General
15 Sep 16
Originally posted by FMFDoes your third question reveal your first question as rhetorical or did your train of thought leave the station before all of the passengers were able to board?
What proportion of the electorate in your country are atheists? What proportion of them vote in elections? What is the significance of what this small number of people "tend to prefer to vote for"?
27 Sep 16
Originally posted by lemon limeNo, all three questions get to the very heart of whodey's often trotted-out set piece about atheists' voting tendencies in the U.S.
Does your third question render your first question rhetorical or did your train of thought leave the station before all of the passengers were able to board?
Perhaps he is using the word "atheist" to refer to "theists" he disagrees with, who knows?
Generalizing about people is a bit dodgy at the best of times but generalizing about such a relatively small and diverse number of people as atheists in the U.S. seems a bit silly.
We shall see what he says.
27 Sep 16
Originally posted by FMFSo your answer is no, your first question is not rhetorical?
No, all three questions get to the very heart of whodey's often trotted-out set piece about atheists' voting tendencies in the U.S.
Perhaps he is using the word "atheist" to refer to "theists" he disagrees with, who knows?
Generalizing about people is a bit dodgy at the best of times but generalizing about such a relatively small and diverse number of people as atheists in the U.S. seems a bit silly.
We shall see what he says.
Originally posted by lemon limeMy answer is exactly as I stated in my previous post. whodey may happen to think the number of atheists in the U.S. is large, whereas I don't think it is, relatively speaking. My questions reflect both possibilities whilst inviting him to clarify what he thinks the significance of their number and their voting preferences actually is.
So your answer is no, your first question is not rhetorical?
Originally posted by FMFHe expressed his opinion about most atheists. Saying most atheists is not the same as saying most people.
My answer is exactly as I stated in my previous post. whodey may happen to think the number of atheists in the U.S. is large, whereas I don't think it is, relatively speaking. My questions reflect both possibilities whilst inviting him to clarify what he thinks the significance of their number and their voting preferences actually are.
If atheists are 5% of the population then most atheists would mean less than 5% of the population. If atheists are 40% of the population then most atheists would mean less than 40% of the popuation. Most of something simply means more than half (but less than all) of that something... that's all it means.
27 Sep 16
Originally posted by lemon limeYou clearly haven't understood my questions to whodey and you're now fumbling. 😉
He expressed his opinion about most atheists. Saying most atheists is not the same as saying most people.
If atheists are 5% of the population then most atheists would mean less than 5% of the population. If atheists are 40% of the population then most atheists would mean less than 40% of the popuation.
27 Sep 16
Originally posted by lemon limeHa ha. You are floundering. Look again at the three questions of mine you were responding to at the top of this page (6). I am asking whodey if he knows how many atheists he is actually talking about. If he answers my question, then we will have an "indication as to how many atheists he was talking about", won't we? That is, after all, what I was asking him and why.
Show me where whodey said or made any indication as to how many atheists he was talking about.
27 Sep 16
Originally posted by FMFOne doesn't really need to "understand" your questions to know that you are the one fumbling.
You clearly haven't understood my questions to whodey and you're now fumbling. 😉
And for the love of God, can you stop with the smileys when you attack someone? It's altogether reminiscent of the greasy used-car salesman politician-wannabes in cheap suits that one finds in the local bar 15 minutes before closing time, still hoping to "get lucky".
Originally posted by SuzianneHow so? What significance do you think whodey is attaching to what the small number of atheists in the U.S. electorate "tend to prefer to vote for"? 😉
One doesn't really need to "understand" your questions to know that you are the one fumbling.
27 Sep 16
Originally posted by SuzianneStruth! If you get all this kind of thing filling your mind because of smileys, no wonder you read so much into 3-4 thumbs up or down! 😛
And for the love of God, can you stop with the smileys when you attack someone? It's altogether reminiscent of the greasy used-car salesman politician-wannabes in cheap suits that one finds in the local bar 15 minutes before closing time, still hoping to "get lucky".
27 Sep 16
Originally posted by FMFMore misrepresentation.
Struth! If you get all this kind of thing filling your mind because of smileys, no wonder you read so much into 3-4 thumbs up or down! 😛
You know, calling the kettle black doesn't work so well when you're the pot. Even more so when the kettle isn't even black.
Aaaannd, now the tongue. You're worse than Peter Lorre.
27 Sep 16
Originally posted by SuziannePerhaps you tried to land your "you are the one fumbling" cuff to my chin before you had actually read the conversation about the significance of what whodey thinks atheists tend to vote for. That'd explain the "What?" above.
"What?"
No, really.... What? I can't make heads or tails out of that mishmash you probably call a sentence.
27 Sep 16
Originally posted by SuzianneSuzianne, it's you who claimed that smileys make you think of things like "greasy used-car salesman politician-wannabes in cheap suits that one finds in the local bar 15 minutes before closing time, still hoping to get lucky", not me.
More misrepresentation..