Atheism vs Non-religious Theism

[ashes_to_ashes]

What might be some good ways to distinguish the two? I feel that many of today's atheists and non-believers (and even those in the religious community) link religion and theology into synonymous contexts... where do you feel the line is drawn? At what point does somebody stop becoming a 'theist' and start becoming a 'spiritualist?' Any thoughts on this subject?

 

[1137]

A good way to distinguish the two? One believes in God, one doesn't...

 

[ashes_to_ashes]

A good way to distinguish the two? One believes in God, one doesn't...

But how does one define "god?"

 

[LuisDantas]

But how does one define "god?"

God has a will. With the exception of certain Deists, who I understand to think of God as little more than an explanation to existence itself, all other Theists believe that there is a higher plan or purpose, while Atheists do not.



However, I am confused. Your thread title compares Theism with Atheism, while the OP text seems to be more interested into distinguishing Theism from Religion, or Religion from Spiritualism.

Personally, I do not distinguish Religion from Spiritualism at all, although it is true that in certain contexts there is an implication that "Religion" is supposedly external in some significant sense, while Spiritualism is perhaps self-ruled. That is not a distinction that I like to use, though.

As for the link between Theism and Religion, I don't think it is much more than a prejudice. The two things are pretty much unrelated, and I would even say that Theism is a bit detrimental to Religion in a general sense.

 

[Dena]

A good way to distinguish the two? One believes in God, one doesn't...

Yeah, that seems like the best place to start.

 

[LuisDantas]

But then we have to establish whether belief in God actually means anything that atheists lack access to, and why and how.

Not really a trivial question.

 

[ArtieE]

God has a will. With the exception of certain Deists, who I understand to think of God as little more than an explanation to existence itself, all other Theists believe that there is a higher plan or purpose, while Atheists do not.

Being an atheist has nothing to do with not believing in a higher plan or purpose. Nothing stops an atheist from believing that aliens made us for some higher plan or purpose.

 

[StarryNightshade]

One doesn't believe in God while the other does, but doesn't adhere to any religion.

And "God" can be anything from a sentient creator that is separate from it's creation to being simply a metaphor for the universe and things like quantum mechanics.

 

[LuisDantas]

Being an atheist has nothing to do with not believing in a higher plan or purpose. Nothing stops an atheist from believing that aliens made us for some higher plan or purpose.

I suppose not. But it is still an unusual stance for Atheists.

 

[Quintessence]

With the exception of certain Deists, who I understand to think of God as little more than an explanation to existence itself, all other Theists believe that there is a higher plan or purpose, while Atheists do not.

Wait... we do?



Not a deist, don't believe there is a "higher plan or purpose." That strikes me as an entirely separate issue and question from god(s). >_<;

But please, feel free to disregard my tangent.

At any rate, when I hear "non-religious theism" (or atheism, for that matter) I think someone who claims they're Christian, for example, but doesn't actually do anything in their lives to walk the walk. They believe in their god, but it means absolutely nothing to their way of life. Frankly, they might as well be apatheists.

 

[ArtieE]

I suppose not. But it is still an unusual stance for Atheists.

I can't comment on what might be unusual stances for atheists because the only thing that defines them as atheists is that they have an absence of belief in gods and are otherwise free to believe whatever else they want.

 

[LuisDantas]

Wait... we do?



Not a deist, don't believe there is a "higher plan or purpose." That strikes me as an entirely separate issue and question from god(s). >_<;

But please, feel free to disregard my tangent.

No, please. I would like some elaboration on that. How do gods and higher plans/purposes compare and contrast?

 

[Quintessence]

No, please. I would like some elaboration on that. How do gods and higher plans/purposes compare and contrast?

God(s), to define the concept in a religiously neutral way, are aspects of reality an individual or culture finds worthy of worship. The nature and attributes of that aspect of reality is going to vary, and it need not involve anything like a higher plan or purpose. This is especially the case for non-supernaturalistic god-concepts like mine. My gods are literally reality itself, and I don't see reality as having any "higher" plan nor purpose. Reality just is and it does what it does based on its intrinsic nature/essence/spirit. You could argue various aspects of reality serve a purpose as in a function, but I definitely wouldn't stick the word "higher" on any of it. Whenever people talk about "higher" this and "higher" that if often makes me cringe, in fact. *chuckles* That's the non-heirarchical thinker in me, I suppose.