Do all men know God, including the atheist?

Question

I'd like to know why atheists need to be called atheist if God didn't exist. What's the point? I'd like to know what you think. :) Give me some good illistrations please.

Answer 1

Read Romans 1:18-30. God has revealed himself to everyone.

Answer 2

The label "atheist" exists because there are a great number of people in the world who believe that god is a reality. In modern times with modern knowledge it's easy to see through this erroneous belief. The problem is a great number of people rely on this belief for certain reasons and because of this others are lead to believe in ways in which it becomes ingrained in them. Religion is taught in such a way that it becomes a part of ones identity. It becomes an emotional attachment and we all know that emotional bonds are the most difficult to separate ourselves from.

Due to the nature of religion, it will not soon disappear from our culture. Therefore there must be a delineation between those who hold the belief and those who don't. Since this god figure can be interpreted in so many different ways the label for individual theists may vary (Christian, Jew, Muslim, etc.). However the lack of this belief is so fundamental there is no need to separate those who we call Atheists unless it falls under the classification of a non-theistic religion (Buddhism, Raelian, etc.).

One who does not hold the belief in a god or gods can be classified as an Atheist... those who subscribe to any number of gods can be classified as a Theist.

Answer 3

No, all men do not know God. That's part of the challenge of mortality - to learn to know God.

Atheists need to be called atheists because they believe differently than theists do. It's a matter of categorization.

Answer 4

From what I know we didnt make up the name atheist. I would be fine with no label at all. But in this day and age every thing need a label...

Answer 5

Rene Descartes is famous for saying, "I doubt I exist, therefore I exist." I suppose you could extend it by saying, "I doubt that God exists, therefore-- " No, it just doesn't sound the same. Everything I disbelieved would exist? Unicorns? Vampires? A benevolent government?

Answer 6

"Atheist" is not in response to the idea of any god. It is in response to those who assert there is a god of some kind. We only identify ourselves that way because theists assert their own beliefs. If we never had to deal with the discussion, we would not have to find a consequent identity.

^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^

Answer 7

Actually, your point is the atheist point... the term "non-astrologer" does not exist, neither does "anti-santa". Atheist is a common and useful term simply because it represents a minority.

Answer 8

What?

A person who does not believe in the existance of a supreme being is just that. No one NEEDS a label.

Answer 9

Atheism is the disbelief in the existence of any deities. - Wikipedia

We identify ourselves as atheist because everyone else identifies themselves by their religion. We identify by lack thereof.

Answer 10

Psalm 14:1
The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.

7The reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord is the beginning and the principal and choice part of knowledge [its starting point and its essence]; but fools despise skillful and godly Wisdom, instruction, and discipline.Proverbs 1:7

The scripture says, a person "tells himself" there is no God.
Psalm 19:1
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. His existence is evident in his creation.
There is none, so blind..as one who refuses to see.