I think I am now an atheist

[Eddi]

I now realise that the only reason I ever made myself believe in God was out of fear of death and annihilation

Wishful thinking basically

I now see no compelling reason to believe in God

Therefore I think I'm going to have to come out as an atheist

Which is what I was for many years

Although I hope there is a God and recognise there is a slim chance of one existing

I still believe reality is a computer simulation though

 

[Secret Chief]

slim chance of one existing

Not agnosticism then?

 

[Eddi]

Not agnosticism then?

No!

By "slim" I mean only very slight

Possible but not at all probable

 

[Spirit of Light]

I now realise that the only reason I ever made myself believe in God was out of fear of death and annihilation

Wishful thinking basically

I now see no compelling reason to believe in God

Therefore I think I'm going to have to come out as an atheist

Which is what I was for many years

Although I hope there is a God and recognise there is a slim chance of one existing

I still believe reality is a computer simulation though

What made you stop believe there is a God or gods?
Was it something special that happen?

 

[Brian2]

I now realise that the only reason I ever made myself believe in God was out of fear of death and annihilation

Wishful thinking basically

I now see no compelling reason to believe in God

Therefore I think I'm going to have to come out as an atheist

Which is what I was for many years

Although I hope there is a God and recognise there is a slim chance of one existing

I still believe reality is a computer simulation though

Do you think that someone who was a theist and has decided to be an atheist can say that atheism means "lack of belief in god/s" or do you think that atheism is a belief just like theism is?

 

[Eddi]

What made you stop believe there is a God or gods?
Was it something special that happen?

I examined my reasons for believing and came to the conclusion they were not good reasons

 

[Eddi]

Do you think that someone who was a theist and has decided to be an atheist can say that atheism means "lack of belief in god/s" or do you think that atheism is a belief just like theism is?

I don't know, that's a tough one!

I'm inclined to say Atheism is a belief system that is based around the non-belief in something (I.e. God), if that makes any sense?

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

I still believe reality is a computer simulation though

Well, then, you still either believe that there is some entity programming that simulation, or you must believe that it popped into existence and programmed itself.

In my view, you might just as well keep believing in God or gods, in that case, since there's no difference in the amount of evidence you can find for either.

 

[Brian2]

I don't know, that's a tough one!

I'm inclined to say Atheism is a belief system that is based around the non-belief in something (I.e. God), if that makes any sense?

Yes that makes sense.

 

[Eddi]

Well, then, you still either believe that there is some entity programming that simulation, or you must believe that it popped into existence and programmed itself.

In my view, you might just as well keep believing in God or gods, in that case, since there's no difference in the amount of evidence you can find for either.

I believe that whoever programmed The Projection (which is what I call the simulation) came into existence through sexual reproduction between beings who evolved from more primative lifeforms in an apparently Godless universe that apparently started with some kind of "big bang"

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

I don't know, that's a tough one!

I'm inclined to say Atheism is a belief system that is based around the non-belief in something (I.e. God), if that makes any sense?

Yes that makes sense.

I don't think it makes sense. Atheism is a form of belief in the same way that not collecting stamps is a hobby.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

I believe that whoever programmed The Projection (which is what I call the simulation) came into existence through sexual reproduction between beings who evolved from more primative lifeforms in an apparently Godless universe that apparently started with some kind of "big bang"

What's wrong with believing it was all belched out by a giant purple hippopotamous? Makes an equal amount of sense!

 

[Eddi]

What's wrong with believing it was all belched out by a giant purple hippopotamous? Makes an equal amount of sense!

Compelling personal experience

That I don't expect others to accept

And even without that simulation theory is more likely than purple hippopotamus theory even if the evidence for both is zero

Just like some works of fiction are more realistic than others

1984 is more realistic than the Harry Potter books but both are fiction

Just as sim theory is more realistic than your hippopotamus

 

[Brian2]

I don't think it makes sense. Atheism is a form of belief in the same way that not collecting stamps is a hobby.

I enjoy not collecting stamps almost as much as I enjoy baiting Atheists.
But the latter is getting boring and predictable.
I thought Eddi's response was thoughtful and careful not to inflame debate, but maybe he has things to learn about his new belief system and I'm sure you can teach him the ways of atheists, at least from your pov even if not all atheists are like you and generalising about atheism as not being a belief is probably not a good thing to do just as generalising about atheism being a belief is not right either.

 

[KWED]

I don't know, that's a tough one!

I'm inclined to say Atheism is a belief system that is based around the non-belief in something (I.e. God), if that makes any sense?

Atheism is a belief system in the same way that not playing tennis is a sport.

 

[KWED]

I don't think it makes sense. Atheism is a form of belief in the same way that not collecting stamps is a hobby.

Grr, beat me to it!

 

[KWED]

What's wrong with believing it was all belched out by a giant purple hippopotamous? Makes an equal amount of sense!

Blasphemer!
It was sneezed out by the Great Green Arkleseizure. And we all need to fear the coming of the Great White Handkerchief.

 

[Eddi]

Atheism is a belief system in the same way that not playing tennis is a sport.

Except that Atheists expand huge quantities of time and effort arguing against Theism

Were it just an absence of belief they wouldn't

 

[KWED]

generalising about atheism as not being a belief is probably not a good thing to do just as generalising about atheism being a belief is not right either.

Indeed.
A bit like generalising about the election not being stolen is probably not a good thing to do just as generalising about the election being stolen is not right either.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

I don't know, that's a tough one!

I'm inclined to say Atheism is a belief system that is based around the non-belief in something (I.e. God), if that makes any sense?

A belief system?
I'll bite...what are the beliefs within this system?