There aren't words for people who dont believe in ghosts or pixies, should there be a specific word for somebody who doesn't believe in God?
2006-08-03 09:01:08 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
Kevin H - please read the question
2006-08-03 09:19:25 · update #1
Charles W - Skeptic is a term derived from a greek philosophical school termed the Skeptikoi and this now refers to a disbelief in many things not as i was asking particular to ghosts etc
2006-08-03 10:23:25 · update #2
Atheists should rename themselves Realists.
Since God is an impossible concept. You literally CANT know what you're referring to when you use the word. It is always an illegitimate usage.
Atheists have no reasons to believe there is a God. Which is not the same as believing, with or without evidence, that there is no God.
Having no proof, no logical metaphysical argument, no clear sense data about this "God" is substance enough for an infinite assortment of words that don't MEAN anything, if the usage of God, deity, theism and so on is allowed. That is, if we are to appeal to ignorance to get "God" to have meaning, that doesn't stop us from assembling any other gibberish, and the logical negation of it.
I am also an
anti-ekjhekjgekyjgewyk
a-as;dkfjhgagfhgh
a-fdsggfgfkjgfdyj
a-sdfffayafsdykj
anti-fklasfdfdasfdfd
etc.
2006-08-03 16:14:01 · answer #1 · answered by -.- 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
No it does not. The word exists, in part, because for most of recorded history, people have believed in God or have been part of a religion. The word for this is Theists: one who believes in the existence of a god or gods, especially belief in a personal God as creator and ruler of the world.
Therefore, it is natural that one who rejects these notions would be called Atheists.
The word Atheist does not give credibility to a God, but rather credibility to the fact that so many have believed in God (or gods) throughout history.
Also there are words for people who don't believe in ghosts or pixies. They are called skeptics. Harry Houdini was a famous skeptic investigator of spiritualists, debunking claims of ghosts and fairies.
It is appropriate that there is a word for someone who does not believe in God.
2006-08-03 17:08:05 · answer #2 · answered by Charles W 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If atheists didn't use the word 'God', then what would they be claiming not to believe in?
If it weren't for the idea of God, atheism likely wouldn't exist. Atheists reject theism. Without the idea of God, there would be no theism, and therefore nothing for atheists to reject. The idea of a thing can be universally understood even absent that thing's existence.
The existence of the world 'atheist' doesn't necessarily give credibility to theism. Theism is widespread. If believers in ghosts and pixes were as widespread and organized as believers is theism, there probably would be a word for those who didn't believe in ghosts and pixes.
2006-08-03 20:29:51 · answer #3 · answered by curious 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Of course there is,in the sixties hippies were called "the great unwashed",the name for the people you are looking for is very similar,they are called "the great unbrainwashed"and you are quite wrong when you say that aren't words for ghost or pixie believers lot's of pagan religions believe in such things so these people are known as pagans so now do you accept your ignorance of religion or do you still want to enforce your beliefs on the rest of humanity?
2006-08-03 16:13:42 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
That is such a good question! Yes, the word atheist certainly does seem to condemn those that don't believe in God to the category of 'other' and 'opposite' and so therefore can be used in a negative way. But then you also get monotheist and polytheist... so it's also a terminology for the number of gods you believe in.
2006-08-03 16:09:56 · answer #5 · answered by Empea 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Very good question. I would question some of the definitions of atheism expressed in earlier answers - to be literally without a god does imply the existence of such things as gods.
I still like "The agnostic's prayer on contemplation of death"
Oh God, if you exist, save my soul if it exists.
Covers all the options with a proper degree of scepticism - what you might call comprehensive insurance.
2006-08-03 16:55:17 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
A anti or not
Theist a believer of one or multiple deitys
Some one that does not believe in God
how does that give credibility to the excistence of a God
God is a belief so believe in God and there is a God
If you don't there is no god
That's how simple it is
2006-08-03 16:07:28 · answer #7 · answered by peter gunn 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The existence of the word demonstrates that the CONCEPT of God has immense credibility and importance among people.
The word exists because it's useful. It's useful because many people believe. None of this suggests that God is real. It only suggests that believing in Him is very, very appealing.
2006-08-03 19:22:26 · answer #8 · answered by Keither 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think Atheist do, "They protest too much" (if you know what I mean).
A friend of mine doesn't believe in God, but doesn't call herself an Atheist, but considers herself a "Humanist". Believing people create the good and bad in the world and there is nothing beyond death.
As Christain I believe there is more to life, but respect her ideology.
2006-08-03 16:10:00 · answer #9 · answered by ma_zila 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To An Atheist.
G-d must have a huge sense of humour
So righteously to resist
The temptation of turning the tables
On your pretending He doesn't exist.
2006-08-03 16:11:14 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋