Atheism being accepted as “Today’s Religion” over all religions?

Atheism is this for you?

WIKIPEDIA Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities. Most inclusively, atheism is the absence of belief that any deities exist.

WIKIPEDIA - Truth is most often used to mean in accord with fact or reality, or fidelity to an original or to a standard or ideal. The commonly understood opposite of truth is falsehood, which, correspondingly, can also take on a logical, factual, or ethical meaning. The concept of truth is discussed and debated in several contexts, including philosophy and religion. Many human activities depend upon the concept, which is assumed rather than a subject of discussion, including science, law, and everyday life.

Without getting into a debate about what is truth and all of its various definitions, for all debate purposes the above definition should suffice.

So truth and falsehoods (lies) deals with an idea and how that idea is defined. Truth can also be applied to falsehoods.

No one walking on this planet can prove the existence or non-existence of any deity.

No one on earth can prove there is a heaven or a hell.

So what does it all add up to? The person or group with the best rhetoric speaker? Yes. The educated person with a classical rhetoric style (the art of persuasion) in able to convince his/her audience that what he states is truth. It is up to the listener and what he/she accepts as the truth.

1. So if I take 90% facts from science and add my 10% of my idea or theory into the mix, does this make it truth?

2. What is I take 90% facts from science and add 10% of lies mixes within it, does this make it truth?

What is the difference in the two above statements? Of course, the speaker’s intent of the message.

Would his statement’s be one sided? Of course they would be – he wants to show his audience his point of view, especially if he wants people to change they way they think.

Atheism is not a new word or something new to the world but is it not strange that in the time we have been on this rock for thousands of years that atheism has not been “preached” or written about like it has been in the last thirty to forty years.

We have freedom of speech and press as well as other countries for hundreds of years and finding published books, scrolls, or rocks on atheism dating back one hundred years, five hundred years, or a thousand years ago and even later are nowhere to be found. So what happened did their teachings die off and disappear until recently?

Are you saying the entire world was religious? Tribes around the world who have never laid eyes on other cultures and education systems were found worshipping a diety. How can that be?

Today atheism is well received throughout most of the western world. As Christian preach the gospel (and many do a horrific job) so do atheist. They attempt to preach the words of their leader…. HITCHINS or DAWKINS …etc….

Personally I think only people with proper higher level education credentials i.e. Phd or Masters degree in divinity/religion …… from accredited universities should only be allowed to disseminate this type of religious or atheistic teachings inside a building.

I am a devout Christian and I love my God but I can understand an atheist remarks about religion when he walks past someone holding a hateful sign or some religious fanatic screaming at the tops of their lungs! Often I hear other Christians attempting to preach the gospel and I just want to “smack them in the mouth”! Often these wannabes do more damage than good but is this a reason to write off God? A lot of bad apples so no longer eat an apple?

One of the most famous atheist, Christopher HITCHINS has published numerous books about atheism.

I have watched all of his you-tube presentations and to those out there who say he has won most of his debates, you need to take another look at them. Some of the debaters were not prepared to debate Mr. HITCHINS and this does not make Mr. HITCHINS statement anymore true simply because the another person was not prepared or is educated enough to give a proper response.

HITCHINS is known for his vulgar and hateful responses. Listen to his debates and hear him curse and belittle the other debater. His hate for all religions is well known. He uses logic to show that God does not exist and if that is not enough he insults God as a sick and poor father.

SEE debate – HITCHINS vs. Professor D’SOUZA. Both men debating using the same ground rules.

BTW - More than on one occasion HITCHINS clearly loses the debate.

HITCHINS does not believe the universe was created by a supreme being.

HITCHINS does not believe in a supreme being.

HITCHINS does not believe in any God.

HITCHINS a known socialist lost his mother to suicide in 1973. She committed suicide in Athens along with her religious boyfriend. Clearly his mother's death was a shock and very painful to him. After he was fired from his journalist job, this changed the way he thought about everything. According to WIKIPEDIA HITCHINS left Oxford with a "third class degree" who later hooked up with some hard core left wing radicals and started preaching hate and rebellion in his newspaper articles and at times being very rude with vulgar language. Soon his hate turned towards religion. It appears the death of his mother with a religious boyfriend even though she was still married supports his beliefs there is no God. Clearly HITCHINS blames God for his mother's death and he spends the rest of his life attempting to prove there is no God and if there is one this God is hateful towards people of this planet.

HITCHINS has been fighting throat cancer since he was in his fifties. He has been writing books and teaching around the world his hateful agenda. His numerous lectures against all religion and God has become a face for those who are disbelievers. Then in the prime of his "success" he comes down with throat cancer. NOT lung cancer (he was a strong smoker) but throat cancer. Which stopped him from speaking out??? Is this a coincidence? I do not believe in coincidences.

God is abundant with patience hoping all will open their heart and let him. He lets the sunshine fall on "the just" and "the unjust". He lets the rain fall on those who are righteous and unrighteous. And to those who have rejected him and sworn an oath to never believe in him continue to live.

Blaming God for man’s problems is a cop out. Simply looking to place blame does not fix the issue or the problems. Maybe it is much deeper and complex than you know. Attempting to use logic or science to explain a supernatural phenomenon is ridiculous.

There are many definitions of religion and not all them deal with belief in deities but in a set of practices and beliefs. Doesn’t atheism have a belief system?

Do you think atheism is a form religion?

So...let me summarize here.

- You talked about what makes truth true.

- You did a brief overview of some atheist dude's life (and colored it with your own thoughts).

- You proselytized the Christian faith.

- You asked if atheism is a religion.

I'm not sure what point you're trying to make here. I will say, however, that not smoking is not a habit. I will also say that simply stating an OPINION does not make it FACT, contrary to what you appear to be demonstrating here.

Atheism as I have always known is the absence of religious beliefs by choice or by upbringing.

I for one have a complete lack of beliefs, to believe one thing is to imediately preclude yourself to dismissing or even condemning it's opposite, wether it may be true or not.

Hense all beliefs are a form of madness in my opinion. I have faith that the reality we find ourselves in is ultimately here for us somehow, and we may never know how untill it's time for us to depart from it. That works for me, keeps the mystery alive.

Hitchens is bang on about religion, it is a cancer on humanity. He got cancer because of his lifestyle are you saying God punished him because he spoke out against religion?...utter garbage. Smoking can cause lung/throat/mouth all sorts of cancer.
Iam not an atheist but I too have watched tons of Hitchens debates and I think he is a very good speaker and he opened up my eyes to the evil of Religion.
Religion is brainwashing young minds to not think for themselves to accept another persons view on things (most of those views are very outdated btw), Hitchens was a humanist as I, I do good not because of fear of some Gods wrath but because Iam part of the human race and we are here to sort stuff out I will not leave it to God when she doesn't actually help us out at all.
So please leave religion out of schools, government and leave it in the church or your home otherwise many like myself will attack your club because we just don't want to hear about it.

Oh and I will grace this thread with a great man, a man who believed in humanity, a man who had the guts to call out religious folk and show millions that we as a species do not need religion and it should be openly mocked for what it is....slavery. God would be sick of all religion because religion is man made and not from god.



This is him reading from his book and so right.



Good on you Hitch.

reply to post by Jesuslives4u


Atheists have a lot in common with Christians. They believe that a vast majority of the worlds' religions are at best wrong and at worst, evil. That's literally dozens of religions to agree on and just one to disagree on.

That's really a lot of common ground there.

AfterInfinity
So...let me summarize here.

- You talked about what makes truth true.

- You did a brief overview of some atheist dude's life (and colored it with your own thoughts).

- You proselytized the Christian faith.

- You asked if atheism is a religion.

I'm not sure what point you're trying to make here. I will say, however, that not smoking is not a habit.

edit on 3-2-2014 by AfterInfinity because: (no reason given)

If you are not sure of my point than keep walking.

Not to brag or offend anyone but in psychiatric literature, people with imaginary friends are clinically considered as schizophrenic or in a more popular term, NUT JOB.

Also you say he portrays "YOUR" version of God to be a nasty bloke? too right he does and he has plenty to back up his claims....the bible.
It amazes me that people do not see Religion for what it is...a money making scam.. even in the 2nd book of the bible it tells followers to give money to the priests or you go to hell....God wrote that? nope the people receiving the money did.

Jesuslives4u

AfterInfinity
So...let me summarize here.

- You talked about what makes truth true.

- You did a brief overview of some atheist dude's life (and colored it with your own thoughts).

- You proselytized the Christian faith.

- You asked if atheism is a religion.

I'm not sure what point you're trying to make here. I will say, however, that not smoking is not a habit.

edit on 3-2-2014 by AfterInfinity because: (no reason given)

If you are not sure of my point than keep walking.

Is that what Jesus would have said?

You do realize, OP, that Hitchens has died. Right?

As for his traumatic experience - I'd no idea about his mother, and his reaction is reasonably explained by the sense of betrayal that he felt.

Many, many people have "abandoned" God after realizing that God did not 'rescue' them from anything, especially when they needed it. Others turned to God as a last resort to try to stay sane and find some peace.

I, too, am outspoken about the abuses of religious indoctrination on children. Religion is for adults. For all their seeming "callousness", Hitchens and Dawkins both make excellent points, and Sam Harris is on his way up the 'recognition' ladder as well.

I'm an agnostic, currently a "Deist" - but the atheists certainly have a good case against religion.


OTOH, many people find God to be the equivalent of "any port in a storm" when their lives feel out of control, impossible, and defeated. The thing is, God ain't actually "doing" anything - it's like a placebo, I think. (For now, at least, that's what I think).

AfterInfinity

Jesuslives4u

AfterInfinity
So...let me summarize here.

- You talked about what makes truth true.

- You did a brief overview of some atheist dude's life (and colored it with your own thoughts).

- You proselytized the Christian faith.

- You asked if atheism is a religion.

I'm not sure what point you're trying to make here. I will say, however, that not smoking is not a habit.

edit on 3-2-2014 by AfterInfinity because: (no reason given)

If you are not sure of my point than keep walking.

Is that what Jesus would have said?

Yes he would have. But you don't know him, remember because you do not believe in him.

Jesuslives4u

AfterInfinity

Jesuslives4u

AfterInfinity
So...let me summarize here.

- You talked about what makes truth true.

- You did a brief overview of some atheist dude's life (and colored it with your own thoughts).

- You proselytized the Christian faith.

- You asked if atheism is a religion.

I'm not sure what point you're trying to make here. I will say, however, that not smoking is not a habit.

edit on 3-2-2014 by AfterInfinity because: (no reason given)

If you are not sure of my point than keep walking.

Is that what Jesus would have said?

Yes he would have. But you don't know him, remember because you do not believe in him.

My belief in him is not the point. You have a message to share in the same spirit Jesus would have, according to your understanding...but something tells me you don't have that understanding. I have never once read in the Bible - and yes, I have read the Bible - Jesus ever telling someone to go away because they didn't understand him. It speaks of impatience, arrogance, callousness, and a crude approach to a delicate art. In short, very much NOT Christian.

reply to post by Jesuslives4u


There we go the high and mighty Iam better than thou statements religious people always make..."I know Jesus pity you don't".
Can't wait for the threats of eternal torment coming from you later in the thread.

wildtimes
You do realize, OP, that Hitchens has died. Right?

As for his traumatic experience - I'd no idea about his mother, and his reaction is reasonably explained by the sense of betrayal that he felt.

Many, many people have "abandoned" God after realizing that God did not 'rescue' them from anything, especially when they needed it. Others turned to God as a last resort to try to stay sane and find some peace.

I, too, am outspoken about the abuses of religious indoctrination on children. Religion is for adults. For all their seeming "callousness", Hitchens and Dawkins both make excellent points, and Sam Harris is on his way up the 'recognition' ladder as well.

I'm an agnostic, currently a "Deist" - but the atheists certainly have a good case against religion.


OTOH, many people find God to be the equivalent of "any port in a storm" when their lives feel out of control, impossible, and defeated. The thing is, God ain't actually "doing" anything - it's like a placebo, I think. (For now, at least, that's what I think).

Hello Wildtimes,

I do understand your comments and maybe it has meaning but I can not speak for God.

Thank you for your comments.

Jesuslives4u

wildtimes
You do realize, OP, that Hitchens has died. Right?

As for his traumatic experience - I'd no idea about his mother, and his reaction is reasonably explained by the sense of betrayal that he felt.

Many, many people have "abandoned" God after realizing that God did not 'rescue' them from anything, especially when they needed it. Others turned to God as a last resort to try to stay sane and find some peace.

I, too, am outspoken about the abuses of religious indoctrination on children. Religion is for adults. For all their seeming "callousness", Hitchens and Dawkins both make excellent points, and Sam Harris is on his way up the 'recognition' ladder as well.

I'm an agnostic, currently a "Deist" - but the atheists certainly have a good case against religion.


OTOH, many people find God to be the equivalent of "any port in a storm" when their lives feel out of control, impossible, and defeated. The thing is, God ain't actually "doing" anything - it's like a placebo, I think. (For now, at least, that's what I think).

Hello Wildtimes,

I do understand your comments and maybe it has meaning but I can not speak for God.

Thank you for your comments.

In other words, "You might be right but I don't care."

What a crock. At least admit you were wrong and in need of reevaluation. That's how we improve.

Well they consider consumerism the new religion
For my money atheism is a choice, so is a belief

An agnostic who doesnt decide/care would be non religious to me

Just saw this also from the OP.

"Personally I think only people with proper higher level education credentials i.e. Phd or Masters degree in divinity/religion …… from accredited universities should only be allowed to disseminate this type of religious or atheistic teachings inside a building."

So people who are already believers are the only people allowed to talk about the subject? in any building? I bet you would then no one would ever disagree with your brand of religion. Many people without PHD's or such can study religion and make discoveries about them, If it points to religion being a crock of #e like it is, bully for them, they are stepping into the new age.

reply to post by Jesuslives4u

If you are not sure of my point than keep walking.

What?

So, we're not allowed to actually raise our hands and ask for clarification?
I don't get it.
So far, though, I'm on board with AftIn and boymonkey. Your "keep walking" was harsh and uncalled for - not to mention far from the spirit of ATS. You brought it up. Did you want it to just sit there and accumulate flags and stars, with no interaction from others??

Perhaps it's you who ought to "keep walking" - right out the ATS door, if that's your attitude here!! (It's to your right, and at the very top of the stairs: looks like an "x" in a little red box.

If you like, though, it'd be nice to hear some more about what you think, and why.

It seems the very root of the problem with "atheism" and science being called religions by heavily devout followers of the main western religions, Christianity, Islam, and Judaism is that these people are taught to be inherently somewhat afraid of what so called "atheists" take for granted, and that being we humans currently do not understand the reality we find ourselves in fully, and maybe never will. Especially with what happens after death.
This has caused a myriad of different ways to control enough people within groups as to preserve the safety of those who are "in deep" so to say with the real magnum opus of reality.
What that may be is always up for debate.

I do think that atheism is turning into a religion.

Perhaps, it isnt all the way there yet, but its going in that direction. The same could be said for a lot of things nowadays.

I suspect this is because things become very, very profitable when they are organized under the premise of listening to "ordained experts" disseminate the "truth."

The only ones I have found worth listening to are those that encourage others to seek their own path and own conclusions, and give them some tools to do so. This can happen regardless of religious affiliation or lack thereof.