If We All Became Atheists?

[PureX]

"Beyond religion" is not atheism.

Also, there is nothing to indicate that atheists are any more interested in peace and unity than theists or religious adherents are. So the question being asked in the OP is based on a faulty premise.

Finally, it is impossible to know the extent to which religious practices actually effect the way people behave toward each other positively or negatively. Most religiosity is a personal endeavor that can vary greatly from one individual to another even within the same religious community.

 

[Nakosis]

If atheism were appealing to the masses, you wouldn’t have to promote it. And if atheism is reasonable, rational and beneficial, and man has no need for God or religion, than God and religion will finally meet the fate Nietzsche declared had already come to pass. Though as things currently stand, Nietzsche is definitely dead while faith in God is not, so don’t hold your breath.

Religion is a big industry. They get all of the PR and donations.

 

[SalixIncendium]

Understanding atheism doesn't deny God. Atheism only recognizes man's ignorance about God.

Not all people are ignorant about God.

What atheism does deny is all messengers of God. I suppose a few people might be reluctant to let go of their favored messengers.

It does? By whose definition?

Atheism is the lack of belief in God or gods. It's as simple as that. No need to convolute the term to include belief about messengers of God, as that is already implied in the lack of belief of God or gods.

 

[SalixIncendium]

Everyone is born atheist. Some are taught to believe.

This is incorrect. All are born agnostic, not atheist.

One can't be born an atheist without any conception of God or gods.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

One quality which makes Scandinavian and European societies so appealing is imo, the plurality of belief. If they were uniformly atheist, wouldn’t they be as drearily oppressive as any theocracy? As was the case, for example, in the former Soviet Union?

Once again a conclusion that doesn't follow from the premise. When everybody believes in Allah, everybody gets on their knees bows praying towards Mecca 5 times every day. Boring and oppressing. When everybody thinks a guy hanging dead on a cross is going to save them from being punished by his dad, they all get together every Sunday and repeat the same prayers and hymns over and over again while be preached and droned at by some boring moralist telling them how to live their lives.

When people don't believe stuff nobody can demonstrate anyway, they're free to do what they want. This Sunday, we'll go to the zoo. Next Sunday we'll have paintball battles or go white-water rafting. When there's no credal reason to conform, we don't have to conform -- we're free to be who we are, and couples John and Edna, and George and Steve can have a nice steak-house dinner together without feeling the moralize on each other's orientation.

 

[SalixIncendium]

Everyone is born without belief in gods, that makes them atheist in my book.

Is everyone born with the knowledge of what gods are? If not, they are not born atheist.

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

A lack of belief is an opinion.

Euh... no, it's not.

My lack of belief in undetectable pixies or bigfoot, is not a matter of mere "opinion".
It's rather a matter of factually not being convinced of these claims. It's a matter of factually not having positive belief these claims are correct.

Babies have no opinions on anything; gods, Santa, Donald Trump....

Sure. They also don't have beliefs in Santa or Gods. And them not having beliefs in gods, makes them atheist.

It's all just subjective opinion after cognitive evaluation. A newborn baby generally doesn't engage in such. An atheist is an athiest because they have considered the issue and come to a conclusion.

Not the way I see it.
An atheist is an atheist because they don't answer "yes" to the question "do you believe god(s) are / is real?".

Not having a positive belief in gods, is what defines atheism.
A baby lacks such a positive belief.
Someone who's never been presented with any god concept, and hasn't dreamed up such by themselves, also lack such beliefs.

There's this saying that most atheists don't even realize they are atheist simply because they have never spend any time thinking about it.
They just don't believe in gods and gods are complete non-issues in their lives.

Being an atheist actually isn't a big deal at all. Society / theists tend to make a big deal out of it. But it isn't.

It's like someone who doesn't collect stamps. How much time per day do you think they spend thinking about their non-hobby of not collecting stamps?

 

[ChristineM]

If atheism were appealing to the masses, you wouldn’t have to promote it. And if atheism is reasonable, rational and beneficial, and man has no need for God or religion, than God and religion will finally meet the fate Nietzsche declared had already come to pass. Though as things currently stand, Nietzsche is definitely dead while faith in God is not, so don’t hold your breath.

Not sure atheism is promoting itself anywhere as much as religion. Though it is growing in number from people delusioned with religion.

And of course atheism is reasonable, rational and beneficial, firstly because those abandoning religion would not choose it. Then, most scientists are "without gods" and we certainly benefit from their work.

Yet religion seems to be dying, in various countries it is estimated that the religious will be in a minority this century.

 

[Nakosis]

Not all people are ignorant about God.

Yes, not all people accept they are ignorant about God.
They haven't yet been able to convince atheists otherwise.

It does? By whose definition?

Atheism is the lack of belief in God or gods. It's as simple as that. No need to convolute the term to include belief about messengers of God, as that is already implied in the lack of belief of God or gods.

Not by definition, by deduction.
To lack any beliefs about Gods, you can't recognize anyone claiming to speak for one.

 

[ChristineM]

Is everyone born with the knowledge of what gods are? If not, they are not born atheist.

Atheism is defined in Oxford languages as
disbelief or lack of belief in the existence of God or gods.

I believe babies lack belief.

 

[ChristineM]

One quality which makes Scandinavian and European societies so appealing is imo, the plurality of belief. If they were uniformly atheist, wouldn’t they be as drearily oppressive as any theocracy? As was the case, for example, in the former Soviet Union?

The former soviet union, was, as today a vast majority religious country.

 

[RestlessSoul]

Once again a conclusion that doesn't follow from the premise. When everybody believes in Allah, everybody gets on their knees bows praying towards Mecca 5 times every day. Boring and oppressing. When everybody thinks a guy hanging dead on a cross is going to save them from being punished by his dad, they all get together every Sunday and repeat the same prayers and hymns over and over again while be preached and droned at by some boring moralist telling them how to live their lives.

When people don't believe stuff nobody can demonstrate anyway, they're free to do what they want. This Sunday, we'll go to the zoo. Next Sunday we'll have paintball battles or go white-water rafting. When there's no credal reason to conform, we don't have to conform -- we're free to be who we are, and couples John and Edna, and George and Steve can have a nice steak-house dinner together without feeling the moralize on each other's orientation.

Is this an atheist zoo and/or steakhouse you’ll be visiting, or can anyone go?

 

[ChristineM]

Is this an atheist zoo and/or steakhouse you’ll be visiting, or can anyone go?

Feel free, you'll be welcome

 

[We Never Know]

This is incorrect. All are born agnostic, not atheist.

One can't be born an atheist without any conception of God or gods.

No one is born with beliefs of any in kind.
Christians believe in a god
Agnostic believe a god existing is unknown.
Atheist have no belief about a god.

 

[RestlessSoul]

The former soviet union, was, as today a vast majority religious country.

Atheism was effectively the state religion of the USSR, though you are right to observe that the majority of the population rejected that doctrine in private.

 

[Secret Chief]

It's like someone who doesn't collect stamps. How much time per day do you think they spend thinking about their non-hobby of not collecting stamps?

As much time as me.

 

[Secret Chief]

And them not having beliefs in gods, makes them atheist.

Clearly I disagree on this. They have not considered the issue and then arrived at an opinion.

 

[Secret Chief]

Euh... no, it's not.

My lack of belief in undetectable pixies or bigfoot, is not a matter of mere "opinion".
It's rather a matter of factually not being convinced of these claims. It's a matter of factually not having positive belief these claims are correct.

You are not convinced of something, but you may be wrong.

 

[Secret Chief]

An atheist is an atheist because they don't answer "yes" to the question "do you believe god(s) are / is real?".

Exactly. Let me know what answer you get when you ask a baby.

 

[Secret Chief]

Oh gawd I've just remembered having this discussion previously and it ended up that apparently a foetus, a zebra and a rock are all atheistic given the lack of belief in gods.