Greetings

[colpat]

Thanks! You are in no way presumptious.

I suggest you read "godless: How an evangelical preacher became one of America's leading atheists" by Dan Barker. Foreward by Richard Dawkins. Read it, save yourself a lot of time, and follow a well trodden path by increasing numbers of preachers - many write to Dan Barker. Jump ship, Colpat, join the excitement of discovering you can be intellectually free and the great life that comes with that. If those around you don't like that, then that is their problem. Dan Barker will tell you all you need in order to refute them. He has been there.

I have "godless" by Dan Barker. I have read it. I have had supper with Dan and he autographed my "godless". I had bought "godless"and presented it to him. It was autographed To a Fellow Traveler with our challenge concerning page 76. We had a number of mutual friends or aquaintances. There was no argument. All real sincere discussion. Neither trying to change the other. Sharing common experiences and how we viewed them.

[Kate]

Um, so clearly you understood the language of that atheist. What gives with the phony come-on here, cowpat?

[psychodiva]

colpat wrote

psychodiva:

Perhaps I used the wrong words "world views" I'm trying to learn how an atheist thinks/reasons/understands/sees the world around us. One benefit will be to teach the "poor little victims at school" how to work together as good citizens. I'm sorry to rile you up. You misunderstand my intentions and have made some erroneous assumptions. I have not argued with atheists, nor have I ever tried to teach anyone to argue with any worldview.

An atheist thinks, reasons and understands the world around me, you and us in exactly the same way me, you and us do- they,we, me merely do not believe any god or gods had a hand in it- again please try to be precise when talking about thinking and reasoning as you are now in my game

Apologising without changing the behaviour leads to mistrust. You continue to use terms in your posts that point to a way of thinking that has evangelisation and narrow-mindedness ingrained. try to be more open, make less assumptions and more precise in your wording- you could try actually answering a few questions as well.

[psychodiva]

colpat wrote

Kinich Ahau: Thanks for the welcome and good question.



I want to learn how to communicate with atheists.

Sign language?

Smoke signals?
Braille?

How the fuck do you communicate with people then? I just talk to them, or write, or message.

[psychodiva]

colpat wrote

Greetings Broga:

Thanks for the information. I'm on the forum to learn to communicate with atheists. I'm glad to know I can learn the UK English dialect! . I like someone who is "militant or aggressive". To me that means they are passionate in what they believe. I've spent time in England off and on since Aug 1955 and look forward to learning more about how the UK atheist view the world.

How not to annoy a Brit 101

1. Don't tell the originators of a language that what they speak is now a 'dialect'.
2. See number 1

[Smellyoldgit]

This bloke couldn't wank in braille.

[psychodiva]

[psychodiva]

What he's really saying is he wants to find out how we address certain issues so that he can better evangelise about them and tell others how to do so

[Kate]

[colpat]

Greetings Kate:

Um, so clearly you understood the language of that atheist. What gives with the phony come-on here, cowpat?

I understand the language of the atheist at about the level of a dozen other languages. Enough to get my face slapped in any one of them.
No phony come-on here. I am sincerely learning how to communicate with those with a different cognative construct.

[colpat]

Greetings Smellyoldgit:

This bloke couldn't wank in braille.

OK I'll bite. Translation please.

[colpat]

Greetings psychodiva:

What he's really saying is he wants to find out how we address certain issues so that he can better evangelise about them and tell others how to do so

I often have opportunity to meet with men and women who happen to be atheists.
I don't want to appear foolish and unlearned when socializing. Some of the words like "faith" are spelled and sound the same. But there is often a big difference how christians and atheists understand the word. To me "faith" means either spiritual knowledge or physical knowledge. I would posit that you understand it differently.

[colpat]

Greetings Kate:
Good question. I don't know the answer. Do you?

[Sternwallow]

colpat wrote

Thanks! You are in no way presumptious.


I have "godless" by Dan Barker. I have read it. I have had supper with Dan and he autographed my "godless". I had bought "godless"and presented it to him. It was autographed To a Fellow Traveler with our challenge concerning page 76. We had a number of mutual friends or aquaintances. There was no argument. All real sincere discussion. Neither trying to change the other. Sharing common experiences and how we viewed them.

Naturally there is little reason to expect that any part of your personal convictions concerning a god and supernatural notions would change even through such an enviable discussion with Dan and reading his book. I am surprised that they did not remove any interest you might have in continuing to convey this inner subjective material to anyone else any more, especially not to children who are so vulnerable to mental damage from well-meaning (and otherwise) authority figures.

[colpat]

Sternwallow wrote:

I am surprised that they did not remove any interest you might have in continuing to convey this inner subjective material to anyone else any more, especially not to children who are so vulnerable to mental damage from well-meaning (and otherwise) authority figures.

Are you suggesting that I should not do the job the school board hired me to do?
Or
That I should stop being a good father to my kids, grandkids and great grandkids?
Or
Cease delivering the messages God gives me?

I took a grandson with me to a reception in honor of Dr. E.O. Wilson.
Was that bad?