Should Atheism be a thing????

a reply to: MotherMayEye

Thanks, I appreciate that.

My definition of 'God' (though I just call it 'the universe') is the unexplainable. The things that I know to happen that are so far from traditional science that they seem impossible. For example, the law of attraction. My consciousness and thought somehow affects the world around me. I've had enough experiences to know beyond doubt that it exists. I just say, "That's the way the universe works" and try to understand it more as I go through life.

I do believe there is a logical explanation to that occurrence, however it's not something hat science has been able to discover yet. I believe science will have to embrace aspects of spirituality for that to ever happen.

I don't believe in gods the word for that is "atheism".

Since there have been people having a hard time with understanding that word why not switch back to "people that don't believe in gods".

Ah, doesn't really matter just thought I would throw out the suggestion. If people get it or don't get it I still wont start believing in gods.

originally posted by: Woodcarver
It is not actually the gods we disbelieve in, it is the claim that gods exist that we do not believe.

But why don't you believe the claim that gods exist?

Seems to me it would have to be that you don't believe in the gods themselves. You surely couldn't say, " I believe in gods, but I don't believe your claim that gods exist."

So logically you have to disbelieve in gods as well, no?

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: Raggedyman

To be fair, saying "I don't believe" is a faith statement, atheists have a choice
Also there is a group of atheists who choose to believe without evidence other things

Not believing is a form of belief ? I believe people should have veracity and not believe anything blindly because they were told or read it somewhere.

Nothing wrong with holding in reserve until proof beyond a shadow of a doubt. This can only take the form of a spiritual encounter thats undeniable. Unlike others who tell us to believe or do something or read and believe something, because they say so.

I have more respect for those that examine the evidence, withholding judgement than in the blind follower.

Not believing in itself is not so much, it's when that non belief becomes evangelical, a fact a statement to be shared and preached
I know non believers who I wouldn't call atheists, they just don't believe, others, they preach their non belief at people
The non belief becomes a creed to be spread

Others who reject their belief become targets of ridicule or conversion.

a reply to: scojak

I believe in an ultimate creator power...but I don't believe in any of the depicted god(s), from current times or previous. Is that any different? Because that's literally my stance on the matter....

A2D

a reply to: Akragon

Lol, really
Calling people names and then laughing about it
Ask, I just can't believe you can excuse and justify yourself

It's pathetic, my hero

a reply to: Raggedyman

Like i said... i call it as i see it


and ya... its funny...

Since i am your hero evidently... you should write a thread about me, instead of bringing this garbage to every discussion we have...

you'll have to wait til its allowed unfortunately...

maybe one day

originally posted by: Raggedyman


Not believing in itself is not so much, it's when that non belief becomes evangelical, a fact a statement to be shared and preached
I know non believers who I wouldn't call atheists, they just don't believe, others, they preach their non belief at people
The non belief becomes a creed to be spread

Others who reject their belief become targets of ridicule or conversion.

You don't see the hypocrisy in this? Religious folk get mad because atheists are spreading atheism... Atheists get mad because religious folk are spreading their religion... Meanwhile people like me just sit here and watch the world burn because ya'll are too dumb to realise you're two peas in a pod quarreling over whose pod it is...

A2D

originally posted by: scojak

originally posted by: Woodcarver
It is not actually the gods we disbelieve in, it is the claim that gods exist that we do not believe.

But why don't you believe the claim that gods exist?

Seems to me it would have to be that you don't believe in the gods themselves. You surely couldn't say, " I believe in gods, but I don't believe your claim that gods exist."

So logically you have to disbelieve in gods as well, no?

Ah...here's the disconnect...

There are actually some people that make the argument that atheists 'disbelieving' in god/s means that atheists know god/s exist but choose to disbelieve its/their existence due to some kind of defiance/denial.

You seem to be more grounded than that though.

***

Also, i wouldn't even want to try to disprove your personal beliefs. If they work for you...I don't see anything wrong with them or anything worth dissecting. They're no better or worse than my own.

You gotta be you and I gotta be me!

a reply to: Agree2Disagree

I guess it depends on how you define 'ultimate creator power'. Seem to me a 'creator' is still a being of sorts, so depicted or not, I think that falls under the definition of a god.

a reply to: scojak

That's your first instinct when your hear the word "creator".

However, per my beliefs, the creator of all things is not a being by any measure. There is no consciousness...there is no physical body...there is no ethereal body... there is only energy. The energy doesn't always work together.. it just flows and crashes and creates and destroys...

A2D

I had always thought the atheist was defined by their belief that we are all reduced to being just organic matter brought to life with electricity. That once this life ends, you are done. Your electric signals within the body go dark and that is that. It is not so much the disbelief of the afterlife or gods, but that the spiritual does not exist, period. The god stuff was just added later because of this exact discussion.

When did this all change?

Just for DISRAELI, why are you people trying to tarnish the agnostic name (praise to you) by conflating the greater glory and the true path with the unholy atheist?

originally posted by: JoshuaCox

Should atheism be considered a separate group???

Most of us don't consider ourselves as a separate group. We do consider ourselves as separate from "faith based" groups though. Consider us the Missouri of the USA...you know...the guys that want you to "show me."

But humanity has a hard time with NOT classifying things. If we see something, we want to know where it fits in in our spectrum, how it works, where it belongs. The idea is taught to us from the very beginning of our lives. It's in every society.

So those that don't "fit in" with that norm of believing in myths...we get classified as "atheist" and that's okay. I don't think some of us mind.

originally posted by: ClovenSky
I had always thought the atheist was defined by their belief that we are all reduced to being just organic matter brought to life with electricity. That once this life ends, you are done. Your electric signals within the body go dark and that is that. It is not so much the disbelief of the afterlife or gods, but that the spiritual does not exist, period. The god stuff was just added later because of this exact discussion.

When did this all change?

It never changed because that has never been a definition for 'atheism.'

I'm an atheist that doesn't discount the idea of *something* after death.

originally posted by: MotherMayEye
Ah...here's the disconnect...

There are actually some people that make the argument that atheists 'disbelieving' in god/s means that atheists know god/s exist but choose to disbelieve its/their existence due to some kind of defiance/denial.

You seem to be more grounded than that though.

Ya, that's the pop-culture version. To be a true Atheist, you have to have absolutely no belief in any god. That's why I get involved in these conversations. Call me sadistic, but I love making people question their beliefs, especially Atheists because deep down, they all seem to have a belief in something.

Also, i wouldn't even want to try to disprove your personal beliefs. If they work for you...I don't see anything wrong with them or anything worth dissecting. They're no better or worse than my own.

You gotta be you and I gotta be me!

Same here, if it makes you happy or strive to be a better person, amen to that. We need more of it. I just think a personal belief/religion should be true to yourself, not something you believe because they taught it to you in Sunday school.

a reply to: Akragon

No my intelectual giant friend and hero who calls anyone who disagrees with him a moron, you super smart man you
You are my hero, belittling people, I want to be just like you, arrogant and smarmy
Low go cry to a mod that I am not calling you a moron but pointing out that calling people names makes you feel superior, you need to do that, I wonder why though

The words "atheist" and "atheism" are labels.

When we label things, it is a way of separating something from the crowd.

Discriminate
1. recognize a distinction; differentiate. "babies can discriminate between different facial expressions".

synonyms: differentiate, distinguish, draw/recognize a distinction, tell the difference, discern a difference.

2. make an unjust or prejudicial distinction in the treatment of different categories of people, especially on the grounds of race, sex, or age. "existing employment policies discriminate against women".

synonyms: be biased, show prejudice, be prejudiced.

Source: Google dictionary

Applying labels is something people do to separate themselves from something else or visa versa.

The word "heathen" is similar to "atheist".

Heathen
1. a person who does not belong to a widely held religion (especially one who is not a Christian, Jew, or Muslim) as regarded by those who do. "my brother and I were raised, as my grandma puts it, as heathens"

synonyms: pagan, infidel, idolater, idolatress, unbeliever, non-believer, disbeliever, atheist, non-theist, agnostic, sceptic, heretic, rarepaynim, nullifidian. "he said non-believers were wicked heathens"

antonyms: Christian, believer.

synonyms: philistine, boor, oaf, ignoramus, lout, yahoo, vulgarian, plebeian, barbarian, savage, beast, brute. "heathens who spoil the flavour of good whisky with ice".

antonyms: civilized person

Source: Google dictionary

Sorta says it all . . . . .

So just because I have not met "God" and seen him with my own eyes is no reason to label me as "atheist" or "heathen".

(snip) . . . . Such as flat earthers.. there is no designation for those who believe in a round earth. So why should atheists be considered a specific group for not believing in any of the worlds religions.

Source post in this thread

Wonderfully said there JoshuaCox.

. . . . . unless of course, someone wants to shout from within the crowd with pitchforks and flaming torches; "There's an atheist! Burn him!"

The word "Atheist" is something perhaps best suited to the thinking of the Inquisitors of the Church of Rome?

originally posted by: JoshuaCox
With everything else in the world except religion, we assign a group OR “ism” for people who believe in something without evidence OR refuse to believe in something with abundant evidence..


Such as flat earthers.. there is no designation for those who believe in a round earth..

So why should atheists be considered a specific group for not believing in any of the worlds religions..

here is where your train of logic left the track... we don't have a designation for flat-earthers and no designation for round-earthers because of believing or not believing... but because the flat earthers are the minority... just as atheists, at least those who will admit it, have been the minority most of the time. it's just about having a label for what is non-dominant or not usually assumed to be the case.

a reply to: Agree2Disagree

Where did the energy come from?

a reply to: scojak

Don't know.

A2D