Are you sure you are an Atheist?

[Revoltingest]

~~~
Just a friendly question to all Atheists:

Is your belief of God’s non-existence based entirely on how God is perceived by all Monotheistic religions (Christianity, Islam, Judaism) and Polytheistic religions (Hinduism, Old religions etc),

or,

it also covers the Pantheistic philosophies of the One, such as Tao, Zen, Pythagorians/Empedoclians, some Gnostic movements, etc?

Thanks for your responces

~~~

I'm an atheist because I never ever saw a reason to start believing in any supernatural stuff.
I'm very sure of this status.

 

[Onyx]

My personal view is that there are knowns, and unknowns. I've chosen to concern myself with the former, and not waste time with the latter.

 

[Nefelie]

my answer:
I believe there is no God. There is no spirit. There is no soul. There is no hereafter. There is no divinity. There are no "spiritual forces" interacting with the physical realm or life itself. So, I hold there is a non-existence of God; and this includes all fabrications and various definitions of "god".

Do you believe in science?

I remain open to all possibilities, but require some type of empirical evidence of something's existence in order to reasonably believe that it actually exists.

Do you believe in the existence of the universe?

Just want to point out that classical monotheism and polytheism are two very, very different theologies, both of which have considerable heterogeneity within their umbrellas as well.

Well, they are not that different in their core. They both believe that there is a creator/s.

I never said anything "bothers" me about them, I've just not heard any that convince me of their truth.

I meant it as in what is that that makes you still sceptical.

Or, if you prefer: what would convince you?

I am an atheist because I believe in no deities of any religion.

That makes you a non-religious person, not an atheist

No, that is irrelevant, I have no belief in any God’s non-existence, per se. I reject any form of supernaturalism, the absence of a belief in any god is a simple corollary of the classic form ... it therefore follows that ...

How about “naturalism” ?

I don't believe life or the universe was created by an intelligent supernatural agent or agents. And I define gods as requiring supernatural agency, so reject the notion that physical substances or events are gods.

So, that makes you a non-creationist. Not an atheist.

You are right, I might not believe the Bible and remain a liberal Christian, but I am not. I've been an atheist for nearly 50 years. Every holy book in the world is strictly a work of human craft, in my estimation, and no gods exist anywhere.

So, you are also a non-religious person.

P.S. – I hope you noticed that I am NOT a Christian. Nor of any other religion. Right?

There may be a god or a million gods. But until the evidence supports the proposition, judgement is withheld.

Same question to you too: do you believe in science?

~~~

 

[George-ananda]

~~~
Just a friendly question to all Atheists:

Is your belief of God’s non-existence based entirely on how God is perceived by all Monotheistic religions (Christianity, Islam, Judaism) and Polytheistic religions (Hinduism, Old religions etc),

or,

it also covers the Pantheistic philosophies of the One, such as Tao, Zen, Pythagorians/Empedoclians, some Gnostic movements, etc?

Thanks for your responces

~~~

I like your questions but I would like to have seen non-dual (God and creation are not-two) Hinduism in the second set with the Pantheistic philosophies. Hinduism can also fall into your first category too. Hinduism is very broad.

 

[Marsh]

[QUOTE="Milton Platt, post: 4729569, member: 58249"There may be a god or a million gods. But until the evidence supports the proposition, judgement is withheld. [/QUOTE]
I long ago locked that door and threw away the key. I know that many atheists want to appear scientifically objective about this, but I see it as a totally lost cause.

 

[Nefelie]

I'm an atheist because I never ever saw a reason to start believing in any supernatural stuff.

What is “supernatural”?

My personal view is that there are knowns, and unknowns. I've chosen to concern myself with the former, and not waste time with the latter.

OK, but you are not an atheist (according to your profile). I’m addressing the question to atheists

I like your questions but I would like to have seen non-dual (God and creation are not-two) Hinduism in the second set with the Pantheistic philosophies. Hinduism can also fall into your first category too. Hinduism is very broad.

Yes, that is true.
I just preferred to place it in the second “set”

~~~

 

[Willamena]

~~~
Just a friendly question to all Atheists:

Is your belief of God’s non-existence based entirely on how God is perceived by all Monotheistic religions (Christianity, Islam, Judaism) and Polytheistic religions (Hinduism, Old religions etc),

or,

it also covers the Pantheistic philosophies of the One, such as Tao, Zen, Pythagorians/Empedoclians, some Gnostic movements, etc?

Thanks for your responces

~~~

The latter.

 

[MARCELLO]

no because of my lack of self esteem.

 

[Marsh]

Do you believe in science?

Hmm. I'm looking at your latest response and wonder if you believe in Trolling?

 

[Revoltingest]

What is “supernatural”?

Gods, fairies, ghosts, angels, & demons.

 

[LuisDantas]

Hi, Nefelie. Welcome to RF.

Is your belief of God’s non-existence based entirely on how God is perceived by all Monotheistic religions (Christianity, Islam, Judaism) and Polytheistic religions (Hinduism, Old religions etc),

or,

it also covers the Pantheistic philosophies of the One, such as Tao, Zen, Pythagorians/Empedoclians, some Gnostic movements, etc?

My take on it is that theism is a strong vocation for some people.

Myself, I'm atheistic as a stone. And I have come to conclude that deities exist to the extent that people decide to lend them existence.

Their actual useful attributes do exist, but they do not include existence.

 

[Quintessence]

Well, they are not that different in their core. They both believe that there is a creator/s.

I don't agree, but that's a discussion for a different thread, perhaps. Polytheistic theologies tend to have far more in common with pantheism than they do classical monotheism. I think it's misleading to lump classical monotheism together with polytheisms. Or either of those with something like pantheism, deism, autotheism, henotheism, and so forth.

 

[Onyx]

OK, but you are not an atheist (according to your profile). I’m addressing the question to atheists

Many Satanists are atheists, including me, so the shoe fits. (To clarify, I don't believe in a real "Satan", the term is used symbolically.)

 

[Sunstone]

The concept that there are few or no genuine atheists, because atheists have not properly considered every possible notion of deity, is an interesting one. However, I think it is based on a misunderstanding of at least some forms of atheism. But c'est la vie.

 

[Taylor Seraphim]

~~~
Just a friendly question to all Atheists:

Is your belief of God’s non-existence based entirely on how God is perceived by all Monotheistic religions (Christianity, Islam, Judaism) and Polytheistic religions (Hinduism, Old religions etc),

or,

it also covers the Pantheistic philosophies of the One, such as Tao, Zen, Pythagorians/Empedoclians, some Gnostic movements, etc?

Thanks for your responces

~~~

I have considered all of the religions and beliefs I can find.

And unfortunately none of them can be proven.

 

[McBell]

Not in the slightest. Atheism is merely one logical conclusion of being a rational skeptic. No idea, concept, or description of any god(s) I've ever encountered has met even the barest criteria for evidenced existence - similar to ghosts, psychics, big foot, etc. I remain open to all possibilities, but require some type of empirical evidence of something's existence in order to reasonably believe that it actually exists.

Of course, I accept that many other people don't have the same standards for beliefs.

^^^THIS^^^

 

[Sunstone]

it also covers the...Tao....

I think it's quite hard for Westerners to grasp that The Tao is not a deity.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

That makes you a non-religious person, not an atheist

I am scratching my head now.

I am an atheist because I believe in no deities.

It has nothing to do with religion. I am religious. I have a religion.

How does your comment relate to my reply?

 

[McBell]

I am scratching my head now.

I am an atheist because I believe in no deities.

It has nothing to do with religion. I am religious. I have a religion.

How does your comment relate to my reply?

Might be a good idea for the OP to reveal what he means when using the word "atheist"...

Just saying.

 

[Jumi]

it also covers the Pantheistic philosophies of the One, such as Tao, Zen, Pythagorians/Empedoclians, some Gnostic movements, etc?

Unlike the gods, tao exists even if it doesn't exist. Zen I have no idea about, I don't think they consider gods much in their endeavors. Since I'm very much a pantheist, I don't see conflict with it and non-belief in gods. Many polytheists are also pragmatists, equating natural or psychological phenomenon with gods.

Gnostics might have the right idea if gods or God existed. Though I'm as of yet unconvinced they are the type of theist that somehow feels closest to me.