What is Atheism?

Ice Rich · 2 Apr 2008 at 15:45

Hi all,

What exactly is atheism and what is ment when you decribe someone as an atheist?

Is it to believe in no religion, god?

Doohickey · 2 Apr 2008 at 15:45

http://www.answers.com/atheism&r=67

Ice Rich · 2 Apr 2008 at 15:49

Doohickey said:
http://www.answers.com/atheism&r=67

Thanks, when i did a seach on wiki I could not understand what the term was actually used for.

Is there a word that describes someone who believes in their own god?

Doohickey · 2 Apr 2008 at 15:51

Ice Rich said:
Thanks, when i did a seach on wiki I could not understand what the term was actually used for.

Is there a word that describes someone who believes in their own god?

Opposite of 'a-theist'... = theist.

http://www.answers.com/theist&r=67

That what you mean?

Dracata · 2 Apr 2008 at 15:53

Depends on your interpretation, my interpretation is that an atheist is someone who does not believe in a god/gods of any religion, usually putting more faith/belief in science/scientific study.

Another interpretation that many religious characters take is that Atheism is a belief *against* god, almost a religion in itself set out to disprove religion.

LordSplodge · 2 Apr 2008 at 15:55

People who do not believe in Ceiling Cat or the Goddess (or any other deity)

Wiktionary said:
A person who believes that no deities exist; one who denies the existence of all gods.

Simple!

semi-pro waster · 2 Apr 2008 at 15:57

Have fun, 20 odd pages of debate on this very topic, some relatively interesting theological points and a fair amount of "help, not this again".

PhillyDee · 2 Apr 2008 at 15:58

Im agnostic. Im hedging my bets

Either way, i wont look as stupid as the rest of you who believe or do not when i finally kick the bucket

.

Spektor · 2 Apr 2008 at 15:58

An atheist is someone who will self-righteously claim there isn't a god with as much of a zealous attitude as a religious person saying there is.

Being agnostic is where its at.

semi-pro waster · 2 Apr 2008 at 16:05

Spektor said:
An atheist is someone who will self-righteously claim there isn't a god with as much of a zealous attitude as a religious person saying there is.

Not quite how I'd put it, an atheist doesn't believe in a god either implicitly or explicitly (weak/strong), the former category doesn't imply that they will make an issue out of it, the latter usually does.

Spektor said:
Being agnostic is where its at.

It is a logical position on an untestable hypothesis, no more and no less. It isn't right or wrong, by definition you've more or less said "I don't have enough information to come to a conclusion so I won't", the fence-sitters position of choice if you will.

Spektor · 2 Apr 2008 at 16:10

You can only fence sit, how can you ever commit yourself to there being, or not being a god when there is just absolutely no evidence of either? And I stand by my definition as some of the biggest mental cases I have seen in religous debates are atheists.

And its not "I don't have enough information" its "I don't have any, not a single shred of information to base a conclusion upon" -- which is a bit different.

LordSplodge · 2 Apr 2008 at 16:13

I am amused by those people saying being Agnostic is where it's at. Come on pick a side. Sitting on the fence is not the best option.

Spektor · 2 Apr 2008 at 16:17

Ok you've convinced me, there is a God, his name is Zog and I love him dearly as he loves me and created everything because he is so awesome, all you atheists leave Zog alone please.

Wow am I glad I picked one, thinking back to how stupid I was being agnostic when all the time Zog was there.

bledd · 2 Apr 2008 at 16:20

personally, i'm nothingism

i don't care to explain/prove to people why believing or not believing is right or wrong

i just get on with life

Dracata · 2 Apr 2008 at 16:20

Spektor said:
An atheist is someone who will self-righteously claim there isn't a god with as much of a zealous attitude as a religious person saying there is.

Being agnostic is where its at.

Not at all

I'd say i'm an atheist, but I don't have a self-righteous attitude about it, nor a zealous attitude towards trying to convince other people that there 'isn't' a god. I respect a person's faith/beliefs, more so when they respect mine.

I *don't* believe that a god/deity (+/- plural) exists, although that's my personal opinion and I deeply respect a persons belief in god, and would never attempt to preach otherwise.

That said, your opinion of atheists/atheism is one of many, and is all down to interpretation

LordSplodge · 2 Apr 2008 at 16:22

Spektor said:
Ok you've convinced me, there is a God, his name is Zog and I love him dearly as he loves me and created everything because he is so awesome, all you atheists leave Zog alone please.

Wow am I glad I picked one, thinking back to how stupid I was being agnostic when all the time Zog was there.

*cough* Ceiling Cat *cough*

I don't mind Agnostics but I respect those who have faith to either believe or not believe more...

MookJong · 2 Apr 2008 at 16:27

Just to confuse you, I am another breed of person. I believe in "God" but not that he/it is some kind of separate entity. In other words everything in existence is a manifestation of God, hence the reason science isn't able to find him.

platypus · 2 Apr 2008 at 16:29

Ice Rich said:
Is there a word that describes someone who believes in their own god?

I think they call that 'Bono'.

Inquisitor · 2 Apr 2008 at 16:33

In answer to the OP, that's a rather moot question.

There a several types of atheism which are rather different from one another:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atheism#Definitions_and_distinctions

LordSplodge said:
I am amused by those people saying being Agnostic is where it's at. Come on pick a side. Sitting on the fence is not the best option.

So what are we to do? Make an arbitrary decision and hope it's right? Agnostic isn't 'the place to be', but strictly speaking, it's the only rational stance.

Jet · 2 Apr 2008 at 16:34

Lacking a belief in god.

Though not everyone agrees