The Free Zone Board

[Neuromancer]

how you classify yourself

Neuro: Do you know what an atheist actually is?

eris: It is a negating word. It does not establish what *is*, just what *isn't*.

And you don't find that foolish? Personally, I find little difference between attempting to prove that God exists and attempting to prove that God doesn't. Atheists' deny the existence of God, without proof. Is this not equally ridiculous as those who assert the existence of God without proof?

Do you know what linguistics actually is?

Your question is irrelevant. The study of speech is not germane nor is it on point. As an insult, it's pretty lame too.

Buddhism is essentially atheist - but they don't often use the word because of the connotations of modern usage.

Sorry, Buddhism is neither theistic nor is it atheistic. It neither accepts nor rejects the existence of God. It's also true that Buddhism is more of a philosophy than a religion, but I don't think that this minor distinction is worth arguing over.

That I can be 'foolish' for my personal beliefs (ostensibly because they differ from yours) (religious-right mantra)

Well, I suppose you're right. You should know, however, that from my perspective atheists and Bible-thumping Christians are two peas in a pod. The Christians believe in God without proof and, equally, atheists disbelieve in God without proof.

I don't dislike anyone *for* that reason (being Republican)

Then perhaps you should retract what you said. No, instead what you do is explain why you hate people who are Republican:

it just usually turns out that people I find selfish and shallow end up being Republicans.

I find that there are shallow, selfish, and ignorant people from all walks of life in all political parties. When I come across someone who thinks that all the shallow and selfish people she meets are Republicans this tells me that the person is a poor judge of character. I'm guessing you are merely willing to "overlook" these exact same shortcomings in friends of yours who are in other political parties.

It's an almost racist view that makes me feel sorry for you.

We were mostly discussing whether I am a communist (I think)

No. You freely admitted that you were pro-choice, pro-social security, and pro-separation-of-church-and-state and I merely stated that I had assumed this.

But my retraction of my usage of the word 'despise' , although unaddressed, still stands.

Well, you actually hadn't done that yet, but I'm sure that you think you did.

It's more correct to say, 'The people who I know who I learn to be Republicans usually end up being the same people who aggravate me. It's not 100%, but a definite trend.'

Now, that makes much more sense. Thank you. Did you notice in this new wording, however, that the fault could just as likely be your attitude as theirs?