What is the difference between a good atheist and a bad atheist?

Question

What kind of standard we could use?
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Tell me your thoughts

Answer 1

Hi P_L, good to hear from you again and thanks for the question.

First, I'd like you to look at two related questions I've posted:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=ApyVyNig_s7WhxkDfknsr3fsy6IX?qid=20060708014250AAVnLul

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Alrdmogar3TNPl.BskAXbeHsy6IX?qid=20060629084458AAdugUt

I think that the answers listed here probably apply as well.

My standards for life are quite simple actually: If what you are doing helps others, it is good. If what you are doing harms others, it is bad. If what you are doing doesn't affect others either way, then it's up to you whether or not to continue doing it.

Thus: Charity = good. Smoking in non-smoking areas = bad. Tattoos = up to you.

Remember that 'simple' doesn't mean 'simplistic' - this is a creed that is incredibly difficult to live up to, but it's a responsibility I bear happily and with pride. Personally, I feel that my love for humanity is as great, or greater than, many believers' love for their God. It influences every act I make and every decision I take.

In my opinion, the best way to distinguish between a good atheist and a bad atheist is to remove the 'atheist' part from the equation: judge people based only on their actions. Don't consider what they happen to believe or not believe. A religion is useful if it provides a moral standard or guide for people, but in the end we judge religions by the morals of their believers. We mustn't. We must judge only individuals by their morals and how they apply those morals to the world. In the end, all we are are individual minds. That's how it should, and must, be.

Take care.

Answer 2

proper, whats the version between a good Christian and a nasty Christian? Its not the perception or lack of theory that concerns, notwithstanding the guy guy or lady. i'm functional an Atheist in accordance to probability robbed a economic business enterprise business enterprise in the previous, no matter if, so did likely a Christian. i'm functional an Atheist has volunteered at a homeless preserve in the previous. Alike, likely a Christian did as proper. Its the nature, not the perception.

Answer 3

Interesting question. From the stand point of a person that will not judge you for your belief but for your actions then there is a possibility of a good athiest if that athiest makes a positive contribution to the world. If that athiest saves a life or lives by the way that he or she lives, then that athiest would be good. There's a saying that I think goes, "it doesn't matter if you don't believe in God, because God wll still believe in you".
At one point I would have said that an athiest is bad because they would try to teach others to disbelieve and that would be bad because alot of good has come about in the world due to beleivers in God. But on the other side of the coin, others have used their belief in God to commit horrible acts against other human beings.
One thing comes to mind is that parable that Jesus taught of the Samaritan. Never said that the samaritan was a athiest or beleiver, was just a good person.

Answer 4

I'm not sure I'm understanding the question, but if your interested in the values of atheists, you might want to look into Secular Humanist thought.

Here are the tenets:

• Need to test beliefs - A conviction that dogmas, ideologies and traditions, whether religious, political or social, must be weighed and tested by each individual and not simply accepted on faith.

• Reason, evidence, scientific method - Commitment to the use of critical reason, factual evidence, and scientific methods of inquiry, rather than faith and mysticism, in seeking solutions to human problems and answers to important human questions.

• Fulfillment, growth, creativity - A primary concern with fulfillment, growth, and creativity for both the individual and humankind in general.

• Search for truth - A constant search for objective truth, with the understanding that new knowledge and experience constantly alter our imperfect perception of it.

• This life - A concern for this life and a commitment to making it meaningful through better understanding of ourselves, our history, our intellectual and artistic achievements, and the outlooks of those who differ from us.

• Ethics - A search for viable individual, social and political principles of ethical conduct, judging them on their ability to enhance human well-being and individual responsibility.

• Building a better world - A conviction that with reason, an open exchange of ideas, good will, and tolerance, progress can be made in building a better world for ourselves and our children.

As you can see, secular humanists do the right thing because it is the right thing to do rather than for a reward in the afterlife.

Answer 5

I think a good Atheist is one who lives and lets live with out trying to impose his or her belief or non-belief on others and a bad one gets are disjointed because the word God happens to be in a pledge or on a dollar bill. Oh and the same goes for religious people keep it to your self. I don't care if you believe or not and it's none of your business if I believe or not.

Answer 6

There is no such thing as a good atheist or a bad atheist. Everyone is the same in God's eyes.

Answer 7

A good atheist keeps there mouth shout.
A bad atheist removes prayer from school, and words from your national pledge!

Answer 8

a good atheist don't judge the christian world and stays out of our bussiness like christians do to atheist and bad atheist well they judge and cause problems with the christian world example taking the ten commandents out of the court house.

Answer 9

i do not think that there is a difference with a so called good atheist... i do not believe atheist know really what to believe.. if you do not believe in god you have nothing....i think some even wander about things theirself.....i have heard some say they would like to believe in god for the promise of the home in heaven......so in my belief their is no good atheist in concerns with the way they feel about the lord thy god...

Answer 10

I agree with Renee, it's the same with good people/bad people. Atheism has nothing to do with whether or not you're a good person.