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I see no value in atheism

A

ArtieE

Well-Known Member
ben d said:
Errr?
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"Babies are self-absorbed, amoral elitists?" The meaning of the word atheist is "not theist". Literally. Babies are atheists. If you divide the population of the earth into theists and atheists you will have divided it into theists and "not theists". Remove all theists from the earth and those who are left are atheists. No matter age or gender or anything.
 
A

ArtieE

Well-Known Member
ben d said:
Silly...you mean ....Do you need to know what a car is in order to believe cars don't exist? The answer is yes...
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No I don't mean that. You missed the point. You don't need to believe that gods don't exist to be an atheist. An atheist is simply not a theist. It is not necessary to believe the opposite of a theist in order to not be a theist. You don't need to have any beliefs regarding gods. Neither believe they exist nor believe they don't exist.
 
Nakosis

Nakosis

Non-Binary Physicalist
Premium Member
ben d said:
It has been said that atheists are self-absorbed amoral, elitists who, rather than truly believing that there is no God, are actually mad at Him for not intervening in some past event in their life or the lives of others. Think about it...why would anyone rant incessantly on a religious forum for years, about God not existing, if they really truly believed that God did not exist...it would be a no brainer... I mean how often is it that rats are seen swimming towards a sinking ship...never....it's the other way round....and I know that most RF members of religious faith know this....and are literally exhausted turning their cheeks to the rants of the more traumatized atheists here on RF who feel God has not lived up to their expectations...that's what religion is about...forgiveness....
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Neither spirituality nor religion require a God. An atheist can be interested and involved in both.
In determining the character of another person, I don't think their belief or lack of a belief in a God is that significant.
 
Ben Dhyan

Ben Dhyan

Veteran Member
ArtieE said:
"Babies are self-absorbed, amoral elitists?" The meaning of the word atheist is "not theist". Literally. Babies are atheists. If you divide the population of the earth into theists and atheists you will have divided it into theists and "not theists". Remove all theists from the earth and those who are left are atheists. No matter age or gender or anything.
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Babies are not atheists....the are not yet capable of conceptual thinking...
The rest is nonsense too...have you not heard of Zen, Advaita, Taoism, these religions teach non-conceptual awareness, non-duality....dualisitc complementary opposite conceptual pairs like theist and atheist, good and evil, etc., are relative to each other, but the underlying unity is absolute...
 
Ben Dhyan

Ben Dhyan

Veteran Member
ArtieE said:
No I don't mean that. You missed the point. You don't need to believe that gods don't exist to be an atheist. An atheist is simply not a theist. It is not necessary to believe the opposite of a theist in order to not be a theist. You don't need to have any beliefs regarding gods. Neither believe they exist nor believe they don't exist.
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You are deceived....Theos is Greek for God, and is the root of Atheism...
 
J

JoStories

Well-Known Member
ben d said:
There is the concept of religion which, if you understand the Latin root and prefix, means to reunite, retie, similar meaning to the Sanskrit concept of yoga meaning union.... and then there are human created institutions/churches who mostly do not teach of the possibility of being one with the source, hence apostate....
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Ok but that is not only majorly an eastern POV but not one that very many will agree with. I, myself, am spiritual and follow,the teachings of The Buddha but what you describe will not be held by most.
 
A

ArtieE

Well-Known Member
ben d said:
The rest is nonsense too...have you not heard of Zen, Advaita, Taoism, these religions teach non-conceptual awareness, non-duality....dualisitc complementary opposite conceptual pairs like theist and atheist, good and evil, etc., are relative to each other, but the underlying unity is absolute...
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Let's start with the absolute basics:

1. Theist: believes in the existence of gods
2. Atheist (weak atheist): doesn't believe in the existence of gods
3. Atheist (strong atheist): doesn't believe in the existence of gods and also believes gods don't exist

Do you understand that both 1 and 3 believes but number 2 doesn't believe? Do you see the difference between having a belief and not having a belief?
 
Quagmire

Quagmire

Imaginary talking monkey
Staff member
Premium Member
ArtieE said:
"Babies are self-absorbed, amoral elitists?" The meaning of the word atheist is "not theist". Literally. .
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You can get in trouble relying on a word's literal meaning:

CASINO literally means "little house.

MEDIOCRE literally means "halfway up a mountain.

ORANGUTAN literally means "man of the forest.

(bunch more here: Say What? The Literal Meanings of 30 English Words | Paul Anthony Jones

The meaning of a word changes and evolves over time to reflect it's most common or popular usage.

I think calling a baby an atheist would seem a bit odd to just about anyone, regardless of which definition of atheist they're using.
 
J

JoStories

Well-Known Member
ben d said:
That's fine...but to my understanding, it is not possible to serve twp masters without serving one second best....:)
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Vastly untrue, have you not heard of spiritual nursing? There are many PhD level nurses who are also doctors of theology. And nursing ow incorporates spirituality into the paradigm of nursing. Dr. Barbara Dossey is one and there is Dr. Sweeney in Scotland, among others. Dr. Dossey current theory is widely accepted and used by multiple schools of nursing throughout the country.
 
Ben Dhyan

Ben Dhyan

Veteran Member
JoStories said:
Yes, it is. As has been told to me through recent debates, atheism is merely the lack of belief. There is no need for any concept of God.
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Well that's not true either...atheism is a belief....otherwise why would atheists label themselves such?
 
J

JoStories

Well-Known Member
ben d said:
Well that's not true either...atheism is a belief....otherwise why would atheists label themselves such?
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Pardon me, but my statement is not untrue, you are free to beleive it is not but that is your opinion, just as mine is mine. Your posts seem to intimate a rather closed mind to me not open to any other view.
 
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