Is it possible to be an atheist and yet believe in the supernatural?

Question

Conversely, is it possible to believe in God and not believe in the supernatural? Thus posturing the question: "which is which"

Answer 1

All's it takes is evidence and proof, and we atheists will believe in anything.....show us the proof.

Answer 2

Yes, it is indeed possible to be an atheist and not believe in the supernatural, if you're an idiot.

If you're an atheist, by definition you don't believe in god. Many many more people have believed in god than had supernatural experiences; the testimonies of religious experience have formed the bases of entire cultures. Ghost stories, by comparison, are relatively scanty. Stuff about PKE and so on is even more so. I myself am an atheist, but I find religion infinitely more fascinating than (say) parapsychology, if only because at its best it doesn't even pretend to be scientific.

I would hope that an atheist is an atheist because s/he has a sceptical and inquiring mind and wants proof before subscribing to an ideology that's being used to dictate the moral code under which s/he lives; not just because religion is boring cause mom and dad made me go to church, or whatever.

So, yeah, you could believe in god and not believe in the supernatural, although if you're going to believe in something as far-fetched as a supreme being who is all-powerful and all-knowing and yet incomprehensibly snotty and vengeful, then it's not much of a step to believing in spoon-bending as well.

Answer 3

An atheist does not believe there is no god. An atheist does not believe there is a god. There is a difference. A belief in no god is a belief, a lack of belief in gods is no belief. Atheists do not believe.

Agnostics, as Huxley defined them when he coined the word, are a particular type of atheist but the term is abused these days.

Atheists, like skeptics, have open minds. They look for evidence, for facts. They will ponder the existence of gods where theists will not entertain thoughts of the non-existence. If there was some evidence of the supernatural there would be no need for belief. Gods are by definition supernatural therefore if you believe in gods, you believe in the supernatural.

There are many people who believe in the supernatural who do not follow gods. There are many non-theistic religions in the world.

Answer 4

Hello,
I believe anything possible.
Can't answer for anyone else just my own personal experience which happen in my nears death experience in 1992.

I wasn't by any means a church person but on other hand believe there was some kind of intervention between human and the other side.
(We would be pretty narrow minded to think other wise!)

All I got to say about this answer is- When ever you don't believe in anything of the after life or higher being, JUST wait till you are trapped for 4 1/2 hours, know your dieing!
My friend I can assure you will start praying and believe awful quick!
You will even say prayer you thought you never knew!

All I know I did, and was given that choice to stay or join a man's hand to betaking to the dim light I saw from a far.

You know what I chose as I'm here writing this to you.
Many angels later, dreams of what was and what was wasn't in our world.

So to your answer yes. If you had asked this question before Jan.22, 1992 my answer would have been no.
Thank you
^j^ Sandra ^j^

Answer 5

some people god is supernatural, but god is a religion, it doesnt mean there isnt other supernatural forces out there, god is different to each and every one of us, and some people believe hes the strength within us, so not as much supernatural. we all believe different things and u shouldnt be any different, no body knows the truth out there and there are many beliefs but no actual facts for both god or supernaturals.

Answer 6

an atheist (Wicca for example) may believe in the supernatural, but a person who believes in God must believe in the supernatural. Because God is a supernatural being.

Answer 7

You ask the question one way then the other. To be an athieist you could believe in spiritual things but not name it God or a paticular higher power, but just a power that is vague.

I don't believe it is possible to believe in God and not believe in the supernatural.......because God is the unlimite supernatural.

Answer 8

God is a supernatural force. Answering your question, no it is not possible to believe in supernatural forces and god at the same time. No picking and choosing, I feel that if you believe in one force, you should believe in them all. Its kind of like physics... hmm well I like gravity but I don't like the 2nd law of thermodynamics.. whatev..

Answer 9

1st question: Yes, it is. Atheist people reject the existance of God. This does not mean that they also reject all forms of ghosts, spirits, deamons, phantoms, creatures that visit us from the past of from other dimensions, .... - they might accept some of these to be probable.

2nd question: No, it is not possible to believe in God (as he is generally defined) but not believe in the supernatural (as that is the type of being that he is); BUT it IS possible to believe in either some form of divine or extraterrestrial intervention, or some form of spirit presence in nature when new plants & animals are born and when beings die, without believing in God as such.

Hope I have managed to make it clear.

Answer 10

Not only possible, it is necessary. Aetheists do not believe in God specifically but they are unsure, they have an open mind about creation. They know that they don't know everything so they are willing to consider anything, including the supernatural.

Answer 11

All theistic religions are supernatural. However not all supernatural is about god or gods. There are explanations of things like ghosts, life after death etc. which do not have or need a god.