Sorry, kind of sort of misunderstood you post in my first reply.
Which atheist is debating about the meaning of theism?
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Threads about Theism and what it is
- Thread starter Quintessence
- Start date
Sorry, kind of sort of misunderstood you post in my first reply.
Which atheist is debating about the meaning of theism?
@Shushersbedamned beat me to the punch on this one.
Some non-theists seem to make it one of their life missions to take down what they call "theism" (which is usually some narrow subset of theism).
Most, that I've paid attention to, attack specific religions. Christianity, Islam etc... Not really theism in general.
Attacks on things like Wicca and Druidry usually come from other religious folks.
Araceli Cianna
Active Member
Hand over the money, lol.
Abdushakur
Member
There is only Monotheism and Polytheism.
Everything that negates Monotheism is Polytheism (whether it is dual, tri or more)
So Pantheism and deism are Polytheism because it attributes some aspect of The Creator to the creation. Atheism is also Polytheism because it holds that science and man hold keys to the truth (even in denial of a Creator) in effect elevating man to the status of 'gods', and this is Polytheism.
So, again, there is only Monotheism and Polytheism.
Religious forums with all of its categories, and sections of different religions is the evolution of debating theism, and then since atheism is a simpler religion, with only one key belief, people like to debate it...
Like what disappears are complex multiple dynamic threads; many prefer something single faceted, same with music, people want something within a limited number of approximate equations at the same time.
In my opinion.
But they're still categories... subsets. There's nothing inaccurate in describing polytheists, pantheists, and deists all as theists.
GoodbyeDave
Well-Known Member
Consider how much more common atheism is on sites like this than "in the wild". If you hold a minority belief, the internet gives you a great opportunity to huddle together for reassurance.
WalterTrull
Godfella
Because atheists are from the dark side. You know that by the apple in the pig's mouth. No apple = misinformed but not dark. Apple = DARK SIDE. Excalibur, Excalibur. (Is that supposed to be er or ur) There is an atheist ship parked behind the moon to take them all to atheist nirvana. (Well some planet as yet undiscovered) Undiscovered planets! Aha! Atheism unmasked. Trump! Trump! Di Niro, Di Niro!
I have to leave you now to work on the Atheintithical machine. What is that you ask? Aha! If you don't know, I'm certainly not going to tell you. (My wife's words - but useful in situations like this)
I think I'll have another glass of wine. Wine can't hurt you, ya know. Volume is irrelevant. As are the names George and Sylvester. Sometimes I think Penelope also, but no.
Bye.
I have to leave you now to work on the Atheintithical machine. What is that you ask? Aha! If you don't know, I'm certainly not going to tell you. (My wife's words - but useful in situations like this)
I think I'll have another glass of wine. Wine can't hurt you, ya know. Volume is irrelevant. As are the names George and Sylvester. Sometimes I think Penelope also, but no.
Bye.
Segev Moran
Well-Known Member
Its very simple.
Theism: Believing there is a god (one god)
Atheism: Not believing.
The problem is those who believe don't really understand what not believing means.
Most of them think that not believing X is true,is the same as believing X is not true while X can be endless number of other things.
So:
Believe
X = !
Not believe
X=?
That might be your view but that is certainly not the view of most deists, pantheists or atheists I know.
I mostly agree (with the exception of deism as it was and still is to some theologians and philosophers is entirely seperate from theism. Etymologically deism is the opposite of theism, not atheism, because theism was about what gods did as much as what they were. Religions with a-personal gods were deists, personal gods were theists. So by that argument deism is not a subset of theism.)
But this thread is about arguments regarding the nuance of atheism as an umbrella (Strong, weak, implicit, explicit, agnostic, gnostic, ignostic, etc) being much more prolific in discussions and debates than arguments about the nuance of theism.
I agree with the OP in that theism is no less complex as atheism, but discussions about what theism means tends to be comparatively narrow.
No doubt contributed to by the fact that abrahamic religion is the primary category people see.
Just like strong atheism is more visible than its counterparts so some theists tend to omit other types of atheism in their consideration.
Do I get the hundred bucks if I use moderator powers to feature the thread and keep bumping it?
Kidding! Kidding!
Abdushakur
Member
It is the Islamic view which I adhere to, yes.
dianaiad
Well-Known Member
oh....and that both a/theism and a/gnosticism define themselves by theism. I mean, really...if it weren't for theism, there wouldn't BE any atheists.
You're welcome.
Like I said in an earlier post, I tend towards theism being defined by its etymological roots more than lay usage, which means there are plenty of non-theists who don't believe in theistic deities, but do believe in deities. But that's a topic for another time.
What's funny about your post is theism arose historically and conceptually from animism (which I believe is closer to the OP's beliefs). So I guess if it weren't for more animist religions there wouldn't be any theists. So...should she post 'you're welcome' too? xD
dianaiad
Well-Known Member
Absolutely.
.....especially given the beliefs that the song is rather loosely based on.
because theism is honest it has no clue exactly what theism is precisely in theism itself for Petes sake!!!!!
If I had to guess, it is because most people who are interested in theism do not often want to question the validity of their conceptions of the word.
I would guess it's because the hot dichotomy is more Religion vs Atheism than Theism vs Atheism.
Trailblazer
Veteran Member
Maybe threads don't happen but debates between theists do happen and frankly I am tired of them.
God is this, no, God is that, there are many gods, no, there is only one God.... God is inside me, I have a divine nature, no God is not inside anyone, no human has a divine nature, Jesus was God, no, Jesus was not God, yada yada yada............
I finally decided that I am just not going to answer those posts anymore when all that can be said has been said..... what's the point?
There are hardly any atheists that I cannot talk to and feel comfortable, only one really, but there are many believers who I cannot talk to without getting into an argument.... Believers have a tendency to think they know everything about God and how God operates, but nobody knows that....
I prefer talking to atheists rather than believers.
No offense intended.