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Atheists and Abstracts
- Thread starter Fool
- Start date
Twilight Hue
Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
No. It would be viewed for what it is. An abstract.
Historically it has been theists that have explored abstracts and the pursuit of science; so why do you suppose atheists might believe theists to be disillusioned?
Unveiled Artist
Veteran Member
No. Love is abstract as so is hate. Honesty is abstract. Abstract things are ideas, feelings, and qualities that aren't material or concrete. I've experienced love before and hate from others. I have creativity and I have cried in sadness.
The concept (another abstract word) is easy to understand and accept. Many atheist do pursue love and happiness. I purpose the skill from creativity and mental clarity.
We all experience different emotions and other abstract ideas and concepts. That's part of the human psyche.
Now, if you're talking about abstract meaning the idea or concept of god, it depends on the atheist rather than atheism in general. God has many meanings to many religions; some are abstract others are not. Since some gods are abstract, one concept or definition of god would be love. Atheist do not have a hard time understanding love. There is countless evidence it exists. However, what we don't do is personify this love (and hate and this and that...). God as a being is a personification of abstract experiences.
We understand the source but some atheist want evidence for the personification of the source. That makes no sense to me; but, some atheist do it.
Not all.
Twilight Hue
Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
There's no substance to speak of that backs such ideologies.
Theists are not always disillusioned imv. Some are certainly disillusioned. Rather, its misguided information that leads to some rather bizarre interpretations of the world around them and how things actually work. I think most theist's only pursue and rely on science up to a point, and stop once incredulity sets in, and henceforth decides on premature conclusions without bothering to see if any claim made, checks out or not.
agreed, the idea of love, hate, and honesty are abstract. but they can be observable as you stated as experiences, so yes they ""can be realized"" by their actions and not their forms....
actions are considered material things; otherwise we couldn't observe gravity, or electricity.
Unveiled Artist
Veteran Member
If this is true, which we believe it is, why would you say atheist don't accept this?
I'm not. I'm asking if atheists have a harder time accepting these abstract behaviors because they don't readily have an observable form. I didn't state an atheist wouldn't accept them.
Unveiled Artist
Veteran Member
I can't speak for other atheist, though I don't find it harder time to accept these abstract behaviors because it has no observable form.
Do you think they have a harder time?
this is a learning process for me. I realize some of the things I inquire about seem foolish but I actually learn something occasionally.
the only idea that I can come up with that might be relevant is that we are more questioning than just a believer alone.
believers might just accept it without explanation because someone in authority told them so; or they've been conditioned to just accept authority.
An atheist would be more open to questioning; so I presume that acceptance isn't readily given; without a personal experience for themselves, or plenty of evidence from numerous and unbiased witnesses.
YmirGF
Bodhisattva in Recovery
No, why would you think that?
If you want to play that game it should also be highlighted that atheism didn't exist to a significant degree until the last 150 years. Since that time atheist thinkers have made stunning breakthroughs in numerous areas, so much so, that theists are no longer on the vanguard and are struggling to keep up.
its no game. it just historically that theists have been on the leading edge of most research in all sciences. even einstein wasn't an atheist. he was an advocate for buddhism; which isn't exactly a dyed in the wool atheist.
YmirGF
Bodhisattva in Recovery
Granted, I've only read several biographies on Einstein, but I have never heard him described as "an advocate for Buddhism". Source?
Again though, in the last 150 years, it has not been theists who have been on the bleeding edge.
i saw that coming.
einstein did not believe in a metaphysical reality, nor he believed in the afterlife. on the countrary, he thaught that "the word God is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses, the Bible a collection of honourable, but still primitive legends. For me the Jewish religion like all other religions is an incarnation of the most childish superstitions". and again: "I do not believe in a personal God and I have never denied this but have expressed it clearly. If something is in me which can be called religious then it is the unbounded admiration for the structure of the world so far as our science can reveal it".
as for buddhism , actually it is a non-theistic religion. and einstein was never an advocate of it.
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YmirGF
Bodhisattva in Recovery
OK, I didn't think you were being serious.
buddhism doesn't believe in deities because they are created like humans. they're temporal. they don't believe in a deity apart from self, either. so they do believe that there is something about self that is permanent and eternal. some atheists do not believe that.
i use the term self vs selves.
In general terms, no. I think fundamentalist thinking is a symptom of concrete thought patterns, personally. This sort of thinking can happen in both theists and atheists.