I'm just a lurker
spark spark@igs.net
Mon, 01 Feb 1999 00:35:41 -0400 (00917865341, 36B52F19.9037536D@igs.net)
SPARK
Achilles, I have to disagree with you, when you stated that Till was
more of an agnostic than an atheist. Hasn't Till mentioned again and
again that he lacks the belief in gods? Wouldn't that
make him an atheist? I have always thought that a person was either a
theist, someone who believes in a god or gods, or an atheist, someone
who DOES NOT believe in a god or gods. There is no middle ground.
Agnosticism can be applied to either, as in 'I am an agnostic theist,'
or 'I am an agnostic atheist,' right? At least, that is what the
knowledge I've obtained up to now leads me to believe. George Smith
says it nicely, in his book "Atheism: The Case Against God": "...
agnosticism is not an independent position or a middle way between
theism and atheism, because it classifies according to different
criteria. Theism and atheism separate those who believe in a god from
those who do not. Agnosticism separates those who
believe that reason cannot penetrate the supernatural realm from those
who defend the capability
of reason to affirm or deny the truth of theistic belief."
If someone says that he lacks belief in a god, but is open to the
possibility of there being one, provided (or should I say providing?)
extraordinary evidence becomes available, he is still an atheist. From
what I've seen of Till, that's definitely what he is.
But if you don't believe me, check out this rare video clip I found of
Till declaring his atheism to someone who just wouldn't believe that
that's what he was. It can be found at
http://www.geocities.com/siliconvalley/byte/4781/till.dcr. You'll need
the Shockwave plug-in to view it though. It you don't have that, you
can get it at http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/
And while you're at it, why don't you check out my Jesus animation that
is at http://www.geocities.com/siliconvalley/byte/4781/jesus.avi
Ciao baby