What is Atheism?

Old 04-29-2010, 05:27 PM
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What is Atheism?

It seems there is some confusion about what the word 'atheist' means.

I'll keep it real simple.

'A' means lacking. 'Theism' means belief in a supernatural diety (or more than one).

No belief. Absence of belief. Lacking belief.

Atheists do NOT inherently assert that there is/are no god/gods. Are there some who do? You betcha...but you can bet your butt I'm not one of them.


It's time that people give atheists respect. If you don't know anything about atheism do what I did. There is plenty of information on the internet about atheism by atheists. Read, read, and then read some more. That is all.
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Old 04-29-2010, 05:34 PM
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Welcome back Bam

I think the problem is there are literal definitions - and then there are many many individual definitions....kinda like 'recovery'....or 'christians' LOL

D
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Old 04-29-2010, 05:51 PM
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Absolutely understand and under normal circumstances over a beer or two as non-alcoholics this would be a fascinating subject...

But as it was discussed in the 12 step secular, and clearly a load of people will end up living screwed up miserable lives or die from alcoholism whilst they have a drink in one hand and alan carrs guide to stopping drinking in the other, it is important to question what the individual means by athiesm because all athiests i have met passionately dont believe in God and there is a personal reason why they do not, i.e. something that happened in their lives.

As was discussed though even if someone is simply a person who has no belief in God etc, they must believe in something, e.g. laws of gravity...try and float off into the sky if you cant gravity is a power greater than you!
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Old 04-29-2010, 06:35 PM
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Like the saying goes: I don't believe in anything. I'm a scientist.

Richard Dawkins has a great line, something like "we are all atheists, I just take it one God farther". In other words, no one believes in all possible gods, which means they don't believe in some. Most believe only in one, or a set that goes together. But, given that there are thousands, if not millions of "gods" (or trillions, if each human has their own interpretation), then you could argue that even the most devout is 99.99%+ atheistic. And given that most of us are skeptics, and a good skeptic won't believe in "no gods" either, then we are probably not 100% atheistic. Perhaps 99.99%+, though. We are all pretty much in the same place.

QED

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Old 04-29-2010, 06:44 PM
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Someone once told me this; "A rock is rock whether you believe in it or not. It's still gonna hurt if you trip over it." I know that's not exactly prime time Spinoza but it did give me something to meditate on.

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Old 04-29-2010, 07:03 PM
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I'm an Atheist. What that means to me is that I do not believe there is a God or Gods as commonly described by creationism. I do not even hold onto any kind of notion that there might even be one.

I believe we all have a pure person inside of us devoid of prejudice and ego. This is the part of my I try to get in touch with. My higher power lies in humanity. I can give things up to humanity by letting go of my ego and seeking outside help. I am growing. I feed my mind regularly to keep myself balanced. This will sometimes include even reading the bible. As it's a great work. However, I believe there was no divine hand in the writing. Rather a mosaic of great thinkers.

I do not use the word "pray" because of the connotation that it is directed to a deity. So, I use self-implorations. I will ask of that pure part of me to "Be the most helpful person I can today for myself and others".

I do not do these directed to others. I do not believe praying for anyone does boo except to the person praying. So, if someone is dying. A imploration I would use would go along the lines of "May I be the best friend I can be for this dying human".
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Old 04-29-2010, 07:05 PM
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Yes, but haven't you ever tripped over something that *wasn't* there? I'm sure you didn't think it was a supernatural rock placed in your way, right?
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Old 04-29-2010, 07:09 PM
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Originally Posted by carlri View Post
Yes, but haven't you ever tripped over something that *wasn't* there? I'm sure you didn't think it was a supernatural rock placed in your way, right?
I have never tripped over something that wasn't there. Never. Now, I have stumbled over my own two feet. What can I say, I like heels.
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Old 04-29-2010, 07:13 PM
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Originally Posted by Dee74 View Post
Welcome back Bam

I think the problem is there are literal definitions - and then there are many many individual definitions....kinda like 'recovery'....or 'christians' LOL

D
Dee is very right. In fact, there is no concrete definition that goes much further than "No belief in God". When we go further, it becomes more or less individual based. Now, there are plenty of Atheist groups who cling together on issues. I'm not one of them.

I heard of a definition of a "fundamental atheist" they don't bother with asking the big questions such as why there's life in the universe. They just don't care. I do. I just don't think someone, some creature, or some fairy put it there.
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Old 04-29-2010, 07:15 PM
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I don't wear heels and I still stumble over my feet. Dang it.
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Old 04-29-2010, 07:15 PM
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I have tripped over my own feet or hit one of those "low gravity zones" but not so much since I got sober!

Anyway, I don't really subscribe to an anthro-morphised or however you say or spell it, LOL versions of God. I do think there is something that holds the universe together. I do think that thoughts sent out are vibrations. I've said this before, maybe God is a note, like in music. I don't pray in a traditional sense, but I do think about other people and send my best thoughts. I suppose that sounds a little simple-minded but it works for me.

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Lenina

edited for bad typing, the spelling can't be helped


Love,

Lenina
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Old 04-29-2010, 07:17 PM
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Yeah...apatheists. Sometimes I feel like that...but I'm still curious about the science of the cosmos.
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Old 04-29-2010, 07:21 PM
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This reminds me. Someone asked me how I'd react and found out there was a god. I'd say something along the lines of "No Sh*t! So where'd you come from?"
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Old 04-29-2010, 07:25 PM
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The thing with science verses religion. Is that science wants the answers, while understanding that most answers only raise more questions. Someone said once that the word we don't want to hear from science is "Eureka! I've got it!" rather we should hear "Well, THAT's interesting".

Religion runs on a different sort of faith. Which is very respectable. "Jesus loves me because the bible told me so" why? "because the bible tells me so".

As one member said not too long ago: Jesus doesn't love me because he's dead!

This is just me, mind you! :-)
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Old 04-29-2010, 07:31 PM
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I think since the first things we hear or feel is our mother's heartbeat, we are naturally musical creatures. I think that's why we all respond to music, the beat! This is why drummers rule! Bass players too. LOL

I find a lot of comfort in music. I don't like that Euro-techno stuff. It's too android-like or something. But I digress.

I'm reading a book now about collective joy, by Barbara Erenreight. It's most interesting to me as she talks about dance and music, chanting and that sense of community.

I'm probably not making sense again, I apologise, I just don't explain things well.

Love,

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Old 04-29-2010, 07:37 PM
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Originally Posted by Lenina View Post
I think since the first things we hear or feel is our mother's heartbeat, we are naturally musical creatures. I think that's why we all respond to music, the beat! This is why drummers rule! Bass players too. LOL

I find a lot of comfort in music. I don't like that Euro-techno stuff. It's too android-like or something. But I digress.

I'm reading a book now about collective joy, by Barbara Erenreight. It's most interesting to me as she talks about dance and music, chanting and that sense of community.

I'm probably not making sense again, I apologise, I just don't explain things well.

Love,

Lenina
That makes perfect sense to me! Humanity as a whole is where my wonderment and Higher Power lay. I have a true love for humanity as others do for a God. It's my personal belief that all Atheists must have this insight to grow. Otherwise, it's too easy to get lost in our ego's. We also have to give religion and those who do believe in God the utmost respect they deserve.

A group dance, music, chanting all that brings us humans together on a deep level.
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Old 04-29-2010, 07:37 PM
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Ali,

I suppose the polite thing to say would be "Nice to meet you, Mr. Clapton."

Love,

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Old 04-29-2010, 07:39 PM
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^
ha ha ha!
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Old 04-29-2010, 07:42 PM
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Someone mentioned that I sound like a Buddhist. I'm not. The Dahli Llama says that "Buddhism is both a philosophy and religion" (in The Art of Happiness). The philosophy is a treasure to me. I can't be a Buddhist because of the major belief of re-birth. After careful consideration and research, I can't accept that. But, it is the closest thing to me.
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Old 04-29-2010, 07:48 PM
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Ali,

Maybe it's not re-birth in the sense of actually living again. I sorta see it as a passing on of genetic memory. So, a part of us does continue on. I don't have children myself. But maybe there's a piece of me being passed down by my sibs into my nieces and nephews.

Just my thoughts on it.

Love,

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