What Makes an Atheist an Atheist?

[syo]

But what is the test to be recognized as an atheist by others?

If someone tells me they are atheist, I won't test their ''atheism''. I'll accept that as they say.

 

[SalixIncendium]

The lack of proof a god exists.

The 1,000s of versions of what a god is.

The 10,000s of versions of what a prophet is.

The existence of Jesus doesn't mean there is a god. We don't know for sure what he said, did, lived, died, his parents, etc. All we do know is from stories written as political propaganda. Then made into holy books by Man. The same can be said for Mohammed, Buddha, and every holy man ever.

Did you even read the OP?

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Atheists do not believe in a intelligent force/spirit who has created the universe/universes

A force isn't a deity. So, it's irrelevant to atheisms.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

"Atheism" is not a 'kind of person'. So technically speaking, there are no "atheists". There are only those people that adhere to and espouse atheism. Whether or not they believe it, or to what degree, is irrelevant. (The same can be said of theists.)

That doesn't make sense. If you believe something doesn't exist (and it doesn't) it is pretty direct statement. If Joe says I have a pen in my hand, and I see there is nothing in my hand, it's not a position. It's based on observation and lack of evidence that there is one. So, I'd say no. There's nothing in my hand.

It's not religious in nature. Do you get the logic behind it?

 

[Starlight]

A force isn't a deity. So, it's irrelevant to atheisms.

You are wrong. A spirit/force is a deity if the spirit/force has consciousness.

If i believed in a natural force with no consiousness = Then yes i would be a atheist

 

[Unveiled Artist]

You are wrong. A spirit/force is a deity if the spirit/force has consciousness.

If i believed in a natural force with no consiousness = Then yes i would be a atheist

But you can call the force intelligent, that doesn't make it a deity. It just means you're applying a characteristic to something that by definition is not a person or being. Basically, you can call the force tall, love, and have a dazzling smile but by definition the force isn't a being it's personification not a definition of the word.

Jehovah, Zues, Athena, these are deities. An atheist would ideally disbelieve in deities not forces people personify or anthropomorphize.

 

[Starlight]

But you can call the force intelligent, that doesn't make it a deity. It just means you're applying a characteristic to something that by definition is not a person or being. Basically, you can call the force tall, love, and have a dazzling smile but by definition the force isn't a being it's personification not a definition of the word.

Jehovah, Zues, Athena, these are deities. An atheist would ideally disbelieve in deities not forces people personify.

Ehh no. you are wrong. I do not mean the force/spirit has a conciousness only in a symbolic way. I mean it quite literaly. The concious force/spirit is just as real as you, and even more real than us humans.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

If an atheist behaves in such a manner that aligns with the morals Jesus' teaches even though they claim to be an atheist, shouldn't they be called a Christian?

It does not seem to me that "morals" are a particularly religious matter. Rather, they are about how we conduct our interpersonal relationships. I try to be just as polite to a Christian as I am to a Jew, a Muslim or an atheist. I don't harm people because harming people is wrong, not just harming this sort of person, or that.

So if Jesus taught "believe in God" and "treat your neighbour well," one of those is a religious imposition (and I don't follow it), the other is not (and I do follow it).

For the life of me, I cannot figure out why people suppose that having a good moral character depends on believing in a deity. It does not. Let me repeat that -- it doesn't.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Ehh no. you are wrong. I do not mean the force/spirit has a conciousness only in a symbolic way. I mean it quite literaly. The concious force/spirit is just as real as you, and even more real than us humans.

I never heard of a force spoken as a literal person. Force is seen as an energy, something that "brings life" into something or makes something energized. A force can be the experience of love. It could mean a religious euphoria people experience when they they practice their faith, say meditation. Force isn't a deity. By definition it doesn't come close. It's like calling Xena a force and not a person. Jehovah is seen as a deity because he "does" things. He's a being that loves creation and all of that. Force doesn't have that by definition.

Unless it's your personal belief system, objectively speaking the literal definitions say they are two separate words. Maybe atheists put force in the same category but that doesn't make it so. Just their personal preference.

Do you believe a force has consciousness and as real as humans?

 

[Starlight]

I never heard of a force spoken as a literal person. Force is seen as an energy, something that "brings life" into something or makes something energized. A force can be the experience of love. It could mean a religious euphoria people experience when they they practice their faith, say meditation. Force isn't a deity. By definition it doesn't come close. It's like calling Xena a force and not a person. Jehovah is seen as a deity because he "does" things. He's a being that loves creation and all of that. Force doesn't have that by definition.

Unless it's your personal belief system, objectively speaking the literal definitions say they are two separate words. Maybe atheists put force in the same category but that doesn't make it so. Just their personal preference.

Do you believe a force has consciousness and as real as humans?

I believe God do not look like a human being. God is not a human. So it not so strange God is different from us.

Yes. The one abrahamic God I believe in is a concious force/spirit. I do literaly believe God is a force/spirit that has conciousness. And God is as real as humans yes, and even more real than us since God created us.

 

[PureX]

That doesn't make sense. If you believe something doesn't exist (and it doesn't) it is pretty direct statement. If Joe says I have a pen in my hand, and I see there is nothing in my hand, it's not a position. It's based on observation and lack of evidence that there is one. So, I'd say no. There's nothing in my hand.

It's not religious in nature. Do you get the logic behind it?

Belief is simply not relevant. The term "atheism" applies to the philosophical proposition that God/gods don't exist in any way that affects humanity. Who believes this assertion, or doesn't believe it, or how strongly they believe or don't believe it has no relevance to the validity of the proposition.

The same is true of theism. It's a philosophical proposition that God/gods exist in a way that affects humanity. Whether one believes this proposition to be so, or not, or how strongly they believe it, is not relevant to the validity of the proposition.

FORGET BELIEF! IT'S SIMPLY NOT RELEVANT TO THE VALIDITY OF EITHER PROPOSITION.

 

[McBell]

Yes, I know an atheist is defined as one who has a lack of belief in any God.

Asked and answered.

But what is the test to be recognized as an atheist by others?

No idea.
Though I strongly suspect the answer will vary greatly.
My experience has been that the vast majority who make it a priority are merely trying to protect their elitist club.

If an atheist behaves in such a manner that aligns with the morals Jesus' teaches even though they claim to be an atheist, shouldn't they be called a Christian?

Perhaps if the only requisite for being a Christian™ is their behaving like you think Jesus would...

According to Wikipedia, there are 500 million atheists in the world. How do we know whether someone who claims to be an atheist secretly believes there is likely a divine power, but claims to be an atheist strictly to avoid ridicule for believing as such?

We don't.

If we were to weed out these fake atheists, would the 500 million number significantly change?

If all you do is "weed out" those you claim are not "Reaal" atheists, then yes, it will change the number.
However, merely weeding out the fake atheists and not the fake theists will render your number completely useless outside making your feel better at accomplishing absolutely nothing meaningful.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Belief is simply not relevant. The term "atheism" applies to the philosophical proposition that God/gods don't exist in any way that affects humanity. Who believes this assertion, or doesn't believe it, or how strongly they believe or don't believe it has no relevance to the validity of the proposition.

The same is true of theism. It's a philosophical proposition that God/gods exist in a way that affects humanity. Whether one believes this proposition to be so, or not, or how strongly they believe it, is not relevant to the validity of the proposition.

FORGET BELIEF! IT'S SIMPLY NOT RELEVANT TO THE VALIDITY OF EITHER PROPOSITION.

No need to yell. I can "hear" you. It's not a position. There is no god. So, people can either believe there is or believe there is not. That's it.

I can believe (and yes, the definition has belief in it) there is a boat flying above me or I cannot. Either or, it's just an opinion based on observation and what I know of life. Boats don't float, so no. I believe it doesn't. However, John may believe it does. It's just opposite positions of one subject. Nothing more.

Also, affecting humanity part of the definition isn't there. Atheist do not believe in Pagan gods, Abrahamic gods. Hindu gods. Greek gods. Whatever gods (deities) atheists (atheism) does not believe exists. It's not bias to who and which god interacts and affects society or not. Each of these different religions don't all have "interactive" gods in the same sense abrahamics do.

You'd have to show me a clear definition of how you're defining atheism because it's pretty strict. You believe something exists or you don't. Has nothing to do with humanity and definitely has nothing to do with philosophy. Only deities.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

I believe God do not look like a human being. God is not a human. So it not so strange God is different from us.

Yes. The one abrahamic God I believe in is a concious force/spirit. I do literaly believe God is a force/spirit that has conciousness. And God is as real as humans yes, and even more real than us since God created us.

When I read god, I think of Jehovah, Zues, and Athena rather than a force. Deities usually have human characteristics and they can do things, speak, or so have you.

A force, unless anthropomorphize doesn't do that. Since it's not a being or anything like that, so not a deity, an atheist can believe it exists and still be an atheist.

As for personal beliefs, everyone has personal preferences or so have you in how they define words. That's fine. I don't believe in deities, so when I think of it I go to the dictionary or what I know from history and things like that.

 

[Starlight]

When I read god, I think of Jehovah, Zues, and Athena rather than a force. Deities usually have human characteristics and they can do things, speak, or so have you.

A force, unless anthropomorphize doesn't do that. Since it's not a being or anything like that, so not a deity, an atheist can believe it exists and still be an atheist.

As for personal beliefs, everyone has personal preferences or so have you in how they define words. That's fine. I don't believe in deities, so when I think of it I go to the dictionary or what I know from history and things like that.

In my opinion I think that is a childish way to look at God. To think God is like a human.

And no you are wrong. If a person believes a spirit/force who created this universe has conciousness then the person is a theist, not a atheist. This is exactly what I believe. And I'm a theist. A believer in God.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

In my opinion I think that is a childish way to look at God. To think God is like a human.

And no you are wrong. If a person believes a spirit/force who created this universe has conciousness then the person is a theist, not a atheist. This is exactly what I believe. And I'm a theist. A believer in God.

That's odd to change the definition, though. If it said force/deities/gods/tao/so have you, then I can see it. However, atheism is specific about deities. It has nothing to do with my opinion, just the strict definition of the word.

That's totally different than changing the definition to reflect your belief. Anyone can do that with words. God has been changed throughout the centuries and it just means object or person of worship; something put at high honor. "A God."

I said the way I see god is like I see it in mythology and so forth as a deity (a person or being of worship). As for what I "believe" is totally different story.

Also. Difference of perspective doesn't mean any one of us sees things as childish. It's one thing to say "I see it different" it's another to devalue what I'm saying. Personal beliefs make any person bias to words that are personal in nature for some people. However, I don't have that bias with the word god-it's strict dictionary definition.

 

[ppp]

And no you are wrong. If a person believes a spirit/force who created this universe has conciousness then the person is a theist, not a atheist. This is exactly what I believe. And I'm a theist. A believer in God.

A person could believe that some sort of agent (which is also a "spirit/force") created the universe, yet not believe that agent is a god or worthy of worship. That person would not be a theist.

 

[Milton Platt]

Yes, I know an atheist is defined as one who has a lack of belief in any God.

But what is the test to be recognized as an atheist by others?

If an atheist behaves in such a manner that aligns with the morals Jesus' teaches even though they claim to be an atheist, shouldn't they be called a Christian?

According to Wikipedia, there are 500 million atheists in the world. How do we know whether someone who claims to be an atheist secretly believes there is likely a divine power, but claims to be an atheist strictly to avoid ridicule for believing as such?

If we were to weed out these fake atheists, would the 500 million number significantly change?[/QUOT

If someone believes in a divine power, they are by definition not an atheist. There are perhaps a few that claim the atheist label but believe in a divine power. There are also probably millions of people claiming to be Christian who never walk through the door of a church, who have never read the bible, etc. People claim to believe in any number of gods around the world due to social pressures, spousal pressures, or simply for business purposes.

 

[wandering peacefully]

According to Wikipedia, there are 500 million atheists in the world. How do we know whether someone who claims to be an atheist secretly believes there is likely a divine power, but claims to be an atheist strictly to avoid ridicule for believing as such?

Atheists don't care what others think about their lack of God beliefs is one characteristic along with:

Atheists don't believe there is a supernatural deity or many deities or any deities roaming about anywhere in another realm either involved or non-envolved in the lives and affairs of humans.

Most atheists have inherent morals like the character in the stories ofJesus. In no way does that make non-religious atheists, Christians.

Some atheists may believe in some type of unknown, alternative energies but do not believe god ideas are related nor believable.

Atheists usually are interested in the natural workings of life and the universe without believing in a creator diety creating nor running it.

Most atheists were once indoctrinated in some religion but came to the conclusion after many observations, that religions are man made fiction created throughout all of the brief history of humans because there has always been some form of deities to fill in the unknown gaps all being different from one another other and with different cultural rituals and rules.

Atheists are usually scpetics about most everything in their lives not just religions and god ideas.

Atheists don't care what others believe as long as they keep it real, unobtrusive, peaceful and out of policy or political decisions.

Atheists don't believe theist's claims of Gods or divinities beyond natural anything or any places.

I think that is mostly what makes a person an atheist. Other than that and varied personal and social moral characteristics I may be missing, we are just like you.

 

[SeekerOnThePath]

Yes, I know an atheist is defined as one who has a lack of belief in any God.

But what is the test to be recognized as an atheist by others?

If an atheist behaves in such a manner that aligns with the morals Jesus' teaches even though they claim to be an atheist, shouldn't they be called a Christian?

According to Wikipedia, there are 500 million atheists in the world. How do we know whether someone who claims to be an atheist secretly believes there is likely a divine power, but claims to be an atheist strictly to avoid ridicule for believing as such?

If we were to weed out these fake atheists, would the 500 million number significantly change?

An Atheist is somebody who denies that there is a Ground of Reality, the Absolute, the Ultimate Reality.

If someone believes that there is a Ground of Reality, the Absolute, the Ultimate Reality, then they are not an atheist.