Sometimes a poster will respond to one of my comments with “so you believe the opposite?” It’s as if they believe there are only two possibilities and I am challenging his/her integrity. I’m often taken back by such a response whenever I’m offering a third possibility or attempting to explain a few caveats. I suppose that individuals lacking in critical reasoning skills rarely consider alternative solutions to various problems. They tend to latch onto this or that concept from one of their trusted authorities and anyone not strictly following that “party line” must be out to get them and undo everything their group has ever accomplished.
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Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.The key here is not in the responder response but in the way it was received. The real corprate here is why did that response cause a negative emotion? It’s not even about opinions. Cause we can point fingers all night. But what we can’t deny is those feeling are our own.
Debbera
Level 5
Jan 15, 2019
0
Yes. I’ve watched them emerge. The far-wrong media teach it: ‘This is what the enemy thinks,’ and, ‘Anyone not thinking this is the enemy.’
There’s a cast of characters around here doing the same; “Oh, then you think”.... They can’t describe hues of gray, only the intensity of black - white - red - blue… And just like the radicals they elect, they can’t compromise.. Hitler would be impressed ~
Varn
Level 8
Dec 31, 2018
0
Well stated. Binary thinking in a probabilistic existence.......
Mitch07102
Level 8
Dec 31, 2018
1
So you believe that all posters are too blinded by polarization to make rational sense?
CallMeDave
Level 8
Dec 31, 2018
2
@TheAstroChuck "E" for Effort huh? I'll take it.
Almost every single time I "came out" to a religious family member, friend, or coworker as being an atheist, they automatically think that that means I believe God isn't real.
Sadly, it's a common mindset. I always thought those type of people are in the egotistical/self centered realm. They're so connected to their own thoughts and feelings that when someone doesn't feel the same, they must feel the exact opposite.
Emotional reasoning, sucks.
FatherOfNyx
Level 7
Dec 30, 2018
0
@maturin1919 Two types of atheists. Those who lack belief in gods, one way or another.. and those who believe gods aren't real. For me, lacking belief includes disbelief. I simply don't give enough shits to form a belief around gods' nonexistence.
@maturin1919 Not in my book. That's also why the standard definition of atheism is typically 'lacking a belief or belief that gods aren't real'. If lacking a belief was the same as not believing, it'd be defined as just believing gods aren't real.
That's why many say that we are all born atheists, because we lack a belief in gods when we are born. We aren't born believing gods aren't real, we lack a belief one way or another.
Plus, if lacking a belief was the same as believing the claim isn't real, then anytime someone tells you something, you're forced to form a belief around it. If I tell you that there is a solid gold core at the middle of the sun, even though you have no evidence one way or another, you're now forced to believe it is true or believe it is false. Since lacking a belief isn't the same, you can withhold belief until you have enough evidence to say one way or another.
@maturin1919 Brain fart. I'm picking up what you're putting down.
@maturin1919 I totally agree. I try to not form a belief one way or another on something that I can't prove myself. My opening line when someone asks me about God is I say "I don't believe in God" and 9 times out of 10 they assume I am saying I believe God isn't real. If they care to carry the conversation further, I explain to them that I don't believe God is real or false. I have no evidence to tell me one way or another, so I am not going to waste brain space on it. Granted at this point, we can say we are 99.99% sure that God isn't real, but if it can be proven false I see no point in wasting energy on the thought.
The classic straw man, “so you think that... [insert ridiculous alternative here]”
e.g. “A border wall will harm the environment, cost a fortune, and do little to reduce illegal immigration.”
: “so you think we should have open borders?”
Um, no.
A2Jennifer
Level 8
Dec 30, 2018
6
Enjoy being online again!
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