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Can an atheist believe in God?

McBell

Admiral Obvious
You can call things whatever you want to. The trick is to use the same names other people do.
Weasel wording is dishonest at best.

You don't understand that definitions of words can differ and often do differ?
yes I do.
Your attempt at forcing it upon others is a bold move.

No thank you. "Truth seeker" works fine.
Being dishonest from the onset is not a good look for a "Truth Seeker".
But hey, to each their own.

"Bastardizing" is awfully harsh, don't you think?
Nope.
I actually think it is being overly polite.
 

Jimmy

Veteran Member
To me it's unwise to believe what others tell me when there's no evidence to believe it, but based on my having latent theism, it appears that some foolishness is unavoidable for me.
For me existence is plenty of evidence
 

PureX

Veteran Member
Yes. The world exists. If a God exists, then her existence is more difficult to explain than the world's existence. So I just stick with the world because I know it exists.
Why do you think you (or anyone) should be able to explain the source of existence?
 

Jagella

Member
Jagella:
Yes. The world exists. If a God exists, then her existence is more difficult to explain than the world's existence. So I just stick with the world because I know it exists.
Why do you think you (or anyone) should be able to explain the source of existence?
Obviously we need to know what we're talking about. To offer an unexplainable being as an explanation for existence is at best to trade one problem for another. That's one of the chief reasons why many design arguments for God fails.
 

Magic Man

Reaper of Conversation
That's a fallacy of bifurcation. There are more than yes/no answers to the question: "Do you believe in God." I already posted an example of a third answer.
You're either a theist or an atheist. You either have the belief in a theistic god, or you don't.
I know. I said it is Webster's definition.
You asked for my definition. I was responding that the Webster's definition you posted suffices.
Right, and some atheists might believe there is no God which differs from lacking belief in a God.
It does, but it goes along with lacking belief. The lack of belief is the main thing. If you also have the positive belief that God doesn't exist, then that's fine too.
But I thought you said atheists do not believe in God. I have some belief in God, so under your view I am not an atheist. What I'm saying is that although I'm an atheist, I do have some belief in God. My atheism is based on reason rather than belief.
If you believe in God, you're not an atheist. You said you determined that there is no God. That means you're an atheist. If you still believe God exists, then you're a theist, and you haven't determined that there is no God. Atheism is based on lack of belief. Sometimes the lack of belief is based on reason.
 

Magic Man

Reaper of Conversation
There is God the imaginary deity that humans create for themselves in their minds. And there is God the mystery source, sustenance, and purpose of all that is. If you understand this, and how these different ideations interact, you can b3 both theist and atheist simultaneously.

Not many people are able to do this, however.
Not really. If your god-concept is that vague and not theistic, then believing in it doesn't necessarily make you a theist. Some people say God is love. I believe in love, but I don't think it's God, so I'm still an atheist.

You're either a theist or an atheist, not both.
 

Magic Man

Reaper of Conversation
For me existence is plenty of evidence
But it's not. Evidence is something that leads directly to the conclusion you want. Like a person holding a smoking gun over a dead body. Sure, it's possible they didn't shoot the person, but that evidence definitely leads to the conclusion that they did.

Existence has many possible explanations. "Existence" isn't evidence for God; it's only evidence that stuff exists.
 

PureX

Veteran Member
Obviously we need to know what we're talking about. To offer an unexplainable being as an explanation for existence is at best to trade one problem for another. That's one of the chief reasons why many design arguments for God fails.
Still, you keep wanting an "explanation", as if you could grasp it if it we're offered. But there is no explanation that any of us can comprehend. There is, however, a necessity of source. And that source is a mystery to us. Many label that mystery "God" and then invent images and idealizations of it in their minds to help them deal with that existential mystery. And we label those "God" as well.

We can, if we understand it; both accept the former and reject the latter. And thus be both theist and atheist.
 
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PureX

Veteran Member
Not really. If your god-concept is that vague and not theistic, then believing in it doesn't necessarily make you a theist. Some people say God is love. I believe in love, but I don't think it's God, so I'm still an atheist.

You're either a theist or an atheist, not both.
Like I said, there are few that can grasp God as a mystery and god as invention as two sides of the same coin (as are theism and atheism).
 

Magic Man

Reaper of Conversation
Like I said, there are few that can grasp God as a mystery and god as invention as two sides of the same coin (as are theism and atheism).
Well, sure. Generally, there are few who can grasp nonsensical ramblings. "God as a mystery" is meaningless. "God as invention" is too vague to be helpful. Theism is one thing. Atheism is the opposite.
 

Jimmy

Veteran Member
But it's not. Evidence is something that leads directly to the conclusion you want. Like a person holding a smoking gun over a dead body. Sure, it's possible they didn't shoot the person, but that evidence definitely leads to the conclusion that they did.

Existence has many possible explanations. "Existence" isn't evidence for God; it's only evidence that stuff exists.
For you
 

Magic Man

Reaper of Conversation
Most people come to understand God on their own terms. Religion is just the stepping stone that got them there.
Religion is the reason people believe in God. Looking at things without that religious bias makes one aware that "existence" is not evidence of God.
 
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