plekhanov Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 I've met lots of children. But I've never met one that proclaims to be an atheist. So what? As has been established numerous times atheism is not something you need proclaim or even be conscious of, it is simply a state of being. A state of being many children are in, either because they've never been indoctrinated into believing in a sky pixie or as happened in my case they throw off sustained attempts at indoctrination. Besides do you really expect us to believe that all these "lots of children" tha you've met associate Easter "with the death of Christ (good friday) and the Resurrection of Christ (easter sunday) and bank holiday monday" rather than chocolate? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plekhanov Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 Nothing whatsoever. They're actually associated with the ancient pagan festival 'Eastre'. So you concede then that your whole line of argument in amongst others the following posts was entirely wrong then? "would those who partake in the annual commemoration of the birth, death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ be counted as being atheists?" "No, I doubt that that is the case. I suspect that most people have always associated easter with the death of Christ (good friday) and the Resurrection of Christ (easter sunday) and bank holiday monday." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chorba Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 ...................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flamingjimmy Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 Most atheists haven't done any study or research regarding the possible existence of a greater being. The very same can be said of most theists, and more accurately too. Most people who actively proclaim themselves to be atheist tend to have at least done a little bit of research and put some thought into it, whereas plenty of theists go their entire lives without questioning their belief in god. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flamingjimmy Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 I don't understand any of this thread i certainly would have liked to thats why i have just viewed it,but i'm certainly no wiser as to the difference between an athiest and an agnostic now. My understanding before was that the difference between an athiest and an agnostic,was that an athiest had reached a certain conclusion through research and study that a supreme being/beings did not exist,and that an agnostic also by study(or not)had doubts in that such existance but had not come to that conclusion with the same certainty. It's very simple. Atheism is a lack of belief in god/s. It isn't a certainty about anything, although some atheists might be certain that no gods exist. Imagine being asked the question 'do you believe in any gods?' If the answer is anything other than 'yes', then that's atheism, strictly speaking. saying 'I don't know' means you don't believe. Saying 'I'm not sure' means you don't believe. Saying 'no' also means you don't believe. Not believing is all that's required for atheism, it does not require you to believe the opposite. You may have arrived at this position through years of study and critical thought or you may have never even heard of gods, or you may have just never really thought about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janie48 Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 Y It's very simple. Atheism is a lack of belief in god/s. It isn't a certainty about anything, although some atheists might be certain that no gods exist. Imagine being asked the question 'do you believe in any gods?' If the answer is anything other than 'yes', then that's atheism, strictly speaking. saying 'I don't know' means you don't believe. Saying 'I'm not sure' means you don't believe. Saying 'no' also means you don't believe. Not believing is all that's required for atheism, it does not require you to believe the opposite. You may have arrived at this position through years of study and critical thought or you may have never even heard of gods, or you may have just never really thought about it. Your explanation has made it clearer now. It does appear though, that atheists can be as diverse in their views and interpretations, as believers are in theirs. With regard to my own earlier understanding of atheism it may appear not to make sense now,but i do still think i was somewhat close to the meaning in spite of my vague definition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 I have a slightly different interpretation. I consider myself to be agnostic; not because "I don't know", but because I simply don't care enough to be atheistic. Intense atheism amuses and concerns me as much as intense religiosity. It's useful to try to be open minded enough to be able to be convinced of anything at all, but my standards of proof are somewhat higher than 99% of people would consider. I also appreciate that religion and faith can be forces for good in the right hands with the right motivation. I don't see the point in throwing the baby out with the bathwater, but this stance can be tiring since it requires being interested enough in people to look at circumstances individually rather than jumping to ideological conclusions... too often. In short, I may go to my grave with full ecumenical honors and heavenly choirs. But I doubt it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootsBooster Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 I have a slightly different interpretation. I consider myself to be agnostic; not because "I don't know", but because I simply don't care enough to be atheistic. Intense atheism amuses and concerns me as much as intense religiosity. It's useful to try to be open minded enough to be able to be convinced of anything at all, but my standards of proof are somewhat higher than 99% of people would consider. I also appreciate that religion and faith can be forces for good in the right hands with the right motivation. I don't see the point in throwing the baby out with the bathwater, but this stance can be tiring since it requires being interested enough in people to look at circumstances individually rather than jumping to ideological conclusions... too often. In short, I may go to my grave with full ecumenical honors and heavenly choirs. But I doubt it. That's not a different definition, that's a few definitions of a few things. -If you are currently without a belief in God then you are an atheist. You can be an atheist an also accept that a God MAY exist, you just currently don't have that belief. -If you also don't care about the existence of God then you are ALSO an apatheist. -If you don't have a belief in God and accept that you can never know the truth, or be undecided about it, then you are an atheist agnostic. Technically there is no "intense atheism" as you either have a belief in God's existence or you don't. Nobody has an intense absence of belief. Anything more than a simple LACK of belief wanders into other territories. Antitheism has quite a broad and varying definition, including a belief that there is definitely no God, right up to being actively against theism and the idea of it. An antitheist is also an atheist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootsBooster Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 Janie I'd just like to add to Jimmy's post... It's very simple. Atheism is a lack of belief in god/s. It isn't a certainty about anything, although some atheists might be certain that no gods exist. Imagine being asked the question 'do you believe in any gods?' If the answer is anything other than 'yes', then that's atheism, strictly speaking. saying 'I don't know' means you don't believe. Saying 'I'm not sure' means you don't believe. Saying 'no' also means you don't believe. Not believing is all that's required for atheism, it does not require you to believe the opposite. You may have arrived at this position through years of study and critical thought or you may have never even heard of gods, or you may have just never really thought about it. or you may have been born without belief (as we all are) and never be introduced to the idea of any of the gods or religions. As highly unlikely as this situation would be, it means you would be a lifelong atheist, never once having a belief. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootsBooster Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 Most atheists haven't done any study or research regarding the possible existence of a greater being. How can someone research the possibility of a greater being? If all we have is books written by men, from all the different religions, each telling different and conflicting stories, the most likely conclusion is that they have all been invented. Combine this with the fact that all religions have a start date (Christianity was invented fairly recently), and that most have an expiry date (which we now refer to as mythologies) and it's even more likely that religions are all invented. Although it is EXTREMELY unlikely that a "greater being" or God exists, I do not deny the possibility of it. I agree with Jimmy that it is most theists that do not "study or research the possible existence of a greater being". In my experience they just believe what they are told. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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