paarsurrey
Veteran Member
They have faith in doubt. Right? Please
Regards
Regards
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Isn’t Atheism a faith-based non-religion?
- Thread starter paarsurrey
- Start date
Right and wrong. The case can be argued either way, depending on what one means by "faith" and what one means by "atheism" or "Atheism" (not the same thing in this one's book). What is more important to ask is why one is arguing a particular case and what purpose that story serves. I think the story you are telling about "faith in doubt" is more than a little off.
Many atheists do not have any doubt. When I was an atheist I didn't have any doubt.
Wrong.
What do you think "Atheism" means? AFAIK, it's nothing but a typo for "atheism".
I suppose there may be unusual situations which fit that description.
Generally speaking, though, no, not at all. Faith has many meanings, but not really fits Atheism in general.
What must be understood about Atheism is that it is not at all an active stance. It is a default state. It takes no effort and no intent whatsoever.
What may or may not take some effort is resisting the often oppressive and disrespectful expectations of the theists around us.
McBell
Resident Sourpuss
I have noticed that some people differentiate between hard atheism and soft atheism with capitalization.
Much like the "difference" between God and god.
I do not know if that is how Quintessence differentiates though
DawudTalut
Peace be upon you.
Faith in doubt
Doubt in faith
Faith in faith
Doubt in doubt
None of above, imho they have apparent lack of faith but deep down inside somewhere they have spark of faith.
Putting it in proper case like that would mean discussing atheism as religion for the subset of atheists that applies to. Essentially a religious conviction that there are no gods, along with a set of other ideas that can be simplistically characterized as materialistic scientism. Behaviorally, there are parallels to Evangelical Christians in that such folks can be well... basically atheist versions of corner-side preachers.
I forgot to respond to a question you had in another thread - about why I don't really see a difference between theism and atheism? This is part of why. I see some theists and atheists behaving analogously to each other, and on a fairly regular basis. That, and the terms tell you pretty much nothing about a person other than they accept or reject something called "god" which is a vaguely-defined symbolic placeholder that can mean anything from nature or the universe to love to supernatural omnimaxes.
Aiviu
Active Member
They live their life mostly based on humanity. Anything else? Oh ya, the usual bias against those who act violently for a God they are unable to reach. WOW, that will kick atheism to believe it. *click*
Nevermind ... i am wasting virtual bytes by taking part in a debate. The rhetoric question is (forced) the answer to be.
I just do unto you.
All people have faith in some way. Not all see fit to associate it with some form of deity or afterlife belief.
Wait: are you working from some general idea that capitalization implies religion?
Why wouod a conviction necessarily be a "religious" conviction?
Frankly, I think there's a common tactic among sone people to label atheists as "religious" just to get a rise out of them. Being passionate or feeling certain aren't enough to make a point of view a religion. If it were, we'd be calling everything from political parties to sports team fan groups "religions".
Frankly, I tend to disregard the people who say "God is love." I don't think they're actually equating God and love. Instead, I think they're doing one of a few things:I forgot to respond to a question you had in another thread - about why I don't really see a difference between theism and atheism? This is part of why. I see some theists and atheists behaving analogously to each other, and on a fairly regular basis. That, and the terms tell you pretty much nothing about a person other than they accept or reject something called "god" which is a vaguely-defined symbolic placeholder that can mean anything from nature or the universe to love to supernatural omnimaxes.
- repeating something nice-sounding from their scriptures without putting much thought into it.
- expressing a belief that their God - a literal entity that can do physical things - is the ultimate source of all love, and that loving act by people are in line with God's will.
- using a tactic to avoid being challenged on the real-world claims that they or their religion makes.
Why would you think the similarities between theists and atheists boil down to atheism being a religion and not just to the fact that people - regardless of labels - have a lot in common?
And as I touched on in the other thread, I think that part of the similarity between theists and atheists comes down to the fact that theists often don't actually live as if they believe the things they say they do; they often live as atheists.
For instance, the vast majority of people who say that God will provide for all their needs still save for retirement.
As the saying goes, "Great doubt great enlightenment. Little doubt, little enlightenment. No doubt, no enlightenment."
Satans_Serrated_Edge
Deicidal
You do realize this is an oxymoron right?
Wait, no, of course you don't. Carry on then.
Kuzcotopia
If you can read this, you are as lucky as I am.
No.
Atheists have an extremely wide range of perspectives and philosophies.
The only thing they all have in common is that they reject the claim that a god or gods exist (mostly based on lack of evidence).
To me, "God" is a name for some gods... kind of like how some people will call their cat "Cat".
I don't know of anyone that named their atheism "Atheism". It seems like an absurd idea.
And even that is far less of a common thread than most theists realize. Because "god" itself is such a vague concept.
I would not define a religious view as one's passions. What makes something "religion" in that sense is it deals with matters of Ultimate truth or concern for them. They aren't questions about which team you like. They are questions that touch on the nature of existence and being itself.
So therefore to identify as a Christian, that is saying the Christian ideas and symbols represent that ultimate concern to them. If someone identifies with those things by calling themselves an Atheist in regards to those, then that is in fact a religious question. As such it should be capitalized the same as saying Christian.
One could still use it with a lower case by saying one's views are atheistic, in the sense of lacking a deity symbol the same way you might say someone is theistic without the need to capitalize it. But to declare affiliation with the view as an identification as a category of belief, is no different than identifying oneself as Christian. It's not just atheism but Atheism as a self-identifier.