http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070326143924AAtQInG&r=w
A lot of you ignored the second half of his statement.
He was saying that IF humans are born atheist they cannot become theists. And since there are theists all around us; therefore, no humans are born atheist.
(And by atheist I mean simply the absence of belief. Or, in other words, atheist-agnostic.)
I'm having trouble with knowning what to say in response because I've never heard of the assumption that being atheist is synonymous with being incapable of otherwise.
2007-03-26 11:03:23 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
knowing** (Correction)
2007-03-26 11:05:20 · update #1
I understand why you had to ask twice...tricky bit of logic used on you there, but false in my opinion...
Being atheist is the absence of beleif - or the absence of a learned set of ideas.
Being theist is beleiving - the presence of a learned set of ideas.
The fact is that all humans are born having no learned ideas. Language, mathematics, culture all must be learned. They are then fully capable of building on this and gaining a set of ideas that makes them theist or otherwise.
You can put another twist on this if you like...
being atheist and being theist could BOTH be argued to be a learned set of ideas...you could argue that atheism is an idea and theism is an idea, that both must be learned...therefore neutralising the argument.
Either way it is a neat trick that has been dealt to you rather than a devestating argument. I wish you the best of luck!
2007-03-26 11:14:57 · answer #1 · answered by blah de blah de blah... 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
1. First it seems that he needs a refresher on what atheism is. It is not (usually) a belief of any kind, but simply the absence of belief.
2. The only way for anyone to become a theist is to not be on to begin with, eh? One would have to assume that we begin somewhere, and that somewhere would be the lack of any knowledge at birth. From there we add more info, and this would lead us out of the lack of belief in god(s) (i.e. atheism) and into theism. I, too, am wondering about this assumption that one cannot go from atheist to theist, but it even happens in adulthood, though not very often. I would simply have to point out that his assumption is invalid and ask him to explain it. Otherwise, I'd go with the above.
2007-03-26 11:11:11 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Why wouldn't atheists be capable of becoming theists?
If an atheist were shown proof, metaphorical or otherwise, of the existence of a deity, why would they be incapable of believing in that deity?
If atheists couldn't become theists, but theists could become atheists, I'd think that all the theists would want to stay the hell away from us at all costs, in fear of getting non-belief germs all over them, instead of trying to get us to repent and join their churches.
His assumptions are completely and totally faulty.
2007-03-26 11:10:40 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
I know of some Atheists that have become Christians.
His assumption is wrong. People can't be born religious because you don't have a consciousness until you are about three years old.
And anyways, you have to be taught religion!
2007-03-26 11:08:02 · answer #4 · answered by Firefly 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
When born, all are atheist. Young minds are malleable and can be convinced of the most ludicrous concepts - e.g. Santa and his reindeer-driven, world-wide, every-home, chimney-entered, presents-for-good and coal-for-bad, trip. Pffffft.
Once we're at the age of reason, theism is unlikely unless you've been indoctrinated at an earlier age; but this is a rule, not an absolute - there will be exceptions and I know of one.
2007-03-26 11:08:04 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Atheists are capable of becoming theists.Theism is taught informally or formally. People are born atheists until human thought kicks in. Animals are different, though. They are atheists, yet will never convert due to their lack of understanding.
2007-03-26 11:09:13 · answer #6 · answered by Maikeru 4 · 4⤊ 0⤋
by utilising your individual good judgment a sprint one won't have the capacity to be born believing in a deity. this isn't any fantasy and prefer the non secular all of us have our very own definitions as to what constitutes an Atheist and his/her ideals or lack there of. you have attempted very stressful, yet you're in this component far greater than your head. Taoist/Atheist (realist)
2016-10-01 12:57:33 · answer #7 · answered by ilsa 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It wasn't clear that that was what he said. It still isn't.
Obviously an atheist can become a theist. It doesn't need asking.
(Though it's not so frequent as the traffic in the other direction.)
2007-03-26 11:07:44 · answer #8 · answered by Bad Liberal 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
People will believe what they want to believe. If someone at some point for some reason (like, to get chicks) wants to suddenly believe in God, the hman mind is certainly capaable of doing so.
2007-03-26 11:49:22 · answer #9 · answered by svetlana 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I know of many atheists who bacame theists. C.S. Lewis and Lee Strobel for a quick few off the top of my hat. But there are many. And there are believers who became atheists as well.
2007-03-26 11:12:58 · answer #10 · answered by Edward J 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋