Why do people think non-theism and atheism are the same thing?

[Demonslayer]

Please read what I wrote. I said I HEAR they use that term. How is it my idea if I say I HEAR that others say it?

OK OK settle down Mr. Wizard I don't want you getting angry and me and turning me into a toad or something.

I don't see how lack of belief translates to rejection of God.

It's theists who try to tag on words like "rejection" to make the position seem negative in some way. It's a lot simpler than that. You don't really "reject Bigfoot" do you? I don't...in fact I kind of like the idea of Bigfoot. Harry and the Hendersons is an underrated movie. I just understand Bigfoot isn't actual...there is no rejection.

I reject some religious ideas, maybe, like homosexuality is a sin, all non-Christians burn in hell, etc. Those things I can say I reject because I am actively against them. With God there is no need to reject anything because God simply isn't.

 

[Jumi]

I don't see how lack of belief translates to rejection of God.

It doesn't.

 

[Theweirdtophat]

I guess one would be an anti-theist if they reject God but isn't there a difference between rejecting God and rejecting the idea of God? I just find it strange because no one calls Buddhists and Jains atheists. They call them non-theists which implies there is a difference between atheism and non-theism.


If they are the same thing, I suppose Buddhism, Jainism and Jediism are closer to Apatheism meaning lack of interest towards belief and disbelief, which to me sounds more accurate. I've never heard a Buddhist reffered to as an Apatheist though.

Speaking of Bigfoot, I always thought there was truth to the legend, but then I believe there is always some truth to legends.

 

[leibowde84]

Please read what I wrote. I said I HEAR they use that term. How is it my idea if I say I HEAR that others say it?


I don't see how lack of belief translates to rejection of God.

That's the problem. The term "atheism" doesn't mean "rejection of God", it merely means without theism, or without a belief in God or gods.

 

[Theweirdtophat]

That's the problem. The term "atheism" doesn't mean "rejection of God", it merely means without theism, or without a belief in God or gods.

Wouldn't an agnostic be sort of the same thing. They don't worship either but they just sort of shrug their shoulders and say "I don't know the answers and I'm not saying God exists but I'm not saying God doesn't exist either." but many atheists are more confident in saying God doesn't exist.

 

[leibowde84]

I guess one would be an anti-theist if they reject God but isn't there a difference between rejecting God and rejecting the idea of God? I just find it strange because no one calls Buddhists and Jains atheists. They call them non-theists which implies there is a difference between atheism and non-theism.


If they are the same thing, I suppose Buddhism, Jainism and Jediism are closer to Apatheism meaning lack of interest towards belief and disbelief, which to me sounds more accurate. I've never heard a Buddhist reffered to as an Apatheist though.

Speaking of Bigfoot, I always thought there was truth to the legend, but then I believe there is always some truth to legends.

Anti-theism means that you find theism destructive and/or problematic. Even strong atheists aren't necessarily anti-theists.

 

[Demonslayer]

I guess one would be an anti-theist if they reject God but isn't there a difference between rejecting God and rejecting the idea of God?

Oversensitive religious people these days are trying to turn the word "atheist" into "anti-theist" to make atheists seem like big meanies.

An anti-theist doesn't "reject God" either, no more than you "reject" the tooth fairy.

Apatheism meaning lack of interest towards belief and disbelief, which to me sounds more accurate

Apatheism, that's a new one. It's really a made up word.

Everyone who doesn't believe in God or Gods is atheist. The level of their apathy vs. loudmouthedness has nothing to do with it.

Christians are Christians, whether they mostly pay lip service to their faith, or run around Bible beating and screaming about the gays being responsible for tornado attacks. No one is out there trying to invent words like Christapathists or Christomaniacs to compartmentalize Christians based on the level of their activism.

If a Christian is an activist, call them a Christian activist. If an atheist is an activist, call them an atheist activist. It makes no sense to start inventing all these terms...it's religious people doing it who just can't accept that more and more people are jumping off their bandwagon.

Speaking of Bigfoot, I always thought there was truth to the legend, but then I believe there is always some truth to legends.

If you could see my uncle Walter with his shirt off at the beach, you might believe even more!

 

[leibowde84]

Wouldn't an agnostic be sort of the same thing. They don't worship either but they just sort of shrug their shoulders and say "I don't know the answers and I'm not saying God exists but I'm not saying God doesn't exist either." but many atheists are more confident in saying God doesn't exist.

Agreed, but they aren't mutually exclusive. Agnosticism refers to the availability or possibility of knowledge of God, not belief. There are agnostic atheists and agnostic theists. I am actually an agnostic theist, as I believe in God, but I do not believe that knowledge of God is possible ... faith is always required.

 

[Demonslayer]

Wouldn't an agnostic be sort of the same thing.

Atheist and agnostic refer to two different things. The first is a statement of belief, the second is a statement of certainty.

Imagine a 2x2 grid, with columns of atheist and theist as the rows and gnostic and agnostic as the columns. You'd have 4 squares...agnostic atheist, gnostic atheist, agnostic theist, gnostic theist.

"Agnostics" are not "weak atheists" as many people think. Agnostic is simply a term that says "I'm uncertain." You can just as easily have agnostic theists...people who feel there is a God but aren't sure...as you can agnostic atheists...people who feel there isn't a God but aren't sure.