Why does atheism contradict itself? (Atheist admits it in debate what now?)?

Question

Re: http://www.shockawenow.net Debate Atheist vs Christian
Please help me answer this: I am an atheist and was confused as why this atheist admitted in debate that atheism contradicts itself. If you go to the web site above you'll see a video debate on the right titled "proof atheism is madness". In the debate here is what happened.
ShockofGod defeated the atheist 98% of the people said. One of the big errors the atheist made in the debate is ShockofGod asked him "Do you agree the claim it's possible for God to exist contradicts the claim it's impossible for God to exist?" The atheist said yes. Then shockofGod said "Do you admit atheism makes both these claims?" The atheist said yes. Then the atheist was asked "do you concede atheism therefore contradicts itself?"

There was a few seconds where the atheist debater stuttered and finally he said yes.
How would you have answered this question? Please listen to the debate video and let me know as I am going to be debating shockofGod and if he asks me this in debate I don't want to be left without an answer thanks.

So in short my question is: How do I address the problem of atheism contradicting itself?

Answer 1

I'm not going to a website to look for a video.

Answer 2

Seems to me the problem is making conflicting claims, and you shouldn't do that.



But one of the problems here is the business of admitting "atheism makes claims" of any description. Atheism as such does nothing of the kind. Individual atheists make claims according to their individual notions.



Admitting that some atheists make the one claim and some atheists make the other does not mean that any one atheist makes both. If one does, that atheist contradicts himself; that doesn't mean that all, or anywhere near most, atheists do so.



Sure, some atheists contradict other atheists. Plenty of theists contradict other theists, too. Neither side ought to depend on stereotyping the other as a debating strategy, and no one who debates that way ought to be allowed to get away with it.

Answer 3

This is equivalent to debating how many angels may dance on the head of a pin.

One atheist concedes that atheisms is just a non belief in God or gods.

Theism is a belief there is a God or gods.

I believe blueberry pie is superior to apple. Let's debate that .

Answer 4

It contradicts itself the same amount as theism contradicts itself when one theist says Allah is god, another theist says God is god, and another theists says Vishnu is god.





Atheism does not contradict itself, it is just that there are strong atheists and agnostic atheists. Neither believes if a deity.





Edit: Does anyone else think that this 'debate' might just be a creation of Christians who want to make atheism look bad?

Answer 5

It's a semantics game - definition of terms. True, know, exist, all have flexible meaning, and the disagreements about god are all rooted in different definitions. Atheism defines true knowledge and existence using only logic and observation. Nothing else is admitted. There remains possibility of supernatural "existence" that is inaccessible to logic and observation, but it is not "true" because we can have no "true knowledge" of it.



If atheism makes both those claims that the guy said it did, there has to be a distinction between two types of existence. You might believe it's possible for there to be super-natural "existence," but there would be no truth value about proposed supernatural being. You could not call knowledge of God's existence the same kind of "true knowledge" as knowledge that 1+1=2 or that diamond is made of the same kind of atoms as graphite. It could still be possible for a *deity* (by definition having supernatural power, a supernatural being) to "exist" in a super-natural, unfalsifiable way, while it was impossible for one to exist in the natural world where an atheist locates all knowledge that can be called truth.



The important thing is, hardcore (non-agnostic) atheism does not accept any knowledge as possibly true, if there could be no objective evidence or rational argument that could falsify it. Supernatural means defiant of, and inaccessible to, logic and observation. Logic and observation are the tools that apply to determining truth about the natural world. The proposed deity is supernatural by definition, so it's un-falsifiable and therefore atheists say it is impossible for it to truly exist. Atheists can still say that it's "possible" for there to be "supernatural existence," but there is no "true" knowledge about anything in that category because it is refractory to logic and observation. As far as we can know by logic and observation, there would be no difference between a universe where God "existed" and one where he didn't.



Atheism only contradicts itself if it's forced to use the word "exist" in two different senses.

Answer 6

Atheism does not make both claims. Agnosticism is the stance that God could exist. "ShockofGod" is an idiot. Whether atheism contradicts itself or not has no relevance at all and it's certainly no match for the amount of times the Bible contradicts itself.

Answer 7

Please, provide me a smash, ask your self of god edits all his movies and intentionally lies and deceives. i'm particular no atheist might have ever suggested what this dim wit claimed. Is it impossible for a god to exist? provide me a definition of the god, because of the fact based on the definition on condition that's impossible, yet different definitions, even although unlikely are no longer impossible purely somewhat unbelievable. Its no longer a contraction right here. because of the fact I have not got any theory what somebody ability while they say god, I ask them to stipulate it. So if somebody describes a god that isn't possible, then i visit assert its impossible. Others attempt to stipulate a god, that is possible, yet somewhat unbelievable. Its no longer a contraction because of the fact we've not got any sparkling definition first of all. It additionally does no longer recommend there is any god the two. i'm able to assert all varieties of think of must be possible based on the way you define them, alongside with invisible unicorns etc, even even though it nevertheless does no longer recommend they exist. you're able to make each and all of the logical arguments contained in the international, yet you nevertheless can no longer define something into existence. Definition would not make a transcendental invisible unicorn exist to any extent further than a all effectual, all sensible all understanding god. It nevertheless can no longer eb suggested to exist till actual info of its manifestation is provided. As I suggested ask your self of god lies, and edits movies to make it appear as if he wins debates. while the unique movies and comments come to easy, even although he grew to become into no longer yet gained one debate. If somebody has to eb so cheating in debating and strategies then you definately know they're conscious of their undesirable place. Sorry yet ask your self of god is an fool and any theist thinks this some how proves something then they ought to eb committed.

Answer 8

Sounds like a version of the guilt by association fallacy. If I think it's possible that a god exists, and another atheist thinks it's impossible, neither of us are contradicting ourselves.

Answer 9

Never have I made the statement that "god does not exist" that would just be stupid. I make the statement that "I (meaning ME personally) don't believe in a god figure. Nothing more nothing less. In addition to that, ONE atheist does not speak for ALL atheists.

Answer 10

Do you believe a four-headed leprechaun with the body of a mermaid exists? No.



Do you believe it's POSSIBLE that a four-headed leprechaun with the body of a mermaid exists? Yes.



That is not a contradiction.



Conceding the possibility that something COULD exist is not an acceptance of its existence.

Answer 11

Atheism doesn't make any claims. So the "debater" was an idiot.



Peace.

Answer 12

God doesn't exist. That's not a contradiction - it's a fact. Get over it.

Answer 13

Atheism is nonbelief in gods, nothing more.



And I don't believe you.

Answer 14

It doesn't, and that guy sounded like an idiot.

Answer 15

Stop voting for Obama for one thing....you hypocrits condemn christians, yet you vote for one

Answer 16

Farty *** butt!