When you see the word "God" here, have you been around long enough to know that they are probably refering exclusively to the Christian concept? How about the word "Believer"...same thing?
So when people use the word "Non-Believer" is it aimed exclusively to Atheist or anyone who doesn't believe in the Christian God?
2007-07-01 07:32:58 · 24 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I'm a believer. I believe in a lot of gods. I believe in every one of my gods just as much as christians believe in their god. Because I have so many more gods, does that make me much more a believer?
There's another interesting point I would like to point out: christians use the word "heathen" to label a nonbeliever. Guess what, Heathenism and Heathen are the words to describe followers of Germanic and Norse branches of paganism.
2007-07-01 08:58:44 · answer #1 · answered by Ymmo the Heathen 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
I know 'non-religious' Jews- they are Jewish (by birth and culture) and they don't necessarily not believe in G-d, (most that I am thinking of do, in fact, have no doubts concerning the existence f G-d) but simply not observant in their daily life. Thus they are non-religious Jews. 'Atheist', on the other hand, means they do not believe in the existence of G-d. Period. ( I know several atheist Jews, as well) Whereas Xianity is determined by belief alone, many other religions are tribal- if you are born into that people, you are of them. And belief has nothing to do with defining it. you can be born to a Xian mother and not be a Xian at all. You can be born to a Jewish mother and not be religiously observant, or not believe in the existence of G-d, but you are still part of your people- you are still a Jew. Likewise you can believe and follow every aspect of Judaism to a "T" but if your mother was not Jewish or you do not undergo a kosher conversion, that belief and action alone (Torah observance) will not make you a Jew. It is simply the difference between tribal lineage based religious cultures, and belief based religion. Of course there are *many* religions other than these two, I only used them in my example because a) your Q seems to come from a Xian 'beleif based' perspective, and b) Judaism is what I know, and I don't like to speak for religions I don't know and am not a part of. Oh, good. you mentioned the total crap of heaven and hell. Just to add, we don't have that sickness! I think that, too, is a xian thing alone...
2016-05-20 02:48:12 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't know that your question has a tight enough focus as I might prefer but I do see what you are getting at. I believe everything is animated with spiritual energy but I've long since discarded deism as an old and outworn tradition of attempting to personify spiritual values or forces. So I'm no atheist,but I'm completely non-deist. Believer or non-believer is a dichotomy that doesn't work for me - and would probably not apply to a lot of people,particularly Pagans with an animistic orientation. The way to undermine such a dichotomy is to do what you are doing and just keep challenging it. Nice question; I'm glad you brought it up. Try looking at it more conceptually than behaviorally,though,or at least that's my suggestion.
2007-07-01 07:48:50 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I use believer for any theist.
I also know that many people, including some Christians, using the term "God" may not mean that in the way I do as the Eternal and Infinite Personal Transcendent and Immanent God of Love,Justice and Mercy who is distinct from His Creation but active in His Love in creation.
When I turn to God ,I address God as the perfect Trinity of 3 Eternal and Equal Persons of one undivided Divine substance/essence and Divine nature. When I say God, I think of God Incarnate especially,Jesus Christ,who is not the Father or Spirit.
2007-07-01 07:45:38 · answer #4 · answered by James O 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I always think a "believer" is a believer in God no matter what religion you are. There are hundreds of different kinds of world religions that teach of a God. Who is to say yours is the right one and theirs is the wrong one when you have no real proof that any of them is right. I think that all religions that have a belief in a eternal God is basically worshiping the same God but just in a different way.
2007-07-01 07:44:37 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hmm, I was thinking this was a different question.
Yes, in most cases it is safe to presume the references to god on YA are to JC & Co., not to Zeus or Vishnu or one of the other inventions.
However, most believers also put anyone who is not one of theirs into the same nonbeliever camp - in fact, the word "atheist" was once defined as "not of the Catholic religion" and included all non-Catholics.
2007-07-01 07:38:33 · answer #6 · answered by Brent Y 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Generally I refer to Non-Believer in regards to atheists and agnostics and maybe deists (but I have not seen many deists here) however I generally use the term "freethinker" as Non-Believer is ambiguous and could mean different things to different people.
2007-07-01 07:37:33 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Usually it means "anyone not following the Christian god". At least here.
2007-07-01 07:42:42 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm a total, 100% non-believing atheist in regards to God, Allah, Zeus and all other gods and goddesses.
2007-07-01 07:37:06 · answer #9 · answered by Kathryn™ 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
in my opinion, the words god and luck are refering to the power of GOOD!, god-good... just one ''o'' missing. so, an atheist doesn't believe in god for some reason, but he believes in good, and right.
2007-07-01 07:38:02 · answer #10 · answered by elenik 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋