I've always understood it to mean belief in nothing, does that mean that all of existence is just an illusion?
2007-04-25 06:02:18 · 18 answers · asked by Sir Offenzalot 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Please don't get bent outta shape, I'm just trying to get a feel for what it is and I apologize for spelling it wrong! go figure, I studied English at university too!
2007-04-25 06:10:52 · update #1
You are wrong to some extent...atheism simply means...no God. I think atheists for the most part believe in many things including their existence. Though I give them a hard time, I do respect that they have chosen not to believe in God as that is their free will to do so. Most of them are really good and decent people.
The Skeptical Christian
Grace and Peace
Peg
2007-04-25 06:06:17 · answer #1 · answered by Dust in the Wind 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Atheists generally do not believe in anything supernatural. This would include gods, ghosts, angels, spirits, fairies, etc. Generally speaking, a typical Atheist does not believe that existance is just an illusion. We tend to rely on science for the explanations of the universe as opposed to philosophical thought or religious dogma. While there are many belief systems that believe that all of existance is an illusion, Atheism is not one of them.
2007-04-25 13:13:23 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
"Atheist" means non - 'theist' or not theist. A theist is someone who believes in a deity or a theology - meaning belief in some kind of god. So an atheist or a non-theist would simply be someone who does NOT believe in a god. This is a far cry from saying that an atheist is someone who believes in nothing. Atheists as a group are people who do not share a belief in god, or in gods and generally in religion altogether. Personally, I see no evidence for believing that a real god exists, however, I do see that there is a concept called "god" that many people believe is real. The fact that many people believe this concept to be real is in no way evidence for its existance as a reality, but rather, only as a concept. Thinking correctly and logically is difficult but not impossible.
2007-04-25 13:12:00 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because no religion can prove that there is a man living in a cloud, God is only an illusion. In any court of law if you believe that something exists you must supply proof or your belief is thrown out. Why does religion get away with it? Because they help to opiate the masses. What about God's lack of involvement with religion/sectarian violence. Something is very wrong with a God concept that has taken over 100 million lives in the name of God and encourages the followers to ignore it.
2007-04-25 13:19:20 · answer #4 · answered by liberty11235 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Wrong definition. Atheism is just belief that there's no god or higher power. Atheists believe in the physical world just as much as anybody else.
The idea that existence is just an illusion could either be termed 'Idealism' or 'Solipsism', not atheism...
2007-04-25 13:08:48 · answer #5 · answered by crypto_the_unknown 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
From a Buddhist/atheist perspective yes... if you consider that nothing exists inherently as your basis for describing it as "illusion". It's not some glorified magic trick if you take the world "illusion" like that.
_()_
2007-04-25 13:05:38 · answer #6 · answered by vinslave 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Since all theism centers aound the belief in a divine being or entity, the abscence of that belief would be atheism.
2007-04-25 13:18:04 · answer #7 · answered by danni_d21 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your understanding is wrong.
a·the·ist /Ëeɪθiɪst/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[ey-thee-ist] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun a person who denies or disbelieves the existence of a supreme being or beings.
2007-04-25 13:05:39 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
All Atheism means is lack of belief in Gods. They could believe that their anus talks to them and still be an atheist.
2007-04-25 13:05:22 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
A believe that you can control your own destiny and not at the mercy of some higher power
2007-04-25 13:10:07 · answer #10 · answered by Ronald D 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋