A Theist & An Atheist Sit Down For A Meal...
Theist: Here's something I don't understand. Why do atheists need a word? I mean, I don't believe in the Easter Bunny, but I don't have a word for not believing in it. Why do they even need to call themselves anything?
Atheist: Because we need language to talk about the subject.
Theist: But if you don't believe in God, why do you need to talk about it? Why can't you just say "I don't believe" and leave it at that?
Atheist: Because theists won't let us. When we say "I don't believe", they want to ask why and what about and how come. We're not allowed to just say "I don't believe in a god" and walk away because y'all won't let us just walk away.
Theist: If you don't want to talk about it, then just don't talk about it.
Atheist: Then stop talking to me about it.
Theist: No, but why...
Atheist: See?
#ActualConversationsIHave #atheism #HeadDesk #IfYouDoNotLikeTheTopicThenStopPushingTheTopic
Also in that conversation:
Theist: But why label yourselves anything?
Atheist: Because "atheist" isn't a bad word, it's descriptive. It literally means "without belief in deities". It's EXACTLY THE SAME as saying "I don't believe in a god" because it literally translates to "I don't believe in a god".
Theist: But why...
Now, for #ThingsIWishIHadSaid:
Theist: But why do you need a word for something that's not?
Atheist: For the same reason we have words for other things that are not - asymmetry = not symmetrical. Asymptomatic = has no symptoms. Asexual = without sexual desire. Achronological = not chronological. Abiogenesis = the creation of something that doesn't come from something living. We talk about things that are "not" all the time. When one thing is the dominant paradigm, usually its contrary is named by what it's not.
Atheist: Because we need language to talk about the subject.
Theist: But if you don't believe in God, why do you need to talk about it? Why can't you just say "I don't believe" and leave it at that?
Atheist: Because theists won't let us. When we say "I don't believe", they want to ask why and what about and how come. We're not allowed to just say "I don't believe in a god" and walk away because y'all won't let us just walk away.
Theist: If you don't want to talk about it, then just don't talk about it.
Atheist: Then stop talking to me about it.
Theist: No, but why...
Atheist: See?
#ActualConversationsIHave #atheism #HeadDesk #IfYouDoNotLikeTheTopicThenStopPushingTheTopic
Also in that conversation:
Theist: But why label yourselves anything?
Atheist: Because "atheist" isn't a bad word, it's descriptive. It literally means "without belief in deities". It's EXACTLY THE SAME as saying "I don't believe in a god" because it literally translates to "I don't believe in a god".
Theist: But why...
Now, for #ThingsIWishIHadSaid:
Theist: But why do you need a word for something that's not?
Atheist: For the same reason we have words for other things that are not - asymmetry = not symmetrical. Asymptomatic = has no symptoms. Asexual = without sexual desire. Achronological = not chronological. Abiogenesis = the creation of something that doesn't come from something living. We talk about things that are "not" all the time. When one thing is the dominant paradigm, usually its contrary is named by what it's not.