Santaism

Yes RC believes that God exists - but his premise for believing this is based in logic, ie. "something must have started the Universe and that something is God". I don't share that view. My premise is different, it's not based on logic it is purely ad hom and along the lines of "There is a God because I believe there is a God, and you ain't gonna convince me otherwise".

Yes please send through the mp3 if we're note breaking any laws!

Atheism and atheists. We're probably talking about slightly different things. I imagine a group of sentient beings who have never heard of God - so obviously they do not believe in Him, are they atheists? Secondly, what type of "ist" is someone who does not believe in Santa Claus? An aSantaIst? Or just "someone who doesn't believe in Santa Claus"?

I suppose that I am questioning the definition of the term "theism", by questioning its opposite. Someone who believes in God is a "theist" and someone who believes in Santa is not a Santaist - historically, why did things turn out that way - that the believe in "God" got its own word, and the belief in Santa did not?

I suspect that this is something to do with the perceived importance of the topic in question.

Therefore, in computer speak, "if theism then atheism".

So by my rationale, by atheism existing, it lends importance to theism. And I think this is why it is bandied about by the likes of RC, but I'm not sure that they are aware of this motivation.

I wouldn't want to offend any religion that teaches us to treat others as we ourselves wish to be treated. If there is a religion out there that doesn't teach this, or teaches the opposite, and I offend it, then that does not worry me. It may be that I only object to certain parts of it's doctrine and/or message and not others however. Preaching love and not hate is generally a good thing in my opinion.