[phoenix_fire]

Quote by: Isherwood To add to phoenix_fire's observation; one frequent division I run across is between those who contend they have the right and final answer and those who are willing to admit they don't know everything. It arises in different contexts from politics to religion. I could say it's the rift between absolutists and relativists, but that's too simplistic a statement.

I'm not so sure about that. Most people won't flatly admit that they have everything entirely correct. Especially on this board. But nearly everyone will act like it. Most theists believe that, overall, they believe in the actual and absolute truth of the universe, but there are still several things that they will admit to not understanding. A lot of people, however, will cover over their own shortcomings with bluster and scripted responses. Both atheists and theists here would probably agree with the statement "I don't understand it all, but I know enough". Even agnostics maintain an idea of agnosticism that they usually aren't interested in changing. They are determined and have firmly decided not to make a decision. And that, I think, is a kind of belief in itself. It is certainly a dogma. Whether the belief is an affirmative one or not, it is still a belief and people are still here to defend their conclusions. Some people change their conclusions over time, but in this kind of forum, it is always about arguing a position.