Is it a "lack of belief,"
"doubt,"
"withholding of belief" or
"rejection of belief",
"refusal to believe,"
"denial",
"belief that affirms the nonexistence of any deity",
"the doctrine that there is no deity" or
"godlessness" or
"disbelief"
???
2007-03-26 17:22:01 · 22 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
It is it's own belief, augmented with science. So if I had to choose one I'd say "belief that affirms the nonexistence of any deity." But just like religious beliefs it varies from person to person.
Big screw you on the thumbs down too.
2007-03-26 17:26:32 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
"lack of belief," -- Yes
"doubt," -- No, that would be more like agnostic
"withholding of belief" or "rejection of belief", -- no, that would not make sense, that would be a believer being "rebellious" on purpose of their own beliefs that they do believe, which again makes no sense
"refusal to believe," -- No, that is arrogance assuming that we can't decide on our own views and that "of course the other people are right"
"denial", -- This word pisses me off because I just find it rude (and all the dictionaries use it...gerr...), again it assumes that "of course" the Christian view is right, which is rude
"belief that affirms the nonexistence of any deity", -- what? It's not a belief and there is no books, teachings, or anything there to "affirm" anything. It's all on me, I just simply do not believe.
"the doctrine that there is no deity" or "godlessness" or
"disbelief" -- what? There is no "doctrine"...I just don't believe, that is it. The "lack of" and "disbelief" are the only words of this that are accurate. The rest is just the stereotyped assumptions of believers...
2007-03-27 00:34:40 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
simply all of the above. I am not an athiest but still have most of those. The question is how does anyone know they are none of those. What is truth? I'll tell you that if the four gospels answered that then philosophy wouldn't be nearly as much fun. I have doubt and lack of belief. I also refuse to believe but atheism is simply the idea of anarchy in the world. Would the world be a better place sin relgion...YES. Would the world be a better place sin (without) countries...yes. John lennon was right about that and athiests and anarchists are trying to figure out the best way to go about it.
2007-03-27 00:30:49 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
A lack of belief in god or gods. The evaluation goes no further. One does not have to assert anything to be considered atheist, just refrain from believing in a god or gods.
Some atheists take it further and deny and reject that there is a god(s), and some even specifically claim that there is NO god(s).
This would merely constitute additional beliefs or characteristics beyond simply being an atheist. The only similar trait, by definition, is the lack of belief in god(s).
2007-03-27 00:27:52 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Athiesm is another faith. Faith doesn't necessarily involve belief in a god or a higher power. Faith is believing in some concept that explains why things are the way things are. Some pople believe that we are the result of the chaos factor, some thing we are the product of a god or higher power. But it is just a different kind of a belief. The belief that there is no god/supreme diety.
So...I don't think that athiests believe any less, they just believe differently.
2007-03-27 00:35:03 · answer #5 · answered by erin 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Atheism is a belief that God does not exist. Since there is evidence all around to the contrary, atheists must have a very strong faith in the nonexistence of God!
2007-03-27 00:38:10 · answer #6 · answered by trebor namyl hcaeb 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
it seems like a belief in something to me thats a question that has got me bent for a while it seems like the belief that when you die nothing happens a very grim ending and kinda makes life pointless but wouldnt that still be a religion and in that case is there a such thing as a nonreligious person. . .
2007-03-27 00:50:47 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Atheism is a faith in the belief that there is no higher power [gods nor a God]. Some label Atheism as religion; conversely, Atheists label those who profess belief in a God, as "religious" - summed up in the generalization of those being "Christians".
2007-03-27 00:33:55 · answer #8 · answered by guraqt2me 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Religion (from Latin "re-ligare" or re-connect) means something that allows you to be re-connected with that which you have been disconnected from. That is, from God/Spirit etc.
Atheism (from Greek "a" = lacking, and "theos" = god) means lack of belief in god.
The two words are NOT really anthonims, since you can be very religious (be in touch with spirituality) while not believing in a particular god or dogma.
.
2007-03-27 00:30:45 · answer #9 · answered by jao_tuanis 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's not like Atheists go to an anti-church every Sunday and sit around denying God for an hour.
Perhaps "non-theist" would be clearer. I am not governed by a religious belief. That's all.
2007-03-27 00:29:09 · answer #10 · answered by raleigh_jazz_fan 4 · 3⤊ 1⤋