-=> Quoting Bob Eyer to Andrew Cummins <=-
 BE> Not those in Holysmoke.  Earlier this year, there was a huge
 BE> debate in that Conference about what "atheism" amounted to.  I
 BE> strenuously argued, on the basis of many dictionary definitions
 BE> taken from Canadian, English and American dictionaries, that it
 BE> meant the doctrine or belief that gods do not exist.
The dictionary defines atheism to be the belief that God does not
exist.  The common man on the street understands atheism to be
the belief that God does not exist.  And, the word "agnostic"
exists for those who confess not to have a belief one way or
another.  It seems there is no legitimate ground to say that
atheism is simply the absence of belief in God.
 BE> Rice was one of those critics.
Pop quiz for Rice:  Does God exist?
1) no
2) yes
3) don't know
 BE> It is also the theory which causes them to assume that the theist,
 BE> not the atheist, has the burden of providing evidence: Since they
 BE> claim not to have any beliefs on the subject, they do not have any
 BE> burden of providing evidence.
A dishonest definition as part of an act of cowardice.
 BE> Well I agree with you on the definition.  What I'm pointing out,
 BE> however, is that you will experience GREAT DIFFICULTY convincing
 BE> Rice, or any of the other regulars in Holysmoke, on that point.
Let them convince me that they are correctly using the
word "atheist."
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