Comments on: 73% of American atheists don’t believe in God

By: davidw

davidw — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 13:51:56 +0000

Got it, Larry. Thank you, Seth.

And thank you, Gravity, for holding us all together.

By: Seth Gordon

Seth Gordon — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 12:47:55 +0000

The fine print at the bottom of the page has the text of the question, which begins “Do you believe in God or a universal spirit?”

(Someone once asked the late Carl Sagan “do you believe in God?” “What do you mean by ‘God’?” Sagan responded. “Well, something that’s stronger than us and exists throughout the universe.” “Well, gravity is stronger than us and exists throughout the universe, but I don’t think that’s what you mean…”)

By: davidw

davidw — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 11:43:35 +0000

Larry, I’m still not getting it. Atheism = belief that G-d does not exist. You’re saying an atheist could believe in G-d but not a transcendent spirit? Sounds to me like a vegetarian who eats meat.

By: Larry Irons

Larry Irons — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 01:09:10 +0000

God and universal spirit are not the same thing…one involves transcendent identity and the other does not…these are differences of kind…an atheist could believe in the former without believing in the latter…only a survey methodologist would confuse that difference as belonging in the same category…I’m surprised at you David…