Atheist in the Religious and Spiritual community?

Question

I am not sure why atheists are always in here? The do not believe in religion or spirituality. The mere definition of Atheism is: (from Merriam-Webster dictionary @ www.m-w.com)
Main Entry: athe·ism
Pronunciation: 'A-thE-"i-z&m
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle French athéisme, from athée atheist, from Greek atheos godless, from a- + theos god
1 archaic : UNGODLINESS, WICKEDNESS
2 a : a disbelief in the existence of deity b : the doctrine that there is no deity

Why would you venture into this community? Perhaps a desire to know more about God? I pray that whether you admit it or not that this is the reason.

Please please please check out Merriam-websters online dictionary at www.w-m.com as I so nicely added to my question and noticed that I did not capitilize anything. This is MW definition- not mine.

Answer 1

It's not.

Sorry hun, just because I'm an atheist doesn't mean I'm not spiritual. I'm actually rather spiritual.

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Barbara: The capitalizations are not hers. They are found in the original definition.

Merriam-Webster uses all-caps to point to synonyms and pseudo-synonyms.

Answer 2

You don't necessarily have to believe in a deity to be spiritual. I believe this section covers both. Also, because the current religious climate has a impact on many things including which idiot runs the country it becomes important to be able to discuss even what you don't believe in.

EDIT: Oh nice dig there with the capitalization of ungodliness and wickedness. Hmm those without sin cast the first stone..

Answer 3

Why would we venture here? There are two main reasons:

1) Because we're interested in the subject. I just used this example ten minutes ago, but what about the people who study Greek mythology for a living? They don't worship Zeus, obviously, but they like the subject.
2) Because religion is something that affects all of us, whether we're religious or not. Religion affects lawmaking, foreign policy decisions, scientific progress, what people can and can't do, education, the list goes on and on. Religion is everywhere in this country. How can you blame us for caring?

Answer 4

Some people who say they are Atheists are really Agnostic. I have an older brother who is in that category.

Some Atheists like to play a game which I shall call Stump the Christian. The idea of the game is that if you can ask a question for whicn a Christian does not have a ready answer, this automatically disproves Christianity, and the asker can congratulate themselves in their decision to remain Atheist.

Some Atheists were raised in a very harsh Christian upbringing and became Atheists as adults, as part of their backlash against their upbringing. Many of them like to use this forum to lash out against their (mis-)perceived harshniss of Christianity. I am sorry for that perception. If more of them knew true Christianity, more of them would become true Christians.

Some Atheists just like to see if they can make Christians uncomfortable. Jesus said there would be persecution; try not to let it get to you. After all, you never saw a counterfeit $3.00 bill, did you?

Answer 5

Oh my! I never knew that was what I am... wow...what an education!

Really... I do not believe in god, but the wicked part just shows old stereotypes and the stigma of atheism. Is Jody Foster "wicked"? How about President Harding? Mark Twain? Albert Einstein? I don't recall any of these people doing or being "wicked."

You would do well to work on your acceptance of the fact that there are many others in this world who disagree with you, and it doesn't make them bad. Everyone has a right to be here.

Answer 6

This question was asked not 15 minutes ago.

You don't have to be a "celebrity" to post on the "celebrity" community. Lots of people like to talk about religion and spirituality, even if THEY themselves aren't religious.

Many countries are VERY religious, so the religious attitudes of others impact our lives, daily and importantly and so naturally it's something that we want to discuss.

Answer 7

it relatively is like asking "If I by no potential existed might you pass over me?" you're asking a question approximately religious issues yet choose for a "non preachy" reaction? the actuality you exist, that something exists, proves there's a extra physically powerful means. in case you bypass a development on the line, the actuality the development exists is irrefutable evidence there replaced right into a builder. in case you notice a portray in a museum the life of that portray is easy evidence there replaced right into a painter. the actuality there is life in an orderly universe is easy evidence there's a writer. If there is not any larger means, no God, then any ethical determination turns right into a count of opinion. Any regulation in this earth as we communicate turns into valueless. homicide, rape, torture, stealing, pillaging, destroying, all of it grow to be particularly staggering or incorrect. in case you deny the life of God you deny absolute ethical fact. what's stable or incorrect turns into as much as the guy. From very own interactions on your primary life, to concerns of life or dying. In a godless international Hitler and Stalin are totally justified. Survival of the fittest. The Holocaust turns into basically an occasion of evolution enjoying itself out. The homicide of toddlers and the starvation of entire countries grow to be the organic order and in case you have been to sit down down there and don't something you would be totally justified simply by fact without God you're "God" and choose what's stable or incorrect for your self. And the determination of the different guy or woman can, below the form of Atheism. be unchallengeable simply by fact there is not any larger ethical means over somebody different than that individual. clarify to me how homicide is erroneous if all human beings are our stepped forward chemical mutations that'll in some billion years stop to exist? simply by fact society says so? A society which will disappear perpetually into eternity in some thousand years? considering which you're saying so? What authority do you may desire to tell somebody what's stable or incorrect? What approximately Darwin's concept of evolution and survival of the fittest? If somebody is murdered isn't that basically evolution at artwork? They for sure weren't in high quality condition adequate against the murderer... it relatively is the logical end effect of Atheism and a international without God. If there is not any God...there is not any factor to you. No factor on your life. No factor to any of your questions. you're basically a mutation which will stop functioning in below a century.

Answer 8

Why would anyone assume that an Atheist - one who does not believe that god exists - would be desiring to know more about god? How does it make any sense to want to find out more about something that doesn't even exist?

And please check that dictionary for the meaning of spirituality.

Answer 9

Four Stages of Development

Stage I: Chaotic, antisocial. A stage of undeveloped spirituality. The Stage 1 person is selfish, disordered, and generally incapable of loving others.

Stage II: Formal, institutional. The stage II person, typified by many churchgoers, is usually attached to the forms rather than the essence of her religion, and she may quickly take offense at anyone who attacks these forms. Personal stability and outward appearances are very important to her.

Stage III: Skeptic, individual. The stage III person is often referred to as a “nonbeliever” because he has given up being “conventional”. He thinks independently and is often deeply involved in social causes. An advanced stage III individual is an active truth-seeker.

Stage IV: Mystic, communal. This is the stage of unity. A person arriving at stage 4 sees an underlying connectedness between herself, other creatures, and her surroundings. With little or no outside prodding, and as a confident yet humble, self governing human being, she reaches out to others in recognition of the whole world as part of her community. “Mystics” comprehend the value of emptiness. Rather than being frightened by the enormity of the unknown, they acknowledge it and immerse themselves even deeper into it, that they may understand more.

Answer 10

Did you know that religion affects every single one of us whether or not we want it to? People are fighting for the right to teach religion in science class. Gays aren't allowed to get married because people feel its a disgrace to the religious sanctity of marriage. Then there is stem cell research, abortion protesters, terrorism in the name of God (Eric Rudolph for example), and on and on and on.

It simply doesn't make sense to NOT discuss religion in today's society.

By the way, I've seen a bunch of Christians in the GLBT section. They love to go there and quote scripture but according to your logic they are really GLB or T inside.

Answer 11

Atheists, like all of the non-righteous before God have had their will to reason clouded by the sinful nature that befell all mankind at the Fall. Hence, they are unable to reason properly and see the truth of God's revelation, so they populate Christian forums to question their own heresies. Whether they want to admit it as much or not they are uncomfortable with what they flippantly espouse and really want to be convinced otherwise.

Want to know why atheists hang around this forum so much? See See Erika R's excellent and cogently written answer at: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AvfsfC_oV9b71eDhBO9.t8jsy6IX?qid=20070214222750AABkZwl&show=7#profile-info-wudNsFgZaa

Just keep asking questions in an objective manner and you will sometimes get useful responses. I try to answer questions so structured with reasoned and rigorous responses.