How come Atheism is so complicated to be ultimately defined?
Well, I think the label "Atheism" only is too broad for many of us, maybe?
2007-03-23 18:46:11 · 22 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Easy to define?
I'm still seeing different definitions here
2007-03-23 18:50:51 · update #1
Atheism is no RELIGION AND NEEDS NO DENOMINATIONS! I'm not saying it is a religion, at all!
2007-03-23 18:52:19 · update #2
Fat chance! Various dictionaries give a range of definitions for disbelief, from "lack of belief" to "doubt" and "withholding of belief" to "rejection of belief", "refusal to believe", and "denial"
2007-03-23 19:00:37 · update #3
.....and yep, to "belief of the non-existence of any deity"
2007-03-23 19:03:21 · update #4
And don't bring Christianity on to discuss with me here, you don't have to assume anyone who asks a question that aims at the atheists a Christian
2007-03-23 19:04:41 · update #5
Atheism, not Atheists, Jeez!
2007-03-23 19:20:07 · update #6
I don't need you to copy and paste
2007-03-23 19:30:08 · update #7
You may well be right. To me, an atheist is simply someone who does not believe in God. Am I correct?
2007-03-23 18:50:39 · answer #1 · answered by Poohcat1 7 · 6⤊ 0⤋
How is this complicate? ATHEISM is the lack of belief in any deity.
If you let people apply their emotion/judgment laden meanings to the term, it ceases to be a definition and becomes a "demonization." This is no different than defining Christianity as the "superstitious belief in a deity who required the sacrifice of demi-god (fathered by that same deity and born of a 'virgin') in order to allow himself to forgive the evils that he created anyway." I don't think Christians would have come up with such a definition, but only detractors.
Look in the dictionary. You'll find atheism is much more easy to define than "Christianity."
2007-03-24 01:49:04 · answer #2 · answered by NHBaritone 7 · 6⤊ 0⤋
I think if you look at Christianity, Republicanism or anything else you'll find that on an individual level there's a fair degree of variation in people's interpretation.
And atheism isn't any different. Atheists are individuals and their views are as diverse as they are.
So although there's a good degree of common ground I don't think you can have an 'ultimate' definition of atheism unless you keep it really simple.
And does it matter? We know roughly where we stand. And we can explain the fine detail of our opinions when needed. Do we actually need an ultimate definition of atheism? Or anything else, really?
.
2007-03-24 10:57:47 · answer #3 · answered by Nobody 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Main Entry: the·ism
Pronunciation: 'thE-"i-z&m
Function: noun
: belief in the existence of a god or gods; specifically : belief in the existence of one God viewed as the creative source of the human race and the world who transcends yet is immanent in the world
- the·ist /-ist/ noun or adjective
- the·is·tic /thE-'is-tik/ also the·is·ti·cal /-ti-k&l/ adjective
- the·is·ti·cal·ly /-ti-k(&-)lE/ adverb
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
Just as there are different theisms there are different atheisms. By definition, however, no atheist believes in any god(s) as "a-" comes from Greek and means "not" and "theism" comes from the Greek "theos" which means "god." The word, itself, tells you that an athiest does not believe in any god.
2007-03-24 02:25:08 · answer #4 · answered by ophelliaz 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We could have as many denominations of atheism as Christians have denominations of Christianity.
I can hear it now, "I am a Reformed Methodological Evolutionist Atheist."
"Not I! I am Energy Conservation Geological Atheist."
2007-03-24 01:50:44 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
It's easy to define. What are you talking about?
Atheism - lack of belief in a god or gods.
2007-03-24 01:48:32 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
It's simply a rejection of belief in gods
2007-03-24 02:46:03 · answer #7 · answered by brainstorm 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i agree with you that atheism is difficult to define once you know so much. i still refer to god a living being, but i know he isn't real. i guess i wouldn't really be atheist, im kinda my own religion now. i've changed my religion multiple times: mormon, buddhist, djordist (i made this up myself), then satanist, then i was afraid of being attacked so i just said atheist!
2007-03-24 01:57:08 · answer #8 · answered by Aomi 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1) Atheists do not believe in god.
2) Atheists only believe in themselves and what they can do.
3) Atheists really feel sorry for those who are utterly lost without their religion.
4) Atheists loves debating.
5) Atheists believe that the good of mankind is always diverted by religions.
6) Atheists do not believe in god.
2007-03-24 02:03:52 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
A - without
theist - God
"Atheist" - without God
period.
2007-03-24 02:16:36 · answer #10 · answered by Abby C 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋