Salutatio Bob!
19-Apr-98, Bob Sewell wrote to Richard Meic
          Subject: ATHEISM v FIDEISM
 BS> Like your typical fundy, Fredric Rice stomped his feet and said
 BS> the following to Richard Meic:
  >> FR> By any definition, everyone is born not believing in gods and
  >> FR> goddesses. Ergo, everyone is born an atheist.
  >> I'll have to stand with Bob on this one.  Atheism is not
  >> agnostism. Atheism is the "non-acceptance" of any deity(s)
  >> existance.  Agnostism is simply the lack of knowledge of such.
 FR>> No, atheism is the lack of deity beliefs.  Everyone is born an
 FR>> atheist.
 BS> No good fundy will ever let the facts get in the way of their
 BS> beliefs, the facts being, in this case, the definition of atheism
 BS> from any English dictionary.  Note how he merely restates his
 BS> belief, rather than try to clarify it with some supporting
 BS> document.  Such is typical of the fundamentalist.  But then, we
 BS> shouldn't be surprised, since there is no support for his belief.
I am sorry, Bob but I have to take back what I said.  It seems that both
Rice and I were wrong about this.  Agnostics believe that god(s) make no
difference here in our lives and also that there is no chance of
understanding any of it.  Atheists, after gaining some knowledge of
religion/theism simply choose not to believe any of it.  So, I conclude
that we are all born as neither atheist, theist or agnostic.
 BS> Isn't it funny to see Fredric rant and rave about fundies, yet
 BS> refuse to recognize the one in his mirror?
I do not know him well enough to conclude either way.
 BS> You have as good a chance of convincing Fredric of his error as
 BS> you would any other fundy, like, say, Andrew Cummins.
Bob, I gave Andy-boy more chances than I can remember to admit at least ONE
of his many errors.  I have not conversed long anough with Fred to throw
him in the same pile with Andy-boy and others I know are like him.
Sorry, but I give each new arrival the same chance to prove they are
honorable.
 Dicere...
 email address (vrmeic@nucleus.com)
Richard Meic
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