It's not an arbitrary assumption though, it's an identification. What is identified is that which is beyond human comprehension. — Metaphysician Undercover
Sure, many of the great philosophers lived in societies in which they could be murdered if they would admit being agnostic or atheist. — jkop
What remains arbitrary is the assumption of a faculty with which it would be possible to comprehend the incomprehensible. That's what's arbitrary and used ad-hoc by the religious and the mystics. — jkop
We apprehend that there are limits to the human intellect. Because of these limits, there are things which the human intellect cannot comprehend. We assume that a higher intellect can comprehend these things, and this is not at all arbitrary. — Metaphysician Undercover
The clergy used to be brutal beyond comprehension. — jkop
The problem is that people don't accept that meaning, often because of its historical baggage, which is a non-sequitur anyway. — Mariner — Mariner
Call it 'faculty' or 'higher intellect' or what you like. A possibility to comprehend the incomprehensible doesn't follow from there being limits to human knowledge, nor from things that we don't comprehend yet; obviously it is an arbitrary assumption. — jkop
Unlike many atheists here, I was raised secular. — SophistiCat
God: atheism 72.8%; theism 14.6%; other 12.6% — SophistiCat
"You believe what?!?" I seriously thought that people were playing a big practical joke on me--a belief exacerbated by the fact that there are a lot of practical jokers, who'll go to pretty elaborate lengths at times, in my family and among friends. — Terrapin Station
I'm a bit surprised "theism' was as high as 14.6%. — Terrapin Station
The beliefs seemed completely absurd to me, and they still do. — Terrapin Station
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