Atheism is NOT . . . (pray, evolution, believers, belief)
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.......or, even worse, that you don't believe yet because.
1: you haven't tried hard enough
2: god hasn't tapped you on the shoulder yet, but when he does, you will
3: you will on your deathbed
4: you don't really have to...god loves you anyway
5: down deep you do believe but you're just pissed off at him or religion or something and are denying it
and probably many more that we're told all the time.
Many people here at C-D are fuzzy on what atheism is and what it isn't, so I wrote this post to give a little info on what atheism actually entails.
Atheism is:
1) A lack of belief in gods -- ("a" - without; "theism" - god belief; "a-theism" - without god belief). Notice how it is not the positive assertion that no gods exist, it is the absence of belief due to an absence of evidence.
2) There is no (2). The only thing atheism is is a lack of belief in gods.
Atheism is NOT:
1) A religion. Atheism requires nothing of those who lack belief. There are no atheist rituals, no atheist churches, no tenets of atheism, no prayers, no meetings, no rules to follow.
2) A worldview. Individuals who happen to lack believe in gods hold to a myriad of different worldviews. Some are nihilists, some are communitarians, some are pacifists, some are Buddhists, some are Confucians, some are Humanists, some are traditionalists, some are rationalists, some are mystics. The ONLY thing all atheists have in common is a lack of belief in gods.
3) A "life stance." Once again, atheism is just the lack of belief in gods. While some atheists are Secular Humanist or Straight Edge, not all atheists follow these lifestyle choices (in fact, most do not).
4) A belief in evolution. While most atheists accept the scientific fact of evolution, some do not. Accepting evolution is not a requirement of being an atheist.
5) A desire to live immorally. Most atheists have strong personal moral codes that they are not willing to violate.
6) A political ideology. Atheism is not synonymous with liberalism or socialism. Some atheists are liberal, some are conservative, some are right of Rush Limbaugh.
7) An integral part of atheists' lives. While people who are religious tend to place great value on their faith views, atheists almost never think about their atheism. Once again, atheism is a lack of belief in gods. People are defined by what they are, not what they are not. For example: you probably don't believe in the Easter Bunny, but I sincerely doubt that you waste brain cells thinking about your 'aeasterbunnyism.'
8) A philosophy. Atheists hold to a variety of different philosophical views. Atheism is JUST the lack of belief in gods.
9) Hatred of/anger at god. Atheists are not angry with God, we simply do not believe that he/she/it exists. Are you angry at the Invisible Blue Elephant? Do you hate the Flying Spaghetti Monster?
10) Hatred of/anger at religion. While many atheists are frustrated with religion, we are not atheists because we dislike religion. Atheism is just the lack of belief in gods.
11) An anti-family viewpoint. Some atheists hate kids. Some choose not to procreate. Some have small families. Some give the Duggars a run for their money. Once again, atheism has no beliefs or tenets. Each individual atheist has his or her own personal views on family.
Awesome post NS, I really need to get to know another atheist in rl. I'm SOOOOOO alone!!!! I can't say I'm an atheist just yet but honestly it's looking that way. My head is still swimming and anyone who thinks this slide into disbelief is an easy one.....I'd like to get into THEIR head for even a minute.
I gotta share something......yesterday was Thanksgiving, right? Well let's just say the last 6 or 7 Thanksgivings have been sheety and I wasn't looking forward to another depressing ritual of 3 people going out to eat on what should be a day spent with loved ones in a house filled with the smell of turkey and candles. I miss all that with my Grands. That said, I almost started a thread about this night before last but it never happened...I just let it go because I didn't want to be disrespectful to believers.
I was concerned about the prayer......the inevitable prayer that has been a ritual for every single Thanksgiving for 47 of 48 years. I have family that joins hands before every meal and prays. Sorta nice as far as the hand-joining but why can't you join hands and go around and say what you're thankful for, but who are you thankful to? That's my question.........who am I thankful to? Well, guess what happened? The prayer got overlooked, and I didn't have to deal with it!! There apparently was too much going on and everyone forgot about the prayer until after we were eating for 5 or 10 minutes........it was bizarre that my Mother forgot to say the prayer, she's been doing it for the last 15 years or so.
Far too many atheists come across proclaiming that No godsexist for me to buy this. If atheists held a gentlemanly position of lack of belief we wouln't be having all of the heated discussions with, and ridicule towards theists found on this board .
I dont think I've ever agreed with you on anything until i Read this...... first time for everything I guess
However making a blanket statement about all atheists is inaccurate and misinformed. There are some Atheists who do not proclaim "there is not a God" one comes to mind that I know of on this board. That is just being intellectualy honest with ones self. However, those same atheists will tell you that they "do not believe there is a God".
Awesome post NS, I really need to get to know another atheist in rl. I'm SOOOOOO alone!!!! I can't say I'm an atheist just yet but honestly it's looking that way. My head is still swimming and anyone who thinks this slide into disbelief is an easy one.....I'd like to get into THEIR head for even a minute.
I gotta share something......yesterday was Thanksgiving, right? Well let's just say the last 6 or 7 Thanksgivings have been sheety and I wasn't looking forward to another depressing ritual of 3 people going out to eat on what should be a day spent with loved ones in a house filled with the smell of turkey and candles. I miss all that with my Grands. That said, I almost started a thread about this night before last but it never happened...I just let it go because I didn't want to be disrespectful to believers.
I was concerned about the prayer......the inevitable prayer that has been a ritual for every single Thanksgiving for 47 of 48 years. I have family that joins hands before every meal and prays. Sorta nice as far as the hand-joining but why can't you join hands and go around and say what you're thankful for, but who are you thankful to? That's my question.........who am I thankful to? Well, guess what happened? The prayer got overlooked, and I didn't have to deal with it!! There apparently was too much going on and everyone forgot about the prayer until after we were eating for 5 or 10 minutes........it was bizarre that my Mother forgot to say the prayer, she's been doing it for the last 15 years or so.
My point is, is it divine intervention?
You see, that PROVES god exists! lol
My dear, you will be just fine. I always take courage in the fact that none of my former church peers have ANY solid argument to prove their god and thus any real reason I need to follow him. The fear some of us feel about such people is NOT because they have a clue but because, in some places, it is almost embarrassing to NOT front with god. It helps one maintain status, give people reasons to trust you and allows you into "polite" company. What I found out though is, just like in other areas of life where you learn to resist peer pressure, forcing others to eventually respect your stance, they leave you alone and shut up after a a while.
Thanks Insane, I'm feeling really weird about the whole Thanksgiving thing. Ah corumba I know that's not the correct spelling but it's how I feel right now. Sheesh Louise have you ever seen Thelma and Louise?? That's how I'm feeling right now, like I wanna drive off a cliff!! I have no one to talk to in rl because I live in the deep south and everyone is on a different plane of existence, help me!!
Thanks Insane, I'm feeling really weird about the whole Thanksgiving thing. Ah corumba I know that's not the correct spelling but it's how I feel right now. Sheesh Louise have you ever seen Thelma and Louise?? That's how I'm feeling right now, like I wanna drive off a cliff!! I have no one to talk to in rl because I live in the deep south and everyone is on a different plane of existence, help me!!
Ilene I'm sure you have much in your life to be thankful for without invoking a God.
Ilene I'm sure you have much in your life to be thankful for without invoking a God.
Thanks WhipperSnapper 88, I do have a lot to be thankful for but who am I thanking.....myself? I mean, let's get real here, when you're thankful who are you thanking?
Thanks WhipperSnapper 88, I do have a lot to be thankful for but who am I thanking.....myself? I mean, let's get real here, when you're thankful who are you thanking?
It isn't neccessary to credit anyone or anything in order to be grateful/thankful that things have turned out in a way you are content/pleased/satisfied with, even if in some relative manner.
Luck,fate,happenstance as well as whatever effort you or whoever else has put into arriving where you are today.
Thanks Insane, I'm feeling really weird about the whole Thanksgiving thing. Ah corumba I know that's not the correct spelling but it's how I feel right now. Sheesh Louise have you ever seen Thelma and Louise?? That's how I'm feeling right now, like I wanna drive off a cliff!! I have no one to talk to in rl because I live in the deep south and everyone is on a different plane of existence, help me!!
Well, I live in N.Y and even when I was in South Florida, I was not in some bible zone. However, I am from the Caribbean, a HOTBED of British conservatism and Christian culture. My mom's a Christian and so are my aunts, cousins and neighbors. My mother almost had a heart attack when she found out that I was no longer a Christian (I am the one who "led" her to Christ). Interestingly enough though, she quickly left me alone because she knows how well I know the bible, but even more-so, she realizes I have NOT changed one bit. I'm still that good son she has always known. Neither she nor any of my former church peers have nothing to say to me about church or religion. I leave them alone and they leave me alone. They know if they have NO argument, it's best to just shut up and not even start on the subject.
Well, you have us here on City-Data and if you visit ex-Christian.net and check out the testimonials, you might pick up some online friends you can speak a common language with until you start to take on a "I don't give two _____ what anyone thinks" attitude. Like I keep telling you, you will be just fine. Just have patience. In fact, your decision might, in the long run, prove to be beneficial to you and I have "faith" it will.
Thanks WhipperSnapper 88, I do have a lot to be thankful for but who am I thanking.....myself? I mean, let's get real here, when you're thankful who are you thanking?
Why do you need to be thanking anyone or anything in particular? I see thanksgiving as a time to be thankful for all the positive things you have in your life and realizing that things could be much worse.
Quote:
Originally Posted by old_cold
It isn't neccessary to credit anyone or anything in order to be grateful/thankful that things have turned out in a way you are content/pleased/satisfied with, even if in some relative manner.
Luck,fate,happenstance as well as whatever effort you or whoever else has put into arriving where you are today.
What he said.
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