Atheism discussion thread

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TubeTote

TubeTote

Senior member
May 11, 2006
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I don't wish to start one of those 'do you believe in God' threads here, have seen plenty of that and don't think anyone will really be convinced one way or the other on a forum. I have seen some excellent arguements on both sides, though I would say the athiests usually tend to make a better case IMHO (though I don't identify myself as one). I would ask that people who identify themselves as religious/believers to not respond here, as I really want to know what athiests believe, and what their value systems are based on. I would like this thread to be friendly and informative.

As for myself, I'm somewhere between a deist and agnostic. I most definately believe in a higher power that we cannot understand with our limited mammalian brains. I don't really know what that power is, or if it actually has awareness, and have given up on trying to fully understand it...but I have had too many experiences in my life that have proven to me that some sort of spiritual realm does indeed exist. Therefore, I don't think I could ever consider myself an athiest.

Do athiests believe in ANY sort of higher power or being? Do they believe that there is / are spiritual realm(s)? Isn't atheism as extreme of a belief system as a religious fanatic in that there is so much certainty? I am interested in knowing what an athiest believes about the meaning of life and the order of the universe, or anything else pertinent to identifying oneself as an athiest.
 
mb

mb

Lifer
Jun 27, 2004
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BelgiumWaffle.jpg
 
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Matthiasa

Diamond Member
May 4, 2009
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Hmm.... quick summary of of atheism-
noun 1. the doctrine or belief that there is no God.
2. disbelief in the existence of a supreme being or beings.

and so you have it a dictionary answers your question. :p
 
So

So

Lifer
Jul 2, 2001
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An atheist is someone who rejects all claims that gods exist, and some atheists (so called "strong" atheists) also accept the positive claim that no gods exist. This may not be how theists (and therefore the public at large) define the term atheist, but I would say most atheists do.

The best argument for atheism is that there is no objective reproducible evidence for the existence of the supernatural (that has been presented thus far).

Also, religious fanatics usually believe that certain things should be done because of their beliefs (i.e. ban abortion / holy war / convert unbelievers forcibly). While strong atheists meet one specific requirement of being religious (convinced they are right) they miss most of the requirements. Strong atheists are religious only in the sense that people who are absolutely convinced that 2 + 2 = 4 can be considered religious - that they are sure they are correct. Even strong atheists can reach no other conclusions about actions that should be taken from their atheism.

Also: /lawnchair.
 
TubeTote

TubeTote

Senior member
May 11, 2006
413
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So said:
An atheist is someone who rejects all claims that gods exist, and some atheists (so called "strong" atheists) also accept the positive claim that no gods exist. This may not be how theists (and therefore the public at large) define the term atheist, but I would say most atheists do.

The best argument for atheism is that there is no objective reproducible evidence for the existence of the supernatural (that has been presented thus far).

Also, religious fanatics usually believe that certain things should be done because of their beliefs (i.e. ban abortion / holy war / convert unbelievers forcibly). While strong atheists meet one specific requirement of being religious (convinced they are right) they miss most of the requirements. Strong atheists are religious only in the sense that people who are absolutely convinced that 2 + 2 = 4 can be considered religious - that they are sure they are correct. Even strong atheists can reach no other conclusions about actions that should be taken from their atheism.
Click to expand...

Excellent, that is the kinds of things I am looking to know. Thank you.
 
GodlessAstronomer

GodlessAstronomer

Lifer
Oct 27, 2007
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TubeTote said:
Do athiests believe in ANY sort of higher power or being? Do they believe that there is / are spiritual realm(s)?
Click to expand...
This is like asking if Christians believe in Bigfoot - it depends on which person you ask. Atheism doesn't preclude spiritualism, if that's what you're asking.
 
GodlessAstronomer

GodlessAstronomer

Lifer
Oct 27, 2007
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Matthiasa said:
1. the doctrine or belief that there is no God.
2. disbelief in the existence of a supreme being or beings.
Click to expand...
Neither of those are correct.
An atheist doesn't believe in a god. This is not the same as actively disbelieving in a god. Some atheists may actively disbelieve but it's not a necessary condition for atheism.
 
M

Matthiasa

Diamond Member
May 4, 2009
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GodlessAstronomer said:
Neither of those are correct.
An atheist doesn't believe in a god. This is not the same as actively disbelieving in a god. Some atheists may actively disbelieve but it's not a necessary condition for atheism.
Click to expand...

They are both correct as that is the definition, you know how the word is defined...
Thats like saying I now means pizza just because you say so...
 
destrekor

destrekor

Lifer
Nov 18, 2005
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GodlessAstronomer said:
Neither of those are correct.
An atheist doesn't believe in a god. This is not the same as actively disbelieving in a god. Some atheists may actively disbelieve but it's not a necessary condition for atheism.
Click to expand...

This.

At the most basic level, one can look at an atheist like someone looks at a person who doesn't believe in Santa Clause.
Because at the simplest level, an atheist is just that - someone who lacks a belief in a deity.

Most of these people can be classified Atheist-Agnostic: they don't believe, because they don't follow the logic of blind faith - they want evidence. In short, they wouldn't hesitate to "accept" a deity should testable evidence come forth.
Whereas a hardline atheist is someone who has a rather active voice against faith, essentially everyone goes about it differently but it goes beyond simply not believing.
 
Leros

Leros

Lifer
Jul 11, 2004
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amdhunter said:
I don't even like the term Atheism because Atheism sounds like a religion.
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Same here. Atheism is simply the absence of religious beliefs.

The best analogy I've heard. "Healthy" is the absence of illness. "Healthy" is not the illness in which you do not have any other illnesses.
 
Jeff7

Jeff7

Lifer
Jan 4, 2001
41,596
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Do athiests believe in ANY sort of higher power or being?
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Gravity and light. :p
I think it's quite likely that there are more advanced lifeforms elsewhere in the Universe. Granted, there's always going to be a "most" anything in existence, and there's a slim chance that we are the most complex, intelligent things that have developed thus far. But I doubt that's the case.
Now, have we been visited by any of this life? I doubt it, at least not in an interactive manner. (That, or they only seem to interact with people who are already mentally unstable.)

Do they believe that there is / are spiritual realm(s)?
Click to expand...
I don't. We're mammals, there's no "spirit," when you die, that's it, you're as conscious and aware as you were before birth - zip, nothing. If you want to leave anything behind, it's in the memories of those who are still alive.


Isn't atheism as extreme of a belief system as a religious fanatic in that there is so much certainty?
Click to expand...
*shrug*
Question: Is there a god/deity?
Possible answers: Yes/No
How very extreme. :p

Also, time to whip this out again.
And add to that list the other deities that will surely be conjured up in the future.
 
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