|
|00000ba0| 20 61 6c 6c 20 61 74 68 | 65 69 73 74 73 20 61 72 | all ath|eists ar|
|00000bb0| 65 20 22 73 74 72 6f 6e | 67 20 61 74 68 65 69 73 |e "stron|g atheis|
|00000bc0| 74 73 22 2e 0a 0a 53 6f | 6d 65 20 61 74 68 65 69 |ts"...So|me athei|
|00000bd0| 73 74 73 20 62 65 6c 69 | 65 76 65 20 69 6e 20 74 |sts beli|eve in t|
|00000be0| 68 65 20 6e 6f 6e 2d 65 | 78 69 73 74 65 6e 63 65 |he non-e|xistence|
|00000bf0| 20 6f 66 20 61 6c 6c 20 | 47 6f 64 73 3b 20 6f 74 | of all |Gods; ot|
|00000c00| 68 65 72 73 20 6c 69 6d | 69 74 20 74 68 65 69 72 |hers lim|it their|
|00000c10| 0a 61 74 68 65 69 73 6d | 20 74 6f 20 73 70 65 63 |.atheism| to spec|
|00000c20| 69 66 69 63 20 47 6f 64 | 73 2c 20 73 75 63 68 20 |ific God|s, such |
|00000c30| 61 73 20 74 68 65 20 43 | 68 72 69 73 74 69 61 6e |as the C|hristian|
|00000c40| 20 47 6f 64 2c 20 72 61 | 74 68 65 72 20 74 68 61 | God, ra|ther tha|
|00000c50| 6e 20 6d 61 6b 69 6e 67 | 0a 66 6c 61 74 2d 6f 75 |n making|.flat-ou|
|00000c60| 74 20 64 65 6e 69 61 6c | 73 2e 0a 0a 22 42 75 74 |t denial|s..."But|
|00000c70| 20 69 73 6e 27 74 20 64 | 69 73 62 65 6c 69 65 76 | isn't d|isbeliev|
|00000c80| 69 6e 67 20 69 6e 20 47 | 6f 64 20 74 68 65 20 73 |ing in G|od the s|
|00000c90| 61 6d 65 20 74 68 69 6e | 67 20 61 73 20 62 65 6c |ame thin|g as bel|
|00000ca0| 69 65 76 69 6e 67 20 68 | 65 20 64 6f 65 73 6e 27 |ieving h|e doesn'|
|00000cb0| 74 20 65 78 69 73 74 3f | 22 0a 0a 44 65 66 69 6e |t exist?|"..Defin|
|00000cc0| 69 74 65 6c 79 20 6e 6f | 74 2e 20 20 44 69 73 62 |itely no|t. Disb|
|00000cd0| 65 6c 69 65 66 20 69 6e | 20 61 20 70 72 6f 70 6f |elief in| a propo|
|00000ce0| 73 69 74 69 6f 6e 20 6d | 65 61 6e 73 20 74 68 61 |sition m|eans tha|
|00000cf0| 74 20 6f 6e 65 20 64 6f | 65 73 20 6e 6f 74 20 62 |t one do|es not b|
|00000d00| 65 6c 69 65 76 65 0a 69 | 74 20 74 6f 20 62 65 20 |elieve.i|t to be |
|00000d10| 74 72 75 65 2e 20 20 4e | 6f 74 20 62 65 6c 69 65 |true. N|ot belie|
|00000d20| 76 69 6e 67 20 74 68 61 | 74 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 |ving tha|t someth|
|00000d30| 69 6e 67 20 69 73 20 74 | 72 75 65 20 69 73 20 6e |ing is t|rue is n|
|00000d40| 6f 74 20 65 71 75 69 76 | 61 6c 65 6e 74 20 74 6f |ot equiv|alent to|
|00000d50| 0a 62 65 6c 69 65 76 69 | 6e 67 20 74 68 61 74 20 |.believi|ng that |
|00000d60| 69 74 20 69 73 20 66 61 | 6c 73 65 3b 20 6f 6e 65 |it is fa|lse; one|
|00000d70| 20 6d 61 79 20 73 69 6d | 70 6c 79 20 68 61 76 65 | may sim|ply have|
|00000d80| 20 6e 6f 20 69 64 65 61 | 20 77 68 65 74 68 65 72 | no idea| whether|
|00000d90| 20 69 74 20 69 73 20 74 | 72 75 65 20 6f 72 0a 6e | it is t|rue or.n|
|00000da0| 6f 74 2e 20 20 57 68 69 | 63 68 20 62 72 69 6e 67 |ot. Whi|ch bring|
|00000db0| 73 20 75 73 20 74 6f 20 | 61 67 6e 6f 73 74 69 63 |s us to |agnostic|
|00000dc0| 69 73 6d 2e 0a 0a 22 57 | 68 61 74 20 69 73 20 61 |ism..."W|hat is a|
|00000dd0| 67 6e 6f 73 74 69 63 69 | 73 6d 20 74 68 65 6e 3f |gnostici|sm then?|
|00000de0| 22 0a 0a 54 68 65 20 74 | 65 72 6d 20 27 61 67 6e |"..The t|erm 'agn|
|00000df0| 6f 73 74 69 63 69 73 6d | 27 20 77 61 73 20 63 6f |osticism|' was co|
|00000e00| 69 6e 65 64 20 62 79 20 | 50 72 6f 66 65 73 73 6f |ined by |Professo|
|00000e10| 72 20 48 75 78 6c 65 79 | 20 61 74 20 61 20 6d 65 |r Huxley| at a me|
|00000e20| 65 74 69 6e 67 20 6f 66 | 20 74 68 65 0a 4d 65 74 |eting of| the.Met|
|00000e30| 61 70 68 79 73 69 63 61 | 6c 20 53 6f 63 69 65 74 |aphysica|l Societ|
|00000e40| 79 20 69 6e 20 31 38 37 | 36 2e 20 20 48 65 20 64 |y in 187|6. He d|
|00000e50| 65 66 69 6e 65 64 20 61 | 6e 20 61 67 6e 6f 73 74 |efined a|n agnost|
|00000e60| 69 63 20 61 73 20 73 6f | 6d 65 6f 6e 65 20 77 68 |ic as so|meone wh|
|00000e70| 6f 0a 64 69 73 63 6c 61 | 69 6d 65 64 20 28 22 73 |o.discla|imed ("s|
|00000e80| 74 72 6f 6e 67 22 29 20 | 61 74 68 65 69 73 6d 20 |trong") |atheism |
|00000e90| 61 6e 64 20 62 65 6c 69 | 65 76 65 64 20 74 68 61 |and beli|eved tha|
|00000ea0| 74 20 74 68 65 20 75 6c | 74 69 6d 61 74 65 20 6f |t the ul|timate o|
|00000eb0| 72 69 67 69 6e 20 6f 66 | 20 74 68 69 6e 67 73 0a |rigin of| things.|
|00000ec0| 6d 75 73 74 20 62 65 20 | 73 6f 6d 65 20 63 61 75 |must be |some cau|
|00000ed0| 73 65 20 75 6e 6b 6e 6f | 77 6e 20 61 6e 64 20 75 |se unkno|wn and u|
|00000ee0| 6e 6b 6e 6f 77 61 62 6c | 65 2e 20 20 41 6e 6f 74 |nknowabl|e. Anot|
|00000ef0| 68 65 72 20 77 61 79 20 | 6f 66 20 70 75 74 74 69 |her way |of putti|
|00000f00| 6e 67 20 69 74 20 69 73 | 20 61 6e 0a 61 67 6e 6f |ng it is| an.agno|
|00000f10| 73 74 69 63 20 69 73 20 | 73 6f 6d 65 6f 6e 65 20 |stic is |someone |
|00000f20| 77 68 6f 20 62 65 6c 69 | 65 76 65 73 20 74 68 61 |who beli|eves tha|
|00000f30| 74 20 77 65 20 64 6f 20 | 6e 6f 74 20 61 6e 64 20 |t we do |not and |
|00000f40| 63 61 6e 6e 6f 74 20 6b | 6e 6f 77 20 66 6f 72 20 |cannot k|now for |
|00000f50| 73 75 72 65 0a 77 68 65 | 74 68 65 72 20 47 6f 64 |sure.whe|ther God|
|00000f60| 20 65 78 69 73 74 73 2e | 0a 0a 53 69 6e 63 65 20 | exists.|..Since |
|00000f70| 74 68 61 74 20 74 69 6d | 65 2c 20 68 6f 77 65 76 |that tim|e, howev|
|00000f80| 65 72 2c 20 74 68 65 20 | 74 65 72 6d 20 61 67 6e |er, the |term agn|
|00000f90| 6f 73 74 69 63 20 68 61 | 73 20 61 6c 73 6f 20 62 |ostic ha|s also b|
|00000fa0| 65 65 6e 20 75 73 65 64 | 20 74 6f 20 64 65 73 63 |een used| to desc|
|00000fb0| 72 69 62 65 0a 74 68 6f | 73 65 20 74 68 61 74 20 |ribe.tho|se that |
|00000fc0| 64 6f 20 6e 6f 74 20 62 | 65 6c 69 65 76 65 20 74 |do not b|elieve t|
|00000fd0| 68 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 | 71 75 65 73 74 69 6f 6e |hat the |question|
|00000fe0| 20 69 73 20 69 6e 74 72 | 69 6e 73 69 63 61 6c 6c | is intr|insicall|
|00000ff0| 79 20 75 6e 6b 6e 6f 77 | 61 62 6c 65 2c 20 62 75 |y unknow|able, bu|
|00001000| 74 0a 69 6e 73 74 65 61 | 64 20 62 65 6c 69 65 76 |t.instea|d believ|
|00001010| 65 20 74 68 61 74 20 74 | 68 65 20 65 76 69 64 65 |e that t|he evide|
|00001020| 6e 63 65 20 66 6f 72 20 | 6f 72 20 61 67 61 69 6e |nce for |or again|
|00001030| 73 74 20 47 6f 64 20 69 | 73 20 69 6e 63 6f 6e 63 |st God i|s inconc|
|00001040| 6c 75 73 69 76 65 2c 20 | 61 6e 64 0a 74 68 65 72 |lusive, |and.ther|
|00001050| 65 66 6f 72 65 20 61 72 | 65 20 75 6e 64 65 63 69 |efore ar|e undeci|
|00001060| 64 65 64 20 61 62 6f 75 | 74 20 74 68 65 20 69 73 |ded abou|t the is|
|00001070| 73 75 65 2e 0a 0a 54 6f | 20 72 65 64 75 63 65 20 |sue...To| reduce |
|00001080| 74 68 65 20 61 6d 6f 75 | 6e 74 20 6f 66 20 63 6f |the amou|nt of co|
|00001090| 6e 66 75 73 69 6f 6e 20 | 6f 76 65 72 20 74 68 65 |nfusion |over the|
|000010a0| 20 75 73 65 20 6f 66 20 | 74 65 72 6d 20 61 67 6e | use of |term agn|
|000010b0| 6f 73 74 69 63 69 73 6d | 2c 20 69 74 20 69 73 0a |osticism|, it is.|
|000010c0| 72 65 63 6f 6d 6d 65 6e | 64 65 64 20 74 68 61 74 |recommen|ded that|
|000010d0| 20 75 73 61 67 65 20 62 | 61 73 65 64 20 6f 6e 20 | usage b|ased on |
|000010e0| 74 68 65 20 6f 72 69 67 | 69 6e 61 6c 20 64 65 66 |the orig|inal def|
|000010f0| 69 6e 69 74 69 6f 6e 20 | 62 65 20 71 75 61 6c 69 |inition |be quali|
|00001100| 66 69 65 64 20 61 73 0a | 22 73 74 72 69 63 74 20 |fied as.|"strict |
|00001110| 61 67 6e 6f 73 74 69 63 | 69 73 6d 22 20 61 6e 64 |agnostic|ism" and|
|00001120| 20 75 73 61 67 65 20 62 | 61 73 65 64 20 6f 6e 20 | usage b|ased on |
|00001130| 74 68 65 20 73 65 63 6f | 6e 64 20 64 65 66 69 6e |the seco|nd defin|
|00001140| 69 74 69 6f 6e 20 62 65 | 20 71 75 61 6c 69 66 69 |ition be| qualifi|
|00001150| 65 64 20 61 73 0a 22 65 | 6d 70 69 72 69 63 61 6c |ed as."e|mpirical|
|00001160| 20 61 67 6e 6f 73 74 69 | 63 69 73 6d 22 2e 0a 0a | agnosti|cism"...|
|00001170| 57 6f 72 64 73 20 61 72 | 65 20 73 6c 69 70 70 65 |Words ar|e slippe|
|00001180| 72 79 20 74 68 69 6e 67 | 73 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 6c |ry thing|s, and l|
|00001190| 61 6e 67 75 61 67 65 20 | 69 73 20 69 6e 65 78 61 |anguage |is inexa|
|000011a0| 63 74 2e 20 20 42 65 77 | 61 72 65 20 6f 66 20 61 |ct. Bew|are of a|
|000011b0| 73 73 75 6d 69 6e 67 20 | 74 68 61 74 0a 79 6f 75 |ssuming |that.you|
|000011c0| 20 63 61 6e 20 77 6f 72 | 6b 20 6f 75 74 20 73 6f | can wor|k out so|
|000011d0| 6d 65 6f 6e 65 27 73 20 | 70 68 69 6c 6f 73 6f 70 |meone's |philosop|
|000011e0| 68 69 63 61 6c 20 70 6f | 69 6e 74 20 6f 66 20 76 |hical po|int of v|
|000011f0| 69 65 77 20 73 69 6d 70 | 6c 79 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 |iew simp|ly from |
|00001200| 74 68 65 20 66 61 63 74 | 0a 74 68 61 74 20 73 68 |the fact|.that sh|
|00001210| 65 20 63 61 6c 6c 73 20 | 68 65 72 73 65 6c 66 20 |e calls |herself |
|00001220| 61 6e 20 61 74 68 65 69 | 73 74 20 6f 72 20 61 6e |an athei|st or an|
|00001230| 20 61 67 6e 6f 73 74 69 | 63 2e 20 20 46 6f 72 20 | agnosti|c. For |
|00001240| 65 78 61 6d 70 6c 65 2c | 20 6d 61 6e 79 20 70 65 |example,| many pe|
|00001250| 6f 70 6c 65 0a 75 73 65 | 20 61 67 6e 6f 73 74 69 |ople.use| agnosti|
|00001260| 63 69 73 6d 20 74 6f 20 | 6d 65 61 6e 20 77 68 61 |cism to |mean wha|
|00001270| 74 20 69 73 20 72 65 66 | 65 72 72 65 64 20 74 6f |t is ref|erred to|
|00001280| 20 68 65 72 65 20 61 73 | 20 22 77 65 61 6b 20 61 | here as| "weak a|
|00001290| 74 68 65 69 73 6d 22 2c | 20 61 6e 64 0a 75 73 65 |theism",| and.use|
|000012a0| 20 74 68 65 20 77 6f 72 | 64 20 22 61 74 68 65 69 | the wor|d "athei|
|000012b0| 73 6d 22 20 6f 6e 6c 79 | 20 77 68 65 6e 20 72 65 |sm" only| when re|
|000012c0| 66 65 72 72 69 6e 67 20 | 74 6f 20 22 73 74 72 6f |ferring |to "stro|
|000012d0| 6e 67 20 61 74 68 65 69 | 73 6d 22 2e 0a 0a 42 65 |ng athei|sm"...Be|
|000012e0| 77 61 72 65 20 61 6c 73 | 6f 20 74 68 61 74 20 62 |ware als|o that b|
|000012f0| 65 63 61 75 73 65 20 74 | 68 65 20 77 6f 72 64 20 |ecause t|he word |
|00001300| 22 61 74 68 65 69 73 74 | 22 20 68 61 73 20 73 6f |"atheist|" has so|
|00001310| 20 6d 61 6e 79 20 73 68 | 61 64 65 73 20 6f 66 20 | many sh|ades of |
|00001320| 6d 65 61 6e 69 6e 67 2c | 20 69 74 0a 69 73 20 76 |meaning,| it.is v|
|00001330| 65 72 79 20 64 69 66 66 | 69 63 75 6c 74 20 74 6f |ery diff|icult to|
|00001340| 20 67 65 6e 65 72 61 6c | 69 7a 65 20 61 62 6f 75 | general|ize abou|
|00001350| 74 20 61 74 68 65 69 73 | 74 73 2e 20 20 41 62 6f |t atheis|ts. Abo|
|00001360| 75 74 20 61 6c 6c 20 79 | 6f 75 20 63 61 6e 20 73 |ut all y|ou can s|
|00001370| 61 79 20 66 6f 72 0a 73 | 75 72 65 20 69 73 20 74 |ay for.s|ure is t|
|00001380| 68 61 74 20 61 74 68 65 | 69 73 74 73 20 64 6f 6e |hat athe|ists don|
|00001390| 27 74 20 62 65 6c 69 65 | 76 65 20 69 6e 20 47 6f |'t belie|ve in Go|
|000013a0| 64 2e 20 20 46 6f 72 20 | 65 78 61 6d 70 6c 65 2c |d. For |example,|
|000013b0| 20 69 74 20 63 65 72 74 | 61 69 6e 6c 79 20 69 73 | it cert|ainly is|
|000013c0| 6e 27 74 0a 74 68 65 20 | 63 61 73 65 20 74 68 61 |n't.the |case tha|
|000013d0| 74 20 61 6c 6c 20 61 74 | 68 65 69 73 74 73 20 62 |t all at|heists b|
|000013e0| 65 6c 69 65 76 65 20 74 | 68 61 74 20 73 63 69 65 |elieve t|hat scie|
|000013f0| 6e 63 65 20 69 73 20 74 | 68 65 20 62 65 73 74 20 |nce is t|he best |
|00001400| 77 61 79 20 74 6f 20 66 | 69 6e 64 20 6f 75 74 0a |way to f|ind out.|
|00001410| 61 62 6f 75 74 20 74 68 | 65 20 75 6e 69 76 65 72 |about th|e univer|
|00001420| 73 65 2e 0a 0a 22 53 6f | 20 77 68 61 74 20 69 73 |se..."So| what is|
|00001430| 20 74 68 65 20 70 68 69 | 6c 6f 73 6f 70 68 69 63 | the phi|losophic|
|00001440| 61 6c 20 6a 75 73 74 69 | 66 69 63 61 74 69 6f 6e |al justi|fication|
|00001450| 20 6f 72 20 62 61 73 69 | 73 20 66 6f 72 20 61 74 | or basi|s for at|
|00001460| 68 65 69 73 6d 3f 22 0a | 0a 54 68 65 72 65 20 61 |heism?".|.There a|
|00001470| 72 65 20 6d 61 6e 79 20 | 70 68 69 6c 6f 73 6f 70 |re many |philosop|
|00001480| 68 69 63 61 6c 20 6a 75 | 73 74 69 66 69 63 61 74 |hical ju|stificat|
|00001490| 69 6f 6e 73 20 66 6f 72 | 20 61 74 68 65 69 73 6d |ions for| atheism|
|000014a0| 2e 20 20 54 6f 20 66 69 | 6e 64 20 6f 75 74 20 77 |. To fi|nd out w|
|000014b0| 68 79 20 61 0a 70 61 72 | 74 69 63 75 6c 61 72 20 |hy a.par|ticular |
|000014c0| 70 65 72 73 6f 6e 20 63 | 68 6f 6f 73 65 73 20 74 |person c|hooses t|
|000014d0| 6f 20 62 65 20 61 6e 20 | 61 74 68 65 69 73 74 2c |o be an |atheist,|
|000014e0| 20 69 74 27 73 20 62 65 | 73 74 20 74 6f 20 61 73 | it's be|st to as|
|000014f0| 6b 20 68 65 72 2e 0a 0a | 4d 61 6e 79 20 61 74 68 |k her...|Many ath|
|00001500| 65 69 73 74 73 20 66 65 | 65 6c 20 74 68 61 74 20 |eists fe|el that |
|00001510| 74 68 65 20 69 64 65 61 | 20 6f 66 20 47 6f 64 20 |the idea| of God |
|00001520| 61 73 20 70 72 65 73 65 | 6e 74 65 64 20 62 79 20 |as prese|nted by |
|00001530| 74 68 65 20 6d 61 6a 6f | 72 20 72 65 6c 69 67 69 |the majo|r religi|
|00001540| 6f 6e 73 0a 69 73 20 65 | 73 73 65 6e 74 69 61 6c |ons.is e|ssential|
|00001550| 6c 79 20 73 65 6c 66 2d | 63 6f 6e 74 72 61 64 69 |ly self-|contradi|
|00001560| 63 74 6f 72 79 2c 20 61 | 6e 64 20 74 68 61 74 20 |ctory, a|nd that |
|00001570| 69 74 20 69 73 20 6c 6f | 67 69 63 61 6c 6c 79 20 |it is lo|gically |
|00001580| 69 6d 70 6f 73 73 69 62 | 6c 65 20 74 68 61 74 0a |impossib|le that.|
|00001590| 73 75 63 68 20 61 20 47 | 6f 64 20 63 6f 75 6c 64 |such a G|od could|
|000015a0| 20 65 78 69 73 74 2e 20 | 20 4f 74 68 65 72 73 20 | exist. | Others |
|000015b0| 61 72 65 20 61 74 68 65 | 69 73 74 73 20 74 68 72 |are athe|ists thr|
|000015c0| 6f 75 67 68 20 73 63 65 | 70 74 69 63 69 73 6d 2c |ough sce|pticism,|
|000015d0| 20 62 65 63 61 75 73 65 | 20 74 68 65 79 0a 73 65 | because| they.se|
|000015e0| 65 20 6e 6f 20 65 76 69 | 64 65 6e 63 65 20 74 68 |e no evi|dence th|
|000015f0| 61 74 20 47 6f 64 20 65 | 78 69 73 74 73 2e 0a 0a |at God e|xists...|
|00001600| 22 42 75 74 20 69 73 6e | 27 74 20 69 74 20 69 6d |"But isn|'t it im|
|00001610| 70 6f 73 73 69 62 6c 65 | 20 74 6f 20 70 72 6f 76 |possible| to prov|
|00001620| 65 20 74 68 65 20 6e 6f | 6e 2d 65 78 69 73 74 65 |e the no|n-existe|
|00001630| 6e 63 65 20 6f 66 20 73 | 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 |nce of s|omething|
|00001640| 3f 22 0a 0a 54 68 65 72 | 65 20 61 72 65 20 6d 61 |?"..Ther|e are ma|
|00001650| 6e 79 20 63 6f 75 6e 74 | 65 72 2d 65 78 61 6d 70 |ny count|er-examp|
|00001660| 6c 65 73 20 74 6f 20 73 | 75 63 68 20 61 20 73 74 |les to s|uch a st|
|00001670| 61 74 65 6d 65 6e 74 2e | 20 20 46 6f 72 20 65 78 |atement.| For ex|
|00001680| 61 6d 70 6c 65 2c 20 69 | 74 20 69 73 0a 71 75 69 |ample, i|t is.qui|
|00001690| 74 65 20 73 69 6d 70 6c | 65 20 74 6f 20 70 72 6f |te simpl|e to pro|
|000016a0| 76 65 20 74 68 61 74 20 | 74 68 65 72 65 20 64 6f |ve that |there do|
|000016b0| 65 73 20 6e 6f 74 20 65 | 78 69 73 74 20 61 20 70 |es not e|xist a p|
|000016c0| 72 69 6d 65 20 6e 75 6d | 62 65 72 20 6c 61 72 67 |rime num|ber larg|
|000016d0| 65 72 20 74 68 61 6e 0a | 61 6c 6c 20 6f 74 68 65 |er than.|all othe|
|000016e0| 72 20 70 72 69 6d 65 20 | 6e 75 6d 62 65 72 73 2e |r prime |numbers.|
|000016f0| 20 20 4f 66 20 63 6f 75 | 72 73 65 2c 20 74 68 69 | Of cou|rse, thi|
|00001700| 73 20 64 65 61 6c 73 20 | 77 69 74 68 20 77 65 6c |s deals |with wel|
|00001710| 6c 2d 64 65 66 69 6e 65 | 64 20 6f 62 6a 65 63 74 |l-define|d object|
|00001720| 73 0a 6f 62 65 79 69 6e | 67 20 77 65 6c 6c 2d 64 |s.obeyin|g well-d|
|00001730| 65 66 69 6e 65 64 20 72 | 75 6c 65 73 2e 20 20 57 |efined r|ules. W|
|00001740| 68 65 74 68 65 72 20 47 | 6f 64 73 20 6f 72 20 75 |hether G|ods or u|
|00001750| 6e 69 76 65 72 73 65 73 | 20 61 72 65 20 73 69 6d |niverses| are sim|
|00001760| 69 6c 61 72 6c 79 0a 77 | 65 6c 6c 2d 64 65 66 69 |ilarly.w|ell-defi|
|00001770| 6e 65 64 20 69 73 20 61 | 20 6d 61 74 74 65 72 20 |ned is a| matter |
|00001780| 66 6f 72 20 64 65 62 61 | 74 65 2e 0a 0a 48 6f 77 |for deba|te...How|
|00001790| 65 76 65 72 2c 20 61 73 | 73 75 6d 69 6e 67 20 66 |ever, as|suming f|
|000017a0| 6f 72 20 74 68 65 20 6d | 6f 6d 65 6e 74 20 74 68 |or the m|oment th|
|000017b0| 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 65 | 78 69 73 74 65 6e 63 65 |at the e|xistence|
|000017c0| 20 6f 66 20 61 20 47 6f | 64 20 69 73 20 6e 6f 74 | of a Go|d is not|
|000017d0| 20 70 72 6f 76 61 62 6c | 79 0a 69 6d 70 6f 73 73 | provabl|y.imposs|
|000017e0| 69 62 6c 65 2c 20 74 68 | 65 72 65 20 61 72 65 20 |ible, th|ere are |
|000017f0| 73 74 69 6c 6c 20 73 75 | 62 74 6c 65 20 72 65 61 |still su|btle rea|
|00001800| 73 6f 6e 73 20 66 6f 72 | 20 61 73 73 75 6d 69 6e |sons for| assumin|
|00001810| 67 20 74 68 65 20 6e 6f | 6e 2d 65 78 69 73 74 65 |g the no|n-existe|
|00001820| 6e 63 65 20 6f 66 0a 47 | 6f 64 2e 20 20 49 66 20 |nce of.G|od. If |
|00001830| 77 65 20 61 73 73 75 6d | 65 20 74 68 61 74 20 73 |we assum|e that s|
|00001840| 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 | 20 64 6f 65 73 20 6e 6f |omething| does no|
|00001850| 74 20 65 78 69 73 74 2c | 20 69 74 20 69 73 20 61 |t exist,| it is a|
|00001860| 6c 77 61 79 73 20 70 6f | 73 73 69 62 6c 65 20 74 |lways po|ssible t|
|00001870| 6f 0a 73 68 6f 77 20 74 | 68 61 74 20 74 68 69 73 |o.show t|hat this|
|00001880| 20 61 73 73 75 6d 70 74 | 69 6f 6e 20 69 73 20 69 | assumpt|ion is i|
|00001890| 6e 76 61 6c 69 64 20 62 | 79 20 66 69 6e 64 69 6e |nvalid b|y findin|
|000018a0| 67 20 61 20 73 69 6e 67 | 6c 65 20 63 6f 75 6e 74 |g a sing|le count|
|000018b0| 65 72 2d 65 78 61 6d 70 | 6c 65 2e 0a 0a 49 66 20 |er-examp|le...If |
|000018c0| 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 6f | 74 68 65 72 20 68 61 6e |on the o|ther han|
|000018d0| 64 20 77 65 20 61 73 73 | 75 6d 65 20 74 68 61 74 |d we ass|ume that|
|000018e0| 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 | 6e 67 20 64 6f 65 73 20 | somethi|ng does |
|000018f0| 65 78 69 73 74 2c 20 61 | 6e 64 20 69 66 20 74 68 |exist, a|nd if th|
|00001900| 65 20 74 68 69 6e 67 20 | 69 6e 0a 71 75 65 73 74 |e thing |in.quest|
|00001910| 69 6f 6e 20 69 73 20 6e | 6f 74 20 70 72 6f 76 61 |ion is n|ot prova|
|00001920| 62 6c 79 20 69 6d 70 6f | 73 73 69 62 6c 65 2c 20 |bly impo|ssible, |
|00001930| 73 68 6f 77 69 6e 67 20 | 74 68 61 74 20 74 68 65 |showing |that the|
|00001940| 20 61 73 73 75 6d 70 74 | 69 6f 6e 20 69 73 20 69 | assumpt|ion is i|
|00001950| 6e 76 61 6c 69 64 0a 6d | 61 79 20 72 65 71 75 69 |nvalid.m|ay requi|
|00001960| 72 65 20 61 6e 20 65 78 | 68 61 75 73 74 69 76 65 |re an ex|haustive|
|00001970| 20 73 65 61 72 63 68 20 | 6f 66 20 61 6c 6c 20 70 | search |of all p|
|00001980| 6f 73 73 69 62 6c 65 20 | 70 6c 61 63 65 73 20 77 |ossible |places w|
|00001990| 68 65 72 65 20 73 75 63 | 68 20 61 20 74 68 69 6e |here suc|h a thin|
|000019a0| 67 0a 6d 69 67 68 74 20 | 62 65 20 66 6f 75 6e 64 |g.might |be found|
|000019b0| 2c 20 74 6f 20 73 68 6f | 77 20 74 68 61 74 20 69 |, to sho|w that i|
|000019c0| 74 20 69 73 6e 27 74 20 | 74 68 65 72 65 2e 20 20 |t isn't |there. |
|000019d0| 53 75 63 68 20 61 6e 20 | 65 78 68 61 75 73 74 69 |Such an |exhausti|
|000019e0| 76 65 20 73 65 61 72 63 | 68 20 69 73 0a 6f 66 74 |ve searc|h is.oft|
|000019f0| 65 6e 20 69 6d 70 72 61 | 63 74 69 63 61 6c 20 6f |en impra|ctical o|
|00001a00| 72 20 69 6d 70 6f 73 73 | 69 62 6c 65 2e 20 20 54 |r imposs|ible. T|
|00001a10| 68 65 72 65 20 69 73 20 | 6e 6f 20 73 75 63 68 20 |here is |no such |
|00001a20| 70 72 6f 62 6c 65 6d 20 | 77 69 74 68 20 6c 61 72 |problem |with lar|
|00001a30| 67 65 73 74 0a 70 72 69 | 6d 65 73 2c 20 62 65 63 |gest.pri|mes, bec|
|00001a40| 61 75 73 65 20 77 65 20 | 63 61 6e 20 70 72 6f 76 |ause we |can prov|
|00001a50| 65 20 74 68 61 74 20 74 | 68 65 79 20 64 6f 6e 27 |e that t|hey don'|
|00001a60| 74 20 65 78 69 73 74 2e | 0a 0a 54 68 65 72 65 66 |t exist.|..Theref|
|00001a70| 6f 72 65 20 69 74 20 69 | 73 20 67 65 6e 65 72 61 |ore it i|s genera|
|00001a80| 6c 6c 79 20 61 63 63 65 | 70 74 65 64 20 74 68 61 |lly acce|pted tha|
|00001a90| 74 20 77 65 20 6d 75 73 | 74 20 61 73 73 75 6d 65 |t we mus|t assume|
|00001aa0| 20 74 68 69 6e 67 73 20 | 64 6f 20 6e 6f 74 20 65 | things |do not e|
|00001ab0| 78 69 73 74 0a 75 6e 6c | 65 73 73 20 77 65 20 68 |xist.unl|ess we h|
|00001ac0| 61 76 65 20 65 76 69 64 | 65 6e 63 65 20 74 68 61 |ave evid|ence tha|
|00001ad0| 74 20 74 68 65 79 20 64 | 6f 2e 20 20 45 76 65 6e |t they d|o. Even|
|00001ae0| 20 74 68 65 69 73 74 73 | 20 66 6f 6c 6c 6f 77 20 | theists| follow |
|00001af0| 74 68 69 73 20 72 75 6c | 65 20 6d 6f 73 74 20 6f |this rul|e most o|
|00001b00| 66 0a 74 68 65 20 74 69 | 6d 65 3b 20 74 68 65 79 |f.the ti|me; they|
|00001b10| 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 62 | 65 6c 69 65 76 65 20 69 | don't b|elieve i|
|00001b20| 6e 20 75 6e 69 63 6f 72 | 6e 73 2c 20 65 76 65 6e |n unicor|ns, even|
|00001b30| 20 74 68 6f 75 67 68 20 | 74 68 65 79 20 63 61 6e | though |they can|
|00001b40| 27 74 20 63 6f 6e 63 6c | 75 73 69 76 65 6c 79 0a |'t concl|usively.|
|00001b50| 70 72 6f 76 65 20 74 68 | 61 74 20 6e 6f 20 75 6e |prove th|at no un|
|00001b60| 69 63 6f 72 6e 73 20 65 | 78 69 73 74 20 61 6e 79 |icorns e|xist any|
|00001b70| 77 68 65 72 65 2e 0a 0a | 54 6f 20 61 73 73 75 6d |where...|To assum|
|00001b80| 65 20 74 68 61 74 20 47 | 6f 64 20 65 78 69 73 74 |e that G|od exist|
|00001b90| 73 20 69 73 20 74 6f 20 | 6d 61 6b 65 20 61 6e 20 |s is to |make an |
|00001ba0| 61 73 73 75 6d 70 74 69 | 6f 6e 20 77 68 69 63 68 |assumpti|on which|
|00001bb0| 20 70 72 6f 62 61 62 6c | 79 20 63 61 6e 6e 6f 74 | probabl|y cannot|
|00001bc0| 20 62 65 0a 74 65 73 74 | 65 64 2e 20 20 57 65 20 | be.test|ed. We |
|00001bd0| 63 61 6e 6e 6f 74 20 6d | 61 6b 65 20 61 6e 20 65 |cannot m|ake an e|
|00001be0| 78 68 61 75 73 74 69 76 | 65 20 73 65 61 72 63 68 |xhaustiv|e search|
|00001bf0| 20 6f 66 20 65 76 65 72 | 79 77 68 65 72 65 20 47 | of ever|ywhere G|
|00001c00| 6f 64 20 6d 69 67 68 74 | 20 62 65 20 74 6f 0a 70 |od might| be to.p|
|00001c10| 72 6f 76 65 20 74 68 61 | 74 20 68 65 20 64 6f 65 |rove tha|t he doe|
|00001c20| 73 6e 27 74 20 65 78 69 | 73 74 20 61 6e 79 77 68 |sn't exi|st anywh|
|00001c30| 65 72 65 2e 20 20 53 6f | 20 74 68 65 20 73 63 65 |ere. So| the sce|
|00001c40| 70 74 69 63 61 6c 20 61 | 74 68 65 69 73 74 20 61 |ptical a|theist a|
|00001c50| 73 73 75 6d 65 73 20 62 | 79 0a 64 65 66 61 75 6c |ssumes b|y.defaul|
|00001c60| 74 20 74 68 61 74 20 47 | 6f 64 20 64 6f 65 73 20 |t that G|od does |
|00001c70| 6e 6f 74 20 65 78 69 73 | 74 2c 20 73 69 6e 63 65 |not exis|t, since|
|00001c80| 20 74 68 61 74 20 69 73 | 20 61 6e 20 61 73 73 75 | that is| an assu|
|00001c90| 6d 70 74 69 6f 6e 20 77 | 65 20 63 61 6e 20 74 65 |mption w|e can te|
|00001ca0| 73 74 2e 0a 0a 54 68 6f | 73 65 20 77 68 6f 20 70 |st...Tho|se who p|
|00001cb0| 72 6f 66 65 73 73 20 73 | 74 72 6f 6e 67 20 61 74 |rofess s|trong at|
|00001cc0| 68 65 69 73 6d 20 75 73 | 75 61 6c 6c 79 20 64 6f |heism us|ually do|
|00001cd0| 20 6e 6f 74 20 63 6c 61 | 69 6d 20 74 68 61 74 20 | not cla|im that |
|00001ce0| 6e 6f 20 73 6f 72 74 20 | 6f 66 20 47 6f 64 0a 65 |no sort |of God.e|
|00001cf0| 78 69 73 74 73 3b 20 69 | 6e 73 74 65 61 64 2c 20 |xists; i|nstead, |
|00001d00| 74 68 65 79 20 67 65 6e | 65 72 61 6c 6c 79 20 72 |they gen|erally r|
|00001d10| 65 73 74 72 69 63 74 20 | 74 68 65 69 72 20 63 6c |estrict |their cl|
|00001d20| 61 69 6d 73 20 73 6f 20 | 61 73 20 74 6f 20 63 6f |aims so |as to co|
|00001d30| 76 65 72 0a 76 61 72 69 | 65 74 69 65 73 20 6f 66 |ver.vari|eties of|
|00001d40| 20 47 6f 64 20 64 65 73 | 63 72 69 62 65 64 20 62 | God des|cribed b|
|00001d50| 79 20 66 6f 6c 6c 6f 77 | 65 72 73 20 6f 66 20 76 |y follow|ers of v|
|00001d60| 61 72 69 6f 75 73 20 72 | 65 6c 69 67 69 6f 6e 73 |arious r|eligions|
|00001d70| 2e 20 20 53 6f 20 77 68 | 69 6c 73 74 20 69 74 0a |. So wh|ilst it.|
|00001d80| 6d 61 79 20 62 65 20 69 | 6d 70 6f 73 73 69 62 6c |may be i|mpossibl|
|00001d90| 65 20 74 6f 20 70 72 6f | 76 65 20 63 6f 6e 63 6c |e to pro|ve concl|
|00001da0| 75 73 69 76 65 6c 79 20 | 74 68 61 74 20 6e 6f 20 |usively |that no |
|00001db0| 47 6f 64 20 65 78 69 73 | 74 73 2c 20 69 74 20 6d |God exis|ts, it m|
|00001dc0| 61 79 20 62 65 0a 70 6f | 73 73 69 62 6c 65 20 74 |ay be.po|ssible t|
|00001dd0| 6f 20 70 72 6f 76 65 20 | 74 68 61 74 20 28 73 61 |o prove |that (sa|
|00001de0| 79 29 20 61 20 47 6f 64 | 20 61 73 20 64 65 73 63 |y) a God| as desc|
|00001df0| 72 69 62 65 64 20 62 79 | 20 61 20 70 61 72 74 69 |ribed by| a parti|
|00001e00| 63 75 6c 61 72 20 72 65 | 6c 69 67 69 6f 75 73 0a |cular re|ligious.|
|00001e10| 62 6f 6f 6b 20 64 6f 65 | 73 20 6e 6f 74 20 65 78 |book doe|s not ex|
|00001e20| 69 73 74 2e 20 20 49 74 | 20 6d 61 79 20 65 76 65 |ist. It| may eve|
|00001e30| 6e 20 62 65 20 70 6f 73 | 73 69 62 6c 65 20 74 6f |n be pos|sible to|
|00001e40| 20 70 72 6f 76 65 20 74 | 68 61 74 20 6e 6f 20 47 | prove t|hat no G|
|00001e50| 6f 64 20 64 65 73 63 72 | 69 62 65 64 0a 62 79 20 |od descr|ibed.by |
|00001e60| 61 6e 79 20 70 72 65 73 | 65 6e 74 2d 64 61 79 20 |any pres|ent-day |
|00001e70| 72 65 6c 69 67 69 6f 6e | 20 65 78 69 73 74 73 2e |religion| exists.|
|00001e80| 0a 0a 49 6e 20 70 72 61 | 63 74 69 63 65 2c 20 62 |..In pra|ctice, b|
|00001e90| 65 6c 69 65 76 69 6e 67 | 20 74 68 61 74 20 6e 6f |elieving| that no|
|00001ea0| 20 47 6f 64 20 64 65 73 | 63 72 69 62 65 64 20 62 | God des|cribed b|
|00001eb0| 79 20 61 6e 79 20 72 65 | 6c 69 67 69 6f 6e 20 65 |y any re|ligion e|
|00001ec0| 78 69 73 74 73 20 69 73 | 20 76 65 72 79 0a 63 6c |xists is| very.cl|
|00001ed0| 6f 73 65 20 74 6f 20 62 | 65 6c 69 65 76 69 6e 67 |ose to b|elieving|
|00001ee0| 20 74 68 61 74 20 6e 6f | 20 47 6f 64 20 65 78 69 | that no| God exi|
|00001ef0| 73 74 73 2e 20 20 48 6f | 77 65 76 65 72 2c 20 69 |sts. Ho|wever, i|
|00001f00| 74 20 69 73 20 73 75 66 | 66 69 63 69 65 6e 74 6c |t is suf|ficientl|
|00001f10| 79 20 64 69 66 66 65 72 | 65 6e 74 0a 74 68 61 74 |y differ|ent.that|
|00001f20| 20 63 6f 75 6e 74 65 72 | 2d 61 72 67 75 6d 65 6e | counter|-argumen|
|00001f30| 74 73 20 62 61 73 65 64 | 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 |ts based| on the |
|00001f40| 69 6d 70 6f 73 73 69 62 | 69 6c 69 74 79 20 6f 66 |impossib|ility of|
|00001f50| 20 64 69 73 70 72 6f 76 | 69 6e 67 20 65 76 65 72 | disprov|ing ever|
|00001f60| 79 20 6b 69 6e 64 20 6f | 66 0a 47 6f 64 20 61 72 |y kind o|f.God ar|
|00001f70| 65 20 6e 6f 74 20 72 65 | 61 6c 6c 79 20 61 70 70 |e not re|ally app|
|00001f80| 6c 69 63 61 62 6c 65 2e | 0a 0a 22 42 75 74 20 77 |licable.|.."But w|
|00001f90| 68 61 74 20 69 66 20 47 | 6f 64 20 69 73 20 65 73 |hat if G|od is es|
|00001fa0| 73 65 6e 74 69 61 6c 6c | 79 20 6e 6f 6e 2d 64 65 |sentiall|y non-de|
|00001fb0| 74 65 63 74 61 62 6c 65 | 3f 22 0a 0a 49 66 20 47 |tectable|?"..If G|
|00001fc0| 6f 64 20 69 6e 74 65 72 | 61 63 74 73 20 77 69 74 |od inter|acts wit|
|00001fd0| 68 20 6f 75 72 20 75 6e | 69 76 65 72 73 65 20 69 |h our un|iverse i|
|00001fe0| 6e 20 61 6e 79 20 77 61 | 79 2c 20 74 68 65 20 65 |n any wa|y, the e|
|00001ff0| 66 66 65 63 74 73 20 6f | 66 20 68 69 73 20 69 6e |ffects o|f his in|
|00002000| 74 65 72 61 63 74 69 6f | 6e 0a 6d 75 73 74 20 62 |teractio|n.must b|
|00002010| 65 20 6d 65 61 73 75 72 | 61 62 6c 65 2e 20 20 48 |e measur|able. H|
|00002020| 65 6e 63 65 20 68 69 73 | 20 69 6e 74 65 72 61 63 |ence his| interac|
|00002030| 74 69 6f 6e 20 77 69 74 | 68 20 6f 75 72 20 75 6e |tion wit|h our un|
|00002040| 69 76 65 72 73 65 20 6d | 75 73 74 20 62 65 0a 64 |iverse m|ust be.d|
|00002050| 65 74 65 63 74 61 62 6c | 65 2e 0a 0a 49 66 20 47 |etectabl|e...If G|
|00002060| 6f 64 20 69 73 20 65 73 | 73 65 6e 74 69 61 6c 6c |od is es|sentiall|
|00002070| 79 20 6e 6f 6e 2d 64 65 | 74 65 63 74 61 62 6c 65 |y non-de|tectable|
|00002080| 2c 20 69 74 20 6d 75 73 | 74 20 74 68 65 72 65 66 |, it mus|t theref|
|00002090| 6f 72 65 20 62 65 20 74 | 68 65 20 63 61 73 65 20 |ore be t|he case |
|000020a0| 74 68 61 74 20 68 65 0a | 64 6f 65 73 20 6e 6f 74 |that he.|does not|
|000020b0| 20 69 6e 74 65 72 61 63 | 74 20 77 69 74 68 20 6f | interac|t with o|
|000020c0| 75 72 20 75 6e 69 76 65 | 72 73 65 20 69 6e 20 61 |ur unive|rse in a|
|000020d0| 6e 79 20 77 61 79 2e 20 | 20 4d 61 6e 79 20 61 74 |ny way. | Many at|
|000020e0| 68 65 69 73 74 73 20 77 | 6f 75 6c 64 20 61 72 67 |heists w|ould arg|
|000020f0| 75 65 0a 74 68 61 74 20 | 69 66 20 47 6f 64 20 64 |ue.that |if God d|
|00002100| 6f 65 73 20 6e 6f 74 20 | 69 6e 74 65 72 61 63 74 |oes not |interact|
|00002110| 20 77 69 74 68 20 6f 75 | 72 20 75 6e 69 76 65 72 | with ou|r univer|
|00002120| 73 65 20 61 74 20 61 6c | 6c 2c 20 69 74 20 69 73 |se at al|l, it is|
|00002130| 20 6f 66 20 6e 6f 0a 69 | 6d 70 6f 72 74 61 6e 63 | of no.i|mportanc|
|00002140| 65 20 77 68 65 74 68 65 | 72 20 68 65 20 65 78 69 |e whethe|r he exi|
|00002150| 73 74 73 20 6f 72 20 6e | 6f 74 2e 0a 0a 49 66 20 |sts or n|ot...If |
|00002160| 74 68 65 20 42 69 62 6c | 65 20 69 73 20 74 6f 20 |the Bibl|e is to |
|00002170| 62 65 20 62 65 6c 69 65 | 76 65 64 2c 20 47 6f 64 |be belie|ved, God|
|00002180| 20 77 61 73 20 65 61 73 | 69 6c 79 20 64 65 74 65 | was eas|ily dete|
|00002190| 63 74 61 62 6c 65 20 62 | 79 20 74 68 65 20 49 73 |ctable b|y the Is|
|000021a0| 72 61 65 6c 69 74 65 73 | 2e 0a 53 75 72 65 6c 79 |raelites|..Surely|
|000021b0| 20 68 65 20 73 68 6f 75 | 6c 64 20 73 74 69 6c 6c | he shou|ld still|
|000021c0| 20 62 65 20 64 65 74 65 | 63 74 61 62 6c 65 20 74 | be dete|ctable t|
|000021d0| 6f 64 61 79 3f 0a 0a 4e | 6f 74 65 20 74 68 61 74 |oday?..N|ote that|
|000021e0| 20 49 20 61 6d 20 6e 6f | 74 20 64 65 6d 61 6e 64 | I am no|t demand|
|000021f0| 69 6e 67 20 74 68 61 74 | 20 47 6f 64 20 69 6e 74 |ing that| God int|
|00002200| 65 72 61 63 74 20 69 6e | 20 61 20 73 63 69 65 6e |eract in| a scien|
|00002210| 74 69 66 69 63 61 6c 6c | 79 0a 76 65 72 69 66 69 |tificall|y.verifi|
|00002220| 61 62 6c 65 2c 20 70 68 | 79 73 69 63 61 6c 20 77 |able, ph|ysical w|
|00002230| 61 79 2e 20 20 49 74 20 | 6d 75 73 74 20 73 75 72 |ay. It |must sur|
|00002240| 65 6c 79 20 62 65 20 70 | 6f 73 73 69 62 6c 65 20 |ely be p|ossible |
|00002250| 74 6f 20 70 65 72 63 65 | 69 76 65 20 73 6f 6d 65 |to perce|ive some|
|00002260| 0a 65 66 66 65 63 74 20 | 63 61 75 73 65 64 20 62 |.effect |caused b|
|00002270| 79 20 68 69 73 20 70 72 | 65 73 65 6e 63 65 2c 20 |y his pr|esence, |
|00002280| 74 68 6f 75 67 68 3b 20 | 6f 74 68 65 72 77 69 73 |though; |otherwis|
|00002290| 65 2c 20 68 6f 77 20 63 | 61 6e 20 49 20 64 69 73 |e, how c|an I dis|
|000022a0| 74 69 6e 67 75 69 73 68 | 20 68 69 6d 0a 66 72 6f |tinguish| him.fro|
|000022b0| 6d 20 61 6c 6c 20 74 68 | 65 20 6f 74 68 65 72 20 |m all th|e other |
|000022c0| 74 68 69 6e 67 73 20 74 | 68 61 74 20 64 6f 6e 27 |things t|hat don'|
|000022d0| 74 20 65 78 69 73 74 3f | 0a 0a 22 4f 4b 2c 20 79 |t exist?|.."OK, y|
|000022e0| 6f 75 20 6d 61 79 20 74 | 68 69 6e 6b 20 74 68 65 |ou may t|hink the|
|000022f0| 72 65 27 73 20 61 20 70 | 68 69 6c 6f 73 6f 70 68 |re's a p|hilosoph|
|00002300| 69 63 61 6c 20 6a 75 73 | 74 69 66 69 63 61 74 69 |ical jus|tificati|
|00002310| 6f 6e 20 66 6f 72 20 61 | 74 68 65 69 73 6d 2c 20 |on for a|theism, |
|00002320| 62 75 74 0a 20 69 73 6e | 27 74 20 69 74 20 73 74 |but. isn|'t it st|
|00002330| 69 6c 6c 20 61 20 72 65 | 6c 69 67 69 6f 75 73 20 |ill a re|ligious |
|00002340| 62 65 6c 69 65 66 3f 22 | 0a 0a 4f 6e 65 20 6f 66 |belief?"|..One of|
|00002350| 20 74 68 65 20 6d 6f 73 | 74 20 63 6f 6d 6d 6f 6e | the mos|t common|
|00002360| 20 70 61 73 74 69 6d 65 | 73 20 69 6e 20 70 68 69 | pastime|s in phi|
|00002370| 6c 6f 73 6f 70 68 69 63 | 61 6c 20 64 69 73 63 75 |losophic|al discu|
|00002380| 73 73 69 6f 6e 20 69 73 | 20 22 74 68 65 0a 72 65 |ssion is| "the.re|
|00002390| 64 65 66 69 6e 69 74 69 | 6f 6e 20 67 61 6d 65 22 |definiti|on game"|
|000023a0| 2e 20 20 54 68 65 20 63 | 79 6e 69 63 61 6c 20 76 |. The c|ynical v|
|000023b0| 69 65 77 20 6f 66 20 74 | 68 69 73 20 67 61 6d 65 |iew of t|his game|
|000023c0| 20 69 73 20 61 73 20 66 | 6f 6c 6c 6f 77 73 3a 0a | is as f|ollows:.|
|000023d0| 0a 50 65 72 73 6f 6e 20 | 41 20 62 65 67 69 6e 73 |.Person |A begins|
|000023e0| 20 62 79 20 6d 61 6b 69 | 6e 67 20 61 20 63 6f 6e | by maki|ng a con|
|000023f0| 74 65 6e 74 69 6f 75 73 | 20 73 74 61 74 65 6d 65 |tentious| stateme|
|00002400| 6e 74 2e 20 20 57 68 65 | 6e 20 70 65 72 73 6f 6e |nt. Whe|n person|
|00002410| 20 42 20 70 6f 69 6e 74 | 73 20 6f 75 74 0a 74 68 | B point|s out.th|
|00002420| 61 74 20 69 74 20 63 61 | 6e 27 74 20 62 65 20 74 |at it ca|n't be t|
|00002430| 72 75 65 2c 20 70 65 72 | 73 6f 6e 20 41 20 67 72 |rue, per|son A gr|
|00002440| 61 64 75 61 6c 6c 79 20 | 72 65 2d 64 65 66 69 6e |adually |re-defin|
|00002450| 65 73 20 74 68 65 20 77 | 6f 72 64 73 20 68 65 20 |es the w|ords he |
|00002460| 75 73 65 64 20 69 6e 20 | 74 68 65 0a 73 74 61 74 |used in |the.stat|
|00002470| 65 6d 65 6e 74 20 75 6e | 74 69 6c 20 68 65 20 61 |ement un|til he a|
|00002480| 72 72 69 76 65 73 20 61 | 74 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 |rrives a|t someth|
|00002490| 69 6e 67 20 70 65 72 73 | 6f 6e 20 42 20 69 73 20 |ing pers|on B is |
|000024a0| 70 72 65 70 61 72 65 64 | 20 74 6f 20 61 63 63 65 |prepared| to acce|
|000024b0| 70 74 2e 20 20 48 65 0a | 74 68 65 6e 20 72 65 63 |pt. He.|then rec|
|000024c0| 6f 72 64 73 20 74 68 65 | 20 73 74 61 74 65 6d 65 |ords the| stateme|
|000024d0| 6e 74 2c 20 61 6c 6f 6e | 67 20 77 69 74 68 20 74 |nt, alon|g with t|
|000024e0| 68 65 20 66 61 63 74 20 | 74 68 61 74 20 70 65 72 |he fact |that per|
|000024f0| 73 6f 6e 20 42 20 68 61 | 73 20 61 67 72 65 65 64 |son B ha|s agreed|
|00002500| 20 74 6f 0a 69 74 2c 20 | 61 6e 64 20 63 6f 6e 74 | to.it, |and cont|
|00002510| 69 6e 75 65 73 2e 20 20 | 45 76 65 6e 74 75 61 6c |inues. |Eventual|
|00002520| 6c 79 20 41 20 75 73 65 | 73 20 74 68 65 20 73 74 |ly A use|s the st|
|00002530| 61 74 65 6d 65 6e 74 20 | 61 73 20 61 6e 20 22 61 |atement |as an "a|
|00002540| 67 72 65 65 64 20 66 61 | 63 74 22 2c 20 62 75 74 |greed fa|ct", but|
|00002550| 0a 75 73 65 73 20 68 69 | 73 20 6f 72 69 67 69 6e |.uses hi|s origin|
|00002560| 61 6c 20 64 65 66 69 6e | 69 74 69 6f 6e 73 20 6f |al defin|itions o|
|00002570| 66 20 61 6c 6c 20 74 68 | 65 20 77 6f 72 64 73 20 |f all th|e words |
|00002580| 69 6e 20 69 74 20 72 61 | 74 68 65 72 20 74 68 61 |in it ra|ther tha|
|00002590| 6e 20 74 68 65 20 6f 62 | 73 63 75 72 65 0a 72 65 |n the ob|scure.re|
|000025a0| 64 65 66 69 6e 69 74 69 | 6f 6e 73 20 6f 72 69 67 |definiti|ons orig|
|000025b0| 69 6e 61 6c 6c 79 20 6e | 65 65 64 65 64 20 74 6f |inally n|eeded to|
|000025c0| 20 67 65 74 20 42 20 74 | 6f 20 61 67 72 65 65 20 | get B t|o agree |
|000025d0| 74 6f 20 69 74 2e 20 20 | 52 61 74 68 65 72 20 74 |to it. |Rather t|
|000025e0| 68 61 6e 20 62 65 20 73 | 65 65 6e 0a 74 6f 20 62 |han be s|een.to b|
|000025f0| 65 20 61 70 70 61 72 65 | 6e 74 6c 79 20 69 6e 63 |e appare|ntly inc|
|00002600| 6f 6e 73 69 73 74 65 6e | 74 2c 20 42 20 77 69 6c |onsisten|t, B wil|
|00002610| 6c 20 74 65 6e 64 20 74 | 6f 20 70 6c 61 79 20 61 |l tend t|o play a|
|00002620| 6c 6f 6e 67 2e 0a 0a 54 | 68 65 20 70 6f 69 6e 74 |long...T|he point|
|00002630| 20 6f 66 20 74 68 69 73 | 20 64 69 67 72 65 73 73 | of this| digress|
|00002640| 69 6f 6e 20 69 73 20 74 | 68 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 |ion is t|hat the |
|00002650| 61 6e 73 77 65 72 20 74 | 6f 20 74 68 65 20 71 75 |answer t|o the qu|
|00002660| 65 73 74 69 6f 6e 20 22 | 49 73 6e 27 74 0a 61 74 |estion "|Isn't.at|
|00002670| 68 65 69 73 6d 20 61 20 | 72 65 6c 69 67 69 6f 75 |heism a |religiou|
|00002680| 73 20 62 65 6c 69 65 66 | 3f 22 20 64 65 70 65 6e |s belief|?" depen|
|00002690| 64 73 20 63 72 75 63 69 | 61 6c 6c 79 20 75 70 6f |ds cruci|ally upo|
|000026a0| 6e 20 77 68 61 74 20 69 | 73 20 6d 65 61 6e 74 20 |n what i|s meant |
|000026b0| 62 79 0a 22 72 65 6c 69 | 67 69 6f 75 73 22 2e 20 |by."reli|gious". |
|000026c0| 20 22 52 65 6c 69 67 69 | 6f 6e 22 20 69 73 20 67 | "Religi|on" is g|
|000026d0| 65 6e 65 72 61 6c 6c 79 | 20 63 68 61 72 61 63 74 |enerally| charact|
|000026e0| 65 72 69 7a 65 64 20 62 | 79 20 62 65 6c 69 65 66 |erized b|y belief|
|000026f0| 20 69 6e 20 61 20 73 75 | 70 65 72 68 75 6d 61 6e | in a su|perhuman|
|00002700| 0a 63 6f 6e 74 72 6f 6c | 6c 69 6e 67 20 70 6f 77 |.control|ling pow|
|00002710| 65 72 20 2d 2d 20 65 73 | 70 65 63 69 61 6c 6c 79 |er -- es|pecially|
|00002720| 20 69 6e 20 73 6f 6d 65 | 20 73 6f 72 74 20 6f 66 | in some| sort of|
|00002730| 20 47 6f 64 20 2d 2d 20 | 61 6e 64 20 62 79 20 66 | God -- |and by f|
|00002740| 61 69 74 68 20 61 6e 64 | 0a 77 6f 72 73 68 69 70 |aith and|.worship|
|00002750| 2e 0a 0a 5b 20 49 74 27 | 73 20 77 6f 72 74 68 20 |...[ It'|s worth |
|00002760| 70 6f 69 6e 74 69 6e 67 | 20 6f 75 74 20 69 6e 20 |pointing| out in |
|00002770| 70 61 73 73 69 6e 67 20 | 74 68 61 74 20 73 6f 6d |passing |that som|
|00002780| 65 20 76 61 72 69 65 74 | 69 65 73 20 6f 66 20 42 |e variet|ies of B|
|00002790| 75 64 64 68 69 73 6d 20 | 61 72 65 20 6e 6f 74 0a |uddhism |are not.|
|000027a0| 20 20 22 72 65 6c 69 67 | 69 6f 6e 22 20 61 63 63 | "relig|ion" acc|
|000027b0| 6f 72 64 69 6e 67 20 74 | 6f 20 73 75 63 68 20 61 |ording t|o such a|
|000027c0| 20 64 65 66 69 6e 69 74 | 69 6f 6e 2e 20 5d 0a 0a | definit|ion. ]..|
|000027d0| 41 74 68 65 69 73 6d 20 | 69 73 20 63 65 72 74 61 |Atheism |is certa|
|000027e0| 69 6e 6c 79 20 6e 6f 74 | 20 61 20 62 65 6c 69 65 |inly not| a belie|
|000027f0| 66 20 69 6e 20 61 6e 79 | 20 73 6f 72 74 20 6f 66 |f in any| sort of|
|00002800| 20 73 75 70 65 72 68 75 | 6d 61 6e 20 70 6f 77 65 | superhu|man powe|
|00002810| 72 2c 20 6e 6f 72 20 69 | 73 20 69 74 0a 63 61 74 |r, nor i|s it.cat|
|00002820| 65 67 6f 72 69 7a 65 64 | 20 62 79 20 77 6f 72 73 |egorized| by wors|
|00002830| 68 69 70 20 69 6e 20 61 | 6e 79 20 6d 65 61 6e 69 |hip in a|ny meani|
|00002840| 6e 67 66 75 6c 20 73 65 | 6e 73 65 2e 20 20 57 69 |ngful se|nse. Wi|
|00002850| 64 65 6e 69 6e 67 20 74 | 68 65 20 64 65 66 69 6e |dening t|he defin|
|00002860| 69 74 69 6f 6e 20 6f 66 | 0a 22 72 65 6c 69 67 69 |ition of|."religi|
|00002870| 6f 75 73 22 20 74 6f 20 | 65 6e 63 6f 6d 70 61 73 |ous" to |encompas|
|00002880| 73 20 61 74 68 65 69 73 | 6d 20 74 65 6e 64 73 20 |s atheis|m tends |
|00002890| 74 6f 20 72 65 73 75 6c | 74 20 69 6e 20 6d 61 6e |to resul|t in man|
|000028a0| 79 20 6f 74 68 65 72 20 | 61 73 70 65 63 74 73 20 |y other |aspects |
|000028b0| 6f 66 0a 68 75 6d 61 6e | 20 62 65 68 61 76 69 6f |of.human| behavio|
|000028c0| 75 72 20 73 75 64 64 65 | 6e 6c 79 20 62 65 63 6f |ur sudde|nly beco|
|000028d0| 6d 69 6e 67 20 63 6c 61 | 73 73 65 64 20 61 73 20 |ming cla|ssed as |
|000028e0| 22 72 65 6c 69 67 69 6f | 75 73 22 20 61 73 20 77 |"religio|us" as w|
|000028f0| 65 6c 6c 20 2d 2d 20 73 | 75 63 68 20 61 73 0a 73 |ell -- s|uch as.s|
|00002900| 63 69 65 6e 63 65 2c 20 | 70 6f 6c 69 74 69 63 73 |cience, |politics|
|00002910| 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 77 61 | 74 63 68 69 6e 67 20 54 |, and wa|tching T|
|00002920| 56 2e 0a 0a 22 4f 4b 2c | 20 73 6f 20 69 74 27 73 |V..."OK,| so it's|
|00002930| 20 6e 6f 74 20 61 20 72 | 65 6c 69 67 69 6f 6e 2e | not a r|eligion.|
|00002940| 20 20 42 75 74 20 73 75 | 72 65 6c 79 20 62 65 6c | But su|rely bel|
|00002950| 69 65 66 20 69 6e 20 61 | 74 68 65 69 73 6d 20 28 |ief in a|theism (|
|00002960| 6f 72 20 73 63 69 65 6e | 63 65 29 20 69 73 0a 20 |or scien|ce) is. |
|00002970| 73 74 69 6c 6c 20 6a 75 | 73 74 20 61 6e 20 61 63 |still ju|st an ac|
|00002980| 74 20 6f 66 20 66 61 69 | 74 68 2c 20 6c 69 6b 65 |t of fai|th, like|
|00002990| 20 72 65 6c 69 67 69 6f | 6e 20 69 73 3f 22 0a 0a | religio|n is?"..|
|000029a0| 46 69 72 73 74 6c 79 2c | 20 69 74 27 73 20 6e 6f |Firstly,| it's no|
|000029b0| 74 20 65 6e 74 69 72 65 | 6c 79 20 63 6c 65 61 72 |t entire|ly clear|
|000029c0| 20 74 68 61 74 20 73 63 | 65 70 74 69 63 61 6c 20 | that sc|eptical |
|000029d0| 61 74 68 65 69 73 6d 20 | 69 73 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 |atheism |is somet|
|000029e0| 68 69 6e 67 20 6f 6e 65 | 0a 61 63 74 75 61 6c 6c |hing one|.actuall|
|000029f0| 79 20 62 65 6c 69 65 76 | 65 73 20 69 6e 2e 0a 0a |y believ|es in...|
|00002a00| 53 65 63 6f 6e 64 6c 79 | 2c 20 69 74 20 69 73 20 |Secondly|, it is |
|00002a10| 6e 65 63 65 73 73 61 72 | 79 20 74 6f 20 61 64 6f |necessar|y to ado|
|00002a20| 70 74 20 61 20 6e 75 6d | 62 65 72 20 6f 66 20 63 |pt a num|ber of c|
|00002a30| 6f 72 65 20 62 65 6c 69 | 65 66 73 20 6f 72 20 61 |ore beli|efs or a|
|00002a40| 73 73 75 6d 70 74 69 6f | 6e 73 20 74 6f 0a 6d 61 |ssumptio|ns to.ma|
|00002a50| 6b 65 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 | 73 6f 72 74 20 6f 66 20 |ke some |sort of |
|00002a60| 73 65 6e 73 65 20 6f 75 | 74 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 |sense ou|t of the|
|00002a70| 20 73 65 6e 73 6f 72 79 | 20 64 61 74 61 20 77 65 | sensory| data we|
|00002a80| 20 65 78 70 65 72 69 65 | 6e 63 65 2e 20 20 4d 6f | experie|nce. Mo|
|00002a90| 73 74 20 61 74 68 65 69 | 73 74 73 0a 74 72 79 20 |st athei|sts.try |
|00002aa0| 74 6f 20 61 64 6f 70 74 | 20 61 73 20 66 65 77 20 |to adopt| as few |
|00002ab0| 63 6f 72 65 20 62 65 6c | 69 65 66 73 20 61 73 20 |core bel|iefs as |
|00002ac0| 70 6f 73 73 69 62 6c 65 | 3b 20 61 6e 64 20 65 76 |possible|; and ev|
|00002ad0| 65 6e 20 74 68 6f 73 65 | 20 61 72 65 20 73 75 62 |en those| are sub|
|00002ae0| 6a 65 63 74 20 74 6f 0a | 71 75 65 73 74 69 6f 6e |ject to.|question|
|00002af0| 69 6e 67 20 69 66 20 65 | 78 70 65 72 69 65 6e 63 |ing if e|xperienc|
|00002b00| 65 20 74 68 72 6f 77 73 | 20 74 68 65 6d 20 69 6e |e throws| them in|
|00002b10| 74 6f 20 64 6f 75 62 74 | 2e 0a 0a 53 63 69 65 6e |to doubt|...Scien|
|00002b20| 63 65 20 68 61 73 20 61 | 20 6e 75 6d 62 65 72 20 |ce has a| number |
|00002b30| 6f 66 20 63 6f 72 65 20 | 61 73 73 75 6d 70 74 69 |of core |assumpti|
|00002b40| 6f 6e 73 2e 20 20 46 6f | 72 20 65 78 61 6d 70 6c |ons. Fo|r exampl|
|00002b50| 65 2c 20 69 74 20 69 73 | 20 67 65 6e 65 72 61 6c |e, it is| general|
|00002b60| 6c 79 0a 61 73 73 75 6d | 65 64 20 74 68 61 74 20 |ly.assum|ed that |
|00002b70| 74 68 65 20 6c 61 77 73 | 20 6f 66 20 70 68 79 73 |the laws| of phys|
|00002b80| 69 63 73 20 61 72 65 20 | 74 68 65 20 73 61 6d 65 |ics are |the same|
|00002b90| 20 66 6f 72 20 61 6c 6c | 20 6f 62 73 65 72 76 65 | for all| observe|
|00002ba0| 72 73 2e 20 20 54 68 65 | 73 65 20 61 72 65 0a 74 |rs. The|se are.t|
|00002bb0| 68 65 20 73 6f 72 74 20 | 6f 66 20 63 6f 72 65 20 |he sort |of core |
|00002bc0| 61 73 73 75 6d 70 74 69 | 6f 6e 73 20 61 74 68 65 |assumpti|ons athe|
|00002bd0| 69 73 74 73 20 6d 61 6b | 65 2e 20 20 49 66 20 73 |ists mak|e. If s|
|00002be0| 75 63 68 20 62 61 73 69 | 63 20 69 64 65 61 73 20 |uch basi|c ideas |
|00002bf0| 61 72 65 20 63 61 6c 6c | 65 64 0a 22 61 63 74 73 |are call|ed."acts|
|00002c00| 20 6f 66 20 66 61 69 74 | 68 22 2c 20 74 68 65 6e | of fait|h", then|
|00002c10| 20 61 6c 6d 6f 73 74 20 | 65 76 65 72 79 74 68 69 | almost |everythi|
|00002c20| 6e 67 20 77 65 20 6b 6e | 6f 77 20 6d 75 73 74 20 |ng we kn|ow must |
|00002c30| 62 65 20 73 61 69 64 20 | 74 6f 20 62 65 20 62 61 |be said |to be ba|
|00002c40| 73 65 64 20 6f 6e 0a 61 | 63 74 73 20 6f 66 20 66 |sed on.a|cts of f|
|00002c50| 61 69 74 68 2c 20 61 6e | 64 20 74 68 65 20 74 65 |aith, an|d the te|
|00002c60| 72 6d 20 6c 6f 73 65 73 | 20 69 74 73 20 6d 65 61 |rm loses| its mea|
|00002c70| 6e 69 6e 67 2e 0a 0a 46 | 61 69 74 68 20 69 73 20 |ning...F|aith is |
|00002c80| 6d 6f 72 65 20 6f 66 74 | 65 6e 20 75 73 65 64 20 |more oft|en used |
|00002c90| 74 6f 20 72 65 66 65 72 | 20 74 6f 20 63 6f 6d 70 |to refer| to comp|
|00002ca0| 6c 65 74 65 2c 20 63 65 | 72 74 61 69 6e 20 62 65 |lete, ce|rtain be|
|00002cb0| 6c 69 65 66 20 69 6e 20 | 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e |lief in |somethin|
|00002cc0| 67 2e 0a 41 63 63 6f 72 | 64 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 20 |g..Accor|ding to |
|00002cd0| 73 75 63 68 20 61 20 64 | 65 66 69 6e 69 74 69 6f |such a d|efinitio|
|00002ce0| 6e 2c 20 61 74 68 65 69 | 73 6d 20 61 6e 64 20 73 |n, athei|sm and s|
|00002cf0| 63 69 65 6e 63 65 20 61 | 72 65 20 63 65 72 74 61 |cience a|re certa|
|00002d00| 69 6e 6c 79 20 6e 6f 74 | 20 61 63 74 73 20 6f 66 |inly not| acts of|
|00002d10| 0a 66 61 69 74 68 2e 20 | 20 4f 66 20 63 6f 75 72 |.faith. | Of cour|
|00002d20| 73 65 2c 20 69 6e 64 69 | 76 69 64 75 61 6c 20 61 |se, indi|vidual a|
|00002d30| 74 68 65 69 73 74 73 20 | 6f 72 20 73 63 69 65 6e |theists |or scien|
|00002d40| 74 69 73 74 73 20 63 61 | 6e 20 62 65 20 61 73 20 |tists ca|n be as |
|00002d50| 64 6f 67 6d 61 74 69 63 | 20 61 73 0a 72 65 6c 69 |dogmatic| as.reli|
|00002d60| 67 69 6f 75 73 20 66 6f | 6c 6c 6f 77 65 72 73 20 |gious fo|llowers |
|00002d70| 77 68 65 6e 20 63 6c 61 | 69 6d 69 6e 67 20 74 68 |when cla|iming th|
|00002d80| 61 74 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 | 68 69 6e 67 20 69 73 20 |at somet|hing is |
|00002d90| 22 63 65 72 74 61 69 6e | 22 2e 20 20 54 68 69 73 |"certain|". This|
|00002da0| 20 69 73 20 6e 6f 74 20 | 61 0a 67 65 6e 65 72 61 | is not |a.genera|
|00002db0| 6c 20 74 65 6e 64 65 6e | 63 79 2c 20 68 6f 77 65 |l tenden|cy, howe|
|00002dc0| 76 65 72 3b 20 74 68 65 | 72 65 20 61 72 65 20 6d |ver; the|re are m|
|00002dd0| 61 6e 79 20 61 74 68 65 | 69 73 74 73 20 77 68 6f |any athe|ists who|
|00002de0| 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 62 | 65 20 72 65 6c 75 63 74 | would b|e reluct|
|00002df0| 61 6e 74 20 74 6f 0a 73 | 74 61 74 65 20 77 69 74 |ant to.s|tate wit|
|00002e00| 68 20 63 65 72 74 61 69 | 6e 74 79 20 74 68 61 74 |h certai|nty that|
|00002e10| 20 74 68 65 20 75 6e 69 | 76 65 72 73 65 20 65 78 | the uni|verse ex|
|00002e20| 69 73 74 73 2e 0a 0a 46 | 61 69 74 68 20 69 73 20 |ists...F|aith is |
|00002e30| 61 6c 73 6f 20 75 73 65 | 64 20 74 6f 20 72 65 66 |also use|d to ref|
|00002e40| 65 72 20 74 6f 20 62 65 | 6c 69 65 66 20 77 69 74 |er to be|lief wit|
|00002e50| 68 6f 75 74 20 73 75 70 | 70 6f 72 74 69 6e 67 20 |hout sup|porting |
|00002e60| 65 76 69 64 65 6e 63 65 | 20 6f 72 20 70 72 6f 6f |evidence| or proo|
|00002e70| 66 2e 0a 53 63 65 70 74 | 69 63 61 6c 20 61 74 68 |f..Scept|ical ath|
|00002e80| 65 69 73 6d 20 63 65 72 | 74 61 69 6e 6c 79 20 64 |eism cer|tainly d|
|00002e90| 6f 65 73 6e 27 74 20 66 | 69 74 20 74 68 61 74 20 |oesn't f|it that |
|00002ea0| 64 65 66 69 6e 69 74 69 | 6f 6e 2c 20 61 73 20 73 |definiti|on, as s|
|00002eb0| 63 65 70 74 69 63 61 6c | 20 61 74 68 65 69 73 6d |ceptical| atheism|
|00002ec0| 0a 68 61 73 20 6e 6f 20 | 62 65 6c 69 65 66 73 2e |.has no |beliefs.|
|00002ed0| 20 20 53 74 72 6f 6e 67 | 20 61 74 68 65 69 73 6d | Strong| atheism|
|00002ee0| 20 69 73 20 63 6c 6f 73 | 65 72 2c 20 62 75 74 20 | is clos|er, but |
|00002ef0| 73 74 69 6c 6c 20 64 6f | 65 73 6e 27 74 20 72 65 |still do|esn't re|
|00002f00| 61 6c 6c 79 20 6d 61 74 | 63 68 2c 20 61 73 0a 65 |ally mat|ch, as.e|
|00002f10| 76 65 6e 20 74 68 65 20 | 6d 6f 73 74 20 64 6f 67 |ven the |most dog|
|00002f20| 6d 61 74 69 63 20 61 74 | 68 65 69 73 74 20 77 69 |matic at|heist wi|
|00002f30| 6c 6c 20 74 65 6e 64 20 | 74 6f 20 72 65 66 65 72 |ll tend |to refer|
|00002f40| 20 74 6f 20 65 78 70 65 | 72 69 6d 65 6e 74 61 6c | to expe|rimental|
|00002f50| 20 64 61 74 61 20 28 6f | 72 0a 74 68 65 20 6c 61 | data (o|r.the la|
|00002f60| 63 6b 20 6f 66 20 69 74 | 29 20 77 68 65 6e 20 61 |ck of it|) when a|
|00002f70| 73 73 65 72 74 69 6e 67 | 20 74 68 61 74 20 47 6f |sserting| that Go|
|00002f80| 64 20 64 6f 65 73 20 6e | 6f 74 20 65 78 69 73 74 |d does n|ot exist|
|00002f90| 2e 0a 0a 22 49 66 20 61 | 74 68 65 69 73 6d 20 69 |..."If a|theism i|
|00002fa0| 73 20 6e 6f 74 20 72 65 | 6c 69 67 69 6f 75 73 2c |s not re|ligious,|
|00002fb0| 20 73 75 72 65 6c 79 20 | 69 74 27 73 20 61 6e 74 | surely |it's ant|
|00002fc0| 69 2d 72 65 6c 69 67 69 | 6f 75 73 3f 22 0a 0a 49 |i-religi|ous?"..I|
|00002fd0| 74 20 69 73 20 61 6e 20 | 75 6e 66 6f 72 74 75 6e |t is an |unfortun|
|00002fe0| 61 74 65 20 68 75 6d 61 | 6e 20 74 65 6e 64 65 6e |ate huma|n tenden|
|00002ff0| 63 79 20 74 6f 20 6c 61 | 62 65 6c 20 65 76 65 72 |cy to la|bel ever|
|00003000| 79 6f 6e 65 20 61 73 20 | 65 69 74 68 65 72 20 22 |yone as |either "|
|00003010| 66 6f 72 22 20 6f 72 0a | 22 61 67 61 69 6e 73 74 |for" or.|"against|
|00003020| 22 2c 20 22 66 72 69 65 | 6e 64 22 20 6f 72 20 22 |", "frie|nd" or "|
|00003030| 65 6e 65 6d 79 22 2e 20 | 20 54 68 65 20 74 72 75 |enemy". | The tru|
|00003040| 74 68 20 69 73 20 6e 6f | 74 20 73 6f 20 63 6c 65 |th is no|t so cle|
|00003050| 61 72 2d 63 75 74 2e 0a | 0a 41 74 68 65 69 73 6d |ar-cut..|.Atheism|
|00003060| 20 69 73 20 74 68 65 20 | 70 6f 73 69 74 69 6f 6e | is the |position|
|00003070| 20 74 68 61 74 20 72 75 | 6e 73 20 6c 6f 67 69 63 | that ru|ns logic|
|00003080| 61 6c 6c 79 20 63 6f 75 | 6e 74 65 72 20 74 6f 20 |ally cou|nter to |
|00003090| 74 68 65 69 73 6d 3b 20 | 69 6e 20 74 68 61 74 20 |theism; |in that |
|000030a0| 73 65 6e 73 65 2c 0a 69 | 74 20 63 61 6e 20 62 65 |sense,.i|t can be|
|000030b0| 20 73 61 69 64 20 74 6f | 20 62 65 20 22 61 6e 74 | said to| be "ant|
|000030c0| 69 2d 72 65 6c 69 67 69 | 6f 6e 22 2e 20 20 48 6f |i-religi|on". Ho|
|000030d0| 77 65 76 65 72 2c 20 77 | 68 65 6e 20 72 65 6c 69 |wever, w|hen reli|
|000030e0| 67 69 6f 75 73 20 62 65 | 6c 69 65 76 65 72 73 0a |gious be|lievers.|
|000030f0| 73 70 65 61 6b 20 6f 66 | 20 61 74 68 65 69 73 74 |speak of| atheist|
|00003100| 73 20 62 65 69 6e 67 20 | 22 61 6e 74 69 2d 72 65 |s being |"anti-re|
|00003110| 6c 69 67 69 6f 75 73 22 | 20 74 68 65 79 20 75 73 |ligious"| they us|
|00003120| 75 61 6c 6c 79 20 6d 65 | 61 6e 20 74 68 61 74 20 |ually me|an that |
|00003130| 74 68 65 20 61 74 68 65 | 69 73 74 73 0a 68 61 76 |the athe|ists.hav|
|00003140| 65 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 73 | 6f 72 74 20 6f 66 20 61 |e some s|ort of a|
|00003150| 6e 74 69 70 61 74 68 79 | 20 6f 72 20 68 61 74 72 |ntipathy| or hatr|
|00003160| 65 64 20 74 6f 77 61 72 | 64 73 20 74 68 65 69 73 |ed towar|ds theis|
|00003170| 74 73 2e 0a 0a 54 68 69 | 73 20 63 61 74 65 67 6f |ts...Thi|s catego|
|00003180| 72 69 7a 61 74 69 6f 6e | 20 6f 66 20 61 74 68 65 |rization| of athe|
|00003190| 69 73 74 73 20 61 73 20 | 68 6f 73 74 69 6c 65 20 |ists as |hostile |
|000031a0| 74 6f 77 61 72 64 73 20 | 72 65 6c 69 67 69 6f 6e |towards |religion|
|000031b0| 20 69 73 20 71 75 69 74 | 65 20 75 6e 66 61 69 72 | is quit|e unfair|
|000031c0| 2e 0a 41 74 68 65 69 73 | 74 20 61 74 74 69 74 75 |..Atheis|t attitu|
|000031d0| 64 65 73 20 74 6f 77 61 | 72 64 73 20 74 68 65 69 |des towa|rds thei|
|000031e0| 73 74 73 20 69 6e 20 66 | 61 63 74 20 63 6f 76 65 |sts in f|act cove|
|000031f0| 72 20 61 20 62 72 6f 61 | 64 20 73 70 65 63 74 72 |r a broa|d spectr|
|00003200| 75 6d 2e 0a 0a 4d 6f 73 | 74 20 61 74 68 65 69 73 |um...Mos|t atheis|
|00003210| 74 73 20 74 61 6b 65 20 | 61 20 22 6c 69 76 65 20 |ts take |a "live |
|00003220| 61 6e 64 20 6c 65 74 20 | 6c 69 76 65 22 20 61 74 |and let |live" at|
|00003230| 74 69 74 75 64 65 2e 20 | 20 55 6e 6c 65 73 73 20 |titude. | Unless |
|00003240| 71 75 65 73 74 69 6f 6e | 65 64 2c 20 74 68 65 79 |question|ed, they|
|00003250| 0a 77 69 6c 6c 20 6e 6f | 74 20 75 73 75 61 6c 6c |.will no|t usuall|
|00003260| 79 20 6d 65 6e 74 69 6f | 6e 20 74 68 65 69 72 20 |y mentio|n their |
|00003270| 61 74 68 65 69 73 6d 2c | 20 65 78 63 65 70 74 20 |atheism,| except |
|00003280| 70 65 72 68 61 70 73 20 | 74 6f 20 63 6c 6f 73 65 |perhaps |to close|
|00003290| 20 66 72 69 65 6e 64 73 | 2e 20 20 4f 66 0a 63 6f | friends|. Of.co|
|000032a0| 75 72 73 65 2c 20 74 68 | 69 73 20 6d 61 79 20 62 |urse, th|is may b|
|000032b0| 65 20 69 6e 20 70 61 72 | 74 20 62 65 63 61 75 73 |e in par|t becaus|
|000032c0| 65 20 61 74 68 65 69 73 | 6d 20 69 73 20 6e 6f 74 |e atheis|m is not|
|000032d0| 20 22 73 6f 63 69 61 6c | 6c 79 20 61 63 63 65 70 | "social|ly accep|
|000032e0| 74 61 62 6c 65 22 20 69 | 6e 0a 6d 61 6e 79 20 63 |table" i|n.many c|
|000032f0| 6f 75 6e 74 72 69 65 73 | 2e 0a 0a 41 20 66 65 77 |ountries|...A few|
|00003300| 20 61 74 68 65 69 73 74 | 73 20 61 72 65 20 71 75 | atheist|s are qu|
|00003310| 69 74 65 20 61 6e 74 69 | 2d 72 65 6c 69 67 69 6f |ite anti|-religio|
|00003320| 75 73 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 | 6d 61 79 20 65 76 65 6e |us, and |may even|
|00003330| 20 74 72 79 20 74 6f 20 | 22 63 6f 6e 76 65 72 74 | try to |"convert|
|00003340| 22 20 6f 74 68 65 72 73 | 0a 77 68 65 6e 20 70 6f |" others|.when po|
|00003350| 73 73 69 62 6c 65 2e 20 | 20 48 69 73 74 6f 72 69 |ssible. | Histori|
|00003360| 63 61 6c 6c 79 2c 20 73 | 75 63 68 20 61 6e 74 69 |cally, s|uch anti|
|00003370| 2d 72 65 6c 69 67 69 6f | 75 73 20 61 74 68 65 69 |-religio|us athei|
|00003380| 73 74 73 20 68 61 76 65 | 20 6d 61 64 65 20 6c 69 |sts have| made li|
|00003390| 74 74 6c 65 0a 69 6d 70 | 61 63 74 20 6f 6e 20 73 |ttle.imp|act on s|
|000033a0| 6f 63 69 65 74 79 20 6f | 75 74 73 69 64 65 20 74 |ociety o|utside t|
|000033b0| 68 65 20 45 61 73 74 65 | 72 6e 20 42 6c 6f 63 20 |he Easte|rn Bloc |
|000033c0| 63 6f 75 6e 74 72 69 65 | 73 2e 0a 0a 28 54 6f 20 |countrie|s...(To |
|000033d0| 64 69 67 72 65 73 73 20 | 73 6c 69 67 68 74 6c 79 |digress |slightly|
|000033e0| 3a 20 74 68 65 20 53 6f | 76 69 65 74 20 55 6e 69 |: the So|viet Uni|
|000033f0| 6f 6e 20 77 61 73 20 6f | 72 69 67 69 6e 61 6c 6c |on was o|riginall|
|00003400| 79 20 64 65 64 69 63 61 | 74 65 64 20 74 6f 20 73 |y dedica|ted to s|
|00003410| 65 70 61 72 61 74 69 6f | 6e 0a 6f 66 20 63 68 75 |eparatio|n.of chu|
|00003420| 72 63 68 20 61 6e 64 20 | 73 74 61 74 65 2c 20 6a |rch and |state, j|
|00003430| 75 73 74 20 6c 69 6b 65 | 20 74 68 65 20 55 53 41 |ust like| the USA|
|00003440| 2e 20 20 53 6f 76 69 65 | 74 20 63 69 74 69 7a 65 |. Sovie|t citize|
|00003450| 6e 73 20 77 65 72 65 20 | 6c 65 67 61 6c 6c 79 20 |ns were |legally |
|00003460| 66 72 65 65 20 74 6f 0a | 77 6f 72 73 68 69 70 20 |free to.|worship |
|00003470| 61 73 20 74 68 65 79 20 | 77 69 73 68 65 64 2e 20 |as they |wished. |
|00003480| 20 54 68 65 20 69 6e 73 | 74 69 74 75 74 69 6f 6e | The ins|titution|
|00003490| 20 6f 66 20 22 73 74 61 | 74 65 20 61 74 68 65 69 | of "sta|te athei|
|000034a0| 73 6d 22 20 63 61 6d 65 | 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 77 |sm" came| about w|
|000034b0| 68 65 6e 0a 53 74 61 6c | 69 6e 20 74 6f 6f 6b 20 |hen.Stal|in took |
|000034c0| 63 6f 6e 74 72 6f 6c 20 | 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 53 |control |of the S|
|000034d0| 6f 76 69 65 74 20 55 6e | 69 6f 6e 20 61 6e 64 20 |oviet Un|ion and |
|000034e0| 74 72 69 65 64 20 74 6f | 20 64 65 73 74 72 6f 79 |tried to| destroy|
|000034f0| 20 74 68 65 20 63 68 75 | 72 63 68 65 73 20 69 6e | the chu|rches in|
|00003500| 0a 6f 72 64 65 72 20 74 | 6f 20 67 61 69 6e 20 63 |.order t|o gain c|
|00003510| 6f 6d 70 6c 65 74 65 20 | 70 6f 77 65 72 20 6f 76 |omplete |power ov|
|00003520| 65 72 20 74 68 65 20 70 | 6f 70 75 6c 61 74 69 6f |er the p|opulatio|
|00003530| 6e 2e 29 0a 0a 53 6f 6d | 65 20 61 74 68 65 69 73 |n.)..Som|e atheis|
|00003540| 74 73 20 61 72 65 20 71 | 75 69 74 65 20 76 6f 63 |ts are q|uite voc|
|00003550| 61 6c 20 61 62 6f 75 74 | 20 74 68 65 69 72 20 62 |al about| their b|
|00003560| 65 6c 69 65 66 73 2c 20 | 62 75 74 20 6f 6e 6c 79 |eliefs, |but only|
|00003570| 20 77 68 65 72 65 20 74 | 68 65 79 20 73 65 65 0a | where t|hey see.|
|00003580| 72 65 6c 69 67 69 6f 6e | 20 65 6e 63 72 6f 61 63 |religion| encroac|
|00003590| 68 69 6e 67 20 6f 6e 20 | 6d 61 74 74 65 72 73 20 |hing on |matters |
|000035a0| 77 68 69 63 68 20 61 72 | 65 20 6e 6f 74 20 69 74 |which ar|e not it|
|000035b0| 73 20 62 75 73 69 6e 65 | 73 73 20 2d 2d 20 66 6f |s busine|ss -- fo|
|000035c0| 72 20 65 78 61 6d 70 6c | 65 2c 0a 74 68 65 20 67 |r exampl|e,.the g|
|000035d0| 6f 76 65 72 6e 6d 65 6e | 74 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 |overnmen|t of the|
|000035e0| 20 55 53 41 2e 20 20 53 | 75 63 68 20 69 6e 64 69 | USA. S|uch indi|
|000035f0| 76 69 64 75 61 6c 73 20 | 61 72 65 20 75 73 75 61 |viduals |are usua|
|00003600| 6c 6c 79 20 63 6f 6e 63 | 65 72 6e 65 64 20 74 68 |lly conc|erned th|
|00003610| 61 74 0a 63 68 75 72 63 | 68 20 61 6e 64 20 73 74 |at.churc|h and st|
|00003620| 61 74 65 20 73 68 6f 75 | 6c 64 20 72 65 6d 61 69 |ate shou|ld remai|
|00003630| 6e 20 73 65 70 61 72 61 | 74 65 2e 0a 0a 22 42 75 |n separa|te..."Bu|
|00003640| 74 20 69 66 20 79 6f 75 | 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 61 |t if you| don't a|
|00003650| 6c 6c 6f 77 20 72 65 6c | 69 67 69 6f 6e 20 74 6f |llow rel|igion to|
|00003660| 20 68 61 76 65 20 61 20 | 73 61 79 20 69 6e 20 74 | have a |say in t|
|00003670| 68 65 20 72 75 6e 6e 69 | 6e 67 20 6f 66 20 74 68 |he runni|ng of th|
|00003680| 65 20 73 74 61 74 65 2c | 0a 20 73 75 72 65 6c 79 |e state,|. surely|
|00003690| 20 74 68 61 74 27 73 20 | 74 68 65 20 73 61 6d 65 | that's |the same|
|000036a0| 20 61 73 20 73 74 61 74 | 65 20 61 74 68 65 69 73 | as stat|e atheis|
|000036b0| 6d 3f 22 0a 0a 54 68 65 | 20 70 72 69 6e 63 69 70 |m?"..The| princip|
|000036c0| 6c 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 | 65 20 73 65 70 61 72 61 |le of th|e separa|
|000036d0| 74 69 6f 6e 20 6f 66 20 | 63 68 75 72 63 68 20 61 |tion of |church a|
|000036e0| 6e 64 20 73 74 61 74 65 | 20 69 73 20 74 68 61 74 |nd state| is that|
|000036f0| 20 74 68 65 20 73 74 61 | 74 65 20 73 68 61 6c 6c | the sta|te shall|
|00003700| 0a 6e 6f 74 20 6c 65 67 | 69 73 6c 61 74 65 20 63 |.not leg|islate c|
|00003710| 6f 6e 63 65 72 6e 69 6e | 67 20 6d 61 74 74 65 72 |oncernin|g matter|
|00003720| 73 20 6f 66 20 72 65 6c | 69 67 69 6f 75 73 20 62 |s of rel|igious b|
|00003730| 65 6c 69 65 66 2e 20 20 | 49 6e 20 70 61 72 74 69 |elief. |In parti|
|00003740| 63 75 6c 61 72 2c 20 69 | 74 0a 6d 65 61 6e 73 20 |cular, i|t.means |
|00003750| 6e 6f 74 20 6f 6e 6c 79 | 20 74 68 61 74 20 74 68 |not only| that th|
|00003760| 65 20 73 74 61 74 65 20 | 63 61 6e 6e 6f 74 20 70 |e state |cannot p|
|00003770| 72 6f 6d 6f 74 65 20 6f | 6e 65 20 72 65 6c 69 67 |romote o|ne relig|
|00003780| 69 6f 6e 20 61 74 20 74 | 68 65 20 65 78 70 65 6e |ion at t|he expen|
|00003790| 73 65 20 6f 66 0a 61 6e | 6f 74 68 65 72 2c 20 62 |se of.an|other, b|
|000037a0| 75 74 20 61 6c 73 6f 20 | 74 68 61 74 20 69 74 20 |ut also |that it |
|000037b0| 63 61 6e 6e 6f 74 20 70 | 72 6f 6d 6f 74 65 20 61 |cannot p|romote a|
|000037c0| 6e 79 20 62 65 6c 69 65 | 66 20 77 68 69 63 68 20 |ny belie|f which |
|000037d0| 69 73 20 72 65 6c 69 67 | 69 6f 75 73 20 69 6e 0a |is relig|ious in.|
|000037e0| 6e 61 74 75 72 65 2e 0a | 0a 52 65 6c 69 67 69 6f |nature..|.Religio|
|000037f0| 6e 73 20 63 61 6e 20 73 | 74 69 6c 6c 20 68 61 76 |ns can s|till hav|
|00003800| 65 20 61 20 73 61 79 20 | 69 6e 20 64 69 73 63 75 |e a say |in discu|
|00003810| 73 73 69 6f 6e 20 6f 66 | 20 70 75 72 65 6c 79 20 |ssion of| purely |
|00003820| 73 65 63 75 6c 61 72 20 | 6d 61 74 74 65 72 73 2e |secular |matters.|
|00003830| 20 20 46 6f 72 0a 65 78 | 61 6d 70 6c 65 2c 20 72 | For.ex|ample, r|
|00003840| 65 6c 69 67 69 6f 75 73 | 20 62 65 6c 69 65 76 65 |eligious| believe|
|00003850| 72 73 20 68 61 76 65 20 | 68 69 73 74 6f 72 69 63 |rs have |historic|
|00003860| 61 6c 6c 79 20 62 65 65 | 6e 20 72 65 73 70 6f 6e |ally bee|n respon|
|00003870| 73 69 62 6c 65 20 66 6f | 72 0a 65 6e 63 6f 75 72 |sible fo|r.encour|
|00003880| 61 67 69 6e 67 20 6d 61 | 6e 79 20 70 6f 6c 69 74 |aging ma|ny polit|
|00003890| 69 63 61 6c 20 72 65 66 | 6f 72 6d 73 2e 20 20 45 |ical ref|orms. E|
|000038a0| 76 65 6e 20 74 6f 64 61 | 79 2c 20 6d 61 6e 79 20 |ven toda|y, many |
|000038b0| 6f 72 67 61 6e 69 7a 61 | 74 69 6f 6e 73 0a 63 61 |organiza|tions.ca|
|000038c0| 6d 70 61 69 67 6e 69 6e | 67 20 66 6f 72 20 61 6e |mpaignin|g for an|
|000038d0| 20 69 6e 63 72 65 61 73 | 65 20 69 6e 20 73 70 65 | increas|e in spe|
|000038e0| 6e 64 69 6e 67 20 6f 6e | 20 66 6f 72 65 69 67 6e |nding on| foreign|
|000038f0| 20 61 69 64 20 61 72 65 | 20 66 6f 75 6e 64 65 64 | aid are| founded|
|00003900| 20 61 73 0a 72 65 6c 69 | 67 69 6f 75 73 20 63 61 | as.reli|gious ca|
|00003910| 6d 70 61 69 67 6e 73 2e | 20 20 53 6f 20 6c 6f 6e |mpaigns.| So lon|
|00003920| 67 20 61 73 20 74 68 65 | 79 20 63 61 6d 70 61 69 |g as the|y campai|
|00003930| 67 6e 20 63 6f 6e 63 65 | 72 6e 69 6e 67 20 73 65 |gn conce|rning se|
|00003940| 63 75 6c 61 72 20 6d 61 | 74 74 65 72 73 2c 0a 61 |cular ma|tters,.a|
|00003950| 6e 64 20 73 6f 20 6c 6f | 6e 67 20 61 73 20 74 68 |nd so lo|ng as th|
|00003960| 65 79 20 64 6f 20 6e 6f | 74 20 64 69 73 63 72 69 |ey do no|t discri|
|00003970| 6d 69 6e 61 74 65 20 6f | 6e 20 72 65 6c 69 67 69 |minate o|n religi|
|00003980| 6f 75 73 20 67 72 6f 75 | 6e 64 73 2c 20 6d 6f 73 |ous grou|nds, mos|
|00003990| 74 20 61 74 68 65 69 73 | 74 73 0a 61 72 65 20 71 |t atheis|ts.are q|
|000039a0| 75 69 74 65 20 68 61 70 | 70 79 20 74 6f 20 73 65 |uite hap|py to se|
|000039b0| 65 20 74 68 65 6d 20 68 | 61 76 65 20 74 68 65 69 |e them h|ave thei|
|000039c0| 72 20 73 61 79 2e 0a 0a | 22 57 68 61 74 20 61 62 |r say...|"What ab|
|000039d0| 6f 75 74 20 70 72 61 79 | 65 72 20 69 6e 20 73 63 |out pray|er in sc|
|000039e0| 68 6f 6f 6c 73 3f 20 49 | 66 20 74 68 65 72 65 27 |hools? I|f there'|
|000039f0| 73 20 6e 6f 20 47 6f 64 | 2c 20 77 68 79 20 64 6f |s no God|, why do|
|00003a00| 20 79 6f 75 20 63 61 72 | 65 20 69 66 20 70 65 6f | you car|e if peo|
|00003a10| 70 6c 65 0a 20 70 72 61 | 79 3f 22 0a 0a 42 65 63 |ple. pra|y?"..Bec|
|00003a20| 61 75 73 65 20 70 65 6f | 70 6c 65 20 77 68 6f 20 |ause peo|ple who |
|00003a30| 64 6f 20 70 72 61 79 20 | 61 72 65 20 76 6f 74 65 |do pray |are vote|
|00003a40| 72 73 20 61 6e 64 20 6c | 61 77 6d 61 6b 65 72 73 |rs and l|awmakers|
|00003a50| 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 74 65 | 6e 64 20 74 6f 20 64 6f |, and te|nd to do|
|00003a60| 20 74 68 69 6e 67 73 0a | 74 68 61 74 20 74 68 6f | things.|that tho|
|00003a70| 73 65 20 77 68 6f 20 64 | 6f 6e 27 74 20 70 72 61 |se who d|on't pra|
|00003a80| 79 20 63 61 6e 27 74 20 | 6a 75 73 74 20 69 67 6e |y can't |just ign|
|00003a90| 6f 72 65 2e 20 20 41 6c | 73 6f 2c 20 43 68 72 69 |ore. Al|so, Chri|
|00003aa0| 73 74 69 61 6e 20 70 72 | 61 79 65 72 20 69 6e 0a |stian pr|ayer in.|
|00003ab0| 73 63 68 6f 6f 6c 73 20 | 69 73 20 69 6e 74 69 6d |schools |is intim|
|00003ac0| 69 64 61 74 69 6e 67 20 | 74 6f 20 6e 6f 6e 2d 43 |idating |to non-C|
|00003ad0| 68 72 69 73 74 69 61 6e | 73 2c 20 65 76 65 6e 20 |hristian|s, even |
|00003ae0| 69 66 20 74 68 65 79 20 | 61 72 65 20 74 6f 6c 64 |if they |are told|
|00003af0| 20 74 68 61 74 20 74 68 | 65 79 0a 6e 65 65 64 20 | that th|ey.need |
|00003b00| 6e 6f 74 20 6a 6f 69 6e | 20 69 6e 2e 20 20 54 68 |not join| in. Th|
|00003b10| 65 20 64 69 76 65 72 73 | 69 74 79 20 6f 66 20 72 |e divers|ity of r|
|00003b20| 65 6c 69 67 69 6f 75 73 | 20 61 6e 64 20 6e 6f 6e |eligious| and non|
|00003b30| 2d 72 65 6c 69 67 69 6f | 75 73 20 62 65 6c 69 65 |-religio|us belie|
|00003b40| 66 20 6d 65 61 6e 73 0a | 74 68 61 74 20 69 74 20 |f means.|that it |
|00003b50| 69 73 20 69 6d 70 6f 73 | 73 69 62 6c 65 20 74 6f |is impos|sible to|
|00003b60| 20 66 6f 72 6d 75 6c 61 | 74 65 20 61 20 6d 65 61 | formula|te a mea|
|00003b70| 6e 69 6e 67 66 75 6c 20 | 70 72 61 79 65 72 20 74 |ningful |prayer t|
|00003b80| 68 61 74 20 77 69 6c 6c | 20 62 65 0a 61 63 63 65 |hat will| be.acce|
|00003b90| 70 74 61 62 6c 65 20 74 | 6f 20 61 6c 6c 20 74 68 |ptable t|o all th|
|00003ba0| 6f 73 65 20 70 72 65 73 | 65 6e 74 20 61 74 20 61 |ose pres|ent at a|
|00003bb0| 6e 79 20 70 75 62 6c 69 | 63 20 65 76 65 6e 74 2e |ny publi|c event.|
|00003bc0| 0a 0a 41 6c 73 6f 2c 20 | 6e 6f 6e 2d 70 72 61 79 |..Also, |non-pray|
|00003bd0| 65 72 73 20 74 65 6e 64 | 20 74 6f 20 68 61 76 65 |ers tend| to have|
|00003be0| 20 66 72 69 65 6e 64 73 | 20 61 6e 64 20 66 61 6d | friends| and fam|
|00003bf0| 69 6c 79 20 77 68 6f 20 | 70 72 61 79 2e 20 20 49 |ily who |pray. I|
|00003c00| 74 20 69 73 20 72 65 61 | 73 6f 6e 61 62 6c 65 0a |t is rea|sonable.|
|00003c10| 74 6f 20 63 61 72 65 20 | 61 62 6f 75 74 20 66 72 |to care |about fr|
|00003c20| 69 65 6e 64 73 20 61 6e | 64 20 66 61 6d 69 6c 79 |iends an|d family|
|00003c30| 20 77 61 73 74 69 6e 67 | 20 74 68 65 69 72 20 74 | wasting| their t|
|00003c40| 69 6d 65 2c 20 65 76 65 | 6e 20 77 69 74 68 6f 75 |ime, eve|n withou|
|00003c50| 74 20 6f 74 68 65 72 0a | 6d 6f 74 69 76 65 73 2e |t other.|motives.|
|00003c60| 0a 0a 22 59 6f 75 20 6d | 65 6e 74 69 6f 6e 65 64 |.."You m|entioned|
|00003c70| 20 43 68 72 69 73 74 69 | 61 6e 73 20 77 68 6f 20 | Christi|ans who |
|00003c80| 63 61 6d 70 61 69 67 6e | 20 66 6f 72 20 69 6e 63 |campaign| for inc|
|00003c90| 72 65 61 73 65 64 20 66 | 6f 72 65 69 67 6e 20 61 |reased f|oreign a|
|00003ca0| 69 64 2e 20 20 57 68 61 | 74 20 61 62 6f 75 74 0a |id. Wha|t about.|
|00003cb0| 20 61 74 68 65 69 73 74 | 73 3f 20 20 57 68 79 20 | atheist|s? Why |
|00003cc0| 61 72 65 6e 27 74 20 74 | 68 65 72 65 20 61 6e 79 |aren't t|here any|
|00003cd0| 20 61 74 68 65 69 73 74 | 20 63 68 61 72 69 74 69 | atheist| chariti|
|00003ce0| 65 73 20 6f 72 20 68 6f | 73 70 69 74 61 6c 73 3f |es or ho|spitals?|
|00003cf0| 20 20 44 6f 6e 27 74 0a | 20 61 74 68 65 69 73 74 | Don't.| atheist|
|00003d00| 73 20 6f 62 6a 65 63 74 | 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 |s object| to the |
|00003d10| 72 65 6c 69 67 69 6f 75 | 73 20 63 68 61 72 69 74 |religiou|s charit|
|00003d20| 69 65 73 3f 22 0a 0a 54 | 68 65 72 65 20 61 72 65 |ies?"..T|here are|
|00003d30| 20 6d 61 6e 79 20 63 68 | 61 72 69 74 69 65 73 20 | many ch|arities |
|00003d40| 77 69 74 68 6f 75 74 20 | 72 65 6c 69 67 69 6f 75 |without |religiou|
|00003d50| 73 20 70 75 72 70 6f 73 | 65 20 74 68 61 74 20 61 |s purpos|e that a|
|00003d60| 74 68 65 69 73 74 73 20 | 63 61 6e 0a 63 6f 6e 74 |theists |can.cont|
|00003d70| 72 69 62 75 74 65 20 74 | 6f 2e 20 20 53 6f 6d 65 |ribute t|o. Some|
|00003d80| 20 61 74 68 65 69 73 74 | 73 20 63 6f 6e 74 72 69 | atheist|s contri|
|00003d90| 62 75 74 65 20 74 6f 20 | 72 65 6c 69 67 69 6f 75 |bute to |religiou|
|00003da0| 73 20 63 68 61 72 69 74 | 69 65 73 20 61 73 20 77 |s charit|ies as w|
|00003db0| 65 6c 6c 2c 20 66 6f 72 | 0a 74 68 65 20 73 61 6b |ell, for|.the sak|
|00003dc0| 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 | 20 70 72 61 63 74 69 63 |e of the| practic|
|00003dd0| 61 6c 20 67 6f 6f 64 20 | 74 68 65 79 20 64 6f 2e |al good |they do.|
|00003de0| 20 20 53 6f 6d 65 20 61 | 74 68 65 69 73 74 73 20 | Some a|theists |
|00003df0| 65 76 65 6e 20 64 6f 20 | 76 6f 6c 75 6e 74 61 72 |even do |voluntar|
|00003e00| 79 20 77 6f 72 6b 0a 66 | 6f 72 20 63 68 61 72 69 |y work.f|or chari|
|00003e10| 74 69 65 73 20 66 6f 75 | 6e 64 65 64 20 6f 6e 20 |ties fou|nded on |
|00003e20| 61 20 74 68 65 69 73 74 | 69 63 20 62 61 73 69 73 |a theist|ic basis|
|00003e30| 2e 0a 0a 4d 6f 73 74 20 | 61 74 68 65 69 73 74 73 |...Most |atheists|
|00003e40| 20 73 65 65 6d 20 74 6f | 20 66 65 65 6c 20 74 68 | seem to| feel th|
|00003e50| 61 74 20 61 74 68 65 69 | 73 6d 20 69 73 6e 27 74 |at athei|sm isn't|
|00003e60| 20 77 6f 72 74 68 20 73 | 68 6f 75 74 69 6e 67 20 | worth s|houting |
|00003e70| 61 62 6f 75 74 20 69 6e | 0a 63 6f 6e 6e 65 63 74 |about in|.connect|
|00003e80| 69 6f 6e 20 77 69 74 68 | 20 63 68 61 72 69 74 79 |ion with| charity|
|00003e90| 2e 20 20 54 6f 20 74 68 | 65 6d 2c 20 61 74 68 65 |. To th|em, athe|
|00003ea0| 69 73 6d 20 69 73 20 6a | 75 73 74 20 61 20 73 69 |ism is j|ust a si|
|00003eb0| 6d 70 6c 65 2c 20 6f 62 | 76 69 6f 75 73 20 65 76 |mple, ob|vious ev|
|00003ec0| 65 72 79 64 61 79 0a 6d | 61 74 74 65 72 2c 20 61 |eryday.m|atter, a|
|00003ed0| 6e 64 20 73 6f 20 69 73 | 20 63 68 61 72 69 74 79 |nd so is| charity|
|00003ee0| 2e 20 20 4d 61 6e 79 20 | 66 65 65 6c 20 74 68 61 |. Many |feel tha|
|00003ef0| 74 20 69 74 27 73 20 73 | 6f 6d 65 77 68 61 74 20 |t it's s|omewhat |
|00003f00| 63 68 65 61 70 2c 20 6e | 6f 74 20 74 6f 20 73 61 |cheap, n|ot to sa|
|00003f10| 79 0a 73 65 6c 66 2d 72 | 69 67 68 74 65 6f 75 73 |y.self-r|ighteous|
|00003f20| 2c 20 74 6f 20 75 73 65 | 20 73 69 6d 70 6c 65 20 |, to use| simple |
|00003f30| 63 68 61 72 69 74 79 20 | 61 73 20 61 6e 20 65 78 |charity |as an ex|
|00003f40| 63 75 73 65 20 74 6f 20 | 70 6c 75 67 20 61 20 70 |cuse to |plug a p|
|00003f50| 61 72 74 69 63 75 6c 61 | 72 20 73 65 74 0a 6f 66 |articula|r set.of|
|00003f60| 20 72 65 6c 69 67 69 6f | 75 73 20 62 65 6c 69 65 | religio|us belie|
|00003f70| 66 73 2e 0a 0a 54 6f 20 | 22 77 65 61 6b 22 20 61 |fs...To |"weak" a|
|00003f80| 74 68 65 69 73 74 73 2c | 20 62 75 69 6c 64 69 6e |theists,| buildin|
|00003f90| 67 20 61 20 68 6f 73 70 | 69 74 61 6c 20 74 6f 20 |g a hosp|ital to |
|00003fa0| 73 61 79 20 22 49 20 64 | 6f 20 6e 6f 74 20 62 65 |say "I d|o not be|
|00003fb0| 6c 69 65 76 65 20 69 6e | 20 47 6f 64 22 20 69 73 |lieve in| God" is|
|00003fc0| 20 61 0a 72 61 74 68 65 | 72 20 73 74 72 61 6e 67 | a.rathe|r strang|
|00003fd0| 65 20 69 64 65 61 3b 20 | 69 74 27 73 20 72 61 74 |e idea; |it's rat|
|00003fe0| 68 65 72 20 6c 69 6b 65 | 20 68 6f 6c 64 69 6e 67 |her like| holding|
|00003ff0| 20 61 20 70 61 72 74 79 | 20 74 6f 20 73 61 79 20 | a party| to say |
|00004000| 22 54 6f 64 61 79 20 69 | 73 20 6e 6f 74 20 6d 79 |"Today i|s not my|
|00004010| 0a 62 69 72 74 68 64 61 | 79 22 2e 20 20 57 68 79 |.birthda|y". Why|
|00004020| 20 74 68 65 20 66 75 73 | 73 3f 20 20 41 74 68 65 | the fus|s? Athe|
|00004030| 69 73 6d 20 69 73 20 72 | 61 72 65 6c 79 20 65 76 |ism is r|arely ev|
|00004040| 61 6e 67 65 6c 69 63 61 | 6c 2e 0a 0a 22 59 6f 75 |angelica|l..."You|
|00004050| 20 73 61 69 64 20 61 74 | 68 65 69 73 6d 20 69 73 | said at|heism is|
|00004060| 6e 27 74 20 61 6e 74 69 | 2d 72 65 6c 69 67 69 6f |n't anti|-religio|
|00004070| 75 73 2e 20 20 42 75 74 | 20 69 73 20 69 74 20 70 |us. But| is it p|
|00004080| 65 72 68 61 70 73 20 61 | 20 62 61 63 6b 6c 61 73 |erhaps a| backlas|
|00004090| 68 20 61 67 61 69 6e 73 | 74 0a 20 6f 6e 65 27 73 |h agains|t. one's|
|000040a0| 20 75 70 62 72 69 6e 67 | 69 6e 67 2c 20 61 20 77 | upbring|ing, a w|
|000040b0| 61 79 20 6f 66 20 72 65 | 62 65 6c 6c 69 6e 67 3f |ay of re|belling?|
|000040c0| 22 0a 0a 50 65 72 68 61 | 70 73 20 69 74 20 69 73 |"..Perha|ps it is|
|000040d0| 2c 20 66 6f 72 20 73 6f | 6d 65 2e 20 20 42 75 74 |, for so|me. But|
|000040e0| 20 6d 61 6e 79 20 70 65 | 6f 70 6c 65 20 68 61 76 | many pe|ople hav|
|000040f0| 65 20 70 61 72 65 6e 74 | 73 20 77 68 6f 20 64 6f |e parent|s who do|
|00004100| 20 6e 6f 74 20 61 74 74 | 65 6d 70 74 20 74 6f 0a | not att|empt to.|
|00004110| 66 6f 72 63 65 20 61 6e | 79 20 72 65 6c 69 67 69 |force an|y religi|
|00004120| 6f 75 73 20 28 6f 72 20 | 61 74 68 65 69 73 74 29 |ous (or |atheist)|
|00004130| 20 69 64 65 61 73 20 75 | 70 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 6d | ideas u|pon them|
|00004140| 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 6d 61 | 6e 79 20 6f 66 20 74 68 |, and ma|ny of th|
|00004150| 6f 73 65 20 70 65 6f 70 | 6c 65 0a 63 68 6f 6f 73 |ose peop|le.choos|
|00004160| 65 20 74 6f 20 63 61 6c | 6c 20 74 68 65 6d 73 65 |e to cal|l themse|
|00004170| 6c 76 65 73 20 61 74 68 | 65 69 73 74 73 2e 0a 0a |lves ath|eists...|
|00004180| 49 74 27 73 20 61 6c 73 | 6f 20 64 6f 75 62 74 6c |It's als|o doubtl|
|00004190| 65 73 73 20 74 68 65 20 | 63 61 73 65 20 74 68 61 |ess the |case tha|
|000041a0| 74 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 72 | 65 6c 69 67 69 6f 75 73 |t some r|eligious|
|000041b0| 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 20 | 63 68 6f 73 65 20 72 65 | people |chose re|
|000041c0| 6c 69 67 69 6f 6e 20 61 | 73 20 61 0a 62 61 63 6b |ligion a|s a.back|
|000041d0| 6c 61 73 68 20 61 67 61 | 69 6e 73 74 20 61 6e 20 |lash aga|inst an |
|000041e0| 61 74 68 65 69 73 74 20 | 75 70 62 72 69 6e 67 69 |atheist |upbringi|
|000041f0| 6e 67 2c 20 61 73 20 61 | 20 77 61 79 20 6f 66 20 |ng, as a| way of |
|00004200| 62 65 69 6e 67 20 64 69 | 66 66 65 72 65 6e 74 2e |being di|fferent.|
|00004210| 20 20 4f 6e 20 74 68 65 | 0a 6f 74 68 65 72 20 68 | On the|.other h|
|00004220| 61 6e 64 2c 20 6d 61 6e | 79 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 |and, man|y people|
|00004230| 20 63 68 6f 6f 73 65 20 | 72 65 6c 69 67 69 6f 6e | choose |religion|
|00004240| 20 61 73 20 61 20 77 61 | 79 20 6f 66 20 63 6f 6e | as a wa|y of con|
|00004250| 66 6f 72 6d 69 6e 67 20 | 74 6f 20 74 68 65 0a 65 |forming |to the.e|
|00004260| 78 70 65 63 74 61 74 69 | 6f 6e 73 20 6f 66 20 6f |xpectati|ons of o|
|00004270| 74 68 65 72 73 2e 0a 0a | 4f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 77 |thers...|On the w|
|00004280| 68 6f 6c 65 2c 20 77 65 | 20 63 61 6e 27 74 20 63 |hole, we| can't c|
|00004290| 6f 6e 63 6c 75 64 65 20 | 6d 75 63 68 20 61 62 6f |onclude |much abo|
|000042a0| 75 74 20 77 68 65 74 68 | 65 72 20 61 74 68 65 69 |ut wheth|er athei|
|000042b0| 73 6d 20 6f 72 20 72 65 | 6c 69 67 69 6f 6e 20 61 |sm or re|ligion a|
|000042c0| 72 65 0a 62 61 63 6b 6c | 61 73 68 20 6f 72 20 63 |re.backl|ash or c|
|000042d0| 6f 6e 66 6f 72 6d 69 73 | 6d 3b 20 61 6c 74 68 6f |onformis|m; altho|
|000042e0| 75 67 68 20 69 6e 20 67 | 65 6e 65 72 61 6c 2c 20 |ugh in g|eneral, |
|000042f0| 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 20 68 | 61 76 65 20 61 20 74 65 |people h|ave a te|
|00004300| 6e 64 65 6e 63 79 20 74 | 6f 20 67 6f 0a 61 6c 6f |ndency t|o go.alo|
|00004310| 6e 67 20 77 69 74 68 20 | 61 20 67 72 6f 75 70 20 |ng with |a group |
|00004320| 72 61 74 68 65 72 20 74 | 68 61 6e 20 61 63 74 20 |rather t|han act |
|00004330| 6f 72 20 74 68 69 6e 6b | 20 69 6e 64 65 70 65 6e |or think| indepen|
|00004340| 64 65 6e 74 6c 79 2e 0a | 0a 22 48 6f 77 20 64 6f |dently..|."How do|
|00004350| 20 61 74 68 65 69 73 74 | 73 20 64 69 66 66 65 72 | atheist|s differ|
|00004360| 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 72 65 | 6c 69 67 69 6f 75 73 20 | from re|ligious |
|00004370| 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 3f 22 | 0a 0a 54 68 65 79 20 64 |people?"|..They d|
|00004380| 6f 6e 27 74 20 62 65 6c | 69 65 76 65 20 69 6e 20 |on't bel|ieve in |
|00004390| 47 6f 64 2e 20 20 54 68 | 61 74 27 73 20 61 6c 6c |God. Th|at's all|
|000043a0| 20 74 68 65 72 65 20 69 | 73 20 74 6f 20 69 74 2e | there i|s to it.|
|000043b0| 0a 0a 41 74 68 65 69 73 | 74 73 20 6d 61 79 20 6c |..Atheis|ts may l|
|000043c0| 69 73 74 65 6e 20 74 6f | 20 68 65 61 76 79 20 6d |isten to| heavy m|
|000043d0| 65 74 61 6c 20 2d 2d 20 | 62 61 63 6b 77 61 72 64 |etal -- |backward|
|000043e0| 73 2c 20 65 76 65 6e 20 | 2d 2d 20 6f 72 20 74 68 |s, even |-- or th|
|000043f0| 65 79 20 6d 61 79 20 70 | 72 65 66 65 72 20 61 0a |ey may p|refer a.|
|00004400| 56 65 72 64 69 20 52 65 | 71 75 69 65 6d 2c 20 65 |Verdi Re|quiem, e|
|00004410| 76 65 6e 20 69 66 20 74 | 68 65 79 20 6b 6e 6f 77 |ven if t|hey know|
|00004420| 20 74 68 65 20 77 6f 72 | 64 73 2e 20 20 54 68 65 | the wor|ds. The|
|00004430| 79 20 6d 61 79 20 77 65 | 61 72 20 48 61 77 61 69 |y may we|ar Hawai|
|00004440| 69 61 6e 20 73 68 69 72 | 74 73 2c 0a 74 68 65 79 |ian shir|ts,.they|
|00004450| 20 6d 61 79 20 64 72 65 | 73 73 20 61 6c 6c 20 69 | may dre|ss all i|
|00004460| 6e 20 62 6c 61 63 6b 2c | 20 74 68 65 79 20 6d 61 |n black,| they ma|
|00004470| 79 20 65 76 65 6e 20 77 | 65 61 72 20 6f 72 61 6e |y even w|ear oran|
|00004480| 67 65 20 72 6f 62 65 73 | 2e 20 20 28 4d 61 6e 79 |ge robes|. (Many|
|00004490| 0a 42 75 64 64 68 69 73 | 74 73 20 6c 61 63 6b 20 |.Buddhis|ts lack |
|000044a0| 61 20 62 65 6c 69 65 66 | 20 69 6e 20 61 6e 79 20 |a belief| in any |
|000044b0| 73 6f 72 74 20 6f 66 20 | 47 6f 64 2e 29 20 20 53 |sort of |God.) S|
|000044c0| 6f 6d 65 20 61 74 68 65 | 69 73 74 73 20 65 76 65 |ome athe|ists eve|
|000044d0| 6e 20 63 61 72 72 79 20 | 61 20 63 6f 70 79 0a 6f |n carry |a copy.o|
|000044e0| 66 20 74 68 65 20 42 69 | 62 6c 65 20 61 72 6f 75 |f the Bi|ble arou|
|000044f0| 6e 64 20 2d 2d 20 66 6f | 72 20 61 72 67 75 69 6e |nd -- fo|r arguin|
|00004500| 67 20 61 67 61 69 6e 73 | 74 2c 20 6f 66 20 63 6f |g agains|t, of co|
|00004510| 75 72 73 65 21 0a 0a 57 | 68 6f 65 76 65 72 20 79 |urse!..W|hoever y|
|00004520| 6f 75 20 61 72 65 2c 20 | 74 68 65 20 63 68 61 6e |ou are, |the chan|
|00004530| 63 65 73 20 61 72 65 20 | 79 6f 75 20 68 61 76 65 |ces are |you have|
|00004540| 20 6d 65 74 20 73 65 76 | 65 72 61 6c 20 61 74 68 | met sev|eral ath|
|00004550| 65 69 73 74 73 20 77 69 | 74 68 6f 75 74 0a 72 65 |eists wi|thout.re|
|00004560| 61 6c 69 73 69 6e 67 20 | 69 74 2e 20 20 41 74 68 |alising |it. Ath|
|00004570| 65 69 73 74 73 20 61 72 | 65 20 75 73 75 61 6c 6c |eists ar|e usuall|
|00004580| 79 20 75 6e 65 78 63 65 | 70 74 69 6f 6e 61 6c 20 |y unexce|ptional |
|00004590| 69 6e 20 62 65 68 61 76 | 69 6f 75 72 20 61 6e 64 |in behav|iour and|
|000045a0| 0a 61 70 70 65 61 72 61 | 6e 63 65 2e 0a 0a 22 55 |.appeara|nce..."U|
|000045b0| 6e 65 78 63 65 70 74 69 | 6f 6e 61 6c 3f 20 42 75 |nexcepti|onal? Bu|
|000045c0| 74 20 61 72 65 6e 27 74 | 20 61 74 68 65 69 73 74 |t aren't| atheist|
|000045d0| 73 20 6c 65 73 73 20 6d | 6f 72 61 6c 20 74 68 61 |s less m|oral tha|
|000045e0| 6e 20 72 65 6c 69 67 69 | 6f 75 73 20 70 65 6f 70 |n religi|ous peop|
|000045f0| 6c 65 3f 22 0a 0a 54 68 | 61 74 20 64 65 70 65 6e |le?"..Th|at depen|
|00004600| 64 73 2e 20 20 49 66 20 | 79 6f 75 20 64 65 66 69 |ds. If |you defi|
|00004610| 6e 65 20 6d 6f 72 61 6c | 69 74 79 20 61 73 20 6f |ne moral|ity as o|
|00004620| 62 65 64 69 65 6e 63 65 | 20 74 6f 20 47 6f 64 2c |bedience| to God,|
|00004630| 20 74 68 65 6e 20 6f 66 | 20 63 6f 75 72 73 65 0a | then of| course.|
|00004640| 61 74 68 65 69 73 74 73 | 20 61 72 65 20 6c 65 73 |atheists| are les|
|00004650| 73 20 6d 6f 72 61 6c 20 | 61 73 20 74 68 65 79 20 |s moral |as they |
|00004660| 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 6f 62 | 65 79 20 61 6e 79 20 47 |don't ob|ey any G|
|00004670| 6f 64 2e 20 20 42 75 74 | 20 75 73 75 61 6c 6c 79 |od. But| usually|
|00004680| 20 77 68 65 6e 20 6f 6e | 65 0a 74 61 6c 6b 73 20 | when on|e.talks |
|00004690| 6f 66 20 6d 6f 72 61 6c | 69 74 79 2c 20 6f 6e 65 |of moral|ity, one|
|000046a0| 20 74 61 6c 6b 73 20 6f | 66 20 77 68 61 74 20 69 | talks o|f what i|
|000046b0| 73 20 61 63 63 65 70 74 | 61 62 6c 65 20 28 22 72 |s accept|able ("r|
|000046c0| 69 67 68 74 22 29 20 61 | 6e 64 20 75 6e 61 63 63 |ight") a|nd unacc|
|000046d0| 65 70 74 61 62 6c 65 0a | 28 22 77 72 6f 6e 67 22 |eptable.|("wrong"|
|000046e0| 29 20 62 65 68 61 76 69 | 6f 75 72 20 77 69 74 68 |) behavi|our with|
|000046f0| 69 6e 20 73 6f 63 69 65 | 74 79 2e 0a 0a 48 75 6d |in socie|ty...Hum|
|00004700| 61 6e 73 20 61 72 65 20 | 73 6f 63 69 61 6c 20 61 |ans are |social a|
|00004710| 6e 69 6d 61 6c 73 2c 20 | 61 6e 64 20 74 6f 20 62 |nimals, |and to b|
|00004720| 65 20 6d 61 78 69 6d 61 | 6c 6c 79 20 73 75 63 63 |e maxima|lly succ|
|00004730| 65 73 73 66 75 6c 20 74 | 68 65 79 20 6d 75 73 74 |essful t|hey must|
|00004740| 0a 63 6f 2d 6f 70 65 72 | 61 74 65 20 77 69 74 68 |.co-oper|ate with|
|00004750| 20 65 61 63 68 20 6f 74 | 68 65 72 2e 20 20 54 68 | each ot|her. Th|
|00004760| 69 73 20 69 73 20 61 20 | 67 6f 6f 64 20 65 6e 6f |is is a |good eno|
|00004770| 75 67 68 20 72 65 61 73 | 6f 6e 20 74 6f 20 64 69 |ugh reas|on to di|
|00004780| 73 63 6f 75 72 61 67 65 | 20 6d 6f 73 74 0a 61 74 |scourage| most.at|
|00004790| 68 65 69 73 74 73 20 66 | 72 6f 6d 20 22 61 6e 74 |heists f|rom "ant|
|000047a0| 69 2d 73 6f 63 69 61 6c | 22 20 6f 72 20 22 69 6d |i-social|" or "im|
|000047b0| 6d 6f 72 61 6c 22 20 62 | 65 68 61 76 69 6f 75 72 |moral" b|ehaviour|
|000047c0| 2c 20 70 75 72 65 6c 79 | 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 65 |, purely| for the|
|000047d0| 20 70 75 72 70 6f 73 65 | 73 0a 6f 66 20 73 65 6c | purpose|s.of sel|
|000047e0| 66 2d 70 72 65 73 65 72 | 76 61 74 69 6f 6e 2e 0a |f-preser|vation..|
|000047f0| 0a 4d 61 6e 79 20 61 74 | 68 65 69 73 74 73 20 62 |.Many at|heists b|
|00004800| 65 68 61 76 65 20 69 6e | 20 61 20 22 6d 6f 72 61 |ehave in| a "mora|
|00004810| 6c 22 20 6f 72 20 22 63 | 6f 6d 70 61 73 73 69 6f |l" or "c|ompassio|
|00004820| 6e 61 74 65 22 20 77 61 | 79 20 73 69 6d 70 6c 79 |nate" wa|y simply|
|00004830| 20 62 65 63 61 75 73 65 | 20 74 68 65 79 0a 66 65 | because| they.fe|
|00004840| 65 6c 20 61 20 6e 61 74 | 75 72 61 6c 20 74 65 6e |el a nat|ural ten|
|00004850| 64 65 6e 63 79 20 74 6f | 20 65 6d 70 61 74 68 69 |dency to| empathi|
|00004860| 7a 65 20 77 69 74 68 20 | 6f 74 68 65 72 20 68 75 |ze with |other hu|
|00004870| 6d 61 6e 73 2e 20 20 53 | 6f 20 77 68 79 20 64 6f |mans. S|o why do|
|00004880| 20 74 68 65 79 20 63 61 | 72 65 0a 77 68 61 74 20 | they ca|re.what |
|00004890| 68 61 70 70 65 6e 73 20 | 74 6f 20 6f 74 68 65 72 |happens |to other|
|000048a0| 73 3f 20 20 54 68 65 79 | 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 6b |s? They| don't k|
|000048b0| 6e 6f 77 2c 20 74 68 65 | 79 20 73 69 6d 70 6c 79 |now, the|y simply|
|000048c0| 20 61 72 65 20 74 68 61 | 74 20 77 61 79 2e 0a 0a | are tha|t way...|
|000048d0| 4e 61 74 75 72 61 6c 6c | 79 2c 20 74 68 65 72 65 |Naturall|y, there|
|000048e0| 20 61 72 65 20 73 6f 6d | 65 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 | are som|e people|
|000048f0| 20 77 68 6f 20 62 65 68 | 61 76 65 20 22 69 6d 6d | who beh|ave "imm|
|00004900| 6f 72 61 6c 6c 79 22 20 | 61 6e 64 20 74 72 79 20 |orally" |and try |
|00004910| 74 6f 20 75 73 65 0a 61 | 74 68 65 69 73 6d 20 74 |to use.a|theism t|
|00004920| 6f 20 6a 75 73 74 69 66 | 79 20 74 68 65 69 72 20 |o justif|y their |
|00004930| 61 63 74 69 6f 6e 73 2e | 20 20 48 6f 77 65 76 65 |actions.| Howeve|
|00004940| 72 2c 20 74 68 65 72 65 | 20 61 72 65 20 65 71 75 |r, there| are equ|
|00004950| 61 6c 6c 79 20 6d 61 6e | 79 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 |ally man|y people|
|00004960| 20 77 68 6f 0a 62 65 68 | 61 76 65 20 22 69 6d 6d | who.beh|ave "imm|
|00004970| 6f 72 61 6c 6c 79 22 20 | 61 6e 64 20 74 68 65 6e |orally" |and then|
|00004980| 20 74 72 79 20 74 6f 20 | 75 73 65 20 72 65 6c 69 | try to |use reli|
|00004990| 67 69 6f 75 73 20 62 65 | 6c 69 65 66 73 20 74 6f |gious be|liefs to|
|000049a0| 20 6a 75 73 74 69 66 79 | 20 74 68 65 69 72 0a 61 | justify| their.a|
|000049b0| 63 74 69 6f 6e 73 2e 20 | 20 46 6f 72 20 65 78 61 |ctions. | For exa|
|000049c0| 6d 70 6c 65 3a 0a 0a 20 | 20 22 48 65 72 65 20 69 |mple:.. | "Here i|
|000049d0| 73 20 61 20 74 72 75 73 | 74 77 6f 72 74 68 79 20 |s a trus|tworthy |
|000049e0| 73 61 79 69 6e 67 20 74 | 68 61 74 20 64 65 73 65 |saying t|hat dese|
|000049f0| 72 76 65 73 20 66 75 6c | 6c 20 61 63 63 65 70 74 |rves ful|l accept|
|00004a00| 61 6e 63 65 3a 20 4a 65 | 73 75 73 20 43 68 72 69 |ance: Je|sus Chri|
|00004a10| 73 74 0a 20 20 20 63 61 | 6d 65 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 |st. ca|me into |
|00004a20| 74 68 65 20 77 6f 72 6c | 64 20 74 6f 20 73 61 76 |the worl|d to sav|
|00004a30| 65 20 73 69 6e 6e 65 72 | 73 2e 2e 2e 20 20 42 75 |e sinner|s... Bu|
|00004a40| 74 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 | 61 74 20 76 65 72 79 20 |t for th|at very |
|00004a50| 72 65 61 73 6f 6e 2c 20 | 49 20 77 61 73 0a 20 20 |reason, |I was. |
|00004a60| 20 73 68 6f 77 6e 20 6d | 65 72 63 79 20 73 6f 20 | shown m|ercy so |
|00004a70| 74 68 61 74 20 69 6e 20 | 6d 65 2e 2e 2e 20 20 4a |that in |me... J|
|00004a80| 65 73 75 73 20 43 68 72 | 69 73 74 20 6d 69 67 68 |esus Chr|ist migh|
|00004a90| 74 20 64 69 73 70 6c 61 | 79 20 48 69 73 20 75 6e |t displa|y His un|
|00004aa0| 6c 69 6d 69 74 65 64 0a | 20 20 20 70 61 74 69 65 |limited.| patie|
|00004ab0| 6e 63 65 20 61 73 20 61 | 6e 20 65 78 61 6d 70 6c |nce as a|n exampl|
|00004ac0| 65 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 | 6f 73 65 20 77 68 6f 20 |e for th|ose who |
|00004ad0| 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 62 65 | 6c 69 65 76 65 20 69 6e |would be|lieve in|
|00004ae0| 20 68 69 6d 20 61 6e 64 | 20 72 65 63 65 69 76 65 | him and| receive|
|00004af0| 0a 20 20 20 65 74 65 72 | 6e 61 6c 20 6c 69 66 65 |. eter|nal life|
|00004b00| 2e 20 20 4e 6f 77 20 74 | 6f 20 74 68 65 20 6b 69 |. Now t|o the ki|
|00004b10| 6e 67 20 65 74 65 72 6e | 61 6c 2c 20 69 6d 6d 6f |ng etern|al, immo|
|00004b20| 72 74 61 6c 2c 20 69 6e | 76 69 73 69 62 6c 65 2c |rtal, in|visible,|
|00004b30| 20 74 68 65 20 6f 6e 6c | 79 20 47 6f 64 2c 0a 20 | the onl|y God,. |
|00004b40| 20 20 62 65 20 68 6f 6e | 6f 72 20 61 6e 64 20 67 | be hon|or and g|
|00004b50| 6c 6f 72 79 20 66 6f 72 | 65 76 65 72 20 61 6e 64 |lory for|ever and|
|00004b60| 20 65 76 65 72 2e 22 0a | 0a 54 68 65 20 61 62 6f | ever.".|.The abo|
|00004b70| 76 65 20 71 75 6f 74 65 | 20 69 73 20 66 72 6f 6d |ve quote| is from|
|00004b80| 20 61 20 73 74 61 74 65 | 6d 65 6e 74 20 6d 61 64 | a state|ment mad|
|00004b90| 65 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 | 20 63 6f 75 72 74 20 6f |e to the| court o|
|00004ba0| 6e 20 46 65 62 72 75 61 | 72 79 20 31 37 74 68 20 |n Februa|ry 17th |
|00004bb0| 31 39 39 32 0a 62 79 20 | 4a 65 66 66 72 65 79 20 |1992.by |Jeffrey |
|00004bc0| 44 61 68 6d 65 72 2c 20 | 74 68 65 20 6e 6f 74 6f |Dahmer, |the noto|
|00004bd0| 72 69 6f 75 73 20 63 61 | 6e 6e 69 62 61 6c 20 73 |rious ca|nnibal s|
|00004be0| 65 72 69 61 6c 20 6b 69 | 6c 6c 65 72 20 6f 66 20 |erial ki|ller of |
|00004bf0| 4d 69 6c 77 61 75 6b 65 | 65 2c 0a 57 69 73 63 6f |Milwauke|e,.Wisco|
|00004c00| 6e 73 69 6e 2e 20 20 49 | 74 20 73 65 65 6d 73 20 |nsin. I|t seems |
|00004c10| 74 68 61 74 20 66 6f 72 | 20 65 76 65 72 79 20 61 |that for| every a|
|00004c20| 74 68 65 69 73 74 20 6d | 61 73 73 2d 6d 75 72 64 |theist m|ass-murd|
|00004c30| 65 72 65 72 2c 20 74 68 | 65 72 65 20 69 73 20 61 |erer, th|ere is a|
|00004c40| 0a 72 65 6c 69 67 69 6f | 75 73 20 6d 61 73 73 2d |.religio|us mass-|
|00004c50| 6d 75 72 64 65 72 65 72 | 2e 20 20 42 75 74 20 77 |murderer|. But w|
|00004c60| 68 61 74 20 6f 66 20 6d | 6f 72 65 20 74 72 69 76 |hat of m|ore triv|
|00004c70| 69 61 6c 20 6d 6f 72 61 | 6c 69 74 79 3f 0a 0a 20 |ial mora|lity?.. |
|00004c80| 20 20 41 20 73 75 72 76 | 65 79 20 63 6f 6e 64 75 | A surv|ey condu|
|00004c90| 63 74 65 64 20 62 79 20 | 74 68 65 20 52 6f 70 65 |cted by |the Rope|
|00004ca0| 72 20 4f 72 67 61 6e 69 | 7a 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 66 |r Organi|zation f|
|00004cb0| 6f 75 6e 64 20 74 68 61 | 74 20 62 65 68 61 76 69 |ound tha|t behavi|
|00004cc0| 6f 72 0a 20 20 20 64 65 | 74 65 72 69 6f 72 61 74 |or. de|teriorat|
|00004cd0| 65 64 20 61 66 74 65 72 | 20 22 62 6f 72 6e 20 61 |ed after| "born a|
|00004ce0| 67 61 69 6e 22 20 65 78 | 70 65 72 69 65 6e 63 65 |gain" ex|perience|
|00004cf0| 73 2e 20 20 57 68 69 6c | 65 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 34 |s. Whil|e only 4|
|00004d00| 25 20 6f 66 20 72 65 73 | 70 6f 6e 64 65 6e 74 73 |% of res|pondents|
|00004d10| 0a 20 20 20 73 61 69 64 | 20 74 68 65 79 20 68 61 |. said| they ha|
|00004d20| 64 20 64 72 69 76 65 6e | 20 69 6e 74 6f 78 69 63 |d driven| intoxic|
|00004d30| 61 74 65 64 20 62 65 66 | 6f 72 65 20 62 65 69 6e |ated bef|ore bein|
|00004d40| 67 20 22 62 6f 72 6e 20 | 61 67 61 69 6e 2c 22 20 |g "born |again," |
|00004d50| 31 32 25 20 68 61 64 20 | 64 6f 6e 65 0a 20 20 20 |12% had |done. |
|00004d60| 73 6f 20 61 66 74 65 72 | 20 63 6f 6e 76 65 72 73 |so after| convers|
|00004d70| 69 6f 6e 2e 20 20 53 69 | 6d 69 6c 61 72 6c 79 2c |ion. Si|milarly,|
|00004d80| 20 35 25 20 68 61 64 20 | 75 73 65 64 20 69 6c 6c | 5% had |used ill|
|00004d90| 65 67 61 6c 20 64 72 75 | 67 73 20 62 65 66 6f 72 |egal dru|gs befor|
|00004da0| 65 0a 20 20 20 63 6f 6e | 76 65 72 73 69 6f 6e 2c |e. con|version,|
|00004db0| 20 39 25 20 61 66 74 65 | 72 2e 20 20 54 77 6f 20 | 9% afte|r. Two |
|00004dc0| 70 65 72 63 65 6e 74 20 | 61 64 6d 69 74 74 65 64 |percent |admitted|
|00004dd0| 20 74 6f 20 65 6e 67 61 | 67 69 6e 67 20 69 6e 20 | to enga|ging in |
|00004de0| 69 6c 6c 69 63 69 74 20 | 73 65 78 0a 20 20 20 62 |illicit |sex. b|
|00004df0| 65 66 6f 72 65 20 73 61 | 6c 76 61 74 69 6f 6e 3b |efore sa|lvation;|
|00004e00| 20 35 25 20 61 66 74 65 | 72 2e 0a 20 20 20 20 20 | 5% afte|r.. |
|00004e10| 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 | 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 | | |
|00004e20| 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 | 20 20 20 5b 22 46 72 65 | | ["Fre|
|00004e30| 65 74 68 6f 75 67 68 74 | 20 54 6f 64 61 79 22 2c |ethought| Today",|
|00004e40| 20 53 65 70 74 65 6d 62 | 65 72 20 31 39 39 31 2c | Septemb|er 1991,|
|00004e50| 20 70 2e 20 31 32 2e 5d | 0a 0a 53 6f 20 69 74 20 | p. 12.]|..So it |
|00004e60| 73 65 65 6d 73 20 74 68 | 61 74 20 61 74 20 62 65 |seems th|at at be|
|00004e70| 73 74 2c 20 72 65 6c 69 | 67 69 6f 6e 20 64 6f 65 |st, reli|gion doe|
|00004e80| 73 20 6e 6f 74 20 68 61 | 76 65 20 61 20 6d 6f 6e |s not ha|ve a mon|
|00004e90| 6f 70 6f 6c 79 20 6f 6e | 20 6d 6f 72 61 6c 0a 62 |opoly on| moral.b|
|00004ea0| 65 68 61 76 69 6f 75 72 | 2e 0a 0a 22 49 73 20 74 |ehaviour|..."Is t|
|00004eb0| 68 65 72 65 20 73 75 63 | 68 20 61 20 74 68 69 6e |here suc|h a thin|
|00004ec0| 67 20 61 73 20 61 74 68 | 65 69 73 74 20 6d 6f 72 |g as ath|eist mor|
|00004ed0| 61 6c 69 74 79 3f 22 0a | 0a 49 66 20 79 6f 75 20 |ality?".|.If you |
|00004ee0| 6d 65 61 6e 20 22 49 73 | 20 74 68 65 72 65 20 73 |mean "Is| there s|
|00004ef0| 75 63 68 20 61 20 74 68 | 69 6e 67 20 61 73 20 6d |uch a th|ing as m|
|00004f00| 6f 72 61 6c 69 74 79 20 | 66 6f 72 20 61 74 68 65 |orality |for athe|
|00004f10| 69 73 74 73 3f 22 2c 20 | 74 68 65 6e 20 74 68 65 |ists?", |then the|
|00004f20| 0a 61 6e 73 77 65 72 20 | 69 73 20 79 65 73 2c 20 |.answer |is yes, |
|00004f30| 61 73 20 65 78 70 6c 61 | 69 6e 65 64 20 61 62 6f |as expla|ined abo|
|00004f40| 76 65 2e 20 20 4d 61 6e | 79 20 61 74 68 65 69 73 |ve. Man|y atheis|
|00004f50| 74 73 20 68 61 76 65 20 | 69 64 65 61 73 20 61 62 |ts have |ideas ab|
|00004f60| 6f 75 74 20 6d 6f 72 61 | 6c 69 74 79 0a 77 68 69 |out mora|lity.whi|
|00004f70| 63 68 20 61 72 65 20 61 | 74 20 6c 65 61 73 74 20 |ch are a|t least |
|00004f80| 61 73 20 73 74 72 6f 6e | 67 20 61 73 20 74 68 6f |as stron|g as tho|
|00004f90| 73 65 20 68 65 6c 64 20 | 62 79 20 72 65 6c 69 67 |se held |by relig|
|00004fa0| 69 6f 75 73 20 70 65 6f | 70 6c 65 2e 0a 0a 49 66 |ious peo|ple...If|
|00004fb0| 20 79 6f 75 20 6d 65 61 | 6e 20 22 44 6f 65 73 20 | you mea|n "Does |
|00004fc0| 61 74 68 65 69 73 6d 20 | 68 61 76 65 20 61 20 63 |atheism |have a c|
|00004fd0| 68 61 72 61 63 74 65 72 | 69 73 74 69 63 20 6d 6f |haracter|istic mo|
|00004fe0| 72 61 6c 20 63 6f 64 65 | 3f 22 2c 20 74 68 65 6e |ral code|?", then|
|00004ff0| 20 74 68 65 20 61 6e 73 | 77 65 72 0a 69 73 20 6e | the ans|wer.is n|
|00005000| 6f 2e 20 20 41 74 68 65 | 69 73 6d 20 62 79 20 69 |o. Athe|ism by i|
|00005010| 74 73 65 6c 66 20 64 6f | 65 73 20 6e 6f 74 20 69 |tself do|es not i|
|00005020| 6d 70 6c 79 20 61 6e 79 | 74 68 69 6e 67 20 6d 75 |mply any|thing mu|
|00005030| 63 68 20 61 62 6f 75 74 | 20 68 6f 77 20 61 20 70 |ch about| how a p|
|00005040| 65 72 73 6f 6e 0a 77 69 | 6c 6c 20 62 65 68 61 76 |erson.wi|ll behav|
|00005050| 65 2e 20 20 4d 6f 73 74 | 20 61 74 68 65 69 73 74 |e. Most| atheist|
|00005060| 73 20 66 6f 6c 6c 6f 77 | 20 6d 61 6e 79 20 6f 66 |s follow| many of|
|00005070| 20 74 68 65 20 73 61 6d | 65 20 22 6d 6f 72 61 6c | the sam|e "moral|
|00005080| 20 72 75 6c 65 73 22 20 | 61 73 20 74 68 65 69 73 | rules" |as theis|
|00005090| 74 73 2c 0a 62 75 74 20 | 66 6f 72 20 64 69 66 66 |ts,.but |for diff|
|000050a0| 65 72 65 6e 74 20 72 65 | 61 73 6f 6e 73 2e 20 20 |erent re|asons. |
|000050b0| 41 74 68 65 69 73 74 73 | 20 76 69 65 77 20 6d 6f |Atheists| view mo|
|000050c0| 72 61 6c 69 74 79 20 61 | 73 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 |rality a|s someth|
|000050d0| 69 6e 67 20 63 72 65 61 | 74 65 64 20 62 79 0a 68 |ing crea|ted by.h|
|000050e0| 75 6d 61 6e 73 2c 20 61 | 63 63 6f 72 64 69 6e 67 |umans, a|ccording|
|000050f0| 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 | 77 61 79 20 68 75 6d 61 | to the |way huma|
|00005100| 6e 73 20 66 65 65 6c 20 | 74 68 65 20 77 6f 72 6c |ns feel |the worl|
|00005110| 64 20 27 6f 75 67 68 74 | 27 20 74 6f 20 77 6f 72 |d 'ought|' to wor|
|00005120| 6b 2c 20 72 61 74 68 65 | 72 0a 74 68 61 6e 20 73 |k, rathe|r.than s|
|00005130| 65 65 69 6e 67 20 69 74 | 20 61 73 20 61 20 73 65 |eeing it| as a se|
|00005140| 74 20 6f 66 20 72 75 6c | 65 73 20 64 65 63 72 65 |t of rul|es decre|
|00005150| 65 64 20 62 79 20 61 20 | 73 75 70 65 72 6e 61 74 |ed by a |supernat|
|00005160| 75 72 61 6c 20 62 65 69 | 6e 67 2e 0a 0a 22 54 68 |ural bei|ng..."Th|
|00005170| 65 6e 20 61 72 65 6e 27 | 74 20 61 74 68 65 69 73 |en aren'|t atheis|
|00005180| 74 73 20 6a 75 73 74 20 | 74 68 65 69 73 74 73 20 |ts just |theists |
|00005190| 77 68 6f 20 61 72 65 20 | 64 65 6e 79 69 6e 67 20 |who are |denying |
|000051a0| 47 6f 64 3f 22 0a 0a 41 | 20 73 74 75 64 79 20 62 |God?"..A| study b|
|000051b0| 79 20 74 68 65 20 46 72 | 65 65 64 6f 6d 20 46 72 |y the Fr|eedom Fr|
|000051c0| 6f 6d 20 52 65 6c 69 67 | 69 6f 6e 20 46 6f 75 6e |om Relig|ion Foun|
|000051d0| 64 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 66 | 6f 75 6e 64 20 74 68 61 |dation f|ound tha|
|000051e0| 74 20 6f 76 65 72 20 39 | 30 25 20 6f 66 20 74 68 |t over 9|0% of th|
|000051f0| 65 0a 61 74 68 65 69 73 | 74 73 20 77 68 6f 20 72 |e.atheis|ts who r|
|00005200| 65 73 70 6f 6e 64 65 64 | 20 62 65 63 61 6d 65 20 |esponded| became |
|00005210| 61 74 68 65 69 73 74 73 | 20 62 65 63 61 75 73 65 |atheists| because|
|00005220| 20 72 65 6c 69 67 69 6f | 6e 20 64 69 64 20 6e 6f | religio|n did no|
|00005230| 74 20 77 6f 72 6b 20 66 | 6f 72 0a 74 68 65 6d 2e |t work f|or.them.|
|00005240| 20 20 54 68 65 79 20 68 | 61 64 20 66 6f 75 6e 64 | They h|ad found|
|00005250| 20 74 68 61 74 20 72 65 | 6c 69 67 69 6f 75 73 20 | that re|ligious |
|00005260| 62 65 6c 69 65 66 73 20 | 77 65 72 65 20 66 75 6e |beliefs |were fun|
|00005270| 64 61 6d 65 6e 74 61 6c | 6c 79 20 69 6e 63 6f 6d |damental|ly incom|
|00005280| 70 61 74 69 62 6c 65 0a | 77 69 74 68 20 77 68 61 |patible.|with wha|
|00005290| 74 20 74 68 65 79 20 6f | 62 73 65 72 76 65 64 20 |t they o|bserved |
|000052a0| 61 72 6f 75 6e 64 20 74 | 68 65 6d 2e 0a 0a 41 74 |around t|hem...At|
|000052b0| 68 65 69 73 74 73 20 61 | 72 65 20 6e 6f 74 20 75 |heists a|re not u|
|000052c0| 6e 62 65 6c 69 65 76 65 | 72 73 20 74 68 72 6f 75 |nbelieve|rs throu|
|000052d0| 67 68 20 69 67 6e 6f 72 | 61 6e 63 65 20 6f 72 20 |gh ignor|ance or |
|000052e0| 64 65 6e 69 61 6c 3b 20 | 74 68 65 79 20 61 72 65 |denial; |they are|
|000052f0| 0a 75 6e 62 65 6c 69 65 | 76 65 72 73 20 74 68 72 |.unbelie|vers thr|
|00005300| 6f 75 67 68 20 63 68 6f | 69 63 65 2e 20 20 54 68 |ough cho|ice. Th|
|00005310| 65 20 76 61 73 74 20 6d | 61 6a 6f 72 69 74 79 20 |e vast m|ajority |
|00005320| 6f 66 20 74 68 65 6d 20 | 68 61 76 65 20 73 70 65 |of them |have spe|
|00005330| 6e 74 20 74 69 6d 65 0a | 73 74 75 64 79 69 6e 67 |nt time.|studying|
|00005340| 20 6f 6e 65 20 6f 72 20 | 6d 6f 72 65 20 72 65 6c | one or |more rel|
|00005350| 69 67 69 6f 6e 73 2c 20 | 73 6f 6d 65 74 69 6d 65 |igions, |sometime|
|00005360| 73 20 69 6e 20 76 65 72 | 79 20 67 72 65 61 74 20 |s in ver|y great |
|00005370| 64 65 70 74 68 2e 20 20 | 54 68 65 79 20 68 61 76 |depth. |They hav|
|00005380| 65 0a 6d 61 64 65 20 61 | 20 63 61 72 65 66 75 6c |e.made a| careful|
|00005390| 20 61 6e 64 20 63 6f 6e | 73 69 64 65 72 65 64 20 | and con|sidered |
|000053a0| 64 65 63 69 73 69 6f 6e | 20 74 6f 20 72 65 6a 65 |decision| to reje|
|000053b0| 63 74 20 72 65 6c 69 67 | 69 6f 75 73 20 62 65 6c |ct relig|ious bel|
|000053c0| 69 65 66 73 2e 0a 0a 54 | 68 69 73 20 64 65 63 69 |iefs...T|his deci|
|000053d0| 73 69 6f 6e 20 6d 61 79 | 2c 20 6f 66 20 63 6f 75 |sion may|, of cou|
|000053e0| 72 73 65 2c 20 62 65 20 | 61 6e 20 69 6e 65 76 69 |rse, be |an inevi|
|000053f0| 74 61 62 6c 65 20 63 6f | 6e 73 65 71 75 65 6e 63 |table co|nsequenc|
|00005400| 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 61 | 74 0a 69 6e 64 69 76 69 |e of tha|t.indivi|
|00005410| 64 75 61 6c 27 73 20 70 | 65 72 73 6f 6e 61 6c 69 |dual's p|ersonali|
|00005420| 74 79 2e 20 20 46 6f 72 | 20 61 20 6e 61 74 75 72 |ty. For| a natur|
|00005430| 61 6c 6c 79 20 73 63 65 | 70 74 69 63 61 6c 20 70 |ally sce|ptical p|
|00005440| 65 72 73 6f 6e 2c 20 74 | 68 65 20 63 68 6f 69 63 |erson, t|he choic|
|00005450| 65 0a 6f 66 20 61 74 68 | 65 69 73 6d 20 69 73 20 |e.of ath|eism is |
|00005460| 6f 66 74 65 6e 20 74 68 | 65 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 6f |often th|e only o|
|00005470| 6e 65 20 74 68 61 74 20 | 6d 61 6b 65 73 20 73 65 |ne that |makes se|
|00005480| 6e 73 65 2c 20 61 6e 64 | 20 68 65 6e 63 65 20 74 |nse, and| hence t|
|00005490| 68 65 20 6f 6e 6c 79 0a | 63 68 6f 69 63 65 20 74 |he only.|choice t|
|000054a0| 68 61 74 20 70 65 72 73 | 6f 6e 20 63 61 6e 20 68 |hat pers|on can h|
|000054b0| 6f 6e 65 73 74 6c 79 20 | 6d 61 6b 65 2e 0a 0a 22 |onestly |make..."|
|000054c0| 42 75 74 20 64 6f 6e 27 | 74 20 61 74 68 65 69 73 |But don'|t atheis|
|000054d0| 74 73 20 77 61 6e 74 20 | 74 6f 20 62 65 6c 69 65 |ts want |to belie|
|000054e0| 76 65 20 69 6e 20 47 6f | 64 3f 22 0a 0a 41 74 68 |ve in Go|d?"..Ath|
|000054f0| 65 69 73 74 73 20 6c 69 | 76 65 20 74 68 65 69 72 |eists li|ve their|
|00005500| 20 6c 69 76 65 73 20 61 | 73 20 74 68 6f 75 67 68 | lives a|s though|
|00005510| 20 74 68 65 72 65 20 69 | 73 20 6e 6f 62 6f 64 79 | there i|s nobody|
|00005520| 20 77 61 74 63 68 69 6e | 67 20 6f 76 65 72 20 74 | watchin|g over t|
|00005530| 68 65 6d 2e 20 20 4d 61 | 6e 79 0a 6f 66 20 74 68 |hem. Ma|ny.of th|
|00005540| 65 6d 20 68 61 76 65 20 | 6e 6f 20 64 65 73 69 72 |em have |no desir|
|00005550| 65 20 74 6f 20 62 65 20 | 77 61 74 63 68 65 64 20 |e to be |watched |
|00005560| 6f 76 65 72 2c 20 6e 6f | 20 6d 61 74 74 65 72 20 |over, no| matter |
|00005570| 68 6f 77 20 67 6f 6f 64 | 2d 6e 61 74 75 72 65 64 |how good|-natured|
|00005580| 20 74 68 65 0a 22 42 69 | 67 20 42 72 6f 74 68 65 | the."Bi|g Brothe|
|00005590| 72 22 20 66 69 67 75 72 | 65 20 6d 69 67 68 74 20 |r" figur|e might |
|000055a0| 62 65 2e 0a 0a 53 6f 6d | 65 20 61 74 68 65 69 73 |be...Som|e atheis|
|000055b0| 74 73 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 | 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 74 6f |ts would| like to|
|000055c0| 20 62 65 20 61 62 6c 65 | 20 74 6f 20 62 65 6c 69 | be able| to beli|
|000055d0| 65 76 65 20 69 6e 20 47 | 6f 64 20 2d 2d 20 62 75 |eve in G|od -- bu|
|000055e0| 74 20 73 6f 20 77 68 61 | 74 3f 20 53 68 6f 75 6c |t so wha|t? Shoul|
|000055f0| 64 0a 6f 6e 65 20 62 65 | 6c 69 65 76 65 20 74 68 |d.one be|lieve th|
|00005600| 69 6e 67 73 20 6d 65 72 | 65 6c 79 20 62 65 63 61 |ings mer|ely beca|
|00005610| 75 73 65 20 6f 6e 65 20 | 77 61 6e 74 73 20 74 68 |use one |wants th|
|00005620| 65 6d 20 74 6f 20 62 65 | 20 74 72 75 65 3f 20 20 |em to be| true? |
|00005630| 54 68 65 20 72 69 73 6b | 73 20 6f 66 0a 73 75 63 |The risk|s of.suc|
|00005640| 68 20 61 6e 20 61 70 70 | 72 6f 61 63 68 20 73 68 |h an app|roach sh|
|00005650| 6f 75 6c 64 20 62 65 20 | 6f 62 76 69 6f 75 73 2e |ould be |obvious.|
|00005660| 20 20 41 74 68 65 69 73 | 74 73 20 6f 66 74 65 6e | Atheis|ts often|
|00005670| 20 64 65 63 69 64 65 20 | 74 68 61 74 20 77 61 6e | decide |that wan|
|00005680| 74 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 0a | 62 65 6c 69 65 76 65 20 |ting to.|believe |
|00005690| 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e | 67 20 69 73 20 6e 6f 74 |somethin|g is not|
|000056a0| 20 65 6e 6f 75 67 68 3b | 20 74 68 65 72 65 20 6d | enough;| there m|
|000056b0| 75 73 74 20 62 65 20 65 | 76 69 64 65 6e 63 65 20 |ust be e|vidence |
|000056c0| 66 6f 72 20 74 68 65 20 | 62 65 6c 69 65 66 2e 0a |for the |belief..|
|000056d0| 0a 22 42 75 74 20 6f 66 | 20 63 6f 75 72 73 65 20 |."But of| course |
|000056e0| 61 74 68 65 69 73 74 73 | 20 73 65 65 20 6e 6f 20 |atheists| see no |
|000056f0| 65 76 69 64 65 6e 63 65 | 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 65 |evidence| for the|
|00005700| 20 65 78 69 73 74 65 6e | 63 65 20 6f 66 20 47 6f | existen|ce of Go|
|00005710| 64 20 2d 2d 20 74 68 65 | 79 20 61 72 65 0a 20 75 |d -- the|y are. u|
|00005720| 6e 77 69 6c 6c 69 6e 67 | 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 69 |nwilling| in thei|
|00005730| 72 20 73 6f 75 6c 73 20 | 74 6f 20 73 65 65 21 22 |r souls |to see!"|
|00005740| 0a 0a 4d 61 6e 79 2c 20 | 69 66 20 6e 6f 74 20 6d |..Many, |if not m|
|00005750| 6f 73 74 20 61 74 68 65 | 69 73 74 73 20 77 65 72 |ost athe|ists wer|
|00005760| 65 20 70 72 65 76 69 6f | 75 73 6c 79 20 72 65 6c |e previo|usly rel|
|00005770| 69 67 69 6f 75 73 2e 20 | 20 41 73 20 68 61 73 20 |igious. | As has |
|00005780| 62 65 65 6e 20 65 78 70 | 6c 61 69 6e 65 64 0a 61 |been exp|lained.a|
|00005790| 62 6f 76 65 2c 20 74 68 | 65 20 76 61 73 74 20 6d |bove, th|e vast m|
|000057a0| 61 6a 6f 72 69 74 79 20 | 68 61 76 65 20 73 65 72 |ajority |have ser|
|000057b0| 69 6f 75 73 6c 79 20 63 | 6f 6e 73 69 64 65 72 65 |iously c|onsidere|
|000057c0| 64 20 74 68 65 20 70 6f | 73 73 69 62 69 6c 69 74 |d the po|ssibilit|
|000057d0| 79 20 74 68 61 74 20 47 | 6f 64 0a 65 78 69 73 74 |y that G|od.exist|
|000057e0| 73 2e 20 20 4d 61 6e 79 | 20 61 74 68 65 69 73 74 |s. Many| atheist|
|000057f0| 73 20 68 61 76 65 20 73 | 70 65 6e 74 20 74 69 6d |s have s|pent tim|
|00005800| 65 20 69 6e 20 70 72 61 | 79 65 72 20 74 72 79 69 |e in pra|yer tryi|
|00005810| 6e 67 20 74 6f 20 72 65 | 61 63 68 20 47 6f 64 2e |ng to re|ach God.|
|00005820| 0a 0a 4f 66 20 63 6f 75 | 72 73 65 2c 20 69 74 20 |..Of cou|rse, it |
|00005830| 69 73 20 74 72 75 65 20 | 74 68 61 74 20 73 6f 6d |is true |that som|
|00005840| 65 20 61 74 68 65 69 73 | 74 73 20 6c 61 63 6b 20 |e atheis|ts lack |
|00005850| 61 6e 20 6f 70 65 6e 20 | 6d 69 6e 64 3b 20 62 75 |an open |mind; bu|
|00005860| 74 20 61 73 73 75 6d 69 | 6e 67 20 74 68 61 74 0a |t assumi|ng that.|
|00005870| 61 6c 6c 20 61 74 68 65 | 69 73 74 73 20 61 72 65 |all athe|ists are|
|00005880| 20 62 69 61 73 65 64 20 | 61 6e 64 20 69 6e 73 69 | biased |and insi|
|00005890| 6e 63 65 72 65 20 69 73 | 20 6f 66 66 65 6e 73 69 |ncere is| offensi|
|000058a0| 76 65 20 61 6e 64 20 63 | 6c 6f 73 65 64 2d 6d 69 |ve and c|losed-mi|
|000058b0| 6e 64 65 64 2e 0a 43 6f | 6d 6d 65 6e 74 73 20 73 |nded..Co|mments s|
|000058c0| 75 63 68 20 61 73 20 22 | 4f 66 20 63 6f 75 72 73 |uch as "|Of cours|
|000058d0| 65 20 47 6f 64 20 69 73 | 20 74 68 65 72 65 2c 20 |e God is| there, |
|000058e0| 79 6f 75 20 6a 75 73 74 | 20 61 72 65 6e 27 74 20 |you just| aren't |
|000058f0| 6c 6f 6f 6b 69 6e 67 20 | 70 72 6f 70 65 72 6c 79 |looking |properly|
|00005900| 22 0a 61 72 65 20 6c 69 | 6b 65 6c 79 20 74 6f 20 |".are li|kely to |
|00005910| 62 65 20 76 69 65 77 65 | 64 20 61 73 20 70 61 74 |be viewe|d as pat|
|00005920| 72 6f 6e 69 7a 69 6e 67 | 2e 0a 0a 43 65 72 74 61 |ronizing|...Certa|
|00005930| 69 6e 6c 79 2c 20 69 66 | 20 79 6f 75 20 77 69 73 |inly, if| you wis|
|00005940| 68 20 74 6f 20 65 6e 67 | 61 67 65 20 69 6e 20 70 |h to eng|age in p|
|00005950| 68 69 6c 6f 73 6f 70 68 | 69 63 61 6c 20 64 65 62 |hilosoph|ical deb|
|00005960| 61 74 65 20 77 69 74 68 | 20 61 74 68 65 69 73 74 |ate with| atheist|
|00005970| 73 20 69 74 20 69 73 0a | 76 69 74 61 6c 20 74 68 |s it is.|vital th|
|00005980| 61 74 20 79 6f 75 20 67 | 69 76 65 20 74 68 65 6d |at you g|ive them|
|00005990| 20 74 68 65 20 62 65 6e | 65 66 69 74 20 6f 66 20 | the ben|efit of |
|000059a0| 74 68 65 20 64 6f 75 62 | 74 20 61 6e 64 20 61 73 |the doub|t and as|
|000059b0| 73 75 6d 65 20 74 68 61 | 74 20 74 68 65 79 20 61 |sume tha|t they a|
|000059c0| 72 65 0a 62 65 69 6e 67 | 20 73 69 6e 63 65 72 65 |re.being| sincere|
|000059d0| 20 69 66 20 74 68 65 79 | 20 73 61 79 20 74 68 61 | if they| say tha|
|000059e0| 74 20 74 68 65 79 20 68 | 61 76 65 20 73 65 61 72 |t they h|ave sear|
|000059f0| 63 68 65 64 20 66 6f 72 | 20 47 6f 64 2e 20 20 49 |ched for| God. I|
|00005a00| 66 20 79 6f 75 20 61 72 | 65 20 6e 6f 74 0a 77 69 |f you ar|e not.wi|
|00005a10| 6c 6c 69 6e 67 20 74 6f | 20 62 65 6c 69 65 76 65 |lling to| believe|
|00005a20| 20 74 68 61 74 20 74 68 | 65 79 20 61 72 65 20 62 | that th|ey are b|
|00005a30| 61 73 69 63 61 6c 6c 79 | 20 74 65 6c 6c 69 6e 67 |asically| telling|
|00005a40| 20 74 68 65 20 74 72 75 | 74 68 2c 20 64 65 62 61 | the tru|th, deba|
|00005a50| 74 65 20 69 73 0a 66 75 | 74 69 6c 65 2e 0a 0a 22 |te is.fu|tile..."|
|00005a60| 49 73 6e 27 74 20 74 68 | 65 20 77 68 6f 6c 65 20 |Isn't th|e whole |
|00005a70| 6f 66 20 6c 69 66 65 20 | 63 6f 6d 70 6c 65 74 65 |of life |complete|
|00005a80| 6c 79 20 70 6f 69 6e 74 | 6c 65 73 73 20 74 6f 20 |ly point|less to |
|00005a90| 61 6e 20 61 74 68 65 69 | 73 74 3f 22 0a 0a 4d 61 |an athei|st?"..Ma|
|00005aa0| 6e 79 20 61 74 68 65 69 | 73 74 73 20 6c 69 76 65 |ny athei|sts live|
|00005ab0| 20 61 20 70 75 72 70 6f | 73 65 66 75 6c 20 6c 69 | a purpo|seful li|
|00005ac0| 66 65 2e 20 20 54 68 65 | 79 20 64 65 63 69 64 65 |fe. The|y decide|
|00005ad0| 20 77 68 61 74 20 74 68 | 65 79 20 74 68 69 6e 6b | what th|ey think|
|00005ae0| 20 67 69 76 65 73 0a 6d | 65 61 6e 69 6e 67 20 74 | gives.m|eaning t|
|00005af0| 6f 20 6c 69 66 65 2c 20 | 61 6e 64 20 74 68 65 79 |o life, |and they|
|00005b00| 20 70 75 72 73 75 65 20 | 74 68 6f 73 65 20 67 6f | pursue |those go|
|00005b10| 61 6c 73 2e 20 20 54 68 | 65 79 20 74 72 79 20 74 |als. Th|ey try t|
|00005b20| 6f 20 6d 61 6b 65 20 74 | 68 65 69 72 20 6c 69 76 |o make t|heir liv|
|00005b30| 65 73 0a 63 6f 75 6e 74 | 2c 20 6e 6f 74 20 62 79 |es.count|, not by|
|00005b40| 20 77 69 73 68 69 6e 67 | 20 66 6f 72 20 65 74 65 | wishing| for ete|
|00005b50| 72 6e 61 6c 20 6c 69 66 | 65 2c 20 62 75 74 20 62 |rnal lif|e, but b|
|00005b60| 79 20 68 61 76 69 6e 67 | 20 61 6e 20 69 6e 66 6c |y having| an infl|
|00005b70| 75 65 6e 63 65 20 6f 6e | 20 6f 74 68 65 72 0a 70 |uence on| other.p|
|00005b80| 65 6f 70 6c 65 20 77 68 | 6f 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 6c |eople wh|o will l|
|00005b90| 69 76 65 20 6f 6e 2e 20 | 20 46 6f 72 20 65 78 61 |ive on. | For exa|
|00005ba0| 6d 70 6c 65 2c 20 61 6e | 20 61 74 68 65 69 73 74 |mple, an| atheist|
|00005bb0| 20 6d 61 79 20 64 65 64 | 69 63 61 74 65 20 68 69 | may ded|icate hi|
|00005bc0| 73 20 6c 69 66 65 20 74 | 6f 0a 70 6f 6c 69 74 69 |s life t|o.politi|
|00005bd0| 63 61 6c 20 72 65 66 6f | 72 6d 2c 20 69 6e 20 74 |cal refo|rm, in t|
|00005be0| 68 65 20 68 6f 70 65 20 | 6f 66 20 6c 65 61 76 69 |he hope |of leavi|
|00005bf0| 6e 67 20 68 69 73 20 6d | 61 72 6b 20 6f 6e 20 68 |ng his m|ark on h|
|00005c00| 69 73 74 6f 72 79 2e 0a | 0a 49 74 20 69 73 20 61 |istory..|.It is a|
|00005c10| 20 6e 61 74 75 72 61 6c | 20 68 75 6d 61 6e 20 74 | natural| human t|
|00005c20| 65 6e 64 65 6e 63 79 20 | 74 6f 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 20 |endency |to look |
|00005c30| 66 6f 72 20 22 6d 65 61 | 6e 69 6e 67 22 20 6f 72 |for "mea|ning" or|
|00005c40| 20 22 70 75 72 70 6f 73 | 65 22 20 69 6e 20 72 61 | "purpos|e" in ra|
|00005c50| 6e 64 6f 6d 0a 65 76 65 | 6e 74 73 2e 20 20 48 6f |ndom.eve|nts. Ho|
|00005c60| 77 65 76 65 72 2c 20 69 | 74 20 69 73 20 62 79 20 |wever, i|t is by |
|00005c70| 6e 6f 20 6d 65 61 6e 73 | 20 6f 62 76 69 6f 75 73 |no means| obvious|
|00005c80| 20 74 68 61 74 20 22 6c | 69 66 65 22 20 69 73 20 | that "l|ife" is |
|00005c90| 74 68 65 20 73 6f 72 74 | 20 6f 66 20 74 68 69 6e |the sort| of thin|
|00005ca0| 67 0a 74 68 61 74 20 68 | 61 73 20 61 20 22 6d 65 |g.that h|as a "me|
|00005cb0| 61 6e 69 6e 67 22 2e 0a | 0a 54 6f 20 70 75 74 20 |aning"..|.To put |
|00005cc0| 69 74 20 61 6e 6f 74 68 | 65 72 20 77 61 79 2c 20 |it anoth|er way, |
|00005cd0| 6e 6f 74 20 65 76 65 72 | 79 74 68 69 6e 67 20 77 |not ever|ything w|
|00005ce0| 68 69 63 68 20 6c 6f 6f | 6b 73 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 |hich loo|ks like |
|00005cf0| 61 20 71 75 65 73 74 69 | 6f 6e 20 69 73 20 61 63 |a questi|on is ac|
|00005d00| 74 75 61 6c 6c 79 0a 61 | 20 73 65 6e 73 69 62 6c |tually.a| sensibl|
|00005d10| 65 20 74 68 69 6e 67 20 | 74 6f 20 61 73 6b 2e 20 |e thing |to ask. |
|00005d20| 20 53 6f 6d 65 20 61 74 | 68 65 69 73 74 73 20 62 | Some at|heists b|
|00005d30| 65 6c 69 65 76 65 20 74 | 68 61 74 20 61 73 6b 69 |elieve t|hat aski|
|00005d40| 6e 67 20 22 57 68 61 74 | 20 69 73 20 74 68 65 0a |ng "What| is the.|
|00005d50| 6d 65 61 6e 69 6e 67 20 | 6f 66 20 6c 69 66 65 3f |meaning |of life?|
|00005d60| 22 20 69 73 20 61 73 20 | 73 69 6c 6c 79 20 61 73 |" is as |silly as|
|00005d70| 20 61 73 6b 69 6e 67 20 | 22 57 68 61 74 20 69 73 | asking |"What is|
|00005d80| 20 74 68 65 20 6d 65 61 | 6e 69 6e 67 20 6f 66 20 | the mea|ning of |
|00005d90| 61 20 63 75 70 20 6f 66 | 0a 63 6f 66 66 65 65 3f |a cup of|.coffee?|
|00005da0| 22 2e 20 20 54 68 65 79 | 20 62 65 6c 69 65 76 65 |". They| believe|
|00005db0| 20 74 68 61 74 20 6c 69 | 66 65 20 68 61 73 20 6e | that li|fe has n|
|00005dc0| 6f 20 70 75 72 70 6f 73 | 65 20 6f 72 20 6d 65 61 |o purpos|e or mea|
|00005dd0| 6e 69 6e 67 2c 20 69 74 | 20 6a 75 73 74 20 69 73 |ning, it| just is|
|00005de0| 2e 0a 0a 22 53 6f 20 68 | 6f 77 20 64 6f 20 61 74 |..."So h|ow do at|
|00005df0| 68 65 69 73 74 73 20 66 | 69 6e 64 20 63 6f 6d 66 |heists f|ind comf|
|00005e00| 6f 72 74 20 69 6e 20 74 | 69 6d 65 20 6f 66 20 64 |ort in t|ime of d|
|00005e10| 61 6e 67 65 72 3f 22 0a | 0a 54 68 65 72 65 20 61 |anger?".|.There a|
|00005e20| 72 65 20 6d 61 6e 79 20 | 77 61 79 73 20 6f 66 20 |re many |ways of |
|00005e30| 6f 62 74 61 69 6e 69 6e | 67 20 63 6f 6d 66 6f 72 |obtainin|g comfor|
|00005e40| 74 3b 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 | 66 61 6d 69 6c 79 2c 20 |t; from |family, |
|00005e50| 66 72 69 65 6e 64 73 2c | 20 6f 72 20 65 76 65 6e |friends,| or even|
|00005e60| 20 70 65 74 73 2e 0a 4f | 72 20 6f 6e 20 61 20 6c | pets..O|r on a l|
|00005e70| 65 73 73 20 73 70 69 72 | 69 74 75 61 6c 20 6c 65 |ess spir|itual le|
|00005e80| 76 65 6c 2c 20 66 72 6f | 6d 20 66 6f 6f 64 20 6f |vel, fro|m food o|
|00005e90| 72 20 64 72 69 6e 6b 20 | 6f 72 20 54 56 2e 0a 0a |r drink |or TV...|
|00005ea0| 54 68 61 74 20 6d 61 79 | 20 73 6f 75 6e 64 20 72 |That may| sound r|
|00005eb0| 61 74 68 65 72 20 61 6e | 20 65 6d 70 74 79 20 61 |ather an| empty a|
|00005ec0| 6e 64 20 76 75 6c 6e 65 | 72 61 62 6c 65 20 77 61 |nd vulne|rable wa|
|00005ed0| 79 20 74 6f 20 66 61 63 | 65 20 64 61 6e 67 65 72 |y to fac|e danger|
|00005ee0| 2c 20 62 75 74 20 73 6f | 0a 77 68 61 74 3f 20 20 |, but so|.what? |
|00005ef0| 53 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 69 | 6e 64 69 76 69 64 75 61 |Should i|ndividua|
|00005f00| 6c 73 20 62 65 6c 69 65 | 76 65 20 69 6e 20 74 68 |ls belie|ve in th|
|00005f10| 69 6e 67 73 20 62 65 63 | 61 75 73 65 20 74 68 65 |ings bec|ause the|
|00005f20| 79 20 61 72 65 20 63 6f | 6d 66 6f 72 74 69 6e 67 |y are co|mforting|
|00005f30| 2c 20 6f 72 0a 73 68 6f | 75 6c 64 20 74 68 65 79 |, or.sho|uld they|
|00005f40| 20 66 61 63 65 20 72 65 | 61 6c 69 74 79 20 6e 6f | face re|ality no|
|00005f50| 20 6d 61 74 74 65 72 20 | 68 6f 77 20 68 61 72 73 | matter |how hars|
|00005f60| 68 20 69 74 20 6d 69 67 | 68 74 20 62 65 3f 0a 0a |h it mig|ht be?..|
|00005f70| 49 6e 20 74 68 65 20 65 | 6e 64 2c 20 69 74 27 73 |In the e|nd, it's|
|00005f80| 20 61 20 64 65 63 69 73 | 69 6f 6e 20 66 6f 72 20 | a decis|ion for |
|00005f90| 74 68 65 20 69 6e 64 69 | 76 69 64 75 61 6c 20 63 |the indi|vidual c|
|00005fa0| 6f 6e 63 65 72 6e 65 64 | 2e 20 20 4d 6f 73 74 20 |oncerned|. Most |
|00005fb0| 61 74 68 65 69 73 74 73 | 20 61 72 65 0a 75 6e 61 |atheists| are.una|
|00005fc0| 62 6c 65 20 74 6f 20 62 | 65 6c 69 65 76 65 20 73 |ble to b|elieve s|
|00005fd0| 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 6e 67 | 20 74 68 65 79 20 77 6f |omething| they wo|
|00005fe0| 75 6c 64 20 6e 6f 74 20 | 6f 74 68 65 72 77 69 73 |uld not |otherwis|
|00005ff0| 65 20 62 65 6c 69 65 76 | 65 20 6d 65 72 65 6c 79 |e believ|e merely|
|00006000| 20 62 65 63 61 75 73 65 | 0a 69 74 20 6d 61 6b 65 | because|.it make|
|00006010| 73 20 74 68 65 6d 20 66 | 65 65 6c 20 63 6f 6d 66 |s them f|eel comf|
|00006020| 6f 72 74 61 62 6c 65 2e | 20 20 54 68 65 79 20 70 |ortable.| They p|
|00006030| 75 74 20 74 72 75 74 68 | 20 62 65 66 6f 72 65 20 |ut truth| before |
|00006040| 63 6f 6d 66 6f 72 74 2c | 20 61 6e 64 20 63 6f 6e |comfort,| and con|
|00006050| 73 69 64 65 72 0a 74 68 | 61 74 20 69 66 20 73 65 |sider.th|at if se|
|00006060| 61 72 63 68 69 6e 67 20 | 66 6f 72 20 74 72 75 74 |arching |for trut|
|00006070| 68 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 69 | 6d 65 73 20 6d 61 6b 65 |h someti|mes make|
|00006080| 73 20 74 68 65 6d 20 66 | 65 65 6c 20 75 6e 68 61 |s them f|eel unha|
|00006090| 70 70 79 2c 20 74 68 61 | 74 27 73 20 6a 75 73 74 |ppy, tha|t's just|
|000060a0| 0a 68 61 72 64 20 6c 75 | 63 6b 2e 0a 0a 22 44 6f |.hard lu|ck..."Do|
|000060b0| 6e 27 74 20 61 74 68 65 | 69 73 74 73 20 77 6f 72 |n't athe|ists wor|
|000060c0| 72 79 20 74 68 61 74 20 | 74 68 65 79 20 6d 69 67 |ry that |they mig|
|000060d0| 68 74 20 73 75 64 64 65 | 6e 6c 79 20 62 65 20 73 |ht sudde|nly be s|
|000060e0| 68 6f 77 6e 20 74 6f 20 | 62 65 20 77 72 6f 6e 67 |hown to |be wrong|
|000060f0| 3f 22 0a 0a 54 68 65 20 | 73 68 6f 72 74 20 61 6e |?"..The |short an|
|00006100| 73 77 65 72 20 69 73 20 | 22 4e 6f 2c 20 64 6f 20 |swer is |"No, do |
|00006110| 79 6f 75 3f 22 0a 0a 4d | 61 6e 79 20 61 74 68 65 |you?"..M|any athe|
|00006120| 69 73 74 73 20 68 61 76 | 65 20 62 65 65 6e 20 61 |ists hav|e been a|
|00006130| 74 68 65 69 73 74 73 20 | 66 6f 72 20 79 65 61 72 |theists |for year|
|00006140| 73 2e 20 20 54 68 65 79 | 20 68 61 76 65 20 65 6e |s. They| have en|
|00006150| 63 6f 75 6e 74 65 72 65 | 64 20 6d 61 6e 79 0a 61 |countere|d many.a|
|00006160| 72 67 75 6d 65 6e 74 73 | 20 61 6e 64 20 6d 75 63 |rguments| and muc|
|00006170| 68 20 73 75 70 70 6f 73 | 65 64 20 65 76 69 64 65 |h suppos|ed evide|
|00006180| 6e 63 65 20 66 6f 72 20 | 74 68 65 20 65 78 69 73 |nce for |the exis|
|00006190| 74 65 6e 63 65 20 6f 66 | 20 47 6f 64 2c 20 62 75 |tence of| God, bu|
|000061a0| 74 20 74 68 65 79 20 68 | 61 76 65 0a 66 6f 75 6e |t they h|ave.foun|
|000061b0| 64 20 61 6c 6c 20 6f 66 | 20 69 74 20 74 6f 20 62 |d all of| it to b|
|000061c0| 65 20 69 6e 76 61 6c 69 | 64 20 6f 72 20 69 6e 63 |e invali|d or inc|
|000061d0| 6f 6e 63 6c 75 73 69 76 | 65 2e 0a 0a 54 68 6f 75 |onclusiv|e...Thou|
|000061e0| 73 61 6e 64 73 20 6f 66 | 20 79 65 61 72 73 20 6f |sands of| years o|
|000061f0| 66 20 72 65 6c 69 67 69 | 6f 75 73 20 62 65 6c 69 |f religi|ous beli|
|00006200| 65 66 20 68 61 76 65 6e | 27 74 20 72 65 73 75 6c |ef haven|'t resul|
|00006210| 74 65 64 20 69 6e 20 61 | 6e 79 20 67 6f 6f 64 20 |ted in a|ny good |
|00006220| 70 72 6f 6f 66 20 6f 66 | 0a 74 68 65 20 65 78 69 |proof of|.the exi|
|00006230| 73 74 65 6e 63 65 20 6f | 66 20 47 6f 64 2e 20 20 |stence o|f God. |
|00006240| 41 74 68 65 69 73 74 73 | 20 74 68 65 72 65 66 6f |Atheists| therefo|
|00006250| 72 65 20 74 65 6e 64 20 | 74 6f 20 66 65 65 6c 20 |re tend |to feel |
|00006260| 74 68 61 74 20 74 68 65 | 79 20 61 72 65 20 75 6e |that the|y are un|
|00006270| 6c 69 6b 65 6c 79 0a 74 | 6f 20 62 65 20 70 72 6f |likely.t|o be pro|
|00006280| 76 65 64 20 77 72 6f 6e | 67 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 |ved wron|g in the|
|00006290| 20 69 6d 6d 65 64 69 61 | 74 65 20 66 75 74 75 72 | immedia|te futur|
|000062a0| 65 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 74 | 68 65 79 20 73 74 6f 70 |e, and t|hey stop|
|000062b0| 20 77 6f 72 72 79 69 6e | 67 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 | worryin|g about |
|000062c0| 69 74 2e 0a 0a 22 53 6f | 20 77 68 79 20 73 68 6f |it..."So| why sho|
|000062d0| 75 6c 64 20 74 68 65 69 | 73 74 73 20 71 75 65 73 |uld thei|sts ques|
|000062e0| 74 69 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 | 69 72 20 62 65 6c 69 65 |tion the|ir belie|
|000062f0| 66 73 3f 20 44 6f 6e 27 | 74 20 74 68 65 20 73 61 |fs? Don'|t the sa|
|00006300| 6d 65 20 61 72 67 75 6d | 65 6e 74 73 0a 20 61 70 |me argum|ents. ap|
|00006310| 70 6c 79 3f 22 0a 0a 4e | 6f 2c 20 62 65 63 61 75 |ply?"..N|o, becau|
|00006320| 73 65 20 74 68 65 20 62 | 65 6c 69 65 66 73 20 62 |se the b|eliefs b|
|00006330| 65 69 6e 67 20 71 75 65 | 73 74 69 6f 6e 65 64 20 |eing que|stioned |
|00006340| 61 72 65 20 6e 6f 74 20 | 73 69 6d 69 6c 61 72 2e |are not |similar.|
|00006350| 20 20 57 65 61 6b 20 61 | 74 68 65 69 73 6d 20 69 | Weak a|theism i|
|00006360| 73 0a 74 68 65 20 73 63 | 65 70 74 69 63 61 6c 20 |s.the sc|eptical |
|00006370| 22 64 65 66 61 75 6c 74 | 20 70 6f 73 69 74 69 6f |"default| positio|
|00006380| 6e 22 20 74 6f 20 74 61 | 6b 65 3b 20 69 74 20 61 |n" to ta|ke; it a|
|00006390| 73 73 65 72 74 73 20 6e | 6f 74 68 69 6e 67 2e 20 |sserts n|othing. |
|000063a0| 20 53 74 72 6f 6e 67 20 | 61 74 68 65 69 73 6d 0a | Strong |atheism.|
|000063b0| 69 73 20 61 20 6e 65 67 | 61 74 69 76 65 20 62 65 |is a neg|ative be|
|000063c0| 6c 69 65 66 2e 20 20 54 | 68 65 69 73 6d 20 69 73 |lief. T|heism is|
|000063d0| 20 61 20 76 65 72 79 20 | 73 74 72 6f 6e 67 20 70 | a very |strong p|
|000063e0| 6f 73 69 74 69 76 65 20 | 62 65 6c 69 65 66 2e 0a |ositive |belief..|
|000063f0| 0a 41 74 68 65 69 73 74 | 73 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 69 |.Atheist|s someti|
+--------+-------------------------+-------------------------+--------+--------+
Only 25.0 KB of data is shown above.