Is atheists and agnotics pagan?

[Dogknox20]

Please give it a rest. I take offense at being told what I believe and what I do not.

Atheism is an absence of belief in the existence of gods. The absence of a belief cannot itself be a belief. Just like the absense of money cannot be equated to being able to afford a couple of beers at the local.

The root for the word atheism originated before the 5th century BCE from the ancient Greek ἄθεος (atheos), meaning "without god(s)". See? "Without." Absence. Not present. Not belief.

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Atheism is an absence of belief in the existence of gods. YES I understand!
My point is; you do have your beliefs! Absents in god belief is replaced with the Belief of NO God! You cannot say you don't have belief!

Evangelicalhumanist Take your pick from the definition (below)
.............................................................
Belief
NOUN

1. an acceptance that a statement is true or that something exists.
   "his belief in the value of hard work" ·
   guess · speculation · surmise · fancy · notion · suspicion · presumption ·
   opinion · view · viewpoint · point of view · attitude · stance ·
   ideology · principle · ideal · ethic · conviction · doctrine · teaching · dogma · tenet · canon · article of faith · credence · creed · credo · code of belief
2. (belief in)
   trust, faith, or confidence in someone or something.
   "a belief in democratic politics" ·
   faith · trust · reliance · confidence · credence · freedom from doubt · optimism · hopefulness · hope.......................................................................................................................................................................

 

[mangalavara]

Agnosticism has been around for a long time. I think the first use of the term was from Thomas Huxley in 1869. Maybe you are thinking of neo-paganism?

My post was a joke. The emoji in it indicated so.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

.
Atheism is an absence of belief in the existence of gods. YES I understand!
My point is; you do have your beliefs! Absents in god belief is replaced with the Belief of NO God! You cannot say you don't have belief!

Evangelicalhumanist Take your pick from the definition (below)
.............................................................
Belief
NOUN

1. an acceptance that a statement is true or that something exists.
   "his belief in the value of hard work" ·
   guess · speculation · surmise · fancy · notion · suspicion · presumption ·
   opinion · view · viewpoint · point of view · attitude · stance ·
   ideology · principle · ideal · ethic · conviction · doctrine · teaching · dogma · tenet · canon · article of faith · credence · creed · credo · code of belief
2. (belief in)
   trust, faith, or confidence in someone or something.
   "a belief in democratic politics" ·
   faith · trust · reliance · confidence · credence · freedom from doubt · optimism · hopefulness · hope.......................................................................................................................................................................

Still wrong, sorry. I ignore the question of God as meaningless, in the same way you ignore the question of pink unicorns. The fact is, science cannot "prove" that there are no pink unicorns. Science hasn't found any, yet, but science hasn't found a lot of things. Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence, remember.

So back to unicorns and God. I do not "know" whether either exists, as there is no evidence that I would accept that suggests to me that they do. Therefore, the question of what I might do in the event of their existence or not is entirely without meaning for me -- it does not inform my actions in any way.

And this is key -- because our beliefs inform our actions.

I am a good person. I do not hurt people. I try to help people when I can. I make every effort not to offend people, if I can possibly avoid it. But I do not do this because of any belief or lack of belief in a god or reward or punishment. I do it because I understand my connection to the rest of humanity to be an essential element my own humanity.

I'm a gay man, but I have never molested a little boy, because I know that it would be harmful to them. There are priests who claim to believe in God, to serve God in the service of humanity, who never-the-less do molest little boys. My simple humanity, it would appear, is stronger than their faith.

I was a badly battered and abused child, who suffered years of abuse, was never adopted, and didn't believe -- when I reached young adulthood -- that it was possible anybody could ever love me. Yet, I love unconditionally, and I know I have been, and am now, loved. I never took out my abuse on another person -- I have never tried to hurt another person in any way.

Yet, I have known people who thought of themselves as deeply faithful, who still wanted to harm me -- in the name of their faith! When I was in my twenties, a preacher, the "Reverend" Paul D. Smith of the People's Church in Toronto was on record as advocating for the death of people like me.

Which of our belief systems, do you think, more represents that of your Christ?

Thank you for your attention, but I am now done responding to you. You are on some kind of bizarre mission to make yourself feel better about "believing what you know ain't so" (Mark Twain) by trying to bring everybody else down to your level. That's too far down for me to go.

 

[Sand Dancer]

My post was a joke. The emoji in it indicated so.

Oops!

 

[Dogknox20]

Still wrong, sorry. I ignore the question of God as meaningless, in the same way you ignore the question of pink unicorns. The fact is, science cannot "prove" that there are no pink unicorns. Science hasn't found any, yet, but science hasn't found a lot of things. Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence, remember.

So back to unicorns and God. I do not "know" whether either exists, as there is no evidence that I would accept that suggests to me that they do. Therefore, the question of what I might do in the event of their existence or not is entirely without meaning for me -- it does not inform my actions in any way.

And this is key -- because our beliefs inform our actions.

I am a good person. I do not hurt people. I try to help people when I can. I make every effort not to offend people, if I can possibly avoid it. But I do not do this because of any belief or lack of belief in a god or reward or punishment. I do it because I understand my connection to the rest of humanity to be an essential element my own humanity.

I'm a gay man, but I have never molested a little boy, because I know that it would be harmful to them. There are priests who claim to believe in God, to serve God in the service of humanity, who never-the-less do molest little boys. My simple humanity, it would appear, is stronger than their faith.

I was a badly battered and abused child, who suffered years of abuse, was never adopted, and didn't believe -- when I reached young adulthood -- that it was possible anybody could ever love me. Yet, I love unconditionally, and I know I have been, and am now, loved. I never took out my abuse on another person -- I have never tried to hurt another person in any way.

Yet, I have known people who thought of themselves as deeply faithful, who still wanted to harm me -- in the name of their faith! When I was in my twenties, a preacher, the "Reverend" Paul D. Smith of the People's Church in Toronto was on record as advocating for the death of people like me.

Which of our belief systems, do you think, more represents that of your Christ?

Thank you for your attention, but I am now done responding to you. You are on some kind of bizarre mission to make yourself feel better about "believing what you know ain't so" (Mark Twain) by trying to bring everybody else down to your level. That's too far down for me to go.

.
Evangelicalhumanist Sorry for you unfair childhood but we all have our scars! I could point out the reverse to your story.. It was Christians "God believers" that started the Orphanages it was Christians "God Believers" that started the School system, it was Christians "God Believers" that was the Welfare for the needy NOT the government, it was Christians that started Hospitals!

The Church is full; chock full to the rafters with sinners! God came to earth to save the sinner clearly you are without sins you have no need for God!

Man has ALWAYS believed in god/gods from the caveman right up to the present day cows and snails do not! Man has a higher intellect then a chicken, chickens do not believe in a god!

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

.
Evangelicalhumanist Sorry for you unfair childhood but we all have our scars! I could point out the reverse to your story.. It was Christians "God believers" that started the Orphanages it was Christians "God Believers" that started the School system, it was Christians "God Believers" that was the Welfare for the needy NOT the government, it was Christians that started Hospitals!

The Church is full; chock full to the rafters with sinners! God came to earth to save the sinner clearly you are without sins you have no need for God!

Man has ALWAYS believed in god/gods from the caveman right up to the present day cows and snails do not! Man has a higher intellect then a chicken, chickens do not believe in a god!

Wau, I am a chicken! You have done it. I am convinced. I will now go and worship my chicken God.

 

[Dogknox20]

Wau, I am a chicken! You have done it. I am convinced. I will now go and worship my chicken God.

mikkel_the_dane Good to meet you.. I hope all is well!
I am not trying to convince you; just pointing out other ideas and beliefs!
You have "Faith" there is not a god!
You have your "Belief" in there is not a god! Still you cannot Prove why you Believe what you do thus all you have is Faith you are right!

Merry Christmas

 

[IndigoChild5559]

Is atheists and agnotics pegan?

This post is written at the risk of oversimplifying...

"Pagan" refers to polytheism and animism -- basically those religions that are not the monotheistic religions. Atheists and agnostics don't fall into that criteria.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

Evangelicalhumanist Sorry for you unfair childhood but we all have our scars! I could point out the reverse to your story.. It was Christians "God believers" that started the Orphanages it was Christians "God Believers" that started the School system, it was Christians "God Believers" that was the Welfare for the needy NOT the government, it was Christians that started Hospitals!

The Church is full; chock full to the rafters with sinners! God came to earth to save the sinner clearly you are without sins you have no need for God!

Man has ALWAYS believed in god/gods from the caveman right up to the present day cows and snails do not! Man has a higher intellect then a chicken, chickens do not believe in a god!

I fascinated, firstly, that you keep saying 'Christians "God believers"' as if they're the only ones. While I may not know a lot about belief, I was fairly sure that quite a few other religions (think Islam, Judaism, Sikhism, Hinduism) also believe in God -- but perhaps you know better? Do enlighten us!

For the rest of your post, I can only say that I hate "holier-than-thou" posts more than just about anything.

And for the record, although I was badly abused (my step father actually tried to kill me, twice, before I turned 7 years old), I have forgiven everyone in my past for everything that ever happened to me. Everything. I do not carry any of that burden of hate -- though I once did.

I'm going to go out on a limb here, and share something that I haven't done before. I am including a link to a magazine article written about the institution in Ottawa that I lived in between the ages of 8 and 13, because I was too emotionally disturbed to cope in the real world. Good people helped me, and I am forever grateful. But though I know nobody ever reads these things, I wish you would. Even you could learn something about true empathy. And by the way, this article was written during my 4th year in this institution – I was there.

THE HOME THAT REBUILDS CHILDREN’S LIVES | Maclean's | MARCH 28 1959

And I'll end by pointing out that anybody who had any sort of real empathy would never say to someone suffering, "hey, sorry about your suffering, but everybody else does, too." True empathy can do a lot better than that.

 

[Dogknox20]

I fascinated, firstly, that you keep saying 'Christians "God believers"' as if they're the only ones. While I may not know a lot about belief, I was fairly sure that quite a few other religions (think Islam, Judaism, Sikhism, Hinduism) also believe in God -- but perhaps you know better? Do enlighten us!

For the rest of your post, I can only say that I hate "holier-than-thou" posts more than just about anything.

And for the record, although I was badly abused (my step father actually tried to kill me, twice, before I turned 7 years old), I have forgiven everyone in my past for everything that ever happened to me. Everything. I do not carry any of that burden of hate -- though I once did.

I'm going to go out on a limb here, and share something that I haven't done before. I am including a link to a magazine article written about the institution in Ottawa that I lived in between the ages of 8 and 13, because I was too emotionally disturbed to cope in the real world. Good people helped me, and I am forever grateful. But though I know nobody ever reads these things, I wish you would. Even you could learn something about true empathy. And by the way, this article was written during my 4th year in this institution – I was there.

THE HOME THAT REBUILDS CHILDREN’S LIVES | Maclean's | MARCH 28 1959

And I'll end by pointing out that anybody who had any sort of real empathy would never say to someone suffering, "hey, sorry about your suffering, but everybody else does, too." True empathy can do a lot better than that.

Hello again...
'Christians "God believers"' is or was me trying to get the point across: "There are people who believe in God that can and do do good things!"
Evangelicalhumanist You had a run in with a so called "God believer" that was nasty and evil then you painted all "God believers" with the same brush!
YES... The God believer takes in all religions NOT just Christian! Islam, Judaism, Sikhism, Hinduism) are also believers in God YES you are right they are but; I cannot speak for them I don't know them.. I do know... it was Christians that started the Hospitals and Orphanages etc! It is Mostly Christians that run the Soup Kitchens and Food Banks in the country! There are Good "God Believers" out there! ......... Non Atheist's.

 

[Viker]

chickens do not believe in a god!

Exactly how do you qualify this statement?

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

Hello again...
'Christians "God believers"' is or was me trying to get the point across: "There are people who believe in God that can and do do good things!"
Evangelicalhumanist You had a run in with a so called "God believer" that was nasty and evil then you painted all "God believers" with the same brush!
YES... The God believer takes in all religions NOT just Christian! Islam, Judaism, Sikhism, Hinduism) are also believers in God YES you are right they are but; I cannot speak for them I don't know them.. I do know... it was Christians that started the Hospitals and Orphanages etc! It is Mostly Christians that run the Soup Kitchens and Food Banks in the country! There are Good "God Believers" out there! ......... Non Atheist's.

Okay, thank you. Done with you. There are good and bad people everywhere, in every religion, in every philosphy, in every nation, colour, language.

You've just decided that the only worthy ones belong to the group you've decided to identify with.

Go, then, be thou perfect. And trouble me no more, because I find you really irritating in your amazing hubris.

I'll not respond to you again.

 

[lukethethird]

Is atheists and agnotics pagan?
Just beware of the militant agnostic pagans because they believe that you don't know either.

 

[Kooky]

Dictionary.... PAGAN
a person holding religious beliefs other than those of the main world religions.
"a Muslim majority had to live in close proximity to large communities of Christians and pagans"

noun
(no longer in technical use) one of a people or community observing a polytheistic religion, as the ancient Romans and Greeks.
a member of a religious, spiritual, or cultural community based on the worship of nature or the earth; a neopagan.
Disparaging and Offensive.

1. (in historical contexts) a person who is not a Christian, Jew, or Muslim;>>>>> a heathen.
2. an irreligious or hedonistic person.
3. an uncivilized or unenlightened person.

noun
hedonistic a person whose life is devoted to the pursuit of pleasure and self-gratification.

irreligious
adjective
not religious; not practicing a religion and feeling no religious impulses or emotions.
showing or characterized by a lack of religion.
showing indifference or hostility to religion: irreligious statements.

Dictionaries are descriptive, not prescriptive.

 

[Viker]

Dictionaries are descriptive, not prescriptive.

Too many people cling too tightly to their dictionaries. I suppose it's because they still don't know what words really mean.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

mikkel_the_dane Good to meet you.. I hope all is well!
I am not trying to convince you; just pointing out other ideas and beliefs!
You have "Faith" there is not a god!
You have your "Belief" in there is not a god! Still you cannot Prove why you Believe what you do thus all you have is Faith you are right!

Merry Christmas

Doesn't work on me. I am a pyrrhonian skeptic. All I have is faith and beliefs. And I don't believe in truth, knowledge and being right.

 

[Dogknox20]

Exactly how do you qualify this statement?

Simple "Just ask one"! DUH

 

[Dogknox20]

Okay, thank you. Done with you. There are good and bad people everywhere, in every religion, in every philosphy, in every nation, colour, language.

You've just decided that the only worthy ones belong to the group you've decided to identify with.

Go, then, be thou perfect. And trouble me no more, because I find you really irritating in your amazing hubris.

I'll not respond to you again.

Evangelicalhumanist Just one thing.. You said; you are an "Atheist" because of a run in with a bad Religious person! That's all I was doing .. Pointing out Good Religious people! Because there are a few!

 

[Dogknox20]

Dictionaries are descriptive, not prescriptive.

Kooky good to meet you..
.......................................................
atheist
[ˈāTHēəst]
NOUN

1. a person who disbelieves or lacks belief in the existence of God or gods.
   "he is a committed atheist"................................................

Right you are.... I didn't make the dictionary I just post the descriptive!
Yes a person can question what they read but they are the experts not me... Better judgement tells me to accept it as true meaning and use!

 

[Dogknox20]

Doesn't work on me. I am a pyrrhonian skeptic. All I have is faith and beliefs. And I don't believe in truth, knowledge and being right.

Sooo. If I have this right.. "you believe in lies and stupidity".

This is what I believe: All Bigoted, Racist, Militant, Belligerent, Narrow-Minded, Twisted, Intolerant, Prejudiced people should be shot! Just saying!