Poll: What is your religion?

[ChrisJSY]

The thing about scientology is that we were alive (some of you) during it's creation.
To most sane people, it's clear that it is a religion that fits the perspective of many of us.

It's a load of balls.

I agree, they can believe what they want, but know it's origin and target member is enough to make you dislike it.

Other religions are hundreds of years old or or more, we were'nt around to witness it's come about. I would like to think all of us here have a sound mind to see how scientology is a joke and doesn't do other religions a favour.

 

[ChrisJSY]

So to state that a Deity could not possibly exist anywhere is a massive leap of faith.

God/Deity is something we humans have created and placed apon something/someone. We created the term, the description. What came before it, before we existed? What would they refer to themselves.
You know so much about things that don't exist so you tell us.

Edit: Wanted to edit old post not make new

 

[Raikiri]

There is no faith or belief involved in being an Athiest. That's the whole point.

Of course there is, there's as little evidence against a deity as there is for one.

 

[Glaucus]

God/Deity is something we humans have created and placed apon something/someone. We created the term, the description. What came before it, before we existed?

It doesn't matter what they call themselves. The important part is what the word means.

Does that mean UK police don't exist in France as they use a different name. of course not. What the actual name for them is irrelevant. What the diffenition is, is the important bit.

 

[ChrisJSY]

It's very important because they existed before us, before we could give them a name.
According to some religions anyway.

 

[Glaucus]

It's very important because they existed before us, before we could give them a name.
According to some religions anyway.

Why is that important? please explain.

As you say it is our name for something that "existed" before. Why does that matter, they could still exist.
Just because you use an English name on something that already existed doesn't change anything.

 

[ChrisJSY]

Think about it, why do they suddenly become gods because we say so?
Maybe I can't articulate my idea correctly.

Either way I don't want to start an argument, I will stop posting in this thread, sorry to derail it a bit.

 

[Glaucus]

Think about it, why do they suddenly become gods because we say so?
.

They don't, they become Gods when they fit the criteria of a God.

 

[Warbie]

You are so so wrong. Atheist requires just as much faith as religion.

Of course there is, there's as little evidence against a deity as there is for one.

Faith is believing in something without evidence. This is why I don't have faith in a god or believe in fairies and father christmas. The onus is on proving that a deity exists, not having to disprove every silly idea someone makes up.

An Atheist simply believes there is no god, while an agnostic doesn't think it's possible to know either way (just as they don't know for sure whether there's a monster under their bed or not). Basically, agnostics are hedging their bets and lack the cojones to say they're an athiest

 

[Glaucus]

An Atheist simply believes there is no god,

No, an atheist believes a Deity can not possibly exist. A massive difference and requires huge amounts of faith.
It doesn't help that most Agnostics describe themselves as atheists.

 

[Angilion]

spacebar fail!
i think agnostiscm is sitting on the fence. i believe that the way that we understand the universe now suggests that there is no god. however if there was evidence to the contrary (second coming proven miracles) i would change my tune. i think thats how all aethists are, more of a scientific approach to it i dont believe we have ironclad belief like religious do.

That's not the case. Atheists cover a wide range from a lack of belief that some people would class as agnosticism(*) to proselytising preachy ironclad belief.




* Definitions of 'atheist' and 'agnostic' vary. It's not as clear-cut as active disbelief and a lack of belief. I could describe myself as an agnostic atheist and consider it a reasonable and accurate description rather than an oxymoron.

 

[Pestilence]

No, an atheist believes a Deity can not possibly exist. A massive difference and requires huge amounts of faith.
It doesn't help that most Agnostics describe themselves as atheists.

I consider myself an Atheist.

HOWEVER, I would like to believe that, should I die and suddenly find myself at the feet of some giant judgmental being, I would be considered a good person by how I've lived, and rewarded as such (in line with Christian theology).

Does that then make me Agnostic?

I don't think so...while I may entertain the possibility in a purely fantastical way, I'm not militant about there being NO GOD.

It seems to me that you believe that being an Atheist inherently includes a militant level of dedication to it - similar to religious extremists?

 

[Warbie]

No, an atheist believes a Deity can not possibly exist. A massive difference and requires huge amounts of faith.
It doesn't help that most Agnostics describe themselves as atheists.

Then we're arguing semantics. Being an atheist has never meant believing that a god cannot possible exist, to me anyway. I think you'll find this is the case with most people who consider themselves atheists. This is also how it's defined in various dictionaries. I'd argue the most important element in being an atheist is to not have faith in anything, but rather to trust what we can observe, quantify and predict.

 

[Mahnsikir]

Think about it, why do they suddenly become gods because we say so?

The same way something is there before it's discovered. If you went exploring and found an island and named it Fred, you wouldn't say that Fred existed just because you found it and didn't exist before, all you've done is learn of it and have given it a name.

believes a Deity can not possibly exist

believes there is no god

Unless I'm misunderstanding here and without looking into the deeper meanings of the two phrases, you're both meaning to say the same thing?

Anyway according to a quick googled definition im roughly Explicit Atheist which apparently is "the absence of theistic belief due to a conscious rejection of it" either that or I'm happy with a simple 'none' and to leave it at that.

 

[Angilion]

Why is Paganism always demoted to other? That really grinds my gears.

I wonder what would happen if Islam was demoted to other.

Yes I'm a Pagan.

'Pagan' is a catch-all term for pretty much every religion that isn't currently counted as a major religion. It used to be all religions other than the Abrahamic ones.

In the context of religion, 'pagan' has essentially the same meaning as 'other'.

 

[Angilion]

Why so many atheists? If a big face appeared through the clouds, said "I am God, fear me", and started performing miracles or causing the apocalypse, you'd still maintain that there isn't a God?

Agnosticism for me.

I'm able to change my mind if presented with evidence, so I don't see a conflict.

Although I'd also consider other explanations, such as a person or people from a much more technologically advanced species faking being a god to mess with the primitives.

 

[Warbie]

Anyway according to a quick googled definition im roughly Explicit Atheist which apparently is "the absence of theistic belief due to a conscious rejection of it" either that or I'm happy with a simple 'none' and to leave it at that.

Or:

atheist /'eɪθiɪst/
Synonyms:
noun: unbeliever
atheists plural
1.An atheist is a person who believes that there is no God. Compare agnostic. N-COUNT


It is impossible to prove that something doesn't exist - hence the burden of proof being on theists.

 

[Angilion]

I'm christian by book but I would have preferred if I wasn't baptised as I'm an atheist.

That briefly bothered me because it was done without my consent, but only briefly because:

i) It has caused me no lasting physical harm or injury. Unlike, for example, genital mutilation.

ii) It is of no relevance to me in any kind of religious way, because I don't believe in any of it.

iii) At that age, all sorts of things were done without my consent because I was too young to understand them anyway. I would probably have managed to crawl into some fatal situation otherwise.

So from my point of view some guy smeared or dripped some water on my head and said some irrelevant words. No big deal. I don't remember it anyway, as I was an infant.

 

[Justintime]

On paper, christian. In practice, aethist.

 

[Vixen]

Faith is believing in something without evidence.

You've just destroyed your entire argument that atheists don't have faith - where is your proof that there is no form of God/deity/higher being? There has been no definitive scientific proof either way so if you don't know what to believe until there is proof then you are agnostic, not atheist.