When all the arguments in the world...

[Mythman]

...still can't convince them of something as simple as the existence of an agnostic atheist. What the hell do you do? I mean, I've gone back to the original frackin' Greek to try and explain to this dolt that theism and gnosticism address two different questions, and they still somehow hold that an atheist is someone who holds a dogmatic position that there absolutely are no gods.

[Cephus]

You give up. You cannot convince lunatics of anything, don't bother trying.

[Mythman]

Fair enough, though it seems that this particular one has since "read something on the internet" and conceded the point. People frustrate me so.

[DallasHeathen]

...and they still somehow hold that an atheist is someone who holds a dogmatic position that there absolutely are no gods.

Well, he can define the word any way he wants, can't he?

Explain that he's free to do that, but the trouble is that that's not how everyone else uses the words. Explain that there are virtually zero people who would fit his definition of "atheist."

Not a very useful term if it doesn't describe anyone.

[Mythman]

...and they still somehow hold that an atheist is someone who holds a dogmatic position that there absolutely are no gods.

Well, he can define the word any way he wants, can't he?

Explain that he's free to do that, but the trouble is that that's not how everyone else uses the words. Explain that there are virtually zero people who would fit his definition of "atheist."

Not a very useful term if it doesn't describe anyone.

Hm. Quite. And it does seem that someone else is doing this now. If it comes up again I'll use that; thus far I've been basically stating that they're wrong and it's moving very slowly. Hey, give me a break, I'm new at actually doing this.

[anthonyvh]

If an argument can't get past semantics, there can be no argument. Words mean stuff. If they don't mean the same thing to more than one person, there is no communication and you are just making complicated animal noises at each other.