danot Posted January 19, 2012 Author Share Posted January 19, 2012 It's quite simple, really it is, if they lack belief in a deity then they are atheists. It's possible to celebrate those things and be an atheist, but those things alone don't tell us anything other than that they "partake in the annual commemoration of the birth, death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ". http://www.atheists-for-jesus.com/ So you don't find it amusing to learn that atheists do't mind partaking in the annual commemoration of the birth, death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.. someone that by definition alone, cannot exist according to the beliefs of an atheist? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFKvsNixon Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 would those who partake in the annual commemoration of the birth, death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ be counted as being atheists? Do you really need to question the motive of people who are given the freedom to have time away from work to spend with their loved ones, exchange gifts, consume fine foods and drink a little bit too much? I'm an atheist, and I had a smashing Xmas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeadingNorth Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 So you don't find it amusing to learn that atheists do't mind partaking in the annual commemoration of the birth, death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.. You're assuming that they actually do partake in such things. What you're forgetting is that the festivals at the time of the winter solstice and spring equinox existed for thousands of years before the church imposed the name Christmas on the former. Not everyone who takes part in the festival and celebrations, will have any interest whatsoever in the reason for its existence, whether that reason be the historical one or the one invented by the Catholic Church. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quisquose Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 So you don't find it amusing to learn that atheists do't mind partaking in the annual commemoration of the birth, death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.. someone that by definition alone, cannot exist according to the beliefs of an atheist? I know a vicar who is an atheist, I find that quite amusing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danot Posted January 20, 2012 Author Share Posted January 20, 2012 If that "commemoration" extends merely to giving people chocolate fertility symbols, which is what most people atheists included do at Easter then that's obviously perfectly compatible with not believing in any gods.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...
plekhanov Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 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. Have you ever actually met a child? I think you'll find the children in portion of my family that escaped the church associate Easter with: their older relatives giving them chocolate in the shape of eggs, bunnies, chicks... The younger ones also associate it with mashing up shredded wheat mixing it up with chocolate and adult melted for them and making easter egg nests. easter egg hunts. I have every reason to believe that is the kind of thing most british children, who as you may know tend to be very fond of chocolate, associate with easter. Just as they tend to view Xmas as a time when adults give them stuff. Some incarnation of a god sacrificing, himself to himself so he could forgive us for a crime of being born from 'sinful' ancestors really doesn't enter into the equation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danot Posted January 20, 2012 Author Share Posted January 20, 2012 Ruffle feathers? You're not making sense. There are no words to describe non-believers in Bigfoot because there is no word to describe believers in Bigfoot. Theists created the word atheist, not atheists, because they created theism. They were/are quite keen to attribute there own adjectives to it as well. Furthermore if theists are going to create whole systems of dogma that are going to influence people's lives, then there needs to be a word that identifies somebody's opposition to all that BS. OK, let's assume that it is a made-up word first coined by theists.. are you now claiming that the use of the word "atheist" fits no other criteria than this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danot Posted January 20, 2012 Author Share Posted January 20, 2012 1. a'gnostic - a person who holds that the existence of the ultimate cause, as God, and the essential nature of things are unknown and unknowable 2. a'theist - a person who lacks believe in God or gods 1 refers to knowledge, and 2 refers to belief. Only an idiot could fail to understand that the two are not mutually exclusive, and calling oneself an agnostic atheist, or an agnostic theist, is not holding opposing views. I accept that a theist could also be agnostic due to their faith being based on belief not knowledge. What I don't accept is this notion about agnostic atheism ... it's laughable. Anyone who lacks belief in God/s has no reason whatsoever to then sit on the fence and claim- 'However.. I'm also undecided as to whether God/s do or don't exist due to there being no definitive way of knowing whether God/s do or don't exist.... which is why I believe God/s don't exist'. :hihi::hihi: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danot Posted January 20, 2012 Author Share Posted January 20, 2012 Do you really need to question the motive of people who are given the freedom to have time away from work to spend with their loved ones, exchange gifts, consume fine foods and drink a little bit too much? I'm an atheist, and I had a smashing Xmas. No I don't need to question your motives.. but I feel I must. Are your kids Christened too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tradescanthia Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 How does someone not get on with life? Surely an atheist must consider the existance of a god prior to becoming an atheist? You think a real atheist has no point of view regarding religion? Please expand. No need to expand, I've covered it. The atheist makes his decision and then just ignores religion. If he is constantly discussing the existence of a God then he is not ready to be called an atheist, he is still an agnostic. I have known an atheist who would argue with anybody but in my opinion he was trying to convince himself. The real 'confirmed atheist' would'nt even waste his breath trying to convince anyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.