Catholic atheist?

Question

In response to a recent question, there were two responses which piqued my interest. Both mentioned Catholic atheist.
I am curious as to how this could be as my understanding of Catholocism and atheism would suggest that the two do not go together as a description of one person.
Thank you in advance for your answers.

By the way both respondants are self-described 1 as an atheist, the other as the eponym I am asking about.

Answer 1

The term would probably refer to those who were raised as Catholics and stopped beleiving in God at some point in life.

Answer 2

You are correct. There cannot be such a thing as a Catholic Atheist. To profess oneself a Catholic is to claim one believes all that the Church teaches, up to and including the existance of and servitude to a Higher Power. Atheism, by definition, denies all that up to and including existance of and servitude to a Higher Power.

Some of the other answerers to your question have suggested the possibility that this person was once a Catholic but, for whatever reason, has lost his/her faith and is now an athiest. This contingency is certainly possible. However, this does not mean there is such a thing as a Catholic Atheist.

If one loses their faith, and begins to deny belief in God, they cease to be Catholic and become an atheist. Only in this person's mind can one be both a believer in God (a Catholic in this case) and an atheist( non-believer in God).

Answer 3

~~~thankyou,,,, People can and will adopt ANY Belief System that they so choose. This should be self evident. I am always surprised when I meet intelligent people who divulge to me that they are "Christian Reincarnationists" in spite of their own Scripture,,, A textbook example of this phenomenon is the Carribean Religion of "Santeria". It is an amalgam of African Shamanism and Christianity located far away from their origins and evolved independently. All it really takes is a "preacher" to espouse An Interpretation and a group of ANY size to be "followers" and you have a "Religion",,,Another textbook example is Joseph Smith, who as a 15yr old claimed a visitation with Divine Instruction. Wrote his own version of an additional Book to the Bible, called it "The Book of Mormon" and used the other books as a Soapbox for his New Book,,,, and they followed,,,, and they still do..

Answer 4

I'm an atheist who was loosely raised as a Baptist. Once you realize that religion means different things to different people, you can easily see that a person could continue to practice their religion for many different reasons, without truly believing in all of the tenets of that religion. I think that most who do this do so for social reasons or even to keep peace within their families. We are all born atheists and most of us are programmed with our parents beliefs as we grow to adulthood. Depending on the depth and intensity of the programming, and how much each individual comes to need and rely upon the real or imaginary advantages their religion may provide, they may or may not be able to seperate themselves from it wholy or in part as they mature and venture into the world on their own. One of my aunts, also raised a Baptist, married a Catholic and they raised their 6 children as Catholics. She later converted to Catholicism to spite her sisters, who constantly criticized her. Their children and grandchildren have chosen many different paths, from other religions to atheism, and most seem to be doing pretty well for themselves. One of the sons helped me get hired where I have worked with him for 25 years. He is also an atheist and practices no religion, at all. His father and another brother still attend mass every week (religiously) and yet the father claims that he does not know if God exists and neither of them believe the bible literally. They just continue to follow their programming and apparently feel like they are receiving some benefit from it even though they may not always be able to explain why.

Answer 5

You can call yourself whatever you like. If a mouse lives in a cookie jar and calls himself a cookie does it make it so?

I think someone calling themselves a Catholic "atheist" believes that it is somehow possible to be Catholic by culture but not my faith. Catholic teaching says otherwise. You cannot BE Catholic without the faith part.

Answer 6

exciting the variety you probably did no longer incorporate the great quote from the Cardinal. How handy. right here, permit me keep you the hassle. this is what His Eminence rather suggested: "there is a few thing no longer completely human in case you leave out transcendent [God] and you [atheists] are no longer completely human. they have an impoverished expertise to what this is to be human. we are all made via God." comparing this to Hitler is, no offense, ridiculous. It potential which you're the two desirous to disparage faith, or you're thoroughly insensitive to the plight of human beings who somewhat suffered under the Nazis. i'm going to leave it as much as others to choose which. .

Answer 7

I agree. A person who describes oneself as an atheist would not be considered a catholic by the church. One may claim such a position, but one is not in a position to validate it.

Answer 8

I haven't read or heard that term, but my guess would be that these are cultural Catholics. Not practicing Catholics.

There are those who are baptized Catholic...maybe even brought up through confirmation..but then leave the Church. They may still say "I'm Catholic" kind of like people say "I'm Jewish" but not meaning they believe in the teachings of these faiths...but that their families are Catholic or Jewish...it's more of a heritage thing.

Answer 9

There is no such thing as a Catholic Atheist.

A Catholic believes in God as the Nicene Creed proclaims, "We believe in one God, ..."

An Atheist by definition does not believe in God.

A lukewarm Atheist who grew up as a Catholic and has sentimental feelings for the Catholic Church may call himself a "Catholic Atheist."

Or catholic meaning universal, maybe he is trying to stimulate conversation by calling himself a Universal Atheist.

+ Atheists +

I think atheists are people of great faith.

They believe the entire wonderful universe came into being all by itself from the smallest subatomic particle to the most immense galaxy to the amazing complexity of the human mind to the love between a mother and child.

I don't have that much faith. It is much more plausible and easier to believe that God is behind it all.

Even if Atheists do not believe in God, I do know that God believes in Atheists.

With love in Christ.

Answer 10

I would agree with you but maybe it is some believe they are catholic because they were christened yet do not believe in god a bit like us all being born muslim it makes no sense.