Do Atheist Still Believe in God?

originally posted by: Annee

Admit? You wanna show me that?

You want the link to the site of over 3000 gods/goddesses?

I posted the definition of God.

"The" definition of God?

What's that?

As far as I know, many definitions exist.

The Buddhists, for example, believe that "man is god". He is just reborn in six different realms, from time to time, and in only one of these rebirths does he realize he himself is god. When rebirth occurs in one of the other five realms he thinks he's something else. Like Human, for the physical world we're in right now.

originally posted by: AMPTAH

originally posted by: Annee

Admit? You wanna show me that?

You want the link to the site of over 3000 gods/goddesses?

I posted the definition of God.

"The" definition of God?

What's that?

As far as I know, many definitions exist.

The Buddhists, for example, believe that "man is god". He is just reborn in six different realms, from time to time, and in only one of these rebirths does he realize he himself is god. When rebirth occurs in one of the other five realms he thinks he's something else. Like Human, for the physical world we're in right now.

Enough with the circle jerk.

It's not going to matter what I say. You'll just try to keep it going.

Done

I’ll go ahead and explain my beliefs. I think that sure, there might be a creator. But I think he works through science and love. I also don’t think that just because their could be a creator, that Christians are the sole authority on the matter. Far from it.

To me, it is obvious that there are many different religions that believe in different Gods and have different values. Many Christians fail to see that they are just one religion out of many.

To make matters worse, lots of Christians deny science, which I believe is the truest look at God we have. Even worse, many Christians promote hate and judgement over love and helping others, and fail to see the importance of both recognizing others perspectives and ensuring that everyone in society has a say and a good quality of life.

Christianity is simply an attempt to understand a God that either shows himself in many ways to all religions of the world or doesn’t show himself at all. It is one attempt, one made by humans, with knowledge of the universe that is thousands of years out of date.

If you really want to get closer to God, go get a degree in mathematics or science and study his creation instead of denying it in a vain attempt to please him.

What about 'non-theist' as in no compulsion to 'worship' some mythical dogma, while still being strongly moral, having a moral code?

To me religion is turning out to be the real root of all Evil. Catholic priests, Spanish Priests in the 1600s, Crazy murdering Jesuits, satanic popes. People like Cardinal Richelieu, Television evangelists, Scientologists, Nutty Mormons and Latter Day Saints who abuse their parish.

Stay away from religion. Commune with some kind of 'Universal Spirit of Good' if you like but keep it personal. No proselytizing, please.

a reply to: AMPTAH

I reject the idea that a 'mind' created Everything.

Yes, 'god' is a varied & nebulous word, for sure. But I know what I mean when I say I am an atheist. It's not important to me that I explain my non-belief to others' satisfaction.

a reply to: randyvs

Long time that i read ATS, just logged today to ask you a question.
You said you believe in god, but if someone tell you that he believe in the norse gods, or the greek gods, or any others weird religion, what you will say?
That the person is wrong?

i don't know if i'm an atheist or anything, i just don't care. god exist or not, whatever, not my problem or business.

funny thing, in my language believe is the same word as doubt. but well, i don't go around saying to people god don't exist, but weirdly the others thing is true, there is regularly people who come to ask me to believe in their version of their god....

This is a good video to educate people who dont understand the meaning of Atheist and Agnostic.

Now you know, to contine using these words incorrectly is being willfully ignorant and intellectually dishonest.

youtu.be...

Coomba98

a reply to: coomba98

They understand what atheist means, but they are here to troll atheists it makes them feel like they accomplished something.

a reply to: Grimpachi

I agree.

How Christian of them to create such discord.

I think every level of schooling (primary & high school, university, college etc etc) should have compulsory classes of critical thinking.

Otherwise its like trying to put a square block in a circle hole.

Coomba98

a reply to: coomba98

Honestly, there are not many of them that do it. On ATS it is the same ones that do it over and over that makes it feel like there are a lot.

I am not including the OP with that group. IMO the OP brought up a good question about the study. I think a lot of people missed the point of it. It would be nice if the thread had stuck to the subject. OH well.

originally posted by: MotherMayEye
a reply to: AMPTAH

I reject the idea that a 'mind' created Everything.

Yes, 'god' is a varied & nebulous word, for sure. But I know what I mean when I say I am an atheist. It's not important to me that I explain my non-belief to others' satisfaction.

Excellent!!!

Especially, no matter what you say - - will be ignored/refused/dismissed - - as they continue along their tract to discredit.

originally posted by: Annee
NO. Atheist means LACK OF BELIEF IN A GOD/DEITY.

However, some think (believe) there is energy with consciousness. Or a type of "living energy" - - that is capable of intelligent thinking.

But, that falls strictly under science.

God belief is faith based. Not science based.

These areas of science are totally faith based.

Constant theory without proof is just another religion to those of us who can see the pointlessness of believing so-called science.

They have you just as they have any other "believers".

originally posted by: Woodcarver



I hear this a lot.

There are no atheist in foxholes....

This is simply a platitude that some think is true. Of course there are atheists in the military, and no amount of fear is going to make me suddenly give up on reason.

Also i would posit that atheists are much less likely to join the military to fight bankers wars and bomb families and children. We are much more logical and are not easily swayed with emotional pleas Christianity has long been the tool to use to get people behind evil bureaucrats.

Balderdash...you are easily as illogical as everyone else.

You are swayed by other emotional pleas and fail to see it.

LoL at more logical...perhaps some are..but overall no difference can be noted with most.

originally posted by: Woodcarver

originally posted by: GeneralMayhem

originally posted by: Edumakated
There are no atheist in foxholes....

Neither in lifeboats .

Surely it would make anyone sweat to vocalize such hideous statements . By daring God they imply their wrongful sentiment will be causing upon themselves and or significant others an invocation of explicit damnation from an external actor . Its a lot different than just wishing something along .
Perhaps they're not daring God as much as daring Life or some Universal Law to damn them , which is not defined by religion but is a perceptible reality they take as being misascribed to religious Gods, hence they would sweat , and anyone bar the coldest criminals would. Though its a given that some dedicated atheists are devoid of a moral compass as well

I just think most religiously minded people cannot fathom the idea that their gods are made up.

Just as non religiously minded people cannot fathom the idea that their world is made up.

Funny how the so-called non religious believe they are fooled less often...they have no idea at all that it really doesn't matter...they are just as fooled.

What is even more funny is how they feel superior in their non knowledge.

I know religions are full of foolishness..but i also know everything else is too.

a reply to: ParasuvO

Let's think about it scientifically and logically then.

The laws of thermodynamics say that entropy is the death of the Universe.

Science has shown that life has an instinct to survive. Life is a part of the Universe. Life cannot exist without energy. Science has proven this.

Therefore, science (according to my understanding) suggests that energy may be evolving to overcome entropy. The Universe -- generator of life -- has its own instinct to survive.

I wouldn't bet on that as *the* answer...but it's more scientifically sound than the concepts of 'god' that I'm familiar with.

originally posted by: ParasuvO

originally posted by: Woodcarver

originally posted by: GeneralMayhem

originally posted by: Edumakated
There are no atheist in foxholes....

Neither in lifeboats .

Surely it would make anyone sweat to vocalize such hideous statements . By daring God they imply their wrongful sentiment will be causing upon themselves and or significant others an invocation of explicit damnation from an external actor . Its a lot different than just wishing something along .
Perhaps they're not daring God as much as daring Life or some Universal Law to damn them , which is not defined by religion but is a perceptible reality they take as being misascribed to religious Gods, hence they would sweat , and anyone bar the coldest criminals would. Though its a given that some dedicated atheists are devoid of a moral compass as well

I just think most religiously minded people cannot fathom the idea that their gods are made up.

Just as non religiously minded people cannot fathom the idea that their world is made up.

Funny how the so-called non religious believe they are fooled less often...they have no idea at all that it really doesn't matter...they are just as fooled.

What is even more funny is how they feel superior in their non knowledge.

I know religions are full of foolishness..but i also know everything else is too.

You might be on to something there fella.
Are we all fooled, all of the time?
-
Is anything that one might believe in: faith?
Does belief = faith?
Is writing "atheist" on a label, and sticking it to ones own forehead, an act of faith? A belief?
Is not any label a belief?
-
What's the difference between a story a friend tells you, and something we might read in a science book?
Do they both require faith, for us to believe-in?
-
Someone here on ATS suggested the other day, that the only truth we could know was subjective-based truth.
Otherwise: isn't it just a belief?
Who's words are folks believing in, and then calling it truth? Science? Scientists?
-
Perhaps everything is just belief?
What can one truly know, in their heart of hearts?
Nothing?

a reply to: Nothin

I dont think your using the word 'faith' correctly.

Definition:
1. Complete trust or confidence in someone or something.

2. Strong belief in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual conviction rather than proof.

Your using 'reasonable expectations' with faith.

Science says that a specific theory is the most correct answer to a natural phenomenon, not that it is 100% the correct answer.

Just look at 'the theory of gravity' (Einstein). Science does not say this is 100% true, just that this theory is the best at explaining how the phenomena of what we label as gravity to be, given what we know today.

Coomba98

originally posted by: ParasuvO

originally posted by: Woodcarver

originally posted by: GeneralMayhem

originally posted by: Edumakated
There are no atheist in foxholes....

Neither in lifeboats .

Surely it would make anyone sweat to vocalize such hideous statements . By daring God they imply their wrongful sentiment will be causing upon themselves and or significant others an invocation of explicit damnation from an external actor . Its a lot different than just wishing something along .
Perhaps they're not daring God as much as daring Life or some Universal Law to damn them , which is not defined by religion but is a perceptible reality they take as being misascribed to religious Gods, hence they would sweat , and anyone bar the coldest criminals would. Though its a given that some dedicated atheists are devoid of a moral compass as well

I just think most religiously minded people cannot fathom the idea that their gods are made up.

Just as non religiously minded people cannot fathom the idea that their world is made up.

Funny how the so-called non religious believe they are fooled less often...they have no idea at all that it really doesn't matter...they are just as fooled.

What is even more funny is how they feel superior in their non knowledge.

I know religions are full of foolishness..but i also know everything else is too.

What part of my world is made up? The part where i don’t believe in silly stories? You’ll have to do a little better than that

a reply to: coomba98

The textbook definition is fine. Thanks, and you are correct.
-
But was using the word science in a larger sense, trying to capture the way it is thought-of by some folks.
Was questioning whether some were putting faith in it.
-
But alas: The more we talk about it in fixed terms, the less we can observe how it is being used.
Then our open-ended questioning, is usurped by our egos.

originally posted by: Edumakated
There are no atheist in foxholes....

I'd say I am agnostic. I certainly reject man made religions, but I still believe their may be some creator. I don't have any opinion as to if that creator is benevolent or otherwise. We could be a science experiment in a petri dish for all we know.

I'm in the same boat as you. I'm agnostic and believe in a governing force but we will never truly understand it, hell we could all be characters in a cosmic reality show for all we know, some omnipresent being (not the one who created all of existence in seven days) could be toying with us and if that's true I have one thing to say to them...|m|