Subj : Re: "Hams to the Rescue After Katrina" MSNBC News Article To : alt.ham-radio.vhf-uhf,rec.radio.amateur.antenna,rec.radio.amateur.dx,rec.radio.amateur.equipment,rec.radio.amateur.policy From : Matt Osborn Date : Fri Sep 23 2005 18:13:58 From Newsgroup: alt.ham-radio.vhf-uhf On Fri, 23 Sep 2005 13:51:36 -0400, "Vito" wrote: > wrote >> By definition, anyone who has a system of beliefs cannot consider >> himself to be an atheist. > >That is simply not true. An athiest is, by dictionary definition, one who >denies the existence of any god(s). He or she may very well have a >sophisticated (or simple) system of morals and beliefs that exclude gods. > To rely upon faith requires an explicit acknowledgment of an unknown power greater than oneself. Whether that power is called G-d or not is irrelevant. Ethics and morals require a foundation from which one derives guidance. If we knew everything (no assumptions), then we would not require faith in that foundation, we would simply know it. However, we cannot know everything, therefore we must have faith in our most fundamental beliefs. We cannot have faith in the unknown and deny the existence of G-d; the latter is merely terminology. If your point is that atheists know that there is a G-d but deny it, I could accept that argument. -- msosborn at msosborn dot com .