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@Seth
Because you're unoriginal and its funny to see you repeat my accusations to me.Why are you stalking me?
Now, ask why is my name Seth. Go ahead, it might fool the same person your stalking question did.
Lol.
Does Prayer Work?
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Now, ask why is my name Seth. Go ahead, it might fool the same person your stalking question did.
Lol.
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@Salixes
What do you mean by "work"? Very few things have no utility whatever.
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@secularmerlin
Including prayer.What do you mean by "work"? Very few things have no utility whatever.
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@Salixes
That depends greatly what you mean when you say works. If it can calm the mind of one individual once then it cannot be said that it has never done anything that could be defined as working. This of course would depend greatly of your definition of work in this context but the placebo effect is real. Even sugar pills "work" sometimes.
Flawed arguments are no more useful in demonstrating your argument than they are to theists.
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@rosends
Have you ever taken stock of yourself and actually read the convoluted, nitpicking nonsense you write but never get around to actually addressing the topic? Any topic?What if there was no butter?What if you asked.....or too quietly so......What if the other person....Your false binary is still a false binary.
Trust me, it's a lot more fun actually getting into the action.
What if you actually made a qualified statement directly pertaining to the topic?
Wow, and like hooooie!
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@Salixes
If you can't follow the logic of an actual discussion, then step back, stay quiet and let the adults talk.
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@rosends
This argument would seem to be more about what is meant by "prayer working" than about whether or not prayer works.
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@secularmerlin
That is an astute and accurate observation -- the definition of terms and the scope of argument were never laid out properly nor agreed upon which led to people arguing at cross purposes.
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@rosends
Indeed and well stated.
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@rosends
Do you really find it necessary to continue your belittling personal attacks on others?If you can't follow the logic of an actual discussion, then step back, stay quiet and let the adults talk.
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@rosends
That is an astute and accurate observation -- the definition of terms and the scope of argument were never laid out properly nor agreed upon which led to people arguing at cross purposes.
The topic is precise and succinct.
The only people who ever argue at cross purposes on any topic are those who make excuses in order to avoid the fact that they are well and truly defeated in the first place.
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@ethang5
Why is your name Cletus?
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@Seth
Why is your name Cletus?
The question is, why did you address your post to Ethan if you think I'm Cletus, Cletus?
Lol!
Weren't you the one bragging that he knew how the board works? See the arrow at the top left of your last post? that is who you've chosen to send your post to. You're welcome.
Now once again, do you have anything intelligent to say on the thread's topic? Or will you just keep posting silliness?
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@Salixes
I disagree. Please define the word work for the purposes of this conversation as very few things have no utility to anyone.The topic is precise and succinct.
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@Salixes
This is very clearly not what the majority of theists are arguing for and is therefore very clearly an attempt at constructing a strawman argument. Any argument that you construct yourself with a purposeful flaw included will perforce be easily defeated. It is far more challenging to refute the actual arguments of your interlocutors.Perhaps we could build a 100% natural, faith healing hospital ....we could call it "The Holy Hospital of Kindness".* Instead of operating theatres we shall have prayer rooms.* Instead of professional doctors, nurses and surgeons, we'll have naturopaths, chiropractors and accupuncturists.* Instead of drugs we will have holy water.* And of course, we would need to erect a morgue that's larger than the hospital itself.
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@secularmerlin
Ol' Sal doesn't do challenging. He does strawmaning, and then insisting his "argument" is researched and supported.
Over and over. Sort of like your never ending questions.
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@ethang5
Questions are not directly comparable to claims
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@ethang5
You keep referring to Cletus and there is no Ethan anywhere. Why are you called Cletus?
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@secularmerlin
Questions are not directly comparable to claims
True. But I was comparing the M.O.
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@Seth
keep referring to Cletus and there is no Ethan anywhere.
Sure there is. Let me remind you. See the arrow at the top left of your last post? That is who you've chosen to send your post to. That's Ethan.
The question you skipped is, why did you address your post to Ethan if you think I'm Cletus, Cletus?
Now, as for who Cletus is, do you have a mirror handy?
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@ethang5
Sure there is. Let me remind you. See the arrow at the top left of your last post? That is who you've chosen to send your post to. That's Ethan.
No that's @ethang5.
The question you skipped is, why did you address your post to Ethan if you think I'm Cletus, Cletus?
I didn't. Why do you call yourself Cletus.
Now, as for who Cletus is, do you have a mirror handy?
So now your mirror is Cletus. You seem quite confused about names.
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@ethang5
I'm uncertain what you mean. The socratic method (the asking of seemingly endless questions in an attempt to reach the truth about a person's beliefs if not about the actual state of reality) is an efficacious tool in discussion and strawmen are not.
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@Seth
No that's @ethang5
OK Cletus, why are you sending your insipid posts to Ethang5?
I didn't.
Then you need to alert Mike, cause your clunkers are coming to me.
Why do you call yourself Cletus.
It may have something to do with your poor reading comprehension, or your low IQ, or both.
Now, as for who Cletus is, do you have a mirror handy?
So now your mirror is Cletus.
Why would you have my mirror? But if you look into a mirror, you might see Cletus. I say "might" because there's a chance your delusion affects your vision.
You seem quite confused about names.
That I'm sure is due to your poor reading comprehension. You haven't a clue whom you're addressing your silly posts to, but you think someone else is confused.
Sure Cletus.
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@secularmerlin
Both are pointless and endless.
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@ethang5
Pointless in what context? Both of us have goals which we hope to realize it is just that if his goal is to have a discussion constructing strawman arguments would not appear to be efficacious as it does not require an answer but instead provides a faulty one. In other words he may as well be talking to himself. By contrast I do not know how a question will be answered until you answer it. This invites conversation.
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@secularmerlin
Correct. Pointless.his goal is to have a discussion constructing strawman arguments would not appear to be efficacious as it does not require an answer but instead provides a faulty one. In other words he may as well be talking to himself.
By contrast I do not know how a question will be answered until you answer it. This invites conversation.
No, it only invites another question from you. And if it is a never ending series of questions, no point can be reached. There is no point, other than asking another question. It is Pointless.
In other words he may as well be talking to himself.Correct. Pointless.
That is not pointless if his goal is a conversation with himself.
By contrast I do not know how a question will be answered until you answer it. This invites conversation.No, it only invites another question from you. And if it is a never ending series of questions, no point can be reached. There is no point, other than asking another question. It is Pointless.
It is hardly my fault that answering a question often naturally leads to another querry.
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@secularmerlin
That is not pointless if his goal is a conversation with himself.
Lol!! Pointless doesn't mean without a point. It means the point of the action is illogical.
It is hardly my fault that answering a question often naturally leads to another querry.
It doesn't naturally lead to another querry endlessly in normal, honest people.
But since its you asking the endless questions, I find it difficult to see how it isn't your fault
The definition of terms establishes parameters and limits scope of a question. Without the agreement as to what words mean and refer to, there can be no conclusion drawn.
Once words are agreed upon, a good way to advance understanding is to test claims by extending and expanding them and asking about the intended consequences. By whittling away wrong ideas, we move towards agreed upon right ideas. Questions are like whittling away wood. Each moves closer to a point, but more immediately, forces one to turn the wood, and ask from another angle.