Im a christian and I have a very strong faith in my beliefs, however I will admit that I would like to get a better understanding of your beliefs and the history behind athiesm. Im not looking to convert, I just want to educate myself so Im not ignorant to it. I want to respect your beliefs by bettering my knowledge so please enlighten me.
2007-06-28 02:43:32 · 27 answers · asked by maggie s 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
One Hot Momma- Obvioulsy I know the "bottom line" of athiesm. There has to be a history behind it, founders and it's effect on history ,I was asking to go into detail about it. Sorry I didnt spell it out for you in lamins terms, maybe next time I will write it in crayon for you.
2007-06-28 02:51:08 · update #1
To all you people who are saying I am asking "a ridiculaous question", what part of me telling you I don't know anything about it in the first place don't you understand????
2007-06-28 05:38:07 · update #2
If you don't believe there is, or ever has been, any kind of god or supernatural power, for whatever reason you have to back up that belief, you're an atheist.
And that's about it. Always has been.
2007-06-28 02:48:29 · answer #1 · answered by Bad Liberal 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There is no such thing as 'atheist' beliefs. The only thing that defines an atheist is that the find that the reasons that support the idea that invisible, magical, all-powerful sky-fairies (gods)actually exist are not compelling, and thus are not sufficient to initiate or sustain a mental state of 'belief'. That is all.
For an atheist, 'faith' (wishful, magical thinking) does not work... it is merely a lame and pathetic substitute for 'evidence'. It carries absolutely NO weight of credibility.
With regard to who founded, started or originated atheism... I would hope that if you now understand what atheism is, based on the preceding paragraph, is a ridiculous question. Throughout history, whenever anyone has tried to promote unsubstantiated 'beliefs', there was always some intelligent person around, who knknew how to think critically, and process evidence... and who would cry 'bullsh*t'. That is the atheist.
2007-06-28 10:33:08 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is only one characteristic that fits ALL atheists - failure to believe in god(s). Many atheists don't even go so far as to assert that there is NO god, they just don't believe in any (though it gets more agnostic if you say there COULD be gods).
Beyond that, there are no overarching beliefs, concepts, or other characteristics of ALL atheists. Many atheists believe we simply end when we die, others have beliefs in an afterlife that simply doesn't include a deity. There are many reasons why people decide they don't believe in gods. The only history surrounding atheism is that there have always been people who didn't believe in any gods. It isn't some kind of movement, but as we discover more and more natural causes for things, less and less people turn to "god" to explain the world. More things make perfect sense without gods, so the need for an answer motivation for believing in gods is not there.
2007-06-28 09:53:49 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
As an atheist I don not believe in a god, or that the Bible is an accurate historical document. Christianity, along with any other religion, is based on faith, and a belief of a set of circumstances or rules. Usually an athiest will only believe something that can be proven to them. There's not really a history, as such, but we should all count ourselves lucky that in these modern times we can discuss our differences in belief, without fear of reprecussion. History has to many examples of people coming to harm because others feel their belief is "wrong".
Good question, well put.
2007-06-28 09:52:59 · answer #4 · answered by Bultimus 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
As an atheist I choose not to believe in the supernatural. I believe in hard facts, science and rationality. I have the courage to doubt.
I would say that the history behind atheism is the history of freedom of thought, scientific discovery and the emancipation from religious tyranny.
If you wish to know more, try researching the lives of some of histories famous atheists. I would recommend: Socrates, William Shakespeare, Thomas Paine, Abraham Lincoln, Charles Darwin, Mark Twain, Bertrand Russell, Kurt Vonnegut and Gene Roddenberry.
2007-06-28 10:36:32 · answer #5 · answered by Bob 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm not an Athiest, but I try to understand their point of view. We are going by hearsay when it comes to God, Jesus and everythig that is int he Bible. We weren't there to confirm if it is all true or not. Science has some really good arguments that contradict the Bible. So, in defense of the Athiests, I can see why they feel that way. My opinion is that something had to create us. I can't see how we just happened without some sort of creater. I figure we will all find out in time when we pass on. Until then, I respect how people want to believe and I don't judge their beliefs.
2007-06-28 09:51:42 · answer #6 · answered by Paul 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't really believe in god because, well he has done nothing for me. I have had extremely bad luck a lot of my life. I almost lost my own family from my own ignorance. But not only that, but what kind of a god would say, that if you do not believe in him that you go to hell? That is stupid. And if there really is an all powerful god, then why has he not stop the wars that have raged on this miserable little planet years ago. And why that any time there is rapist, or a killer, they get away with it. And why do Innocent children die of hunger. And then there are the people who have done nothing wrong in there life, and yet they die of cancer. If you do have a god, well then he has done a pretty bang up job on our planet. Not to mention, if there was a god, I am sure he would not allow us to destroy our own planet, which we are doing now. It is called Global Warming.
2007-06-28 10:02:17 · answer #7 · answered by SFT 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Atheism is just no belief in god. As a concept it has been around since people began to believe in such things. There is not history as such, because it is not a movement per se, or something you have a membership to. History would merely involve, I guess, looking at famous Atheists in history. But that's about it.
2007-06-28 11:14:59 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is very little commonality between atheists other than a lack of belief in a deity. Atheists, in general chose to understand the world, explain its' phenomena and develop a code of life through independent thought and analysis rather than through blind allegiance to, and belief in, a God.
The history of atheism is individual and hence it is the story of each person not of the group.
2007-06-28 09:59:36 · answer #9 · answered by Wordsmith 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm not what I would describe as atheist... more agnostic or Humanist.
Some people are less convinced by religion than others, that's all.
Humanism is a very respectful belief structure... inoffensive to religious groups and athiests alike.
But it's still not a religion!
Find out more at
www.humanism.org
2007-06-28 09:57:24 · answer #10 · answered by internits 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There's not much to know, to be honest. The only point on which all atheists agree is that we don't believe in gods. After that, it's all pretty much up to the individual atheist.
In general, though, I think you'll find that atheists are more inclined to be influenced by evidence and reason than through other means.
2007-06-28 09:59:25 · answer #11 · answered by Let Me Think 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋