On Mon, 20 Jun 2005 16:01:08 +0100, Roy Schestowitz
<newsgroups@schestowitz.com> wrote:
>A certain question that has occupied my mind for a while. Why are we
>accustomed to saying "he/she believes in God"? This indirectly implies the
>existence of God -- one God, in fact. Why is it uncommon to hear someone
>say "he/she thinks there is a God"? The difference is subtle, but shouldn't
>this change of habit be made? I am pretty certain that some people would be
>offended by the latter.
Theists equivocate over "believe" and "believe in". As you say,
"believe in" presumes its existence, which as far as theists are
concerned is a given. They believe _in_ it, ie they trust it, expect
it to help them when needed, etc.
They don't "think there is a God". In their virtual reality there is
one. It's as simple as that. Trouble is they don't know it's a virtual
reality, or that the world outside it doesn't see it the way they do
inside it.
So even when they beg the question nobody is supposed to ask it.
>Roy
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