Do atheists actually exist?

[9-10ths_Penguin]

No, ^^that's the pessimist.

I'm not the pessimist in this case. I rank the likelihood of the existence of gods somewhere below the likelihood that while I'm swimming in the ocean, an island of salt will crystallize beneath me and carry me out to sea (something that I recognize has a non-zero probably but is something I don't feel the need to prepare for at all).

 

[Willamena]

I'm not the pessimist in this case.

Right, not you; rather, the attitude in the words you said is the pessimist. Pessimism is the dark cloud, optimism the silver lining.

 

[LuisDantas]

Hmm but that sounds like hard atheism to me.......idk..

It is hard atheism. To the best of my knowledge, anyway.

Agnosticism is something that I support, but not necessarily over practical considerations.

 

[Triumphant_Loser]

It is hard atheism. To the best of my knowledge, anyway.

Agnosticism is something that I support, but not necessarily over practical considerations.

I've found Deism and Agnosticism go hand in hand as well... for me anyway.

 

[McBell]

Shouldn't be. The meanings should be, belief, and claim of knowledge, otherwise it's extremely confusing.
For instance, when an agnostic claims agnostic, we assume that she/he is open to the possibility of Deity, when an atheist claims atheism, we assume she/he means a definite statement to dis-belief in Deity i.e. 'there is no deity/deities. That way it's simple, otherwise, vague.

Unfortunately the real world is not simple.

Though I do find it most interesting that it is theists who are more likely to change up the definition of the words "atheist" and "agnostic" in order to better fit their agenda.

 

[Desert Snake]

Unfortunately the real world is not simple.

Though I do find it most interesting that it is theists who are more likely to change up the definition of the words "atheist" and "agnostic" in order to better fit their agenda.

Great, except I don't know what the label next to your religion actually means.:sarcastic

 

[s2a]

Atheists exist because we need a term for those that don't believe in divine entities.

Perhaps true.

Skeptics are those that prod explorers and inventors to seek beyond ordinary boundaries of daily acceptance.

It's not about "i don't believe".

It's only about "why is (or should) your opinion be the only available explanation?

It's gonna happen. Even amongst faith-based believers...

 

[s2a]

I've found Deism and Agnosticism go hand in hand as well... for me anyway.

Not to be a ************, but please decribe/define your understandings of the explicit differences between agnosticism and Deism.

To my understanding, one presupposes an active Deity, the other challenges that assertion as likely untrue (or unproven, but possible).

I await illumination and correction.

Thank you.

 

[Triumphant_Loser]

Not to be a ************, but please decribe/define your understandings of the explicit differences between agnosticism and Deism.

To my understanding, one presupposes an active Deity, the other challenges that assertion as likely untrue (or unproven, but possible).

I await illumination and correction.

Thank you.

I'm agnostic because god can neither be proven nor disproven 100%, but i'm also Deist because I think it probably does. Also... No...Deists don't generally believe in an active deity, just one that stopped interfering after the creation of the universe.

 

[Desert Snake]

That you don't go to church or identify as being part of a select faith does not make you unreligious. There are people who go to church who are even less religious than people on the outside. Some go for community, social functions. Some are closet atheists, etc. Some go because they are morning the death of a loved one, and will soon return to complete apathy about God.

Going through the motions of belonging to some organization isn't a good measuring stick to decide how religious someone is. A better question would be "do you PRAY to a personal god?" If the answer is yes, that is an indicator of religious practice and sincerity. And maybe you don't pray. The fact that you believe at all in a god or higher power is an indicator of religious belief. Maybe you don't believe that strongly.

While going to church and having communion cannot be separated from religion, it doesn't tell us as much about the level of devotion one has with the faith as what goes on in one's personal life regarding spiritual matters.

Maybe you're one of those "spiritual but not religious" types. I personally don't understand the distinction that is being made. Perhaps you could help me with that.

Think I'll revisit this post. It's full of good ideas. And, I would agree. However when we approach the subject of "religion", we enter sort of a different field of meaning from belief or spirituality. Personally, I prefer your take on it.

 

[Desert Snake]

Love to hear from you how believing in a theistic god is not religion, but not believing in any god is?

It isn't a 'religion'. It's a 'religious' belief, using your definition. I assume you've figured this out by now, though.

 

[Sir_Loin]

It means atheism is also associated with agnosticism, loosely expressed as the belief that we can't know about god/gods.

Not associated- but seemingly similar..

An atheist actually believes there's no God.
An agnostic actually believes that we can't disprove a God- however unlikely it may be..

 

[Sir_Loin]

Yet technically there is also a possibility that Russell's Teapot exists.

The problem with Russell's Teapot is that it is known that this idea was a figment of one person's imagination... and that person proclaimed it to be false principle.

When only one person has a belief about something, such as LuisDantas' Throne of Denmark claim- this person will be seen as a demented person; insane.

When it comes to religion we are talking about a large portion of people believing in the same thing- thus giving it some sort of credibility.
Take from it what you will, but this is what I'm basing my Agnosticism on.

 

[Sir_Loin]

That's not the agnostic, just the optimist.

...well alright-y then!
You're implying that an agnostic is an optimist.. not different things/beings.

 

[Bunyip]

Not associated- but seemingly similar..

An atheist actually believes there's no God.
An agnostic actually believes that we can't disprove a God- however unlikely it may be..

Most atheists do not believe that you can disprove god either - so that doesn't really work.

Atheism is not believing that there is no god, it is the lack of the belief that there is.

A subtle but important distinction, because the latter does not infer any claim of impossible knowledge.

 

[Sir_Loin]

Most atheists do not believe that you can disprove god either - so that doesn't really work.

Atheism is not believing that there is no god, it is the lack of the belief that there is.

A subtle but important distinction, because the latter does not infer any claim of impossible knowledge.

You're talking about Agnostic Atheists, not hard-line atheists..

 

[Bunyip]

You're talking about Agnostic Atheists, not hard-line atheists..

No, I am just referring to atheism broadly - it does not infer any claim of absolute knowledge regarding the non-existence of gods, such a claim would be absurd.



As I said, atheism is the absence of a belief in god. Not a claim of absolute knowledge regarding their universal non existence.

As to 'hard line atheist' that seems an extraordinary beast indeed - how could one take a hard line on not believing something?

Did you mean anti-theist?

 

[Sir_Loin]

No, I am just referring to atheism broadly

referring to atheism broadly

broadly

That's the ticket!

it does not infer any claim of absolute knowledge regarding the non-existence of gods, such a claim would be absurd.

Hard atheists do infer this..
The definition of an atheist is: "a person who denies or disbelieves the existence of a supreme being or beings" ; and that's it.

And don't start giving me this "lack of disbelief" lecture- I've heard it before.
This is something that atheists gave to themselves to make them seem less arrogant and ignorant.

Did you mean anti-theist?

Atheist

 

[Bunyip]

That's the ticket!



Hard atheists do infer this..
The definition of an atheist is: "a person who denies or disbelieves the existence of a supreme being or beings" ; and that's it.

And don't start giving me this "lack of disbelief" lecture- I've heard it before.
This is something that atheists gave to themselves to make them seem less arrogant and ignorant.





Atheist

According to the definition you gave there, there is no claim of knowledge - so it supports my point perfectly. It does not infer that atheists believe the non-existence of gods to be knowable. Most atheists are agnostic, atheism is essentially agnostic.

 

[Awkward Fingers]

Edited, misread Sir's post.
My apologies...