Atheism & Religious Beliefs

[RootsBooster]

When you label yourself, there is a tendency to self-identify as <whatever> and a living up to that ideal. I think that is disingenuous and inauthentic. What you are is an individual, who entertains various perspectives on a variety of topics, though your life-span. Those perspectives change with time, but what you are, is deeper and more essential than the ideas you entertain.

 

Don't let me stop you though, go for it, knock ya self out!

It doesn't matter what he wants to be labelled or not labelled as, if he IS something then he IS something, regardless of whether he likes the label for it. He might not like being labelled a Homo-sapien but tough, that's what he is.

Many such things have no "ideals" to live up to, they're just a state of being, like atheism.

Well I have no problem with labels,not sure how you're supposed to describe anything to anyone without them.

 

I'm an Agnostic & until the religious can prove there is a God, or the atheist's can prove there isn't, I intend to remain one.

You're an agnostic what?

Agnostic theist or agnostic atheist?

By the way, atheism isn't about proving there are no gods or, indeed, believing there are no gods.

 

---------- Post added 18-04-2013 at 18:29 ----------

 

 

I think you've confused atheist with anti theist, and not even all anti theists say there is definately no God, only that it is likely, given the evidence, that there is no God.

 

Actually Rich, that's exacty what an anti-theist is, someone who holds the belief that there are no gods and/or is against theism. The prefix "anti" means to oppose, so holding an opposing belief (that there are no gods) to theism would be anti-theism.

 

You're completely right that this is not the same as straightforward atheism though.

[Ashcroft]

Religious threads have been done before and now we all know religion is just an excuse to cause a war

[Waldo]

How can you self identify as someone who has a lack of belief in something?

 

Or in other words, how does a baby who is without self identity self identify as being an atheist.

 

I would think with a baby, it isn't doing the mental process of telling itself it's a <whatever>. Also, it's just as easy to tell yourself, I am a one who is not a <whatever>, and so self-identify as a <non-whatever>.

 

It's just stories of who and what we tell ourselves we are, as we mentally repeat the same thought forms over and over. Sometimes you just really want to stop and ask, what am I? Really, at the most profound, intrinsic level, what am I?

 

I don't think anyone has the answer....

[RootsBooster]

Religious threads have been done before and now we all know its just an excuse to cause a war

 

Religious threads are just an excuse to cause war?

 

---------- Post added 18-04-2013 at 18:35 ----------

 

I would think with a baby, it isn't doing the mental process of telling itself it's a <whatever>. Also, it's just as easy to tell yourself, I am a one who is not a <whatever>, and so self-identify as a <non-whatever>.

 

It's just stories of who and what we tell ourselves we are, as we mentally repeat the same thought forms over and over. Sometimes you just really want to stop and ask, what am I? Really, at the most profound, intrinsic level, what am I?

 

I don't think anyone has the answer....

 

So are you saying that BEDROCK might not really be a Homo-sapien?

[mjw47]

Eh? I haven't confused atheism with anything. Atheism is the belief that God does not exist.In fact it is you who appears to be getting a bit confused.

In an earlier post you described yourself as religious ,although you didn't believe in God.

 

Religion is the belief in, & the worship of a God or Gods. Therefore if you do not believe in a God you can not be religious. Do you mean you like to attend church because you enjoy the social aspect?

[PaliRichard]

I would think with a baby, it isn't doing the mental process of telling itself it's a <whatever>. Also, it's just as easy to tell yourself, I am a one who is not a <whatever>, and so self-identify as a <non-whatever>.

 

It's just stories of who and what we tell ourselves we are, as we mentally repeat the same thought forms over and over. Sometimes you just really want to stop and ask, what am I? Really, at the most profound, intrinsic level, what am I?

 

I don't think anyone has the answer....

 

But most atheists don't go round telling identifying with 'atheist', as roots correctly says it's akin to identifying with the label 'homosapien'.

 

I do agree with most of your post, but not everyone who uses labels identify with them. When you use language do you identify with the language used or employ it for a purpose?

 

I have come across many, many people who are so attached to not being attached to labels that they are more attached to them than your average 'clingy' Jo.

[RootsBooster]

But most atheists don't go round telling identifying with 'atheist', as roots correctly says it's akin to identifying with the label 'homosapien'.

 

I do agree with most of your post, but not everyone who uses labels identify with them. When you use language do you identify with the language used or employ it for a purpose?

 

I have come across many, many people who are so attached to not being attached to labels that they are more attached to them than your average 'clingy' Jo.

Yes, just imagine...

 

Mr A- Who's that guy over there?

Mrs B- Oh that's.... uhmm... nevermind

 

Mr A- Huh? Doesn't he have a name?

Mrs B- He says not

 

Mr A- What does he do?

Mrs B- He writes stuff

 

Mr A- Oh, he's a writer?

Mrs B- He says not, but he does write stuff for a living

 

Mr A- Is he English?

Mrs B- Well, he says not, but he was born in England and has always lived here

 

Mr A- What's the deal with him then?

Mrs B- He doesn't like to be labelled, he thinks labels are a bad thing

 

Mr A- I see. So he's an "Anti-labellist" then?

Mrs B- uhhm.......... heheh..

 

Mr A- HahahAhahahHA!

Mrs B- BWAHahahahahahahahahahhaahhahahhahhahahh!!!!

[mjw47]

RootsBooster. The word agnostic is self explanatory, at least it is if you can be bothered to check it. Agnostic = a person who believes that one cannot know whether or not God exists.

 

No further explanation is required. I am saying I don't know. Any additional viewpoint is therefore merely idle speculation.

[PaliRichard]

Eh? I haven't confused atheism with anything. Atheism is the belief that God does not exist.In fact it is you who appears to be getting a bit confused[/Quote]

 

No anti Theism is the belief that God does't exist (although (Roots, for you too) some anti Theists are against the philosophical idea of God without making the actual claim that there is no God).

 

Atheism in its widest sense is the lack of belief in God, it is the default position of all human beings from birth - both Theism and anti Theism are cognised philosophical positions.

 

In an earlier post you described yourself as religious ,although you didn't believe in God[/Quote]

 

Yup.

 

Religion is the belief in, & the worship of a God or Gods. Therefore if you do not believe in a God you can not be religious[/Quote]

 

Let's keep this simple, Buddhism, Taoism and Jainism are all religions that don't believe in a creator God (I am leaving 'gods' out of this because it's a minefield but the short version is 'gods' in these religions are a) not always 'gods' as we would define them and b) not always worshipped).

 

Do you mean you like to attend church because you enjoy the social aspect?

 

No, I mean I belong to one of the above religions that don't believe in God.

[mjw47]

An atheist believes there is no God, A theist believes there is a creator, God or Gods,an agnostic believes the existence of a God or Gods cannot be proven & therefore they 'don't know' either way.

 

This is not Alice in Wonderland, none of you are Humpty Dumpty, words do not mean 'what you choose them to mean'.

 

The above explanations of the words under discussion are accurate dictionary definitions of their meaning.