Debate 1: This House Rejects Atheism -UCC philosoph pro-motion Brian Bocking -Cork

[Daly2893]

This Ignorance from a professor of the study of religions. Shocking.

[cpt2115]

certitude, eh? being certain about something which you cannot have faith in...that describes atheism? and saying because there are countries that you have to be an atheist to run for office, thus discriminating, reconciles your form of discrimination is an obvious fallacy...

[TheDiscontinuity]

He says that atheist are evangelizing at 6:35 as in they talk about their beliefs then he conflicts himself by saying that atheist don’t like talking about their beliefs when asked at 8:35.

How can you evangelize if you not willing to have a conversation?

What was up with that red herring about secularism and atheism? Does he think atheists disagree with him?

Usually it is theists who try to confuse the two.

Example: The pope has constantly associating secularism with the “New atheism”

[djpob]

Please upload the rest! It's very frustrating to have this absurd argument go unchallenged!

[JOHNINCOLUMBUS]

He doesn't know it, but he's an Atheist too, I'll bet he doesn't believe in Zeus, or Thor, or Mythros, or Vishnu, or, or, or...Atheists simply don't believe in god...PERIOD!

[JOHNINCOLUMBUS]

This man is a total dick. He doesn't know what Atheism is, but he's comparing it to what religion does on a daily basis, which is to recruit people into fairytale delusions, without any evidence to back up their ridiculously childish stories.

[allaboutdmagic]

Why is Adrian Mole chairing this again?

[KasparHauser5]

How can you be certain that there is a god and then turn right around and say that the atheist cannot be certain that there is no god?

[urukang]

@KasparHauser5 The atheist can be certain, thus we can call him a believer too. Welcome to the club.

[only2nocrew]

lol this guy needs to learn statistics, china seriously? africa? has this guy seen a computer?

[2elcallejero4]

To echo nearly every comment here thus far, I challenge Prof. Bocking's definition of atheism. But I'm intrigued as to how the rest of this debate will play out.

[LampPlaceThing]

Why the hatred towards someone's opinion? Atheists can be (Key Word CAN) very very very opinionated. 

[ignacio1200]

is the first guy ? harry potter?

[Dublindarren]

Why doesn't the guy introducing the debate get a haircut and a suit that fits him?

[AtheistIreland]

Don't forget to subscribe....to see more.

There will be four more videos two against and one pro. Then final auguments and result.

Please note not many have the courage to go on stage to debate on the side of religion.

[BBBBrian1]

Thanks for all the kind comments! There seems to be confusion between being areligious (not having a religion) and being an atheist (not believing in a god). I'm currently researching the forgotten 'Irish Buddhist' and atheist martyr Dhammaloka, a monk famous in S-E Asia in the early 1900s and a fervent campaigner against Christian missionaries. Our 'Dhammaloka day' at UCC, Cork on 19 Feb marks the centenary of Dhammaloka's trial for sedition (in his case, preaching against Christianity).

[Vash002]

@BBBBrian1 Yes, thats what people are saying here. Atheists dont believe in a god/s. Where you overstepped the mark is when you claimed that Atheists are certain that no god/s exist. That is a demonstably false claim (ask any atheist). Agnosticism and Atheism are not mutually exclusive, you can say you cant know whether a god exists or not but still believe that a god does not exist.

[BBBBrian1]

@Vash002 The organisers evidently thought I would argue for theism but my remarks (and yours) apply equally to that 'ism'. My academic field is Buddhism; Buddhists as a rule assume [='know', rather than 'believe'] there is no creator/controller God. My argument was against the elevation of any '-ism' over the service ethic in matters of government, since these 'belief' debates affect us only because there is power attached. Yes, djpob, where are the other contributions? Nice to get flak, but ...

[2LegHumanist]

@BBBBrian1 You're free to define atheism any way you choose. However, to apply that definition to people who consider themselves "Atheists" under a different definition, as I'm sure you're aware, is nothing more than equivocation fallacy.

You, for instance, mentioned Dawkins in the debate. He is not an atheist under your definition. Dawkins is what Antony Flew would refer to as a "weak atheist", as is almost every atheist I have ever met. He is an agnostic and does not believe in any gods.

[amadain17]

@AtheistIreland when are the other videos going up?

[RationalConclusion]

Ireland needs more outspoken atheists. More people who publically criticise and ridicule religion and the irrational beliefs that are associated with it.

Religion has done immeasurable damage to Ireland and its people.

[CutieBabe25]

What? The whole time I'm watching this I was just trying to figure out if this guy is being serious or not. He based his whole argument on just making up his own definition of what Atheism is.

[GodlessIrish]

Someone needs to teach this guy what Gnosticism is and how it is not a position in itself but rather an extension of a position, such as a Gnostic Theist or an Agnostic Atheist.

[TrancedNRG]

I think he'd find very few atheists reject the possibility of a deity. I'm open to the possibility but describe myself as an atheist because I there's no evidence for a deity. Agnostic means unknown or unknowable. Taking the view that something is simply unknowable and sitting on your hands doesn't seem a particularly apt position for a scientist. This "professor" could have saved himself from appearing such a fool by simply looking up "atheist" in a dictionary sometime during his education.

[TrancedNRG]

"It's not quite up there with women not being allowed to become priests" LOL, so I take it he believes priests are more important than presidents. 

[PJsCreed]

What a jackass. The irony coming from this guy is just appalling. So this "professor" thinks that atheists should not be allowed to run his life for him? Right back at ya, dipshit.

[EclecticSceptic]

And what the fuck? He said "I have absolutely no argument with anybody who holds any form of belief about the world whatsoever". 3:50. What an insane thing to say!

[EclecticSceptic]

Since theism is an infinitely untenable position, a theist in a debate will always look for something negative connected to atheism, take an vaguely relevant angle (one that leaves you perpetually thinking "ok he is going to link this to the motion now"), and circumlocute until the time has expired.

[spakattak]

He needs to read a dictionary.The only thing he got right about atheism was the pronunciation.

[MindAndMarzipan]

The word Atheist denotes lack of belief, hence the "A".

[sooperfukker]

@MindAndMarzipan

Yea, too bad the the old greek alpha privativum means "the opposite of" :-)

[automaticSOM]

"Atheistic belief" is an oxymoron, Brian.

[4me2cclearly]

@automaticSOM

Nice catch.

lol, and so true.

[eggiliciousness]

he speaks to fast

[AllHeathens1]

This teacher is an idiot, there is no atheist ideology or beliefs. I think he would find that most secular humanists are atheists. Amazing how you can get a degree in philosophy and still have no clue what you are talking about... strawman after strawman.

[TurboDally]

Atheism is a world view the same way that non-belief in Zeus, Appollo and Thor are a world view. In otherwords, it isn't a world view...

[THEHARMONIKZ]

How on earth can he suggest Atheism has a worldview or a political stance.

I wonder if he'd get into a car with an atheist driver?

FAIL.

[gremlinn7]

Someone needs to tell this guy what atheism really means - and then remove his teaching credentials and send him back to school. Unless this "debate" is just a joke and he's presenting the side of ignorance.

[timmytadhgh]

@gremlinn7 wow remarkable. you clearly don't know what you're talking about.

[DeletedDelusion]

Why have we never heared a current politician take an oath on Jupiter or Thor, how can we be certain that these gods don't exist?

I think it is possible to be sure if a specific god does exist or not.

I do consider deism as a possibility, but the Christian God as defined in the bible? You got to be kidding...

[dalejr88]

Does the first speaker have to pee or just to much coffee?