Friday 12 July 2013

Skepticism and Mr Deity

In this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gI0ztr3Rn0E Brian Dalton (Mr Deity) satirises the idea that one can be both a believer and an atheist.  He's witty, but I don't agree with him about atheism.  I also don't agree with him about skepticism and astrology.  Skepticism is an approach to looking at reality.  Encouraging people to be skeptics is about showing them how they can start on a journey that's never ending.  You don't reject people who are thinking about starting on the journey because they haven't arrived at where you happen to be.  I have many positions based on skepticism and reason that I know other skeptics don't agree with.  I believe in criminalising gun ownership.  I don't believe in physical dualism.  I don't believe in deism.  Does my not believing in deism mean I should reject as a false skeptic someone who does?  What about a gun owner?

We skeptics are all on a journey, and the decision to take that journey is important; too important to reject those who are slower or who haven't travelled as far.

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