Can An Atheist Believe in God?

[K.Venugopal]

When an atheist says he does not believe in God what he probably means is that he does not believe in certain description or descriptions of God that believers postulate. Therefore the atheist is also a believer - of what is not rather than what is. The agnostic on the other hand is not a believer either way. He simply says he does not know. So except for the agnostics, all are believers. I suppose the issue will be settled only when God, if He exists, presents Himself so definitely that no one can deny him. Then God moves from the realm of belief to the realm of fact. It would mean there would no longer be atheists, theists or agnostics.

 

[logician]

Simple question: Can you believe that god(s) exist and still be an atheist?

If so, please explain your position.

If not, is there any other belief which would also disqualifiy you as an atheist?

Not and fit the technical definition of atheist.

 

[Just_me_Mike]

to me it is strange.
I like hearing that Atheist don't believe in God because they see no reason too, which is different than someone claiming Atheist are certain there is no God. Big difference.

In that light there is a very fine line between Agnostic and Atheist

 

[Erebus]

I wonder, if a person believed in a God but also thought that God unworthy of worship, so that God had no part in their lives whatsoever beyond that simple acknowledgement of existence. What would they be?

Misotheist, Maltheist or Dystheist. They all mean basically the same thing with only very minor subtleties.

Personally I would say that to qualify as an atheist, one must not believe in anything as a deity. Pantheism has already been mentioned and I agree that while an atheist may believe in the universe and still be an atheist, the moment they consider the universe to be a deity they are no longer an atheist.
This also applies to abstract God concepts. I think that there is a very real distinction between an atheist and a symbolic theist for example.

 

[monta]

[youtube]qIIpowId1XY[/youtube]
YouTube - Kylie Minogue - I Believe in You

 

[gnostic]

Simple question: Can you believe that god(s) exist and still be an atheist?

Sure, an atheist can believe in god, but the moment he changes direction in his belief, that person would no longer be an atheist.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Excellent point. I definitely agree with that. Not being able to conceptualize the idea of what a god is not only negates one being a theist, but also an atheist.

So, other than being able to conceptualize what a god is, and believing in the existence of something you define as god, is there any other criteria which would negate being an atheist?

I can't think of any myself.

I wonder, if a person believed in a God but also thought that God unworthy of worship, so that God had no part in their lives whatsoever beyond that simple acknowledgement of existence. What would they be?

Some versions of deism, pantheism and panentheism acknowledge a god but don't worship it.

Other than that... maltheist, maybe? It's almost a scaled-down version of monolatry: instead of "there are many gods, but I worship only one", it's "there is one god, but I worship none."

Whatever you call it, I wouldn't call it atheism.

When an atheist says he does not believe in God what he probably means is that he does not believe in certain description or descriptions of God that believers postulate.

Or, it could mean that he only considers things within a certain range or category to be validly called "God", and disbelieves in the category as a whole.

Therefore the atheist is also a believer - of what is not rather than what is.

Nobody said that atheists don't believe anything. Speaking for myself, I believe many things. For instance, I believe you're the first person to even use the term "believer" in this thread, and I believe you've thrown us a red herring.

 

[Storm]

I wonder, if a person believed in a God but also thought that God unworthy of worship, so that God had no part in their lives whatsoever beyond that simple acknowledgement of existence. What would they be?

Apathetic?

Seriously, it could be several things (Shyanekh's suggestions are good). I'd need more detail to weigh in.

 

[Mr Cheese]

maybe an atheist stops being an atheist when it invovles rubber ducks?

 

[Just_me_Mike]

Can An Atheist Believe in God?

Well of course, but when they do they are not atheists anymore

 

[logician]

Sure, an atheist can believe in god, but the moment he changes direction in his belief, that person would no longer be an atheist.

What does this mean?

 

[no-body]

Autotheism in a nutshell. Have you ever read the Satanic bible? Sounds as if your philosophy might be drawn straight from it.

5-percenters predate LaVey by 5 years so it's probably the other way around or they read the same religious texts being put out at the time (more likely)

To the OP I agree with most of the consensus that it depends what you mean by "God" in certain instances I consider myself an atheist.

 

[Willamena]

I like to find exceptions to all rules and definitions but this one doesn't seem to have an exception, an atheist can not believe in God.

The moment he/she believes in god he is no longer an atheist.

Could you allow that, with a particular understanding of "God", a person can be the atheist and the theist--both, as well as neither?

 

[I.S.L.A.M617]

Autotheism in a nutshell. Have you ever read the Satanic bible? Sounds as if your philosophy might be drawn straight from it.

Never read it before, must be an interesting read though. Where would one go about looking for a Satanic bible?

 

[I.S.L.A.M617]

5-percenters predate LaVey by 5 years so it's probably the other way around or they read the same religious texts being put out at the time (more likely)

To the OP I agree with most of the consensus that it depends what you mean by "God" in certain instances I consider myself an atheist.

5 percenters don't have a religious text, nor is our organization based off of any religious text. Anyone who claims our philosophy as their "religion" misses the point of that philosophy completely.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Could you allow that, with a particular understanding of "God", a person can be the atheist and the theist--both, as well as neither?

I suppose that with a particular understanding of "God," that a person could be pretty much anything. Not worrying about things like logical consistency and common meanings of words allows for all sorts of things.

 

[Willamena]

I suppose that with a particular understanding of "God," that a person could be pretty much anything. Not worrying about things like logical consistency and common meanings of words allows for all sorts of things.

If that was what I'd asked to be allowed, you might have a point.

Edit: Look, I know my responses aren't welcome in your threads, hence I didn't answer your OP, but you could at least allow me the courtesy of not putting words in my mouth.

 

[no-body]

5 percenters don't have a religious text, nor is our organization based off of any religious text. Anyone who claims our philosophy as their "religion" misses the point of that philosophy completely.

I was thinking more of the hippy new age and occult stuff that was floating around at the time. But I don't know much about Clarence 13X or LaVey or the occult for that matter so I guess I can't comment.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

If that was what I'd asked to be allowed, you might have a point.

Well, you'll have to be a little more specific about what it is you mean by a "particular understanding of god," for any meaningful commentary to be made. If you ask a vague, nebulous question, you have to expect various interpretations.

 

[sandandfoam]

Simple question: Can you believe that god(s) exist and still be an atheist?

If so, please explain your position.

If not, is there any other belief which would also disqualifiy you as an atheist?

I don't see why not.

Can I have an imaginary friend, believe in his or her existence and yet at the same time know that my friend is imaginary?
Existance is made up of all sorts of apparent contradictions.