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What do people think "atheist" means?
- Thread starter ArtieE
- Start date
Which atheists have a belief that at least one god exists?
Bunyip
pro scapegoat
I would think 'Doesn't believe in God' to be a more common definition of 'atheism - and less problematic.
But still don't see the point of trying to establish a single 'correct' definition - what is the point? It would not be possible to enforce such a thing, other definitions would remain in use anyway.
But still don't see the point of trying to establish a single 'correct' definition - what is the point? It would not be possible to enforce such a thing, other definitions would remain in use anyway.
Bunyip
pro scapegoat
Well if you use the word 'atheist' as Dawkins, Hitchens and many other popular writers have done all theists would be in that group.
Justin Martyr, pne of the earliest theologians used the same definition and context way back in the 2nd century;
"Hence are we called atheists. And we confess that we are atheists, so far as gods of this sort are concerned, but not with respect to the most true God"
So according to that usage, all theists are atheists that believe one God exists.
Even if none, it isn't because it's the common understanding. 'Common' just references a generality.
Doesn't believe in GODS! GODS! PLURAL! AS IN ALL GODS! EVERY GOD! After all these posts you haven't even picked that up!?
Bunyip
pro scapegoat
I am not obliged to pick it up mate. I don't think your definition is either common, or particularly sound.
Why would I have to use the definition you insist on, even though it does not reflect my position?
LOL a theist is a person who believes at least one god exists, an atheist doesn't believe any gods exist. Of course you can say that a person is a theist regarding one god and an atheist regarding all other gods but that is just word play with no bearing on the definitions.
Bunyip
pro scapegoat
What on earth made you think you can make other people adopt your prefered definition?
If you believe gods don't exist then just say you're a "strong atheist" because the definition of a "strong atheist" is a person who believes gods don't exist. Continuing using "atheist" when you mean "strong atheist" will just make you look foolish in the eyes of every knowledgeable atheist and confirm the biblical definition.
Bunyip
pro scapegoat
No it won't mate. The whole 'strong and weak' atheism idea is not very popular at all, in fact it is mostly found only in Christian apologetics, not in the atheist community. Personally I think it is a useless distinction.
I don't think I can make other people adopt that definition. If you want to look like a fool in the eyes of every atheist who knows the difference between weak and strong atheism please feel free.
Bunyip
pro scapegoat
Why would I even care ? Words have many meanings - just ask whoever you are talking to what they mean.
LOL! A person who doesn't believe gods exist is a weak atheist. We just don't bother to say "weak".
Bunyip
pro scapegoat
This is going nowhere buddy.
Correct. Let's stop here.
From dear departed Granma comes memories of the olde christian songs.
She had some of the euro-belque throat to her singing, kinda Frenchy sounding.
I had a large impression of the cross in my mind for a long while.
And there were a few in Belgees, she was Belgium, I knew a few words myself.
~
I heard those songs over and over and over.....
My Granma raised me until I was 5, spoke FrenchehBelque can of like broken dishes to me.
I saw cradles falling from trees, and babies falling, and heaven, and all that crap.
~
All those songs started sounding perverse, all about prayers and death !
And of course, heaven; should that be capitolized ?
~
That stuff plus losing Santa and the bunnies, and growing up....
I don't believe in heaven, angels, bugles in heaven, thrones in the Cosmos,
pink unicorns, ghosts, and any other whisp of essense of nothingness.
~
I just believe in the earth and the Cosmos in which I swim, no other entity needed.
I guess that brands me to be an Atheist / I am what I am / "who said that?"
NuffStuff
~
'mud
She had some of the euro-belque throat to her singing, kinda Frenchy sounding.
I had a large impression of the cross in my mind for a long while.
And there were a few in Belgees, she was Belgium, I knew a few words myself.
~
I heard those songs over and over and over.....
My Granma raised me until I was 5, spoke FrenchehBelque can of like broken dishes to me.
I saw cradles falling from trees, and babies falling, and heaven, and all that crap.
~
All those songs started sounding perverse, all about prayers and death !
And of course, heaven; should that be capitolized ?
~
That stuff plus losing Santa and the bunnies, and growing up....
I don't believe in heaven, angels, bugles in heaven, thrones in the Cosmos,
pink unicorns, ghosts, and any other whisp of essense of nothingness.
~
I just believe in the earth and the Cosmos in which I swim, no other entity needed.
I guess that brands me to be an Atheist / I am what I am / "who said that?"
NuffStuff
~
'mud
Ouroboros
Coincidentia oppositorum
Actually, we've expressed our concerns and disagreements with the definition on this website, and it wasn't heard. The high priests of atheism have decided what the definition should be.
Last edited:
Ouroboros
Coincidentia oppositorum
The word a-the-ist isn't plural for "God". It's not even singular. Besides, the word "God" didn't exist when the word "atheos" (singular, athei plural) was used the first time. So how can we even be sure that "theos" should be translated to the 17th c. proto-Germanic/old-English God or gods?