What does it mean to be an Atheist ( not a mocking thread)

[slackercruster]

It means nothing. Same was as knitting means nothing to me.

 

[oldbadger]

I gave that a long time ago. Please don't change the subject. We were discussing your failed analogy. You had it backwards. This would not be one Christian telling all of the other churches that they were not Christians. This is the case of one believer, in this case you, trying he tell everyone else that he belongs to a group when that person's stated beliefs puts him in another group.

So you can't give us your definition?
A cop out?
OK....

 

[QuestioningMind]

Hello .....

But...... no.
I am not a Theist.
I am a non-Theist.
I am A-theist

The fact that my Deist/Atheist Crreed differs from yours is fine. Look at Christianity which has thousands of varying Creeds and Doctrines.

It's perfectly normal for humans to sub-divide within their own groups, calling all the other groups impostors.

The new Atrheist call is..... 'They are not Atheists!'

You'll be a religion soon.

ROFL... okay, SURE. So you're like a Christian who doesn't believe in Christ.

 

[oldbadger]

Ummm, you're welcome into the atheist group, whatever that means. I've never been part of any atheist group nor do I know of any atheist ideologies. So, errr, welcome? The more the merrier, I guess.

Wow!
Now that's hospitality.
Can I have a badge?
@Revoltingest 's club won't even impart their secret handshake to me. But on the plus side I'll bet he's always got greasy hands.

Though your responses thus far seem to incline you're opposed to atheists and atheism even though you call yourself one.

No. I tell you what it is...... any kind of extremism whether political, religious, etc etc..... is what I react against.

However, just as a critique against deism being part of atheism I can point to some prominent atheists who don't consider deism part of atheism. Matt Dillahunty(2:20 - 2:34) considered deism as, "an absolute failure in skepticism" and Christopher Hitchens(2:15 -2:50) argues against deism, where in says, "if you ever argue with a theist or a deist as I do every day you'll find they all believe in a God of their very own."

I think Hitchens may have it correct. I'll bet that my Deism is individual to me.

Why should you care what these popular atheists say? Maybe because atheists, in the mainstream, don't consider the concept of atheism to include deism. Any and all material I can find on this agrees with this assessment.

I don't mind atheists insisting that I'm not one. I don't do clubs so isolation suits me.

You may ask why then do some theists consider deists as atheists, I'd think the same reason they considered some people witches, because it goes against their ideology. I doubt witches exist, right ?

Wot?!
There are witches on RF, I think.
A witch lived further down our road here until recently.
I'm open minded about witches, spiritualists, healers and more.

Anyway, welcome brethren to the invisible group.

Thankyou.
Please don't let Revoltingest in, though.

 

[oldbadger]

ROFL... okay, SURE. So you're like a Christian who doesn't believe in Christ.

You know........ if such a person exists I would not be surprised. In fact I can think of Creeds or Churches that don't accept Jesus was Christ although they follow his 'path', so we're getting close to that already.

On one Forum, (I forget which) there were separate 'rooms' for atheists and non-theists. I wouldn't mind getting chucked out of the one if I would be invited in to the other.

 

[QuestioningMind]

You know........ if such a person exists I would not be surprised. In fact I can think of Creeds or Churches that don't accept Jesus was Christ although they follow his 'path', so we're getting close to that already.

On one Forum, (I forget which) there were separate 'rooms' for atheists and non-theists. I wouldn't mind getting chucked out of the one if I would be invited in to the other.

Of course they exist... as long as we've decided that words no longer have any specific meaning. Gonna make communicating REAL hard in the future though.

 

[charlie sc]

Wow!
Now that's hospitality.
Can I have a badge?
@Revoltingest 's club won't even impart their secret handshake to me. But on the plus side I'll bet he's always got greasy hands.


No. I tell you what it is...... any kind of extremism whether political, religious, etc etc..... is what I react against.


I think Hitchens may have it correct. I'll bet that my Deism is individual to me.


I don't mind atheists insisting that I'm not one. I don't do clubs so isolation suits me.


Wot?!
There are witches on RF, I think.
A witch lived further down our road here until recently.
I'm open minded about witches, spiritualists, healers and more.


Thankyou.
Please don't let Revoltingest in, though.

Errr you if you want some kind of badge, you’re barking up the wrong tree. Speaking of barking, you don’t want to start a fight with a corgi. I’m bigger than you and cuter. I also have royalty on my side. After you back down with your tail between your legs, I’ll take your puny bone and add it to my collection.

 

[Revoltingest]

@Revoltingest 's club won't even impart their secret handshake to me. But on the plus side I'll bet he's always got greasy hands.

Sometimes it's not grease.....it's KY.

 

[Subduction Zone]

So you can't give us your definition?
A cop out?
OK....

No, I did gave it very early in the thread. It is the same as most atheists, atheism is a lack of belief in a deity. You were using the question as a dodge to avoid discussing your failed analogy. That was what I objected to.

 

[Aupmanyav]

May I extend my congratulations and much respect to Mrs Aupmanyav? Now there is a fine and patient lady, just as my wife is ..

Oh yes. She is a fine lady who has fulfilled all her 'dharma'. We are fortunate.

 

[oldbadger]

Of course they exist... as long as we've decided that words no longer have any specific meaning. Gonna make communicating REAL hard in the future though.

It already is real hard.

Did you read a recent thread explaining that the word 'Jihad' means 'personal struggle' ? Where I live a street survey on any Saturday morning would find that an overwhelming number of folks think it means one of these:- War, Terrorist Attack, Terrorism, Hatred.

But when a bunch of dictionary authors decide quite illogically that Deism is a subset of Theism, then anybody has the right to show that such authors are as daft as March Hares.

Where I live 'Fantastic' means very good. Does it mean 'Unreal' to you? Where I live 'Unreal' means 'Fabulous', but to an atheist these words might mean 'Mythical'.

And 'Kid' does notg mean baby goat.

And 'Well Sick' does not mean ill, it means 'Fantastic'.

Keep up with the movement of Language! Or get left behind..?

 

[oldbadger]

Errr you if you want some kind of badge, you’re barking up the wrong tree. Speaking of barking, you don’t want to start a fight with a corgi. I’m bigger than you and cuter. I also have royalty on my side. After you back down with your tail between your legs, I’ll take your puny bone and add it to my collection.

Hmmm...... you might be posh and with a diamond collar, but you're rubbish underground. And for heaven's sake (oops) don't pick a fight with a badger...... they're quite 'orrible. Over here criminals still hunt badgers with specially bred fighting dogs and after a few fights underground such dogs have no noses left..

But, obviously, Oldbadgers would sooner be tickled on a sweet lady's lap. I'm now a retired lap dog.

 

[PureX]

I recommend more effort understanding, & less preaching.
Also, telling people they're liars has a big downside....
For one, it's rude, even if you really believe you're re right.
But if they're truthful, then they'll also see you as unreasonable.

People lie to themselves all the time. So they think they're truthful, and of course they will resent anyone telling them different. But I see no reason to cosign their BS. And I can't help that they will resent me for not doing so. Most atheists clearly hold the belief that gods do not exist, because if they did, there would be convincing evidence and the atheist would be able to recognize that evidence and be convinced, and theists would be able to present that evidence to them to be recognized. Thus, their reasoned 'default' position (and their 'belief') is that there are no gods until someone can prove to them, otherwise.

Yet when confronted with their own conclusions regarding the nature and existence of gods, they immediately disavow their own belief system to avoid having to defend it logically (which they, of course, demand from everyone else regarding their beliefs). I see this happening constantly on these threads; so why shouldn't I call it a deliberate misrepresentation? They obviously hold beliefs regarding the nature and existence of gods to the point that they assume they can detect and verify such an existence if it were extant. So their facade of "unbelief" is obviously bogus, and deliberate.

By the way, YOU are one of the few atheists here that tend not to be constantly spewing this "unbelief" nonsense, and I do note and appreciate that. Unfortunately, on this particular thread, you chose to try and defend those that do, to me. And I'm not having it.

 

[oldbadger]

No, I did gave it very early in the thread. It is the same as most atheists, atheism is a lack of belief in a deity. You were using the question as a dodge to avoid discussing your failed analogy. That was what I objected to.

Failed analogy?
You seem to be a self elected Judge, much the same as you seem to be a self elected science wizard?

Oh No! There is at least one Atheist leaving posts on this very thread WHO BELONGS TO A RELIGION!

Atheism is becoming very like a religion, with its different creeds, doctrines and cliques.

Now...... just be logical and agree with me that Theism and Deism belong in two different groups altogether, with separating definitions.

You need to understand that language changes with time, which is why so many words have lost their original meanings, Atheism being a typical example.

Ask any logical thinking Judge.

 

[oldbadger]

Sometimes it's not grease.....it's KY.

I'll bite.....
What on earth is KY?

 

[oldbadger]

........
Most atheists clearly hold the belief about that gods do not exist because if they did, there would be evidence, and the atheist would be able to recognize that evidence, and the theist would be able to present it to them to e recognized. Thus, their reasoned 'default' position is that there are no gods. ....................

Those particular atheists must be blind and deaf.

I cycled to the local supermarket just now, and the evidence of a Deity (my perception) was and is everywhere I looked, and in everything I heard and touched.

And so that kind of denial just seems like a form of autism to me.

 

[Subduction Zone]

I'll bite.....
What on earth is KY?

LOL! KY jelly is a lubricant for special purposes.

 

[Subduction Zone]

Those particular atheists must be blind and deaf.

I cycled to the local supermarket just now, and the evidence of a Deity (my perception) was and is everywhere I looked, and in everything I heard and touched.

And so that kind of denial just seems like a form of autism to me.

That is a form of an Argument From Ignorance. It indicates a lack of understanding of what is and what is not evidence.

 

[Subduction Zone]

Failed analogy?
You seem to be a self elected Judge, much the same as you seem to be a self elected science wizard?

Oh No! There is at least one Atheist leaving posts on this very thread WHO BELONGS TO A RELIGION!

Atheism is becoming very like a religion, with its different creeds, doctrines and cliques.

Now...... just be logical and agree with me that Theism and Deism belong in two different groups altogether, with separating definitions.

You need to understand that language changes with time, which is why so many words have lost their original meanings, Atheism being a typical example.

Ask any logical thinking Judge.

I explained why it was a failed analogy. Did you not see it?

Go back to your original analogy and we can go over it again.

 

[atanu]

According to the American Atheists website they state this

Atheism is one thing: A lack of belief in gods.
Atheism is not an affirmative belief that there is no god nor does it answer any other question about what a person believes. It is simply a rejection of the assertion that there are gods. Atheism is too often defined incorrectly as a belief system. To be clear: Atheism is not a disbelief in gods or a denial of gods; it is a lack of belief in gods.
What is Atheism? | American Atheists

But in many discussions in this forum with many good Atheists i come across many ways to describe what atheism is.

Could i get some more info from Atheists in this forum? What is Atheism to you?

Suppose you don’t know whether you have a beer bottle in refrigerator. Would you say “I lack belief in existence of beer” or would you say “I do not know whether there is beer in refrigerator”?

Peace. Peace. Peace.
(Prays fervently)