Quote:
Originally Posted by PKFFW
There is, of course, a third option....
Simply admit; "hey, we got it wrong and now with greater understanding we are happy to accommodate the known facts into our view of the world."
Which is pretty much what science does when new information proves a previous hypothesis was incorrect.
You know it has been said the cold war arms race was only won when one side walked away. Conflict breeds conflict and it is only when one side or the other walks away that the conflict will end.
Atheists could walk away from the conflict by getting on with understanding the world through science and letting the theists cling to whatever beliefs they like.
Theists could walk away from the conflict by doing one of two things;
1: Accepting scientific understanding and incorporating such into their belief systems by modifying said belief systems or;
2: Clinging to whatever beliefs they feel like but accepting that they can't, and have no right to attempt to, force others to share their views.
So which do you think is going to happen sooner?
The way it's going now I think too many people on both sides are having way too much fun reveling in the conflict to let it go.
Cheers,
PKFFW
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If the theists were content to simply believe that might work but many seek to affect society as a whole based on those beliefs. If I became a passive atheist overnight, there would still be unelected bishops sitting in my democratic government, religious groups would still seek to and succeed in opposing scientific research, political leaders would still justify their actions by invoking god. I'm not sure how it would help to simply ignore all these things.