I encounter a lot of misunderstandings about the nature and definition of atheism. Some treat it like a religion, others treat it like a philosophy. Some evangelicals claim that atheism is the denial of God and some even say that atheism doesn't really exist. There is even occasionally some disagreement among atheists over what atheism means and what atheism's "real" nature is. What do you think about the nature and definition of atheism?
Understanding Atheism & Atheists:
It’s funny how a simple dictionary would help so many people. I guess they try to interpret that as much as the bible, and we get 38,000 different denominations of each word’s definition…
What I find utterly disengenuous is that I could take a clipboard out on the street and ask people: “Is an atheist someone who doesn’t believe god exists?” And other than really bizarre misconceptions (like the Satan worship), I’d get a resounding “sure.”
And oddly, almost all apologists I discuss this with agree with that description as well–until we look up the word “believe.” Then the whole thing changes, and they backpeddle so hard, the tires catch fire.
They know an atheist is a person who doesn’t believe god exists. They, like everyone, have heard this defintion a million times and accept it. However, what they want to insist upon is _denial_. And when you point out disbelief is not denial, they do backflips to find some justification. But it always boils down to backtracking away from the defintion they agreed was accurate and fair to begin with.
I don’t believe in a god or gods or goddesses. That seems close enough for me.
Atheisim is the life stance that there is no evidence for the existence of anything beyond the material world, the rejection of superstitioous belief in god, spirits, demons, heaven, hell, or existence beyond this mortal life.
I think it would help to also look up the word denial. Here are the first three from dictionary.com:
1. an assertion that something said, believed, alleged, etc., is false
2. refusal to believe a doctrine, theory, or the like.
3. disbelief in the existence or reality of a thing.
Utilizing one of these definitions, I would say that as an atheist I deny the existence of any gods. What atheist would not? I assert or allege that the existence of any gods is a false belief. I refuse to believe the theory that gods DO exist since it is false and unprovable. I have disbelief that any gods exist or have any reality. If someone says to me ‘you really do believe in a god, I deny that this is true since I do not. Am I missing something?
I agree with #1…. I know a large number of people who think the “denial” is an important part of the arguement. Yes there is “some” debate on exact meaning, because historically, words tend to take on the common perception of their meanings.
Disbelief in dieties…. no more or less
Some says atheism should only be used for those that has encounterd the idea of the theist belieif in one or more gods and upon examination of these ideas found them to not be belivable. This would rule out newly borned or older individuals that either doesn’t (yet) have the ability to comprehend such complex things or just not have been exposed to it nor have produced any thought about it on their own.
It is obvoiusly something to be beware about the differenses, since they demonstrates that also a lack of belief can be more or less grounded before respectively after being brought to attention, but I see it as two kinds of atheism. If both is atheism it renders the number of atheists to be signifficantly more than if only the ‘challenged’ ones is to be called atheists.
Why do I think both are to be called atheists? Well, the definition of being an atheist is as I understand it to not have a belief in at least one god. That is no mather if the theists ideas exists or not. If there would be human-like life on a distant planet and they somehow did not had developed or for some other reason never thought about the concept of god, wouldn’t we describe them as atheists? If not, why not and how would the definition of atheist be formulated and how would it fit the common definitions we have in many dictionarys today?
In a second thought, it is a stretch to call this life form humanlike, but you get the idea!
Atheism is what you have after you have seen through enough lies.
Much ado about Nothing. A= without. Theism = belief in God(s).
The common sense to disregard unjustified claims which have no evidence. Atheism = reality.
Atheism is an unverifiable belief in the supposed non-existence of a non-dependent first cause that is both a philosophical and scientific necessity. Without which there would be no rational basis for science or existence. All of which makes Atheism a blind unsubstantiated faith that has absolutely no scientific or philosophical basis. In short, a belief system that has its feet planted firmly in mid air. So call it what you like, other than factual.
Prove it, scientifically and philosophically.
Demonstrate that atheism is a belief “system.” List all the beliefs which all atheists necessarily have in common.
I’d say that your comment is anything other than factual.
Freedom.