Question regarding the church and education

[Jarid in Cedar]

I've read lots of book reviews and wikipedia articles on the subject and thus like yourself, find myself entirely qualified to comment.

I would wager that the only reason atheism is more "mainstream", as you claim, is that the Church is no longer the political power that it once was. I suspect that there were plenty of closet atheists 200 years ago.

There are also plenty of closet athiests sitting in Mesa Hills ward as well.

[All-American]

You haven't disproven my point.

Atheists, agnostics, deists, they're all the same thing. It's a matter of self-identification. If you follow this logic, Socrates was an atheist. He challenged the religions of his day; and like all atheists he claimed to be living according to a higher moral calling than the religions he excoriated.

So anybody who challenges the religions of his day and claims to be living according to a higher moral calling than the religions he excoriates is an atheist?

In that case, may I present to you one of the biggest atheists of all:



If it's a matter of self-identification, wonderful; but Socrates FLATLY DENIES being an atheist and goes to great lengths to prove that the charge of atheism which Meletus lays against him is false.

[All-American]

Another thing. If Socrates did not believe in the gods of the state, why on earth does he take the oracle of Apollo at Delphi so seriously?

[SeattleUte]

So anybody who challenges the religions of his day and claims to be living according to a higher moral calling than the religions he excoriates is an atheist?

In that case, may I present to you one of the biggest atheists of all:

He probably was an atheist. I'm almost sure he was, if you'll permit me to conjecture about someone who was born 153 years before I was, though about whom I've read a fair amount.

If it's a matter of self-identification, wonderful; but Socrates FLATLY DENIES being an atheist and goes to great lengths to prove that the charge of atheism which Meletus lays against him is false.

There are also plenty of closet athiests sitting in Mesa Hills ward as well.

[All-American]

He probably was an atheist. I'm almost sure he was, if you'll permit me to conjecture about someone who was born 153 years before I was, though about whom I've read a fair amount.

Fire away. I want to hear this.

As for the second point-- does the fact that there may be closet atheists sitting in the Mesa Hills ward prove that anybody who professes belief in God is actually covering up their atheism? If we can't believe what words of Socrates we have, then we dismiss any evidence whatsoever on the matter.

Never mind what he said. He must have been atheist, because he was smart, and therefore probably agreed with you.

[SeattleUte]

Fire away. I want to hear this.

I have nothing to add at this time other than the body of my work here and on CG.

[All-American]

I have nothing to add at this time other than the body of my work here and on CG.

So Joseph Smith was probably an atheist.

Good work, SU.

[ERCougar]

Well sure, but we are talking majorites here. Who do you think were easier to convert as a whole, Pharisee's and Saducee's or carpenters and fishermen.

I wonder if it's easier to convert the rich or the poor. Have you given away all your money yet?

[Indy Coug]

I wonder if it's easier to convert the rich or the poor. Have you given away all your money yet?

I had more success with the middle class.