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Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend

Sweden
9688 Posts

Posted - 08/23/2011 :  07:15:19   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Send Dr. Mabuse an ICQ Message Send Dr. Mabuse a Private Message
Originally posted by Officiant

H. Humbert, Are you agnostic about fairies?

I'm not agnostic about fairies. I know they exist.

There's a picture in this link.
There's even a wikipedia article about it.

See, equivocation of words can be a dangerous thing. You have decided that Merriam-Webster is your guide to what a word means, but ignore the etymology behind it. And therefore you lose the context in which (some of us) calls ourselves agnostics. I too classify myself agnostic atheist. Just because I say I am agnostic doesn't mean I haven't have dismissed god. I'm not religious. But you are not an atheist, you are an anti-theist, who claims you're atheistic.
Because of your anti-theism, you mistakenly view agnostics as sitting on the other side of the fence you've put up against theism. And it's blinding you to the bigger picture. We're asking you to examine your fence, I think you put it up in the wrong place and you're supporting it with a false foundation.

Dr. Mabuse - "When the going gets tough, the tough get Duct-tape..."
Dr. Mabuse whisper.mp3

"Equivocation is not just a job, for a creationist it's a way of life..." Dr. Mabuse

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Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend

Sweden
9688 Posts

Posted - 08/23/2011 :  07:27:33   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Send Dr. Mabuse an ICQ Message Send Dr. Mabuse a Private Message
Originally posted by Officiant

Dear Kil, Please don't tell me you put all your trust in Wikipedia.
<snip>
Pranksters are always screwing around in Wikipedia.

That is easily verified for each article. You shouldn't dismiss the entire Wikipedia just because some of the articles have been vandalised. Wikipedia is just as accurate as Encyclopedia Britannica. I think you're afraid of Wikipedia becuse it disproves your position and grab at straws to dismiss it.

You must understand that Wikipedia is under constant evolution. Some times bad mutations happen but they get weeded out by the editors as part of the natural selection.

Dr. Mabuse - "When the going gets tough, the tough get Duct-tape..."
Dr. Mabuse whisper.mp3

"Equivocation is not just a job, for a creationist it's a way of life..." Dr. Mabuse

Support American Troops in Iraq:
Send them unarmed civilians for target practice..
Collateralmurder.
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Valiant Dancer
Forum Goalie

USA
4826 Posts

Posted - 08/23/2011 :  07:39:13   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit Valiant Dancer's Homepage Send Valiant Dancer a Private Message
Originally posted by Dr. Mabuse

Originally posted by Officiant

H. Humbert, Are you agnostic about fairies?

I'm not agnostic about fairies. I know they exist.

There's a picture in this link.
There's even a wikipedia article about it.

See, equivocation of words can be a dangerous thing. You have decided that Merriam-Webster is your guide to what a word means, but ignore the etymology behind it. And therefore you lose the context in which (some of us) calls ourselves agnostics. I too classify myself agnostic atheist. Just because I say I am agnostic doesn't mean I haven't have dismissed god. I'm not religious. But you are not an atheist, you are an anti-theist, who claims you're atheistic.
Because of your anti-theism, you mistakenly view agnostics as sitting on the other side of the fence you've put up against theism. And it's blinding you to the bigger picture. We're asking you to examine your fence, I think you put it up in the wrong place and you're supporting it with a false foundation.


I was thinking along similar lines. I just have GLTB friends who object to the term so I refrain from using it.

Now, if we assume that Officiant is referring to the fae folk, many posit they don't exist even though the British government recognizes that fairies exist. It is evident in their order to soldiers stationed in the Isle of Man that they must salute the faries and other fae folk that live under a bridge between Douglas and Castletown.

Source: Marisano, W. (1987), "Man Suffocated By Potatoes", NAL Penguin Inc., Pg 81.

Cthulhu/Asmodeus when you're tired of voting for the lesser of two evils

Brother Cutlass of Reasoned Discussion
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Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend

Sweden
9688 Posts

Posted - 08/23/2011 :  08:08:23   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Send Dr. Mabuse an ICQ Message Send Dr. Mabuse a Private Message
Originally posted by H. Humbert
If I can be bold as to offer you a little direction, I think you should check into the ongoing debates between the new atheists and the accommodationists (people who many feel prop up the privilege of religion at the expense of reason and honesty).

Oh, please NO!
New Atheists do not need Officiant as a champion of their cause against accomodationism.

Dr. Mabuse - "When the going gets tough, the tough get Duct-tape..."
Dr. Mabuse whisper.mp3

"Equivocation is not just a job, for a creationist it's a way of life..." Dr. Mabuse

Support American Troops in Iraq:
Send them unarmed civilians for target practice..
Collateralmurder.
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Dave W.
Info Junkie

USA
26022 Posts

Posted - 08/23/2011 :  08:52:09   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit Dave W.'s Homepage Send Dave W. a Private Message
Originally posted by Kil

He said, "Are you skeptical agnostics waiting for the second coming of Christ before making your decision?"

He didn't say "agnostic atheists waiting..."
Between his OP and other posts, he seems to be using "agnostic atheist," "skeptical agnostic" and "agnostic" interchangeably. At least, they all seem deserving of the same amount of contempt from him.
He doesn't grok that atheism and agnosticism aren't mutually exclusive, so he had to change how we define ourselves to fit his caricature of agnostics. To Officiant, there is only one kind of agnostic. And that agnostic doesn't even fit his Websters definition.
Which is why his filter is ridiculous rather than interesting.
As far as he's concerned, all agnostics are secretly needing for there to be a god but are too cowardly to admit it.
Oh, is that what he means? I couldn't find that amongst the haystack of assertions.
Attach agnosticism to atheism and he filters the atheist part out.
He does appear to be obsessively focused on the one word, to the exclusion of all others. And I do mean all others.

- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too.
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Dave W.
Info Junkie

USA
26022 Posts

Posted - 08/23/2011 :  08:53:48   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit Dave W.'s Homepage Send Dave W. a Private Message
Originally posted by Ebone4rock

Originally posted by Dave W.


You should really can the "dear" crap.


To be fair I started it. Sorry. I sometimes defer to Miss Manners mode when dealing with feminine hygiene products.

Meh. If he were doing it to serve some sort of point, that'd be one thing. But it's been random and pointless.

- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too.
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Kil
Evil Skeptic

USA
13477 Posts

Posted - 08/23/2011 :  09:27:40   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit Kil's Homepage  Send Kil an AOL message  Send Kil a Yahoo! Message Send Kil a Private Message
Originally posted by Dave W.

Originally posted by Ebone4rock

Originally posted by Dave W.


You should really can the "dear" crap.


To be fair I started it. Sorry. I sometimes defer to Miss Manners mode when dealing with feminine hygiene products.

Meh. If he were doing it to serve some sort of point, that'd be one thing. But it's been random and pointless.
Actually, he does that on facebook too. So no Ebone you didn't really start it.

Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.

Why not question something for a change?

Genetic Literacy Project
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H. Humbert
SFN Die Hard

USA
4574 Posts

Posted - 08/23/2011 :  09:35:26   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send H. Humbert a Private Message
Originally posted by Dr. Mabuse
New Atheists do not need Officiant as a champion of their cause against accomodationism.
If you can't reason with 'em, recruit 'em.


"A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true." --Demosthenes

"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool." --Richard P. Feynman

"Face facts with dignity." --found inside a fortune cookie
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Kil
Evil Skeptic

USA
13477 Posts

Posted - 08/23/2011 :  10:18:25   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit Kil's Homepage  Send Kil an AOL message  Send Kil a Yahoo! Message Send Kil a Private Message
Originally posted by H. Humbert

Originally posted by Dr. Mabuse
New Atheists do not need Officiant as a champion of their cause against accomodationism.
If you can't reason with 'em, recruit 'em.


Note to self. New Atheists will take anyone...

Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.

Why not question something for a change?

Genetic Literacy Project
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Officiant
Skeptic Friend

166 Posts

Posted - 08/23/2011 :  11:14:45   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send Officiant a Private Message
99.999999% accurate is not mathematically the same as 100% accurate. However for purposes of practical reality it is the same. I am 99.999999% sure that the supernatural does not exist.
The agnostic says I am .000001% wrong and it is impossible to know. This is from the Catholic Encyclopedia:
An agnostic is not an atheist. An atheist denies the existence of God; an agnostic professes ignorance
about His existence. For the latter, God may exist, but reason can neither prove nor disprove it.
So who's side are you wishy-washy, one foot on the platform; the other on the train agnostics really on?
Intellectual integrity or religious faith?
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Ebone4rock
SFN Regular

USA
894 Posts

Posted - 08/23/2011 :  11:21:12   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send Ebone4rock a Private Message
Originally posted by Officiant

99.999999% accurate is not mathematically the same as 100% accurate. However for purposes of practical reality it is the same. I am 99.999999% sure that the supernatural does not exist.
The agnostic says I am .000001% wrong and it is impossible to know. This is from the Catholic Encyclopedia:
An agnostic is not an atheist. An atheist denies the existence of God; an agnostic professes ignorance
about His existence. For the latter, God may exist, but reason can neither prove nor disprove it.
So who's side are you wishy-washy, one foot on the platform; the other on the train agnostics really on?
Intellectual integrity or religious faith?


Repeating yourself does not make your thesis any more accurate. Give us some supporting evidence of your claims please. Misquoting famous famous skeptics does not count as evidence.

Haole with heart, thats all I'll ever be. I'm not a part of the North Shore society. Stuck on the shoulder, that's where you'll find me. Digging for scraps with the kooks in line. -Offspring
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Officiant
Skeptic Friend

166 Posts

Posted - 08/23/2011 :  11:25:30   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send Officiant a Private Message
99.999999% accurate is not mathematically the same as 100% accurate. However for purposes of practical reality it is the same. I am 99.999999% sure that the supernatural does not exist.
The agnostic says I am .000001% wrong and it is impossible to know. This is from the Catholic Encyclopedia:
An agnostic is not an atheist. An atheist denies the existence of God; an agnostic professes ignorance
about His existence. For the latter, God may exist, but reason can neither prove nor disprove it.
So who's side are you wishy-washy, one foot on the platform; the other on the train agnostics really on?
Intellectual integrity or religious faith?
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Ebone4rock
SFN Regular

USA
894 Posts

Posted - 08/23/2011 :  11:35:09   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send Ebone4rock a Private Message
Originally posted by Officiant
So who's side are you wishy-washy, one foot on the platform; the other on the train agnostics really on?
Intellectual integrity or religious faith?


I'm going back to New Orleans to wear that ball and chain.

Dammit, I just gained .00000001% respect for you now. Better than 0% I guess.

Haole with heart, thats all I'll ever be. I'm not a part of the North Shore society. Stuck on the shoulder, that's where you'll find me. Digging for scraps with the kooks in line. -Offspring
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H. Humbert
SFN Die Hard

USA
4574 Posts

Posted - 08/23/2011 :  11:35:31   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send H. Humbert a Private Message
Originally posted by Officiant

99.999999% accurate is not mathematically the same as 100% accurate.
Mathematically they are the same, actually.

"A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true." --Demosthenes

"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool." --Richard P. Feynman

"Face facts with dignity." --found inside a fortune cookie
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Valiant Dancer
Forum Goalie

USA
4826 Posts

Posted - 08/23/2011 :  11:45:22   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit Valiant Dancer's Homepage Send Valiant Dancer a Private Message
Originally posted by Officiant

99.999999% accurate is not mathematically the same as 100% accurate. However for purposes of practical reality it is the same. I am 99.999999% sure that the supernatural does not exist.
The agnostic says I am .000001% wrong and it is impossible to know. This is from the Catholic Encyclopedia:
An agnostic is not an atheist. An atheist denies the existence of God; an agnostic professes ignorance
about His existence. For the latter, God may exist, but reason can neither prove nor disprove it.
So who's side are you wishy-washy, one foot on the platform; the other on the train agnostics really on?
Intellectual integrity or religious faith?


So, you hold up Webster's Dictionary as a definition point. That point is shown to say something quite different that what you want it to say. And then you latch onto a Catholic Encyclopedia (not a peer reviewed, secular one). This encyclopedia also makes a demonstrably wrong statement about atheists as well.

This just reminds me of the 101+ odd games fundies play.

This particular one is one of sliding scale authority. It's an authority if you want it to be and only on the subjects that you want it to be.

You also competely miss the other points posited and instead repost this as if it supports your assertion. It does not.

Again, ultimate reality does not equal practical reality. Hence why scientists recognize that knowing ultimate reality is a pipe dream. Science can only provide the current best explaination. This is also why science is a journey and not a destination.

And yet again you go off on your prove god red herring/strawman.

Your argumentation to this point has been intellectual fraud. It is repleat with multiple logical fallacies, taking people out of context, and refusal to examine arguments presented as counter-arguments.

I have examined your arguments and counter-arguments provide to date and found your premise invalid.

I'm almost tempted to refer to you as Vincini. Primarily because you keep bandying around the term "agnostic" in unsupported ways. As Inego Montoya would say, "you keep saying that word. I do not thin it means what you thin it means."

Cthulhu/Asmodeus when you're tired of voting for the lesser of two evils

Brother Cutlass of Reasoned Discussion
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