John Loftus has responded to my blog post Demonstrating Hypocrisy as follows:
Funny, as I compared the above to what we have on our Blog it’s exactly the same. Maybe this will explain: http://debunkingchristianity.blogspot.com/2006/02/our-policy-here.html I do not tolerate ignorance very well. First graduate from High School, take a few college classes, and come back, is what I tell them. I don’t have the time to continually deal with ignorant objections that even intelligent Christians would see through. And moderation is not the same as a suppression of thought, either. That’s just stupid, again.
Ah, always a joy to read something from the cordial John “Free(d from) Thinking” Loftus. Apparently, he is now the standard for what constitutes “ignorant” and “intelligent” discussion (I’ll grant he makes a good standard for “ignorance” just by existing…).
But I find the above interesting given the fact that Emperor Loftus has recently said (after “Paladin’s” disasterous Joshua’s Long Day argument) :
And let’s say he thinks this passage alone deals a death blow to inerrancy. So what? Your Calvinist God makes him believe that. Besides, no one can master everything there is to master in the whole range of issues which must be decided in order to make a decision to believe. So at what point is it okay for someone like Paladin to have enough reason for HIM to cease believing? Do you require that everyone who disbelieves must have a master’s degree before they can say what convinces them not to believe? … People have varying levels of intelligence and education and they do the best that they can do based upon what they know. So? … Paladin’s reasons are good enough for him, even if they are not good enough for you. So?
( see http://triablogue.blogspot.com/2006/06/joshuas-long-day.html )
And later in the same comments he said:
I never stated that the people on my Blog have studied the issues out as much as you or I have done. I invite people on who have passion and who wish to test and defend their arguments in a public forum. They do not speak for me in every case, and I do not speak for them in every case, although we all agree that Christianity is false. If you want to judge my site, then judge each person on the site individually. Each of us assumes the burden to defend our own arguments. I’m offering them a chance to get in the ring…to learn….to grow….and to see if their reasons can stand up against your reasons.
So let’s summarize. Saint Loftus deletes theistic arguments that he thinks are “ignorant” but he allows–nay, defends–the “ignorant” arguments of maltheists (thanks for the term, Kaffinator) and in fact objects to those of us who point out such comments are ignorant! Double Standard, thy name is Pope Loftus.
June 23rd, 2006 at 2:56 pm
I never got upset about comments in Paladin’s post, even if I knew in advance what he said would be trashed by Christians. However, have them deal with what he’s saying now…if they can.
And while I offer people the chance to get in the ring for themselves on my Blog, I am not offering that to you….so what? Would YOU offer me the chance to be a blog team member here? Hardly. So get off your ignorant high horse and get educated.
And when you quote me, do me the (Christian) favor of quoting me in full. I said:
And let’s say he thinks this passage alone deals a death blow to inerrancy. So what? Your Calvinist God makes him believe that. Besides, no one can master everything there is to master in the whole range of issues which must be decided in order to make a decision to believe. So at what point is it okay for someone like Paladin to have enough reason for HIM to cease believing? Do you require that everyone who disbelieves must have a master’s degree before they can say what convinces them not to believe? Does a child who decides at the age of 12-15 able to make an informed decision not to believe? But they do. People have varying levels of intelligence and education and they do the best that they can do based upon what they know. So? The real question is why your God makes them believe various things based upon when and where they were born. The real question is why God created the human psyche such that it makes less than informed decisions about life and death issues based upon less than adequate evidence, one way or another. Paladin’s reasons are good enough for him, even if they are not good enough for you. So?
I dare say I have studied these issues longer than most all of you, on a deeper level than most all of you. Shall I now say that YOU believe because you are uninformed? And then does the end result mean that the person with the most Doctorates and the highest IQ should figure it all out? Nonsense. If we cannot figure it all out, no matter what our level of intelligence of educational background, than there is something wrong with that God of yours, and deep down inside you know it.
You see, because you believe in the Calvinist God, you have problems I don’t.
June 23rd, 2006 at 3:28 pm
“And when you quote me, do me the (Christian) favor of quoting me in full.”
I provided a link to your quote and I put in the ellipses where they were appropriate, Loftus. This is the normative practice in providing responses to someone. The rest of your comment was simply irrelevant, which is why I included the ellipses.
But perhaps I should require you to reprint everything I say when you respond to me. This street goes both ways.