You don't CHOOSE to be an atheist any more than you CHOOSE that you don't believe in Santa Claus [Spirituality & Religion]

@Deadcutie

Can you choose that you believe santa IS real?
Do that right now.
Were you successful? Do you believe Santa flies around the world in one night on a magic sleigh delivery presents down the chimney?

@Pikachu you can if you want.. there are people who chose to so believe

@Deadcutie

Yeah but i'm asking [i]you[/i] to do it.
Prove the concept.

Choose right here and now that you believe that Santa is real.

...

Did you succeed?

If not, perhaps belief in such things is not a choice after all.

@Pikachu I simply choose not to believe in Santa, because he’s not real..
I choose to be a believer in god, I choose not to be an atheist..
I answered your question. It is what it is..

@Deadcutie

You claim to have made a choice. You claim that atheists make a choice.
What i am doing here is demonstrating the flaw in this assertion using [i]you[/i] as an example.

[i]You[/i] find that you cannot choose, that in fact you believe that Santa is real. Or so i must assume since you have not announced your success in choosing to believe that Santa is real.

Ergo, belief is not a choice which you have proven by your own example.

@Pikachu I did make a choice..
Atheists do make a choice.
I Pondered on the evidence that shows he’s real, I pondered at the evidence that shows he’s not real and I choose he’s not real..
U still haven’t shown where I haven’t made a choice..

@Deadcutie

I agree that you consider the evidence and that your belief is based on that.

But if it is indeed a choice then you should be able to consider the evidence and [i]choose[/i] the opposite belief.

So do it. If belief is a choice then consider the evidence for Santa and [i]choose[/i] that you believe he exists.

If you can't do that (and i think you agree that you cannot) then i have indeed shown that you can't make a choice to believe.

@Pikachu no.. you haven’t shown that at all because if I see the evidence that that fat man squeezes down my chimney, I will most definitely believe he exists.. I’m still waiting for that evidence, until then I choose not to believe based on the evidence that has been presented so far

@Deadcutie That is not a choice? You are trusting a particular something based on what you believe to be true and real. You can not thus believe in something you consider to be a lie as truth is what he is meaning. If something is a lie you can not force yourself to believe it is true by your own free will. The only possible way is to be convinced of it's truth.

@Deadcutie

No, no, no. You're missing the point.

You are quite right to believe that Santa is real when you see a fat man squeezing down your chimney and you are quite right not to believe that Santa doesn't exist until you see sufficient evidence that he does.

But you have said that belief is a choice. When you have [i]actually[/i] argued here is that your belief in Santa is an unavoidable conclusion based upon the evidence.

You further prove that belief is NOT a choice because YOU, deadcutie, are UNABLE to look at that same evidence and CHOOSE that you do in fact believe that Santa is real.

Ergo, belief is not a choice and you've proven it yourself.

@canusernamebemyusername you people are on some sick drugs ..... where can I get some

@Deadcutie I try to explain something and you go for the insults?

@canusernamebemyusername

Imagine my surprise 😏

But protip: dismissing your argument by the suggestion that you are on drugs is not actually an insult for reasons which are unclear...

@canusernamebemyusername if that’s explaining it went over my head

@Deadcutie I tried to put it a different way🤷‍♀️

@Pikachu your crazy, that’s what I like about u🍿🤭😂

@Deadcutie

Not the most compelling rebuttal i've ever heard but if that's all you find yourself capable of...😏

@canusernamebemyusername failed.. complicating the hell out of a simple choice is not explaining it in a different way..

@Pikachu simpler it is, the better it is, u should try it

@Deadcutie

No thanks. I'll stick with reasoned argument and evidence-based conclusions.
It's rather more useful than getting outraged when someone disagrees with you
But you do you.😉

@Pikachu there’s no reasoning when you don’t bother listening

@Deadcutie

That's certainly the excuse you seem to favour to avoid having to back up your claims🙂

@Pikachu not my fault you can’t read beyond your own ignorance

@Deadcutie

*rends at clothing* Curse my own ignorance!😢 *smears ash on head*

lol aaaanyway.
I've said i'm interested in discussion, not petty one-upsmanship and this has definitely ceased to be the former.

Feel free to start this up again when you're prepared to [i]address[/i] arguments rather than dismiss them.

Have a pleasant afternoon🙂

@Pikachu I don’t think you’re in it for discussion either.. you’re right and you’re gonna make sure everyone else knows they are wrong..