Atheists Are Not True Atheists

It's amazing how many people try to criticize atheism by arguing that there is on "true" atheism or that there are no "true" atheists. Rather than deal with atheism as it is, they seem to feel safer denying that there is anything that actually has to be dealt with. I wonder if they actually feel satisfied after such effort?

Danl writes:

They try every chance they get to remove any trace of God or Religion from the American way of life.

Actually, both atheists and theists work to ensure that the government doesn't get involved with endorsing or promoting religion or religious doctrines. Individuals are just as free as ever to talk about their religion and their religious beliefs.

They try to force their beliefs on us by arming themselves with ammunition taken from our own Constitution and using that ammunition to shoot down our own beliefs.

As if the Constitution were "owned" by Christians like Danl and not equally the Constitution of others. Anyway, you won't find people on the streets preaching atheism or legislators trying to pass bills that promote atheism. You can, however, find preachers on the street promoting God and legislators offering bills that encourage religion — so the situation is exactly the opposite of what Danl describes.

If we are to believe an atheist and his sincerity, we must ask one question. How can you live in America?

With ignorant people like Danl all over the place, it isn't always easy.

If an Atheist is a true believer, he or she could not have a copy of the word "God" on his person.

This doesn't make the slightest bit of sense. It's true that many atheists would prefer that money not carry religious oaths, but there's nothing about atheism that is contradicted by using such money. Indeed, the very concept of an atheist being a "true believer" where "atheism" is concerned is rather nonsensical. Atheism is the absence of beliefs in gods and shouldn't be capitalized except at the beginning of a sentence. It's not an ideology, a religion, a worldview, or even a single belief.

It would have been advisable for Danl to actually spend a little time learning about atheism — preferably from atheists, the source — before preaching about it. Don't you think?

I have always wanted to ask an Atheist this question. If by chance there is a God and there is a judgment day. Will you say to God?

There are lots of atheists on the internet, so if Danl really wanted to ask an atheist this question it would have been easy to do so.

When I was alive on earth I had the choice to believe in you and abide by your commandment's. "I chose not to believe" Now, God, I will accept any punishment you have for me with out complaint or excuse for my actions. Could any one of them give me the simple answer, "YES"?

My answer is quite close — the biggest difference is that I cannot honestly say that I "choose" not to believe in Danl's or anyone else's form of Christianity. Given what I know, such belief is no more possible than believing that I have a million dollars in the bank. I can't choose to believe something simply because I wish to, I can only believe things for which I find good reasons upon which belief can be based.

Given that, I could readily say "I didn't have any reasons to believe that you existed and, if that's something I should be punished for, then even if I did believe that you existed I certainly wouldn't have worshipped you." I'm afraid that I can't worship a being whose standards of justice and ethics are inferior to my own.

Read More:

• Religion 101
• Theism 101
• Does God Exist?
• Atheism 101
• Agnosticism 101
• Defining Atheism