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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".
I agree. I thought my "far too many" covered that. But to clairify I believe that while many atheists proclaim there are no gods. Means just that. Many, not all. Many being the operative word here.
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.
While that is true, you have to guard against people who would use it as a platform to push their own agenda in the "Politics of Power" game.
Those people should be brutally and viciously attacked at every opportunity, or they will ultimately cause you harm.
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Originally Posted by northstar22
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.
Yes, I'm a Constructivist.
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Originally Posted by northstar22
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).
Based on what I know, I'm inclined to believe that some atheists are atheists because they cannot accept a god who will not accept their life-style.
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Originally Posted by northstar22
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.
I accept Evolution except as it applies to recent human evolution.
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Originally Posted by northstar22
5) A desire to live immorally. Most atheists have strong personal moral codes that they are not willing to violate.
Indeed. How sad is it that the majority of atheist are more moral than gods.
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Originally Posted by northstar22
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.
And no one is right of me.
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Originally Posted by northstar22
While people who are religious tend to place great value on their faith views, atheists almost never think about their atheism.
That is an excellent point, and one that I think is often over-looked.
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Originally Posted by northstar22
A philosophy. Atheists hold to a variety of different philosophical views. Atheism is JUST the lack of belief in gods.
I'm more into Hegel, especially Hegelian Dialectics than anything else. I dismiss most of the stuff like Jungian and Existentialism.
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.
I agree with you on many things here. Many assume atheism is something it isn't. However to say it isn't a world view, view of religion, or that they don't worry about or think about atheist things is a bit false. Atheism as it is portrayed on this forum is a world view, view of religion, and shows that the atheists on here do think about atheists standpoints. If they didn't there would be no atheism sub forum, atheists would interrupt threads that they have no purpose involving themselves in. They wouldn't post forums that are very anti-religious or spiritual. They wouldn't post things like "how a belief in god is false" to post such things makes it obvious that someone took time to think about it, and type it out. So, if any of what you said was true, as an atheist, you would simply not involve yourself in anything that involves a god or deity. Most would not involve themselves with anything they do not partake in. It makes little sense to make a case against a deity or religion you don't believe in.
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!!
One reason why we are here and thank G... Random factors...for the Internet. I too, as Stan Laurel put it, live in the South...south London, and the Bible belt it ain't, but there is no- one I can talk to who gives a crap about atheism. They just don't believe, so what's to talk about?
Thus one reason for being here is to give me a chance to rabbit about the ideas in my head...just the same as you.
I agree. I thought my "far too many" covered that. But to clairify I believe that while many atheists proclaim there are no gods. Means just that. Many, not all. Many being the operative word here.
Maybe the subject for a poll thread - when they they say there is no god
(1) They don't think there is a Biblegod ITO
(2) They don't think there is any kind of god
(3) they know there is no Biblegod
(4) they know there is no kind of any possible god.
Let's ask they what they think rather than tell them.
I agree with you on many things here. Many assume atheism is something it isn't. However to say it isn't a world view, view of religion, or that they don't worry about or think about atheist things is a bit false. Atheism as it is portrayed on this forum is a world view, view of religion, and shows that the atheists on here do think about atheists standpoints. If they didn't there would be no atheism sub forum, atheists would interrupt threads that they have no purpose involving themselves in. They wouldn't post forums that are very anti-religious or spiritual. They wouldn't post things like "how a belief in god is false" to post such things makes it obvious that someone took time to think about it, and type it out. So, if any of what you said was true, as an atheist, you would simply not involve yourself in anything that involves a god or deity. Most would not involve themselves with anything they do not partake in. It makes little sense to make a case against a deity or religion you don't believe in.
Yes, that applies to a good many atheists. Many atheists don't even know they are atheists. I didn't for a long while. I just thought of myself as not believing but not definite that there was no god.
Most don't think about it - it isn't important. Most are prepared to keep their non - belief and let others keep their belief. That's fine, but the problem there is that for evil men to prosper all that is required is for the good men to do nothing. That's a saying. I use it as a metaphor of the need to oppose what's wrong, not to brand believers 'evil'.
Atheists here who think about the issues see the need to actively counter the constant theist apologetics, polemics and evangelism, quite apart the ongoing smear campaign against atheism and atheists.
Even those are slow to see that atheism should be just one facet of a rational worldview which does not credit the unproven with belief.
One reason why we are here and thank G... Random factors...for the Internet. I too, as Stan Laurel put it, live in the South...south London, and the Bible belt it ain't, but there is no- one I can talk to who gives a crap about atheism. They just don't believe, so what's to talk about?
Thus one reason for being here is to give me a chance to rabbit about the ideas in my head...just the same as you.
So what are you saying Arequipa? "They".........who is "they"?? The people around you or "they" who don't believe in "god" period? I don't really know what your point is. Rabbit?
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?
...and did you bother to consider the millions of other past threads covering this same topic?
The only way to avoid having a world view is to be brain dead...or very nearly so. God either exists or no God exists. You can't have it both ways.
Your life decisions must either include or exclude God. There is no middle ground.
Haggling over definitions isn't going to give you or anyone else a free pass from being in the position of having to defend the incoherent, nonsense reasoning innate in any view that excludes God.
actually I disbelieve there to be a god, much less that it could worm its' way into my worldview. I doubt that the nonexistent plots.
So what are you saying Arequipa? "They".........who is "they"?? The people around you or "they" who don't believe in "god" period? I don't really know what your point is. Rabbit?
Well, if you say "thanks" openly and something answers, I'd haul posterior. LOL
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Random factors...for the Internet. I too, as Stan Laurel put it, live in the South...south London, and the Bible belt it ain't, but there is no- one I can talk to who gives a crap about atheism. They just don't believe, so what's to talk about? 
