Are you sure you are an Atheist?

[Unveiled Artist]

Might be a good idea for the OP to reveal what he means when using the word "atheist"...

Just saying.

Hey. At the bottom of my first reply, I did put it depends on how people define it.

Though it wouldn't make sense to ask question to gain answers from someone else but hand them the qualifications or limitations to which they should answer the question.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

The concept that there are few or no genuine atheists, because atheists have not properly considered every possible notion of deity, is an interesting one. However, I think it is based on a misunderstanding of at least some forms of atheism. But c'est la vie.

It really depends. Unless the definition of atheist has changed, deity is a deity regardless if its an entity, personification, in someone's head, a tree, the sun, whatever. If someone doesn't believe in deities, it covers all fluctuation of the term. Once it goes outside of that, you cant call it deity anymore.

The word god, on the other hand, is more flexible. Anything and anyone can be made a god. So, saying "I dont believe in god/s" really doesnt say much. I mean, if a chair is someone's god, does he or she not believe in chairs?

Deity is a noun. God is a descriptive noun, I think its called. We can disbelief in deities; however, its highly impossible to disbelieve in gods unless atheism specifies which specific gods goes under that disbelief.

 

[McBell]

Hey. At the bottom of my first reply, I did put it depends on how people define it.

Though it wouldn't make sense to ask question to gain answers from someone else but hand them the qualifications or limitations to which they should answer the question.

And he seems to have a specific personal definition of the word atheist that differs from those with whom he replies to.

 

[McBell]

The word god, on the other hand, is more flexible. Anything and anyone can be made a god. So, saying "I dont believe in god/s" really doesnt say much. I mean, if a chair is someone's god, does he or she not believe in chairs?

No, it means they do not believe the chair is god.
I mean, is that not what you take it to mean when some one says they do not believe in god?
That they do not believe in god?
That someone thinks/claims that a {insert whatever you like here} is god, it is not the {insert the same thing here as you did in the first one} they disbelieve in, it is the god.

 

[Sapiens]

Do you believe in science?

No I do not, science is not a belief, it is a methodology.

Do you believe in the existence of the universe?

Again, it is not a question of belief, the evidence indicates that the probability of its existence approaches one.

Well, they are not that different in their core. They both believe that there is a creator/s.

So, they can both be wrong.

I meant it as in what is that that makes you still sceptical.

Or, if you prefer: what would convince you?

Rationality

The theological equivalent of a rabbit in the precambrian.

That makes you a non-religious person, not an atheist

There's a significant difference?

How about “naturalism” ?

How 'bout it ... I'll take two orders, please.

So, that makes you a non-creationist. Not an atheist.

Maybe ... maybe not. In my case I am both.

So, you are also a non-religious person.

That's fair.

P.S. – I hope you noticed that I am NOT a Christian. Nor of any other religion. Right?

You mean the oxymoronic "non-religious theist?" Can't take that seriously.

Same question to you too: do you believe in science?
~~~

Asked and answered.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

No, it means they do not believe the chair is god.
I mean, is that not what you take it to mean when some one says they do not believe in god?
That they do not believe in god?
That someone thinks/claims that a {insert whatever you like here} is god, it is not the {insert the same thing here as you did in the first one} they disbelieve in, it is the god.

Anything can be someone's (be a) god. The word god can apply to, say, the sun. If someone worships it and wraps his or her life around the sun (example), then it is their god. If I dont believe in (their) god, I dont believe in the sun. So, in this case, the context is different but the sun is still god just as Christ is god to many Christians.

Its a contextual word. So, I find it less accurate to say an atheist doesnt believe in god/s.

Rather, deities have specific definitions from many world religions. I haven't really seen a fluctuation of the term deity. It, he, or she doesn't need to be a god. Probably an entity? An idea for object or person of reference? Supernatural being? I dont know.

All of those I do not believe in. I haven't heard of a different definition of the word deity (as with god) that would let me see otherwise.

What is your definition of deity vs. god?

 

[Augustus]

Is your belief of God’s non-existence based entirely on how God is perceived by all Monotheistic religions (Christianity, Islam, Judaism) and Polytheistic religions (Hinduism, Old religions etc),

or,

it also covers the Pantheistic philosophies of the One, such as Tao, Zen, Pythagorians/Empedoclians, some Gnostic movements, etc?

I don't ever recall believing in God from when I was a young child. As such this was purely based on the monotheist God, as the only polytheist ones I was aware of were Greek and Roman gods and I considered them to be just stories in a book like any other book I read rather than actual gods.

Becoming more aware of other religious beliefs as I got older didn't really change this. If I learned of a new religion, I never really thought 'do I believe in these gods?'

I also don't consider pantheistic gods to be gods. (This doesn't mean I reject other people's belief that they are gods, it's just not part of my personal subjective concept of what qualifies as a god)

 

[ADigitalArtist]

So, that makes you a non-creationist. Not an atheist.

Not really. I'm a substance monist who doesn't believe in any deities. I'm an atheistic physicalist. And I also don't identify with any religions. So I'm an irreligious atheistic physicalist if you want to get technical.

 

[Marsh]

So, you are also a non-religious person.

Yes, I am a non-religious person and an atheist. Mestimia and myself would like you to define atheist, if you would.

P.S. – I hope you noticed that I am NOT a Christian. Nor of any other religion. Right?

You also say you are a theist. In my books that means you have some sort of supernatural element to your life. Do you mind me asking what it is?

 

[Deathbydefault]

~~~
Just a friendly question to all Atheists:

Is your belief of God’s non-existence based entirely on how God is perceived by all Monotheistic religions (Christianity, Islam, Judaism) and Polytheistic religions (Hinduism, Old religions etc),

or,

it also covers the Pantheistic philosophies of the One, such as Tao, Zen, Pythagorians/Empedoclians, some Gnostic movements, etc?

Thanks for your responces

~~~

The reason I don't believe in any god(s) is because I have yet to be presented with evidence that I find sufficient enough to prove such an existence is even possible.

That being said, I also hate the idea of of any type of super being that claims life as it's creation, and would make demands of me as though I were a pet.
If I do well I get a treat, but if I'm bad I'll have to sleep outside. Stupidity.

 

[McBell]

Anything can be someone's (be a) god. The word god can apply to, say, the sun. If someone worships it and wraps his or her life around the sun (example), then it is their god. If I dont believe in (their) god, I dont believe in the sun. So, in this case, the context is different but the sun is still god just as Christ is god to many Christians.

Its a contextual word. So, I find it less accurate to say an atheist doesnt believe in god/s.

Rather, deities have specific definitions from many world religions. I haven't really seen a fluctuation of the term deity. It, he, or she doesn't need to be a god. Probably an entity? An idea for object or person of reference? Supernatural being? I dont know.

All of those I do not believe in. I haven't heard of a different definition of the word deity (as with god) that would let me see otherwise.

What is your definition of deity vs. god?

a map is not the terrain.

You keep trying to put the object claimed to be god in place of the god that is not believed in.
It matters not what is claimed to be god, it is not that something that is not believed in, it is that that something is not god that is believed.

 

[Thief]

Not in the slightest. Atheism is merely one logical conclusion of being a rational skeptic. No idea, concept, or description of any god(s) I've ever encountered has met even the barest criteria for evidenced existence - similar to ghosts, psychics, big foot, etc. I remain open to all possibilities, but require some type of empirical evidence of something's existence in order to reasonably believe that it actually exists.

Of course, I accept that many other people don't have the same standards for beliefs.

start a thread on what you call 'evidence'

let me know

 

[LuisDantas]

@Nefelie

It may be very difficult to establish a common language and understanding to meaningfully discuss people's relationships to the concepts of religion and of deity.

At the end of the day, there is precious little consensus on what those two words mean, or on how if at all they relate to each other.

In reality, lots of configurations exist and it is entirely possible, perhaps even likely, that many of the most meaningful ones will take a lot of effort for other people to understand.

It is definitely not the case that religion always requires or benefits from some sort of deity.

Nor is it at all true that belief in some sort of deity is a natural or desirable trait for (nearly) all people, either.

It seems to me that ultimately each person is the true authority to decide whether they believe in any kind of deity; how, if at all, they relate to those; and what meaning, if any, that relationship has or may potentially come to have.

It may be very tempting to categorize other people's beliefs according to patterns that we feel most confortable with. I would know. But it is just not likely to result in a very reliable or accurate portrayal, at least not without a lot of time and effort spent establishing a good rapport with each one of those people.

 

[Marsh]

The reason I don't believe in any god(s) is because I have yet to be presented with evidence that I find sufficient enough to prove such an existence is even possible.

What made you first question? Was it really, "Hey, where's the evidence for this?"

That being said, I also hate the idea of of any type of super being that claims life as it's creation, and would make demands of me as though I were a pet.
If I do well I get a treat, but if I'm bad I'll have to sleep outside. Stupidity.

Well, I don't know that not liking the heavy handed nature of a god is reason to discount his existence. Might be reason enough to switch gods.

 

[LuisDantas]

Do people often feel the need to speak of evidence when talking about deities?

It just sounds odd to me. Deities are not supposed to be "real" or "false" if they are to be meaningful.

It falls upon us people to make them as real or as false (or maybe I should say symbollic) as best fits our own personal needs.

I doubt it can really be made to work any other way.

 

[Thief]

it is not always true that people benefit from religion

as we stand before God and heaven...Someone might ask...
What do you believe?
your response could make all the difference

the next question might be.....
Who told you that and why did you believe it?

what you believe might need correction.
and the guy that told you so ....might be sought out....for correction

believe based on evidence???????
or reason?

 

[Marsh]

Not really. I'm a substance monist who doesn't believe in any deities. I'm an atheistic physicalist. And I also don't identify with any religions. So I'm an irreligious atheistic physicalist if you want to get technical.

I had to go look all those words up. I don't get it. If you are an atheist then you're going to be irreligious anyway, and you are only going to believe in the existence of a physical universe. Do you just like complicating things or am I missing something?

 

[Unveiled Artist]

a map is not the terrain.

You keep trying to put the object claimed to be god in place of the god that is not believed in.
It matters not what is claimed to be god, it is not that something that is not believed in, it is that that something is not god that is believed.

A god is anything and anyone you put above yourself in worship, reverence, and/or interrelationship.

A deity is an entity. It has no status but what people (say in oral tales) and written have created of them. In religious sense, it is what many religious interact with-the said entity, spirit, or "whom" ever.

I see them differently. You can make a deity into your god. Many people do. A lot of Pagans, on the other hand, do not. That's not part of the definition of a deity. Likewise, the definition of god does not only include it being an entity or deity. It just means something or someone we place at a higher value than ourselves--our god/s.

The Bible is a god to thousands of Christians. Only the Father is the deity in which they worship.

I do not believe in deities. I don't put anything or anyone higher than myself to the point of disregarding other peoples morals etc so I can live mine. I have an interrelationship in my religion. There are no gods. There are no deities.

What is your definition of god and deity?

Where are you going with this?

You don't have to agree, do you understand what I said first?

 

[Willamena]

... that The Tao is not a deity.

That's the intent.

 

[LuisDantas]

If you are an atheist then you're going to be irreligious anyway,

Not necessarily. Or even preferably.