What does it mean to be an Atheist ( not a mocking thread)

[PureX]

There is a subtle difference between not believing Gods exist and believing that no Gods exist.

It's not that subtle. One is open minded about the possibility, the other is not. Most atheists are not open-minded at all, regardless of their "it's only unbelief" BS.

And, whether you like it or not, the burden of proof is on the one making the positive existence claim.

There is no burden of proof for anyone's "beliefs". Anyone can believe anything they want to for any reason they want to. This thread is completely confusing atheists with atheism, and "belief" with asserted truth. Not only that, but very few theists (only the most profoundly uneducated and confused) ever assert the existence of God as an objective truth. Nearly all of them assert the existence of God as an act of faith that results in a subjectively experienced truth: which makes it a matter of individual choice. God is experienced as true to those who choose to trust in that ideal.

 

[wandering peacefully]

According to the American Atheists website they state this

Atheism is one thing: A lack of belief in gods.
Atheism is not an affirmative belief that there is no god nor does it answer any other question about what a person believes. It is simply a rejection of the assertion that there are gods. Atheism is too often defined incorrectly as a belief system. To be clear: Atheism is not a disbelief in gods or a denial of gods; it is a lack of belief in gods.
What is Atheism? | American Atheists

But in many discussions in this forum with many good Atheists i come across many ways to describe what atheism is.

Could i get some more info from Atheists in this forum? What is Atheism to you?

As many others have stated, I lack belief that gods exist. I don't think about gods and it doesn't matter to me either way. I can't say for sure that they don't, but I see no good reason thus far to believe they do exist. And if some great being all of a suddenly turned dark matter into a blinding light and said I am God, I would believe it. I still wouldn't know what he wanted with a puny human or what difference he was going to make in my life, but I'd believe there was something called "God". Or any other obvious evidence of this type. Not going to hold my breath.

So to answer your question, it doesn't mean much being an atheist. It's about the least important position in my life journey.

 

[Revoltingest]

Basically, these atheists are liars. They believe that gods don't exist, yet they know they can't possibly defend that belief with the same requirement of evidence that they demand from everyone else for their beliefs, so they feign "unbelief" and claim they don't have to defend it. It's just linguistic misdirection meant to avoid being honest and forthright about what they believe and why they believe it.

Someone is always telling us what we really believe, that we're liars,
that we really do know God &/or that we're going to Hell for hating God.
(And it's always their "God", not some other one.)
It's amusing. It reflects poorly upon the claimant.
You don't want to be one of those.

 

[PureX]

I agree there is sometimes some sleight of hand with framing in terms of evidence and how 'positive' their beliefs are and it generally has the function of reducing the burden of defending their position. Debate forums are places where people play rhetorical games and we all sometimes 'cheat' a bit. Maybe calling them liars is a rhetorical move with the effect of heading off certain types of later move?

I call them liars because they are lying. Many of them are lying to themselves as well as to others, so I'm hoping that by using that term they might be prodded into a little bit of self-awakening. But I doubt it, because the blinding 'auto-ego-defense' mode has clearly already been switched on, which is why they are lying in the first place.

 

[PureX]

Someone is always telling us what we really believe, that we're liars,...

You're telling us what you believe, and then trying to call it "unbelief". Maybe it's time to get a clue.

 

[Revoltingest]

You're telling us what you believe, and then trying to call it "unbelief". Maybe it's time to get a clue.

I recommend more effort understanding, & less preaching.
Also, telling people they're liars has a big downside....
For one, it's rude, even if you really believe you're re right.
But if they're truthful, then they'll also see you as unreasonable.

 

[Subduction Zone]

As one atheist, I'll enlighten you. I would love an afterlife to exist, preferably something nice. Who the hell wants a meaningless life in the absolute sense or a mortal life, pffff? What probably happens is nothing, a bit like when you smash your mobile-phone against some rocks and you have a particularly strong arm. As an atheist, or person, I'm not interested in fantasies if they're not true. Don't get me wrong, I love fantasy and sci-fi but that's a different context. It's entertaining

Have you considered Pastafarianism? If one is going to choose a mythical belief to follow then that belief's heaven should be taken into consideration. It is pretty hard to beat Pastafarian heaven. And their morals are not bad either. Definitely far superior to the morals of the God of the Old Testament, and probably the New as well.

 

[charlie sc]

Have you considered Pastafarianism? If one is going to choose a mythical belief to follow then that belief's heaven should be taken into consideration. It is pretty hard to beat Pastafarian heaven. And their morals are not bad either. Definitely far superior to the morals of the God of the Old Testament, and probably the New as well.

Well... I do love spaghetti and His Noodliness is the most superior deity by far. Yes, Thank you. Let me get my pirate garb.

 

[Subduction Zone]

Well... I do love spaghetti and His Noodliness is the most superior deity by far. Yes, Thank you. Let me get my pirate garb.

Don't forget your colander.

 

[charlie sc]

Don't forget your colander.

RAmen.

 

[Revoltingest]

Have you considered Pastafarianism? If one is going to choose a mythical belief to follow then that belief's heaven should be taken into consideration. It is pretty hard to beat Pastafarian heaven. And their morals are not bad either. Definitely far superior to the morals of the God of the Old Testament, and probably the New as well.

I recommend Bokononism.
(Not to be confused with Baconism.)

 

[Riders]

According to the American Atheists website they state this

Atheism is one thing: A lack of belief in gods.
Atheism is not an affirmative belief that there is no god nor does it answer any other question about what a person believes. It is simply a rejection of the assertion that there are gods. Atheism is too often defined incorrectly as a belief system. To be clear: Atheism is not a disbelief in gods or a denial of gods; it is a lack of belief in gods.
What is Atheism? | American Atheists

But in many discussions in this forum with many good Atheists i come across many ways to describe what atheism is.

Could i get some more info from Atheists in this forum? What is Atheism to you?

Atheist questions the existence of God but does not state there is no God only that he does not see any evidence for it.

 

[rrobs]

By the way, if I see you at the airport and we're going on the same flight, I guess you'll give me your first class seat and I'll give you mine. We're going to the same destination anyway.
Take care to you my friend and no take backsies!

I'd trade as long as yours was a window seat.

 

[Subduction Zone]

Atheist questions the existence of God but does not state there is no God only that he does not see any evidence for it.

Some do that. There are also atheists that do not care and some that do say "There is no God". Atheism is a big tent.

 

[Riders]

Some do that. There are also atheists that do not care and some that do say "There is no God". Atheism is a big tent.

Thank you for clearing that up. Some go to 12 step programs but become spiritual atheists too.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Atheist questions the existence of God but does not state there is no God only that he does not see any evidence for it.

Beg to differ. Strong atheists like me definitely proclaim that there is no shred of possibility of the existence of God and soul, heaven and hell, judgment and punishment. The universe and life can be explained in a more sensible way. Being a spiritual atheist is a completely different thing.

 

[Riders]

Beg to differ. Strong atheists like me definitely proclaim that there is no shred of possibility of the existence of God and soul, heaven and hell, judgment and punishment. The universe and life can be explained in a more sensible way. Being a spiritual atheist is a completely different thing.

Thank you for the info.

 

[siti]

The word is correctly interpreted etymologically as athe-ism rather than a-theism - it is "without-god(s)-ism" not "without-theism". And deism is neither a sub-category of theism nor a sub-category of atheism - whichever way you look at it. Deism is the belief that there exists a creator who, having created, took no further part in the operation of the universe, doesn't do miracles and revelations and such. Theism is the belief that there exists a supernatural creator who remains both interested and active in the operation of the universe (most especially, by all accounts, what we do with our private parts but occasionally popping up here and there with a miracle or a revelation). Atheism lacks belief in either of these.

Pernickety pedanticism aside, I do think avowing atheism is to make the statement "the universe does/could work without an external/supernatural creator/sustainer" - it is not simply a passive "lack of belief" in the existence deities - it is a positive belief that the universe either does, or could, both exist and function perfectly well without one.

Naturalistic pantheism, which I sometimes lean towards, is kind of halfway between them - it says essentially (according to me at any rate) that there is "something that it is like" to be the universe - and that's what I call "God". It doesn't have to be called "God" but for me I don't see why not. "It" doesn't do miracles, didn't create the universe supernaturally, etc...so sometimes I try to call it "pandeism" but then if deism indicates a disinterested and uninvolved deity, how can we say the universe itself is uninvolved in the operation of the universe? So maybe it is just "sexed up atheism" - the universe doing what universes do...but for me, often, that seems to be "God enough".

 

[Milton Platt]

According to the American Atheists website they state this

Atheism is one thing: A lack of belief in gods.
Atheism is not an affirmative belief that there is no god nor does it answer any other question about what a person believes. It is simply a rejection of the assertion that there are gods. Atheism is too often defined incorrectly as a belief system. To be clear: Atheism is not a disbelief in gods or a denial of gods; it is a lack of belief in gods.
What is Atheism? | American Atheists

But in many discussions in this forum with many good Atheists i come across many ways to describe what atheism is.

Could i get some more info from Atheists in this forum? What is Atheism to you?

atheism can be an affirmative belief that there are no gods. This is sometimes characterized as “hard atheism”
I don’t believe this is the predominant usage, however. Other atheists may be atheistic with regard to specific gods that have been postulated because of logical contradictions, internal inconsistencies, etc. but do not assert that there are no gods.

 

[oldbadger]

The atheists aren't secret (though some believers wish we were).
Only the handshake.
But I could be bribed.

Ummmm....... how much?