It looks like you're using an Ad Blocker.

Please white-list or disable AboveTopSecret.com in your ad-blocking tool.

Thank you.

 

Some features of ATS will be disabled while you continue to use an ad-blocker.

 

Is Atheism a Religious Faith?

page: 1
1
<<   2  3  4 >>

log in

join
share:

posted on Jun, 17 2003 @ 07:53 PM
link   
I've noticed, reading threads and posts in here and elsewhere, that there are people who wear atheism as a badge of honour which they feel somehow proves their rationality -- as though anyone who believes in any kind of g-d, or life after death, etc., is irrational, deluded or is insane/mad.

I would like to postulate, for mere converstaion and topic, that the atheist in his or her conviction that there is no g-d or/and no life after death, etc., is also professing a religious 'faith'-- in the sense that atheism is a belief system, as is all religious faith's, like any other, that is entirely unsupported by scientific evidence's.

regards
seekerof



posted on Jun, 17 2003 @ 07:56 PM
link   
I wouldn't call atheism a religion, more a belief.

Agnosticism is safer for social affiliators.



posted on Jun, 17 2003 @ 08:02 PM
link   

Originally posted by Seekerof
in the sense that atheism is a belief system, as is all religious faith's, like any other


You misunderstand.

Atheism is the "lack of belief" in anything spiritual, mystic, or metaphysical.



posted on Jun, 17 2003 @ 08:09 PM
link   
Very interesting indeed.

Collins: "belief that there is no God".
Macquarie: "the doctrine that there is no God".

Semantic... a belief is a belief, but a 'doctrine' implies a system of principles to be advocated.

I think there is another way of looking at the issue as well.

Q. Where did we come from?
A. Insert your doctrine here.



posted on Jun, 17 2003 @ 08:40 PM
link   
I agree William, but is not that "lack of belief" also a belief system within itself? Would not that belief system also be considered a 'faith' resulting in a religious dogma or appearance, per se'?

In other words, to not believe in G-d or etc.....does this not require the notion of faith to "not believe" as certain that what you believe is actually correct?


regards
seekerof



posted on Jun, 17 2003 @ 08:58 PM
link   
Circular logic.

No. By not having faith in a belief system, one does not automatically subscribe to another "faith".

I choose not to believe. That is not a faith, but an opinion that is often difficult for people who have lived most of their life with a faith to understand. And unlike those with faith, I don't attempt to convince people my way is better.



posted on Jun, 17 2003 @ 08:59 PM
link   
religion
SYLLABICATION: re�li�gion
PRONUNCIATION: AUDIO: r-ljn KEY
NOUN: 1a. Belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe. b. A personal or institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship.
2. The life or condition of a person in a religious order.
3. A set of beliefs, values, and practices based on the teachings of a spiritual leader.
4. A cause, principle, or activity pursued with zeal or conscientious devotion.
IDIOM: get religion Informal 1. To become religious or devout.
2. To resolve to end one's immoral behavior.
ETYMOLOGY: Middle English religioun, from Old French religion, from Latin religi, religin-, perhaps from religre, to tie fast. See rely.
---------------------------------------------------------------------

accepting the above english language, how can you remotely contemplate athiesim as a religion?
how about we contemplate communisim as a democracy, it would be closer.

the end

tut tut



posted on Jun, 17 2003 @ 09:56 PM
link   
Hi Tututkamen,

I did not postulate that Atheism IS a 'religion; I postulated that Atheism might be considered a religious 'faith'.... a belief system of sorts, so to speak.

William gave a very good answer but in truth, many who follow 'atheism' or who are 'atheist', do not think as WIlliam has commented....that atheism is 'lack of belief' in anything spiritual, mystic or metaphysical.

For the sake of the topic and discussion, as I stated in the original post, I am postualting that Atheist do indeed have a 'belief system'. One may 'choose' not to believe, as William said, and call it opinion, but many 'atheist' carry that 'opinion' to the point of equating it to a 'faith' of sorts. Hence my topic. Overall, could Atheism be considered a religious faith?

I have discussed this before on other large BB's, just for discussion sakes, mind you, and to be perfectly honest, I have never had such a intelligent, logical, well defined answer given as was given by William. But again, he is one of the few true atheist that think as he thinks. Many atheist adhere to their non-belief as a 'religious faith' as does a believer adhereing to his or her religious faith.

Thank you for responding all. Much appreciated. This topic was started merely for discussion purposes and not controversy. Many thanks...awesome board.


regards
seekerof



posted on Jun, 17 2003 @ 10:06 PM
link   
You've probably encountered several versions of "what is atheism" because many atheists tend to be more "anti-religion" than non-religious. They might think the difference is subtle, but it is significant.

The "true atheist" understands religion, comprehends science, and forsakes considerations of belief in things mystical without attempting to "convert" people away from religion. We often see vicious people here who, while claiming (or screaming) they are atheist, demonstrate more a anti-religion position... which is not atheism.

Thanks for the compliment... and odd irony some time ago... before I took over the role of administering the technology and design of the ATS discussion boards, I was a moderator of the Religion forum. (I still blame Thomas Crowne!)



posted on Jun, 17 2003 @ 10:14 PM
link   
Atheism is a religion for which I have not enough faith.



posted on Jun, 17 2003 @ 10:15 PM
link   
I was moderating religion at Metatus for a bit. I never went there because it didn't really interest me. I finally went there when a member e-mailed me about death threats against her. That was about the only time I deleted threads instead of moving them. Then I got admin. status and quickly removed my name as a moderator of Religion, of course everyone knew I was an administrator, though.

I do agree you people are getting too caught up in semantics. And no, atheism is not a faith.



posted on Jun, 17 2003 @ 10:17 PM
link   

Originally posted by William

Originally posted by Seekerof
in the sense that atheism is a belief system, as is all religious faith's, like any other


You misunderstand.

Atheism is the "lack of belief" in anything spiritual, mystic, or metaphysical.




-------------------------------------------------------------------------

well lets see
for the sake of discussion, i will discuss
atheisim is the lack of faith
religion is the belief in the purpose of faith

touche

tut tut



semantics will drive you nuts
all hail the tower of Babylon
that destroyed universal language
-----------------------------------------



posted on Jun, 17 2003 @ 10:20 PM
link   

Originally posted by Freddie
I was moderating religion at Metatus for a bit. I never went there because it didn't really interest me. I finally went there when a member e-mailed me about death threats against her. That was about the only time I deleted threads instead of moving them. Then I got admin. status and quickly removed my name as a moderator of Religion, of course everyone knew I was an administrator, though.

I do agree you people are getting too caught up in semantics. And no, atheism is not a faith.


----------------------------------------------------------------------

all hail Chicago,Blues,and Belushi



posted on Jun, 17 2003 @ 10:31 PM
link   
I'm on a mission from God, Tut. BTW, Lower Wacker (great scene in Blue's Brothers) is completely different now. It is not nearly as much fun to drive on late at night now. Oh, well, progress.



posted on Jun, 17 2003 @ 10:32 PM
link   
ponder this

AUTHOR: Francis Bacon (1561-1626)
QUOTATION: A little philosophy inclineth man's mind to atheism, but depth in philosophy bringeth men's minds about to religion. Note 1
ATTRIBUTION: Of Atheism.

Note 1. Who are a little wise the best fools be.�Dr. John Donne: Triple Fool. A little skill in antiquity inclines a man to Popery; but depth in that study brings him about again to our religion.�Thomas Fuller: The Holy State. The True Church Antiquary. A little learning is a dangerous thing.�Alexander Pope: Essay on Criticism, part ii. line 15.


tut tut



posted on Jun, 17 2003 @ 10:32 PM
link   
The greek word for ''Atheist'' means without a God...
Disbeleif of God...



posted on Jun, 17 2003 @ 10:53 PM
link   
The way I see it is that atheism is a faith that believes there is no God while theism is a faith that believes there is a God. However the way most so called atheists act, it is a religion. Once upon a time, I was a atheist - a true atheist. (William seems to respond like a true atheist.) As a true atheist, I did not waste my time Bible bashing or Christian bashing as these so called aheists today do. I considered being Christian as being a merely harmless foible. As long as they stayed on their side of the block, I stayed on my side. In fact, I tended to stay away from other atheists because they always wanted to get into the Christian bashing mode. One night, one of these guys mananged to get me to go to one of their meetings. There were five people there for a Bible study!!!!!!! This guy spent an hour and a half thrashing the Bible. My thought was, "What a Maroon!!!!" What a way to waste a Saturday night. I left as politely as possible and went to a bar and picked up a "working girl" and went back to my apartment. Now that is the way a true atheist will spend his Saturday night. Most of these guys who claim to be athesits seem to spend a lot of their time sitting around and trying to convince each other and every one else that God does not exist. If they really truly believed that there is no God, then they wouldn't waste their time in trying to convince themselves that there is no God by Bible bashing, etc.



posted on Jun, 17 2003 @ 10:58 PM
link   
Thank you jagdflieger for another... um spin.. on the topic. (I was thinking of a pun to go with the working girl... but better not)

So I think we need to redefine our terminology.

atheism = no faith. no religion.

anti-theism = the religion against religion.


This seems to better define the topic.



posted on Jun, 17 2003 @ 11:07 PM
link   
Some atheists want to spend their time in quiet enjoyment of the plant they were born on or migrated to, away from righteousness, preaching and holy wars/jihad.

It doesn't seem a reasonable goal to convert all Muslims to Christianity or Hinduism or other faiths, or vice versa in any combination. (Which just now causes me to question what's going on with a faith that determines that it has any exclusivity in number). It does seem to be reasonable to live your life to the full, and make a contribution in line with your potential.

Does your position on this issue not depend on your answer to the question, "Where did we come from?"

Wouldn't the world be better if we allowed a multiplicity of answers to that? At some point, the answer might be clearer to homo sapiens. It sure isn't clear to me now.

Agnostic/tolerant/evolutionist/anti-religion/anti-corruption box. Oops does that make me a 'liberal' by ATS definition?



posted on Jun, 17 2003 @ 11:08 PM
link   
William, that is very cerebral of you! Is there a way to get that idea circulated throughout the country so people might be able to more distinctly define themselves? That would help greatly.

You'd think this would have already been done. I think the anti-theists want to hide behind the atheirst banner.




top topics



 
1
<<   2  3  4 >>

log in

join