StreetDogs: This way to separate the atheists from the agnostics and theists

We must respect the other fellow’s religion, but only in the sense and to the extent that we respect his theory that his wife is beautiful and his children smart. HL Mencken

And if there were a God, I think it very unlikely that He would have such an uneasy vanity as to be offended by those who doubt His existence. Bertrand Russell

SHOOT: Great piece this by MICHEL PIREU. And it should perhaps be pointed out that Do you have a dog? is interchangeable with Do you believe in god.

clipped from www.businessday.co.za The difference between an atheist, an agnostic and a theist can be summarised by their responses to the question: do you have a dog? The atheist will simply answer, “No”. If you go to his house to search for a dog, you won’t find one. There will be no signs in the house or the yard that there ever was a dog there. None of his relatives or friends will remember having seen a dog there. They’ll ask, “Does he have a dog? How could I not have known?” And they’ll be absolutely right. There are no signs that there could ever have been a dog at the atheist’s house or indeed anywhere where he spends his time. Not at his home, not at his work, nowhere. The agnostic who thinks that there’s simply insufficient proof for either having or not having a dog will be a great deal less certain. Then there’s the agnostic who doesn’t believe that he owns a dog, but is nevertheless not willing to completely rule out the possibility.