Atheists and Agnostics don't believe in God but want spread their nothing word

a reply to: Annee
It is something which seems to need explanation time after time here on ATS.
I almost think that theists are trying to hijack the word "atheist" and twist it into something that describes "one who holds a belief that there are no gods". I hold no belief in any gods but equally I hold no belief that there are none, just that I've seen nothing in my life to convince me to believe.
I am quite proud of my rational agnostic atheist label.
...but it gets tiresome when rabid Christians use the word to describe anti-theists, or militant atheists/etc, as while they may well be atheist (not holding a belief in gods), they require added value in their descriptive term as you stated very well earlier.

ATS believers, when will you accept it? Atheism is not a belief system in itself, it is lack of belief (in gods) nothing more, nothing less.

originally posted by: NoCorruptionAllowed
Atheist belief takes MORE faith than a belief in God.

Why does someone say idiot stuff like this?

Lack of belief -- atheism -- takes no effort at all.

When I finally stepped completely out of the "God circle" it was like a weight was lifted off me.

I began living, really living, each day. Instead of for some imaginary reward at the end.

Best decision I ever made.

originally posted by: MarkJS
There's some great, beautiful Christian artwork out there.
Is it possible for Atheists and Agnostics to paint masterpieces? ha ha ha
Culturally bankrupt.

Seriously? Vincent van Gogh and Pablo Picasso. Both Atheists.
Some Well Known Atheists
Atheists in Music

originally posted by: grainofsand
a reply to: Annee
It is something which seems to need explanation time after time here on ATS.
I almost think that theists are trying to hijack the word "atheist" and twist it into something that describes "one who holds a belief that there are no gods". I hold no belief in any gods but equally I hold no belief that there are none, just that I've seen nothing in my life to convince me to believe.
I am quite proud of my rational agnostic atheist label.
...but it gets tiresome when rabid Christians use the word to describe anti-theists, or militant atheists/etc, as while they may well be atheist (not holding a belief in gods), they require added value in their descriptive term as you stated very well earlier.

ATS believers, when will you accept it? Atheism is not a belief system in itself, it is lack of belief (in gods) nothing more, nothing less.

Seriously!

It is so simple. Why complicate it?

originally posted by: NoCorruptionAllowed
a reply to: Prezbo369
Letting people know that they are not alone is not about this thread though. This one is about those who don't have a belief, right?

Did you read the OP? he was asking why there were atheists in an airport talking in public about their lack of belief in gods.

One of the reasons as to why they were doing that, was to let other atheists that they are not alone and that other people also lack a belief in gods.

And I corrected you when it seemed like you were saying that the only reason to do such a thing is to receive some form of validation from others.

Letting people know that their is a God is the other side of the coin. Since we are here, I will tell you a little secret. Atheist belief takes MORE faith than a belief in God.
A belief in God has tons of history, and people showing that it is true. (Obviously not to the satisfaction of non believers), but the fact that atheist belief takes more faith than believing in God does, is pretty obvious.

Atheists like me believe that theists have not met the burden of proof with their claims for gods.

Faith is believing things for no good reason, people merely claiming it is true and a 2000 year old book of stories about stories, are not good reasons.

a reply to: grainofsand

I am quite proud of my rational agnostic atheist label.
...but it gets tiresome when rabid Christians use the word to describe anti-theists, or militant atheists/etc, as while they may well be atheist (not holding a belief in gods), they require added value in their descriptive term as you stated very well earlier.

I'm fine with mine, as well.

'Rabid' is right.


Fact is, we don't know.
Agnostic = Don't know.
I'm an agnostic. I don't know, and I don't want to claim I know, because I don't know, and I want everyone else to know that even though they might or might not know what I don't claim to know, I respect their beliefs anyway. Even if they don't know that they don't know, and since they don't know that this 'not knowing' is the same for everyone. They are not alone.

We just don't know. None of us.

originally posted by: MarkJS
There's some great, beautiful Christian artwork out there.

Is it possible for Atheists and Agnostics to paint masterpieces? ha ha ha

Culturally bankrupt.

That is a HUGE piece of ignorance there. First off, it is an assumption that all artists are religious by default (strange, because I play the mandolin and I'm not religious). Second off, it assumes that atheists can't create things.

a reply to: Prezbo369

Yes, and that is exactly what I was talking about. If you can't understand that from reading what I said, then go complain to someone who cares about you.

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

He seems like a nice guy. But why atheism? Why not Buddhism, or Brahmanism, or Jediism, or something like Annee's spiritual atheism?

Maybe he grew up hearing his former friends preach against atheism all the time. Maybe they pushed him to it. Maybe his education and experience only prepared him for a single binary choice, which, due to his trauma, was made for him by his emotions.

Of course I don't know the guy. So I can't say. I'm just thinking out loud.

👣

a reply to: maxzen2004

" If one of these bozos come up to me, I will tell them they are idiots. "

I also tried that many times with religious nuts...Doesn't work.

Jude11

a reply to: BlueMule

But why atheism? Why not Buddhism, or Brahmanism, or Jediism, or something like Annee's spiritual atheism?

I think it's exactly like Annee's 'spiritual atheism', actually.

He still has a congretation, and they celebrate the fact that life itself is precious, and that we are all connected.
He is growing.
(Aren't we all?)

originally posted by: BuzzyWigs
We just don't know. None of us.

Exactly, theist or atheist.
But to be a theist takes belief in a god, while the basic requirement for an atheist label is to lack such a belief.
It is pitiful to constantly see theists attempting to twist the atheist label into "one who believes there are no gods".

originally posted by: BuzzyWigs
a reply to: BlueMule

But why atheism? Why not Buddhism, or Brahmanism, or Jediism, or something like Annee's spiritual atheism?

I think it's exactly like Annee's 'spiritual atheism', actually.

Oh, I strongly doubt that. Annee's rare and precious perspective has been shaped, in part, by her mystical experiences. But I don't sense any mystical consciousness in DeWitt.

He still has a congretation, and they celebrate the fact that life itself is precious, and that we are all connected.
He is growing.
(Aren't we all?)

Yes indeed!

👣

a reply to: grainofsand

hm.
Well, I was attempting to illustrate the fact that we are all technically and truly 'agnostic'. We Don't Know.

Many who claim they do know attempt to shame others, but not everyone is indoctrinated - and even those who were indoctrinated sometimes break the chains and say "WHAT?!".

Did you happen to watch the CNN vid?

a reply to: BlueMule

Like I said - he's growing.
Think how far he's come.

He'll get there

originally posted by: BuzzyWigs
a reply to: BlueMule

Like I said - he's growing.
Think how far he's come.

He'll get there

Fair enough. I just hope he isn't as cemented/invested in his position as his parents are.

👣

originally posted by: Annee

originally posted by: CharlieSpeirs

originally posted by: RP2SticksOfDynamite

originally posted by: CharlieSpeirs

originally posted by: RP2SticksOfDynamite

originally posted by: andy06shake
a reply to: maxzen2004

I challenge anyone to claim that they dont place there faith or offer up a little prayer to some form of deity before departing on any associated plane journey, even if its only to the machine god that is the aircraft. Especially so these days.

Nope. Don't do that! Pointless!
Atheists tend not to fear death as believers do! maybe because they know that the end is the end!

How do "they know" such a thing!?!


How can you claim such as the above and say it's not a belief system?



Hypo...
Crisy...

Because they not blind minded (stupid)!

When you don't believe in any religion and death is the end thus nothing then there is nothing to believe in thus no belief system exists, only nothing!!!

So their belief is that nothing awaits...


How is your argument designed to convince people it's not a belief system!?!


Who's "stupid"!?!

Atheist means one thing and one thing only: LACK OF BELIEF IN A GOD/DEITY.

That's it. That is the only meaning of atheist.

There is nothing that says an atheist can't have a belief ---- as long as that belief does not include a God.

Each individual atheist has their own philosophy. There is no single thought "dogma".

Sorry I'm late to the party. I've always found this explanation to be a cop out. I think atheists like to cling to this definition because they feel it gives them the high ground in these arguments. It's ultimately just arguing semantics, but in this case such semantics matter.

The reason I believe this definition is incorrect, is because Atheists do indeed hold a belief. The concept of God or the afterlife can neither be proved or disproved. Therefore regardless of which side of the fence you are on, you have a belief about those concepts one way or the other. Saying you don't believe in God is still a belief because you can't prove it.

belief
/bɪˈliːf/
noun
1.
a principle, proposition, idea, etc, accepted as true
2.
opinion; conviction
3.
religious faith
4.
trust or confidence, as in a person or a person's abilities, probity, etc

Agnosticism seems like the most logical approach for someone to take that hasn't experienced personal proof either way.

But on the topic of the OP, there is definitely a movement within the atheist community to proselytize their beliefs. Some have even gone so far as to construct "Atheist Churches", which seems rather absurd to me.

a reply to: BlueMule

wait. I thought we were talking about Jerry Dewitt.
You are talking about the son of the Gnarlys?

a reply to: maxzen2004

An answer to your question:

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Evangelical Atheist: An evangelical atheist is one who not only believes there is no god or other supreme being, but is obsessed with convincing everyone around them to become an atheist too, usually through hard-line intolerance (the kind they accuse other religions of).

When cornered they usually try to put down their opponent's religion and bash them for 'blind faith', not realizing that their belief that there is no god is no more or less valid or provable than the other guy's belief that there is one.

Not to be confused with normal atheists/agnostics, who for the most part just don't talk about religion and accept the beliefs of those around them as their prerogative.

Evangelical atheists are particularly common on the Internet, as organized religion is generally accepted as part of 'the system' of global human society, and lately it's become cool on the Internet to hate 'the system'. Evangelical atheist usually seeks to "convert" borderline theists, often by engaging in debate with fundamentalists.

Nevertheless, some of the brightest minds in the English-speaking world right now argue that religion is the problem.

And we know they’re the brightest minds because they keep telling us they are.

The New Atheists are positively evangelical. They want to make a convert out of you, although if you’re a “dyed-in-the-wool faith-head” they’ll settle for peppering you with insults and sarcasm instead.

What is most worrying is that the New Atheists seem to gain the most followers precisely among the most ambitious and intelligent young people—the people who will be actively shaping government policy in the years to come.

Attracted by the intellectual rebelliousness of the movement, young people fall for its insidious message: join us and you can be one of the smart people.

In the 1800s, Karl Marx and other thinkers systematized this anti-religious hostility. When the followers of Marx gained power in Russia, they were even more ruthless than the French revolutionaries in their suppression of religion.

Similar horrors followed dogmatic Communism wherever it came to power. But most of the English-speaking world was spared this excessive institutional atheism. The United States, in particular, has always zealously guarded the freedom of anyone to practice any religion that does not seriously interfere with public order.

That’s why we’re so surprised and baffled by what we call the New Atheism. For the first time in our relatively tranquil history, we’re facing a determined attempt not just to keep organized religion out of government (which most religious Americans agree is a good idea), but to suppress religion completely.

What we call the “New Atheism” is a bit different than its predecessor. It’s more aggressive, and it has more power.

The leaders of the sect are well placed in the academic world, and they have a strong determination to mold government policy. And you wouldn’t like the government if the New Atheists molded its policy. Richard Dawkins has asserted that teaching your religion to your child is a form of child abuse and should be criminalized. Other New Atheists have argued that churches should have to post a sign reading “for entertainment purposes only,” since after all they’re no less a fraud than telephone psychics.

The New Atheists see religion as a disease to be exterminated. Their dream, in short, is not a government neutral to religion, but a government actively hostile to religion. The evangelical atheists assume that religion must inevitably breed mindless fanaticism. Countering that image means not just answering the atheists’ arguments against God, but also correcting their false impressions of religion.

originally posted by: MarkJS
There's some great, beautiful Christian artwork out there.

Is it possible for Atheists and Agnostics to paint masterpieces? ha ha ha

Culturally bankrupt.

lol..

If you only knew.

I used to work at Klopfenstein Glass studios. The owner was sought after by churches to adorn their temples because it was some of the best in the world.

He wasn't only an atheist he was an anti-theist but he was also a businessman that would keep hs mouth shut for a big enough commission.

He would often comment on how sick of he was of painting Jesus faces.