The Atheist Thread (Long Time Coming)

Quote: Evenbob

a·the·ism
/ˈāTHēˌizəm/
disbelief or lack of belief in the existence of God or gods.

That's all it is. Does it mean
we discontinue being people
because we don't believe in
a god? Hardly.

People always want to diagnose atheists as having some sort of issues or other silly beliefs that is basically a religion....


Being an atheist simply means you do not accept there being a God. Techically there are some atheistic religions.

Atheism is just a defintion that means you do not actively beleive in a God, it is not a philosophy, there are atheists with all kinds of political and personal leanings.

Quote: Gandler

People always want to diagnose atheists as having some sort of issues or other silly beliefs that is basically a religion....


Being an atheist simply means you do not accept there being a God. Techically there are some atheistic religions.

Atheism is just a defintion that means you do not actively beleive in a God, it is not a philosophy, there are atheists with all kinds of political and personal leanings.

I'm an atheist simply because I was raised by a Geologist
I listened to my father explain the history of planet Earth from a Geological standpoint
Made a lot more sense then the 6 day story

Quote: terapined

I'm an atheist simply because I was raised by a Geologist
I listened to my father explain the history of planet Earth from a Geological standpoint
Made a lot more sense then the 6 day story

I can understand rejecting the simplistic Bible stories, and I too go as far as rejecting a God made to be human-like, I don't picture the architect of the Universe being human-like; does that make me an Atheist? According to some definitions, it would seem so.

Quote: odiousgambit

I can understand rejecting the simplistic Bible stories, and I too go as far as rejecting a God made to be human-like, I don't picture the architect of the Universe being human-like; does that make me an Atheist? According to some definitions, it would seem so.

By simple defintion if you don't actively beleive in a God, you are an atheist.

I don't beleive in the term "agnostic" because being "unsure" is strange in this debate, if you are not actively believing in a God you are an atheist by most reasonable definitions.

If you beleive in a God, that has no direct power or influence (sounds like you may), that would generally be a Diest (general belief in some form God that plays no roles in affairs of a universe). This is more along the lines of Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson (which is why he edited all of the magical stuff out of the bible). General belief in a God, but not a belief that God has any effect on the universe and not following any religion essentially.

Quote: Gandler

People always want to diagnose atheists as having some sort of issues or other silly beliefs that is basically a religion....


Being an atheist simply means you do not accept there being a God. Techically there are some atheistic religions.

Atheism is just a defintion that means you do not actively beleive in a God, it is not a philosophy, there are atheists with all kinds of political and personal leanings.

Tell that to Richard Dawkins.

Quote: terapined

I'm an atheist simply because I was raised by a Geologist
I listened to my father explain the history of planet Earth from a Geological standpoint
Made a lot more sense then the 6 day story

Sorry to hear you didn't have a dad. I didn't either. Basically had to wing it when it came to my first shave.

Quote: Gandler

By simple defintion if you don't actively beleive in a God, you are an atheist.

I don't beleive in the term "agnostic"

seems like you are unnecessarily demanding a binary choice here

Bob, is it a binary choice as far as you're concerned?

Quote:

... because being "unsure" is strange in this debate, if you are not actively believing in a God you are an atheist by most reasonable definitions.

I think you can believe in God and be unsure about the details, making that person an Agnostic, in other words I am not accepting your delineation

Quote:

If you beleive in a God, that has no direct power or influence (sounds like you may), that would generally be a Diest (general belief in some form God that plays no roles in affairs of a universe). This is more along the lines of Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson (which is why he edited all of the magical stuff out of the bible). General belief in a God, but not a belief that God has any effect on the universe and not following any religion essentially.

the way I've heard Deist explained does not rule out that person believing God can have an "effect on the universe" ; instead, been told that a Deist does not accept revelation, that is, doesn't accept claims that God has revealed himself to select people. I've said before this describes me fairly well

So, just looked it up again, and it says:

Quote: google search for deist

noun. belief in the existence of a God on the evidence of reason and nature only, with rejection of supernatural revelation (distinguished from theism). belief in a God who created the world but has since remained indifferent to it.

I'd also say remaining indifferent is not essential - there can be divine intervention that is not possible to prove scientifically

I think people are more comfortable with a creator universe because people relate to familiar examples of things being created, and having a apparent beginning and end. The idea of a infinite time or recurring universes are not relatable to anything they know. This doesn’t make any of these other ideas less possible Imo, but just explains why people are more comfortable with relatable ideas. When you posit a anthropomorphic god, you don’t have to focus too much on difficult ideas about his very existence if you don’t want to.

Quote: rxwine

When you posit a anthropomorphic god, you don’t have to focus too much on difficult ideas about his very existence if you don’t want to.

And you can blame him for
anything and everything.
Very convenient. It's gods
will, thank god, it's in gods
hands, turn it over to god,
god willing, let god handle
it. Involves no thinking
whatsoever.

Quote: odiousgambit

seems like you are unnecessarily demanding a binary choice here

Bob, is it a binary choice as far as you're concerned?

I think you can believe in God and be unsure about the details, making that person an Agnostic, in other words I am not accepting your delineation

the way I've heard Deist explained does not rule out that person believing God can have an "effect on the universe" ; instead, been told that a Deist does not accept revelation, that is, doesn't accept claims that God has revealed himself to select people. I've said before this describes me fairly well

So, just looked it up again, and it says:


I'd also say remaining indifferent is not essential - there can be divine intervention that is not possible to prove scientifically

If you beleive in a God regardless of the details, you are by definition not an atheist (you are a theist).

You either actively beleive in a God or you do not, so I would argue it is a binary choice. You don't have to know all of the details of a God, you just beleive in one of you do not.

And, that is a pretty fair definition if deism.