Atheism is a belief system.

[Kilgore Trout]

Oh look, I went on your site and here is what I found.

a⋅the⋅ism

1.the doctrine or belief that there is no God.

2.disbelief in the existence of a supreme being or beings.

You must have missed that one. Or mabey we are not talking about the same dictionary.com

Its very simple, the definition of atheism is what I have stated and what is commonly accepted, and what you say is not. its all black n white really.

Hope this helps.

Let me illustrate this one more time for you...slowly.

From the definitions you just listed:

2.disbelief in the existence of a supreme being or beings.

From the same site:

Disbelieve: to have no belief in; refuse or reject belief in:

Therefore, according to the dictionary, one definition of atheism is "to have no belief in the existence of a supreme being or beings." Try to read for comprehension this time before responding.

I'm not saying this is the only definition, just a valid one. A valid one, which just so happens to be how most atheists define themselves in the real world as well.

 

[dogsgod]

I have no idea who that is. Only once I get to know the caracteristics of said diety can I only make up my mind. Then I will be able to say that I do not believe in Daoine Sidhe.

I have a counter question for you, do you know who the judeo- christian God is? if you say never heard of him, ITS NOT ATHEISM. Is that so hard to understand?



This implies you know what dietys are all about '' omnipotent , omnibenevolent'' you have some knowledge about them. therefore it is disbelieving.

''Do you believe in a deity? No'' : I do not believe in God.

Its all logical. and disbelief in God is what atheism is about,because for lack of belief their would need to be lack of knowledge.

There is lack of knowledge. I've received conflicting information about gods. I certainly wouldn't go so far as to claim to have any knowledge of them.

 

[Memories]

ok........ *takes a deep breath.

Lets try something.

What are your reasons for this lack of belief? ( whatever you want to call it)
Why shouldn’t we believe in god? Why did you make this choice. This is a very simple question.

Is it the lack of evidence? what is it.

I await answers

 

[gnomon]

ok........ *takes a deep breath.

Lets try something.

What are your reasons for this lack of belief? ( whatever you want to call it)
Why shouldn’t we believe in god? Why did you make this choice. This is a very simple question.

Is it the lack of evidence? what is it.

I await answers

God?
?

 

[Amill]

I have a counter question for you, do you know who the judeo- christian God is? if you say never heard of him, ITS NOT ATHEISM. Is that so hard to understand?

Ok...you say that you can't be an atheist if you haven't heard of the judeo-christian god...So if I dont have the knowledge of a god some tribe worshiped thousands of years ago, I can't be an atheist? If we go by that reasoning it's impossible to be an atheist. There are plenty of gods that everyone hasn't heard of. The characteristics for a god are limitless, therefore it's impossible to disbelieve each separate claim.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

ok........ *takes a deep breath.

Lets try something.

What are your reasons for this lack of belief? ( whatever you want to call it)
Why shouldn’t we believe in god? Why did you make this choice. This is a very simple question.

Is it the lack of evidence? what is it.

I await answers

I make no claims that anyone shouldn't believe in god. People believe in god(s) for all sorts of reasons, and that's up to them. I didn't choose not to believe in god(s). There simply isn't sufficient evidence for me to believe in the existence of any of the god concepts I've been presented with. I couldn't choose to believe in the existence for something for which there is no evidence if I wanted to, but that's because I'm a rationalist.

 

[Dirty Penguin]

Greetings.

Although the thought that atheism is not a belief system is a comforting thought, I am sorry to prove to you that this is not the case. It is indeed a belief system no different than any other, has its gaps and its fanatics. and zealots of all sorts have a message to preach.:angel2:

Lets start with some basic definitions.


belief: noun
- the feeling of being certain that something exists or is true.
source: Cambridge Dictionary of American English
- a state or habit of mind in which trust or confidence is placed in some person or thing
- something believed ; especially : a tenet or body of tenets held by a group
- conviction of the truth of some statement or the reality of some being or phenomenon especially when based on examination of evidence
Source: Merriam-Webster Online

believe: verb
- to think that something is true or correct
source: Cambridge Dictionary of American English
intransitive verb 1 a: to have a firm religious faith b: to accept as true, genuine, or real 2: to have a firm conviction as to the goodness, efficacy, or ability of something 3: to hold an opinion : think
transitive verb1 a: to consider to be true or honest b: to accept the word or evidence of 2: to hold as an opinion : suppose
source: Merriam-Webster Online

faith: noun
a high degree of trust or confidence in something or someone source: Cambridge Dictionary of American English

1 a: allegiance to duty or a person : loyalty b (1): fidelity to one’s promises (2): sincerity of intentions

2 a (1): belief and trust in and loyalty to God (2): belief in the traditional doctrines of a religion b (1): firm belief in something for which there is no proof (2): complete trust

3: something that is believed especially with strong conviction ; especially : a system of religious beliefs
source: Merriam-Webster Online
Update 6/16/2009 – I realized I didn’t define “Belief System”
Belief System: noun
faith based on a series of beliefs but not formalized into a religion; also, a fixed coherent set of beliefs prevalent in a community or society

source: Dictionary.Com

1. a set of beliefs, especially religious or political beliefs, that form a unified system 2. organized societal beliefs: a collection and organization of beliefs prevalent in a community or society source: Encarta
Summary of Belief/Believe/Faith:
A personal conviction of the truth/correctness of an idea, ideal, or opinion especially when based on the examination of evidence. Groups of people are often marked by sharing the same body of beliefs [tenets].

Do Christians believe there is a God? Yes.

Do Atheists believe there is no God? Yes.

Can either prove [scientifically] that God/gods exist? No.

Are both Christianity (Religion) and Atheism belief systems? Yes.

Arguments:
I don’t believe in god. I’m an Atheist. It’s called ‘disbelief’. I choose to ‘disbelieve’.
Response:
To disbelieve one thing, is to believe another. You substitute something you can believe in for something you cannot believe in. :yes:

Well I believe you haven't a clue as to what you're talking about....

 

[Memories]

I make no claims that anyone shouldn't believe in god. People believe in god(s) for all sorts of reasons, and that's up to them. I didn't choose not to believe in god(s). There simply isn't sufficient evidence for me to believe in the existence of any of the god concepts I've been presented with. I couldn't choose to believe in the existence for something for which there is no evidence if I wanted to, but that's because I'm a rationalist.

But, then again, insufficiency of evidence is not evidence of absence.

And it follows that it’s really just a huge leap of faith on your part.:run:

You may think it an inconsequential decision but in fact, it has a HUGE impact on your life, in the way that if God doesn’t exist then ultimately all of existence is pointless, our universe is going towards rarefaction of atoms, the universe will cool, stars will die..

So, to accept this horrible idea without providing good reasons for it seems to be ( I repeat) a huge leap of faith on your part, and it must be very painful to believe as such.

Offering good reason to disbelieve in God (the judeo-Christian-God) would be providing robust evidence against such a being, which you did not provide, or if you do have such evidence then by all means share it.

This is exactly why such analogies like the flying tea pot or ‘’leprechauns in my garden’’ do not hold water: there is robust evidence that such beings do not exist.

Regards.

 

[Amill]

How is it a leap of faith to not believe in something that has insufficient evidence? How does one choose to believe in something when there's no evidence? Enlighten us.

 

[zenzero]

Friend Memories,

Atheism is a belief system.

Yes, it is.

Love & rgds

 

[Kilgore Trout]

But, then again, insufficiency of evidence is not evidence of absence.

And it follows that it’s really just a huge leap of faith on your part.:run:

You may think it an inconsequential decision but in fact, it has a HUGE impact on your life, in the way that if God doesn’t exist then ultimately all of existence is pointless, our universe is going towards rarefaction of atoms, the universe will cool, stars will die..

So, to accept this horrible idea without providing good reasons for it seems to be ( I repeat) a huge leap of faith on your part, and it must be very painful to believe as such.

Offering good reason to disbelieve in God (the judeo-Christian-God) would be providing robust evidence against such a being, which you did not provide, or if you do have such evidence then by all means share it.

This is exactly why such analogies like the flying tea pot or ‘’leprechauns in my garden’’ do not hold water: there is robust evidence that such beings do not exist.

Regards.

The fact that life is limited give life more meaning to me, not less. I understand that some need the idea of something larger to give their lives meaning though. I can't really begrudge them that, as that is simply how they're built.

As far as robust evidence that there are no flying leprechauns in your garden, there is also robust evidence that belief in god is a result of psychological and sociological phenomena. This combined with the fact that no actual evidence of any of these gods exist, results in the conclusion that there is no reason to believe these beings do exist. Of course, this is coming from a rationalist perspective. Most people aren't built to look at the world rationally.

You misunderstand faith, as it takes no faith for me not believe something exists, which cannot be shown to exist.

 

[JeLy]

But, then again, insufficiency of evidence is not evidence of absence.

And it follows that it’s really just a huge leap of faith on your part.:run:

You may think it an inconsequential decision but in fact, it has a HUGE impact on your life, in the way that if God doesn’t exist then ultimately all of existence is pointless, our universe is going towards rarefaction of atoms, the universe will cool, stars will die..

So, to accept this horrible idea without providing good reasons for it seems to be ( I repeat) a huge leap of faith on your part, and it must be very painful to believe as such.

Offering good reason to disbelieve in God (the judeo-Christian-God) would be providing robust evidence against such a being, which you did not provide, or if you do have such evidence then by all means share it.

This is exactly why such analogies like the flying tea pot or ‘’leprechauns in my garden’’ do not hold water: there is robust evidence that such beings do not exist.

Regards.

I'm sorry for jumping in here, but for someone who insists on quoting dictionary entries over and over you seem to be lacking the ability to use context and comprehension.

First, it is not a huge "leap of faith" for any atheist to disbelieve in a deity. Faith, by definition, requires you to believe, or know, something without evidence. This is something theists do, not us.

The good, "robust," evidence for disbelieving in a Judeo/Christian deity (although I fail to see why it has to be a distinctive deity) is called science. What is explained biblically, for the most part, is proved incorrect by scientific theory. You know, that whole evolution > creation argument being one of too many to count.

Finally, to declare that Russell's Teapot or a leprechaun do not exist is a ridiculous statement. You may state that the chances of their existences are very unlikely, but it is impossible to prove the nonexistence of something.

 

[footprints]

Greetings.

Although the thought that atheism is not a belief system is a comforting thought, I am sorry to prove to you that this is not the case. It is indeed a belief system no different than any other, has its gaps and its fanatics. and zealots of all sorts have a message to preach.:angel2:

Lets start with some basic definitions.


belief: noun
- the feeling of being certain that something exists or is true.
source: Cambridge Dictionary of American English
- a state or habit of mind in which trust or confidence is placed in some person or thing
- something believed ; especially : a tenet or body of tenets held by a group
- conviction of the truth of some statement or the reality of some being or phenomenon especially when based on examination of evidence
Source: Merriam-Webster Online

believe: verb
- to think that something is true or correct
source: Cambridge Dictionary of American English
intransitive verb 1 a: to have a firm religious faith b: to accept as true, genuine, or real 2: to have a firm conviction as to the goodness, efficacy, or ability of something 3: to hold an opinion : think
transitive verb1 a: to consider to be true or honest b: to accept the word or evidence of 2: to hold as an opinion : suppose
source: Merriam-Webster Online

faith: noun
a high degree of trust or confidence in something or someone source: Cambridge Dictionary of American English

1 a: allegiance to duty or a person : loyalty b (1): fidelity to one’s promises (2): sincerity of intentions

2 a (1): belief and trust in and loyalty to God (2): belief in the traditional doctrines of a religion b (1): firm belief in something for which there is no proof (2): complete trust

3: something that is believed especially with strong conviction ; especially : a system of religious beliefs
source: Merriam-Webster Online
Update 6/16/2009 – I realized I didn’t define “Belief System”
Belief System: noun
faith based on a series of beliefs but not formalized into a religion; also, a fixed coherent set of beliefs prevalent in a community or society

source: Dictionary.Com

1. a set of beliefs, especially religious or political beliefs, that form a unified system 2. organized societal beliefs: a collection and organization of beliefs prevalent in a community or society source: Encarta
Summary of Belief/Believe/Faith:
A personal conviction of the truth/correctness of an idea, ideal, or opinion especially when based on the examination of evidence. Groups of people are often marked by sharing the same body of beliefs [tenets].

Do Christians believe there is a God? Yes.

Do Atheists believe there is no God? Yes.

Can either prove [scientifically] that God/gods exist? No.

Are both Christianity (Religion) and Atheism belief systems? Yes.

Arguments:
I don’t believe in god. I’m an Atheist. It’s called ‘disbelief’. I choose to ‘disbelieve’.
Response:
To disbelieve one thing, is to believe another. You substitute something you can believe in for something you cannot believe in. :yes:

A person without a belief or a lack of belief cannot have an opinon on the matter. Simply because they have no belief to offer or they lack a belief to offer. As soon as a person offers an opinion, they show their belief.

 

[footprints]

Sorry, but Atheism (A-without) (theism-god belief) is not a belief it is the absence of belief. I am an Atheist. I do not deny the possibility of any god existing, conscious or purely natural force. I simply do not know. Since there is no evidence supporting the existence of god, I am in no hurry to produce belief..

Atheist stems from ancient greek roots albeit was not really used. The original context was Atheos. Theos meaning deity. A meaning "without," or "no." It was originally a put down or way of humiliation.

In English, the term atheism is the result of the adoption of the French athéisme in about 1587. The term atheist in the sense of "one who denies or disbelieves" actually predates atheism, being first attested in about 1571 (there is a 1568 use of the term Italian atheoi). Atheist in the sense of practical godlessness is first attested in 1577. The French word is derived from athée, "godless, atheist", which in turn is from the Greek atheos. The words deist and theist entered English after atheism, being first attested in 1621 and 1662, respectively, followed by theism and deism in 1678 and 1682, respectively. Due to the influence of atheism, deism and theism exchanged meanings around 1700. Deism was originally used with a meaning comparable to today's theism, and vice-versa.

As language evolves with the population and knowledge, under todays standard, atheism or atheist is generally associated with "lack of belief," or not having an opinion.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

A person without a belief or a lack of belief cannot have an opinon on the matter. Simply because they have no belief to offer or they lack a belief to offer. As soon as a person offers an opinion, they show their belief.

Yes, an opinion is a belief. As an atheist I don't hold the opinion that god(s) exist, nor do I hold the opinion that there is no possibility that god(s) do exist.

 

[DarkSun]

Those sneaky buggers!

Well, just because he is sitting on a clever stool doesn't prove he isn't ALSO levitating a few inches above the stool. Evidence of non-levitation isn't evidence AGAINST levitation.

Stawman...

 

[Beaudreaux]

Atheist stems from ancient greek roots albeit was not really used. The original context was Atheos. Theos meaning deity. A meaning "without," or "no." It was originally a put down or way of humiliation.

In English, the term atheism is the result of the adoption of the French athéisme in about 1587. The term atheist in the sense of "one who denies or disbelieves" actually predates atheism, being first attested in about 1571 (there is a 1568 use of the term Italian atheoi). Atheist in the sense of practical godlessness is first attested in 1577. The French word is derived from athée, "godless, atheist", which in turn is from the Greek atheos. The words deist and theist entered English after atheism, being first attested in 1621 and 1662, respectively, followed by theism and deism in 1678 and 1682, respectively. Due to the influence of atheism, deism and theism exchanged meanings around 1700. Deism was originally used with a meaning comparable to today's theism, and vice-versa.

As language evolves with the population and knowledge, under todays standard, atheism or atheist is generally associated with "lack of belief," or not having an opinion.

Well that's a great post. Because I know when I want to know what a group of people believe, I take the name of their position and start analyzing 400 year old roots of that word from a dead language. See, I'll bet some of those atheists don't even KNOW what they believe because they haven't taken the time to do the etymology.

 

[Memories]

The fact that life is limited give life more meaning to me, not les

But it’s undeniable that in the end, it’s all meaningless per your world view.

As far as robust evidence that there are no flying leprechauns in your garden, there is also robust evidence that belief in god is a result of psychological and sociological phenomena.

I’m talking about robust evidence that God does not exist. It does not follow that because the belief in God is a result of psychological and sociological phenomena that God does not exist.

This combined with the fact that no actual evidence of any of these gods exist,

Like I said absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.

Most people aren't built to look at the world rationally.

Your perspective has nothing rational! You did not support your position by reason... or science, therefore you hold your position by faith!

You misunderstand faith

Your views are all about faith, perhaps you can enlighten me?

, as it takes no faith for me not believe something exists, which cannot be shown to exist.

Then again, If all my arguments were to fail, it would not follow that god does not exist. Let me try an analogy' If I am a broker, and I try to convince you to bet your money in the stock market, and I give you arguments to do it that you find are not convincing, doesn’t means that the stock market won’t go up... or that it’s going to go down.... do you get it?

 

[Memories]

First, it is not a huge "leap of faith" for any atheist to disbelieve in a deity. Faith, by definition, requires you to believe, or know, something without evidence. This is something theists do, not us.

Well you do affirm without the slightest piece of evidence that God does not exist, to hold this claim requires faith, if not you should be making more modest claims like '' we don’t know'' but that leaves you at best with Agnosticism, not atheism.

The good, "robust," evidence for disbelieving in a Judeo/Christian deity (although I fail to see why it has to be a distinctive deity) is called science. What is explained biblically, for the most part, is proved incorrect by scientific theory. You know, that whole evolution > creation argument being one of too many to count.

I’m not talking about the bible, I’m talking about an omnipotent omnibenevolent God here, and I am sorry to burst your bubble but science has not proven him false, also a number of arguments I could present for his existence are well in accordance with today’s modern science theory’s.

Finally, to declare that Russell's Teapot or a leprechaun do not exist is a ridiculous statement. You may state that the chances of their existences are very unlikely, but it is impossible to prove the nonexistence of something.

This is a very ignorant statement! For example, I can prove there are no living tyrannosaurus-rex on the planet! I can prove there are no married bachelors; it’s very easy to prove that something does not exist.

 

[Amill]

This is a very ignorant statement! For example, I can prove there are no living tyrannosaurus-rex on the planet! I can prove there are no married bachelors; it’s very easy to prove that something does not exist.

Prove it then.