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Embarrassing series of questions to a secularist re human equality

Is the conviction that all humans are equal a matter of philosophy, science, or faith.

Expected answer: none of the above: it's a matter of common sense!

Further question: you mean, like geocentrism?

Expected reply: No.

Further question: then why not?  Is your conviction that this conviction has a different epistemic status than geocentrism a matter of faith, philosophy, science or common sense?

If the reply is an appeal to common sense, then ask how or whether you could explain this to a non-believer in human equality?

Expected reply to that: none

Then make point that secularism relies upon fashionable beliefs that it ends up undermining

If the reply were an appeal to a future possible scientific experiment, then point out that future possible results are definitely open to debate... and until corroborated are a matter of an act of faith.  Hence the same point can be made as was made in the face of the appeal to common sense.

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