"WAYNE CHIRNSIDE" wrote to "ROY J. TELLASON" (26 Jan 03
 08:03:00)
 --- on the topic of "Everyone is _born_ an ath"

 -=> ROY J. TELLASON wrote to RICHARD SMITH <=-

 RJT> Richard Smith wrote in a message to Fredric Rice:

 RS> ...And so it would seem that there are those who STILL insist that
 RS> a lack of religion is a religion.

 RJT> I never could understand that particular insistence...

 WC> Nor here either. I'll drop a belief in a heartbeat after
 WC> seeing persuasive evidence that contradicts my views.

I wouldn't be so quick to say that. I've seen cases where people will
stick to their belief systems in the face of contradictory scientific
evidence. A motive for such an attitude could for example be political.

For instance, say hypothetically an aborigine tribe which believes they
are descended from a great river that flows through their hunting
grounds. As far as their land status with a colonizing government, they
might make the case this traditional story is their claim to the land.

However, if a geneticist comes by and after tests finds those people
actually came from somewhere else then they will discredit the science
for the sake of politics in a heartbeat in order to keep their land.

On the matter on atheism being a religion: When atheists become
fanatical on the eradication of any signs of deity in our society and
is being done with as religious a zeal as a religion might have
proselytised in the past, then it is acting like a religion.

 Mike
 ****

... God is... Popeye?  Of *course*!  It all makes sense now!
--- Blue Wave/DOS v2.30