Atheism the Belief

[Waldo]

Changing the meaning of a word to mean something else will just cause confusion though.

 

I'm not sure I am changing meaning; I perceive that that which people refer to as 'god' is 'reality'.

 

It's important to distinguish between reality, that which is, VS, our conceptual (and partial) understanding of reality. I am referring to that which simply is. I am not referring to everything tangible or physical in this particular 'universe', where human beings are a manifestation formed through natural universal local processes specific to this particular universe.

 

To ascribe any word to that which I refer to, is I agree, futile and meaningless. I have no idea why I bother to be honest. That which is, simply is. It is not up for debate.

 

You wouldn't ask someone if they believe in God if you think God is realty, you would just ask them if they believe in realty to save confusion. The word God becomes gibberish if everyone gives it a different meaning, much easier if everyone just uses the word according it its definition.

 

I wouldn't ask if someone believed in god, full-stop. The inquiry I would make, would be what do you mean personally, by 'god'?

 

---------- Post added 20-07-2015 at 14:35 ----------

 

There are many people who meet the criteria for atheism (and therefore are atheists) but just cannot bring themselves to admit they are atheists.

 

I think I understand why.

 

There are a multitude of positions and non-positions that the word 'atheist' encapsulates. If you call yourself an atheist, without further qualification or granularity; you open yourself up to people misinterpreting your view, and ascribing a position to you, that you do not hold.

 

I call it 'dirty word syndrome' because it's like they think of the word 'atheist' as being something nasty or negative, a dirty word.

 

I'm not sure that's the case. There may be an element of truth in what you say; but for me, my issue with the word, is that it's just not descriptive enough.

 

I suspect that Waldo may be one of these people if his way of dodging his atheist tag is by saying "My god is reality".

 

You're welcome to suspect what you like!

[unbeliever]

I'm not sure I am changing meaning; I perceive that that which people refer to as 'god' is 'reality'.

 

For example?

[RootsBooster]

I think I understand why.

 

There are a multitude of positions and non-positions that the word 'atheist' encapsulates. If you call yourself an atheist, without further qualification or granularity; you open yourself up to people misinterpreting your view, and ascribing a position to you, that you do not hold.

 

...only in the same way that calling yourself a scientist opens you up to people misinterpreting your position.

 

"Oh, you're a scientist! You torture and cut open bunnies do you?"

 

It's not the scientist/atheist's fault that some people are ignorant and may jump to conclusions or misinterpret and they should not have to worry about such.

 

I'm not sure that's the case. There may be an element of truth in what you say; but for me, my issue with the word, is that it's just not descriptive enough.

From what you've said, it sounds like your issue is more with the word 'God' not being descriptive enough.

 

EDIT:

There's more than just an 'element' of truth to it, there are plenty of people who outright hate atheists and think that we have no morals/do bad things/are generally evil.

Edited July 20, 2015 by RootsBooster

[Halibut]

A theist of somebody who denies the existence of 99.9% of gods.

 

Logically and mathematically a pile of toss, as I said before.

Your statement rests on two fallacies - a) that there are 999 Gods

b) that a person cannot believe in more than one God at once.

[unbeliever]

Logically and mathematically a pile of toss, as I said before.

Your statement rests on two fallacies - a) that there are 999 Gods

b) that a person cannot believe in more than one God at once.

 

It's an approximation. That doesn't invalidate it as a point.

If you insist on being pedantic, I'll rephrase.

 

Monotheists are only one step away from being atheists as of the many thousands of gods who have been worshipped throughout history, they disbelieve in all except one. To become an atheist you only have to add one more to the very long list of gods you don't believe in.

[Chelle-82]

You can't have a ''lack'' of belief .. you either have one or you don't .. ya noticed its Atheists that say that ?? .. It's so they don't leave a contradiction

 

---------- Post added 19-07-2015 at 02:36 ----------

 

For what can be known about God is evident to you, because God made it evident to you in what you are and what you see .. God is us and we are God !!

 

---------- Post added 19-07-2015 at 02:41 ----------

 

For although they knew God they did not accord him glory as God or give him thanks. Instead, they became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless minds were darkened. While claiming to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for the likeness of an image of mortal man (like David Scameron)

 

Therefore, God handed them over to impurity through the lusts of their hearts for the mutual degradation of their bodies. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and revered and worshiped the creature rather than the creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

 

---------- Post added 19-07-2015 at 02:43 ----------

 

And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God handed them over to their undiscerning mind to do what is improper.

 

They are filled with every form of wickedness, evil, greed, and malice; full of envy, murder, rivalry, treachery, and spite. They are gossips and scandalmongers and they hate God. They are insolent, haughty, boastful, ingenious in their wickedness, and rebellious toward their parents.

 

They are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless and inventors of evil things. Although they know the just decree of God that all who practice such things deserve death, they the Government not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

 

Prove it......

[Halibut]

It's an approximation. That doesn't invalidate it as a point.

If you insist on being pedantic, I'll rephrase.

 

Monotheists are only one step away from being atheists as of the many thousands of gods who have been worshipped throughout history, they disbelieve in all except one. To become an atheist you only have to add one more to the very long list of gods you don't believe in.

 

So what? It's still a totally pointless 'point'.

[Cyclone]

it's just that absence of belief is not the same as belief of absence.

 

I disagree. If you lack a belief that something is real, then implicitly you believe that it doesn't exist. You can't lack a belief in it existing, but try to hedge your bets by then saying that you don't actually believe it doesn't.

 

---------- Post added 20-07-2015 at 16:28 ----------

 

Yes, 'atheist' requires a definition of 'god';

 

No it doesn't. It just requires someone not be a theist.

[RootsBooster]

I disagree. If you lack a belief that something is real, then implicitly you believe that it doesn't exist. You can't lack a belief in it existing, but try to hedge your bets by then saying that you don't actually believe it doesn't.

 

What makes you think that being without one belief is implicit of having another?

[Cyclone]

You say 'disbelief', which is very different to 'lack of belief'.

 

What do you think that the definition of disbelief is then?

 

Google thinks it is

 

disbelief

dɪsbɪˈliːf/Submit

noun

inability or refusal to accept that something is true or real.

Given that it's not an inability in this case, it's a refusal to accept that something is true (the something being an existence of god(s)).

 

A refusal to accept that god exists.

 

That sounds a lot like a lack of belief in god existing.

 

Belief/Disbelief is a binary state, there is no third state where you lack belief but don't disbelief.