Would this seem logical to you?

Question

As a note before the question, I must say that in the question, I am referring to a particular event on sciforums (and before you ask, it involved (Q)), and I am not trying to imply stereotypes or do anything else offensive (I probably will on accident).

There are certain atheists out there who like to preach about atheism in places where they shouldn't, then, when someone gets mad, they say they couldn't have been preaching because they have nothing to preach. I think that is incorrect; atheists do have a belief, but the belief just happens to be that there is no god. There is, in fact, a difference between not believing and believing in nothing (in regards to religion). The claim of a certain preaching atheist ((Q)) was that atheism is defined by denial of any divine being, and not belief. But I would say that 'denial' means 'having confidence against,' which, because it has confidence at all, it constitutes belief; therefore, atheists have beliefs which this person was preaching.

To Paul S: Go to www.sciforums.com. That place is like a theocracy... er... 'atheocracy'... because there's so many preaching atheists there, and they are mostly the people in power there.

Actually, at www.sciforums.com, preaching is more defined as supporting your beliefs at the expense of others.

Paul S: I could tell you more than you'd like to hear about this one guy named (Q). He was all 'religion is the cause of every bit of pain and suffering ever, and we should get rid of it,' and 'Atheists are the only ones who think logically, and everyone else is either blind, stupid, retarded, or both.' Of course, he didn't use those exact words, because if he did, sciforums would get a lot of controversy for not banning him.

Oh, and by the way, I'm not christian. I am a deist. We happen to reach religious conclusions from scientific evidence and rational thinking.

Paul S: So, uhh, what do you want?

Answer 1

I don't believe in the Boogey man....so telling people that the Boogey man doesn't exist is also called preaching?

You are atheist to or have disbelief in many gods/mythical creatures....expressing that they do not exist doesn't mean preaching.

Answer 2

I'm relatively new to Yahoo answers, but there seems to be a little battle between the Christians and the atheists. (Duh..) Since I'm neither, I'd like to put my two cents in.

In the broad scheme of things, why does it matter. Christians are not supposed to judge others. That is God's indisputable law, isn't it? For the atheists, why would you give the Christians a second thought. If you don't believe in their religion/lifestyle, why do you make the choice to interact at all.

I think it all comes down to ego. Somebody just has to feel right. What I find interesting is this: If you felt so solid in your belief system, you wouldn't feel the need to incessantly argue and defend.

How about trying this on for size: whatever your beliefs or non beliefs may be, it's absolutely cool. Whatever works is perfectly acceptable, as well as long as harm comes to none.

It's a choice to get angry and offended, and one thing common to both Christians and atheists is that they make those choices far too often. Keep spreading that negativity....

Answer 3

These debates about belief and faith are endless, largely because the words are poorly defined.

On one level, everything we think about the world is a belief. Our brains model the world via a network of beliefs. I believe that I am sitting here now with a laptop computer typing this sentence. Do I also have faith in the same assertion?

I say that faith is belief in a claim for which there is no objective empirical evidence. Irrational faith is belief in a claim despite the existence of contrary evidence. Skepticism is attempting to withhold belief when there is insufficient evidence.

I believe that the Bible is myth. I think there is a preponderance of objective, empirical evidence to support this claim, so it is not faith.

I am skeptical that there is any supernatural creator. There may be one, but if there is then this creator has apparently chosen to not leave any objective empirical evidence of its existence.

By my way of thinking, my atheism has very little to do with faith. It is instead a matter of rational belief from evidence, and a willingness to be skeptical of claims for which there is no evidence.

Answer 4

Atheism, as a philosophical view, is the position that either affirms the nonexistence of gods or rejects theism. When defined more broadly, atheism is the absence of belief in deities, alternatively called nontheism. Although atheists are commonly assumed to be irreligious, some religions, such as Buddhism, have been characterized as atheistic because of their lack of belief in a personal god.

Answer 5

"There are certain atheists out there who like to preach about atheism in places where they shouldn't, then, when someone gets mad, they say they couldn't have been preaching because they have nothing to preach."

I think you're making that up. Show us an example.
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Er, I'm not going to dig through an entire forum. How about an example? I still think you're making it up. No offense - but frankly, we see that kind of thing all the time here (Christians inventing non-existent atheist offenses).

Spiker, insulting other people and then claiming that it's God doing the insulting? That's pathetically arrogant, and you need to be aware that none of us are falling for it.
Learn to behave yourself in public, kid.
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No, telling me about it isn't going to convince me that it's real, of course. Once it's been filtered through your way of seeing things, it won't look like what really happened. I'd like to see an example.

Answer 6

well, the way you put it, no it doesn't. but R&S wouldn't be any fun if we didn't have an opposing view! lol

talking about religion and politics in public with ppl you don't know is a bad idea. online... it's healthy debate.

but the atheists that enjoy preaching are usually the ones that believe religion is the cause of 90% of wars. i personally think that's illogical and that religion only facilitates it, but hey. it's a valid point.

so, they do have something to preach.

Answer 7

Atheism is the lack of belief in any god. We do only share one view, there is no god. You too are an atheist about various gods. Are you defined as having a belief that unicorns don't exist? Are you an aunicorniest?

I am all for changing the title to shackless or free thinkers or highly intelligent.

Answer 8

Personally, this "denial" thing pisses me off... and all the dictionaries use it.

In my opinion, to define us as "denying" it is basically just saying that "of course the believers are right"... I don't "deny" anyone's deity...rather I do NOT believe in it, AKA believe the whole thing to be a fraud.

Answer 9

I believe that it takes a whole lot more faith to be and atheist than it takes to believe that Jesus is God.

Answer 10

"Preaching where they 'shouldn't?" No freedom of speech or just that you deem the forum somewhere where they cannot express their opinion because it differs from yours? Ego can get in the way when we're having major discussions can't they?

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