No such thing as an atheist?

Question

This is aimed predominantly at christians.

A number of evangelicals have made a claim that there is no such thing as an atheist - the argument being along the lines of "to claim there isn't a God, you must be omniscient, otherwise God could be one of those things of which you have no knowledge". It sometimes leads on to "atheists are in fact theists who are lying to themselves to allow them to sin guilt-free", although the majority say that atheists are in fact agnostics.

1) What do you think about this argument?

2) For christians who dismiss the argument as fallacious, what do you think of those who do use it?

3) For christians who use this argument, are you agnostic about unicorns?

Answer 1

1. I think that anyone who tells me I'm not really an atheist, just a theist who's lying to myself so that I won't feel as guilty when I sin, is in disbelief that there are people who don't actually believe in their God or a God. How can anyone be so selfish to think that there aren't people who just don't believe?
2. While I don't definitely know that there is or isn't a God (as everyone can't definitely say), I dismiss the idea of God completely, making me an atheist.

Answer 2

that's just silly.

"the argument being along the lines of "to claim there isn't a God, you must be omniscient, otherwise God could be one of those things of which you have no knowledge"."

atheists don't claim that there is no god, they claim that they don't believe in god, which is the same thing theists say, it's an expression of belief.
(the answer that says that atheists know there is no god is wrong. such a thing cannot be known, only believed.)
god is not subject to scientific knowledge, either way. science deals with the physical world and religion deals with the spiritual world. they interact, but one can never disprove the other.

Answer 3

That reasoning is really messed up - kinda like the classic "Who's on First" skit. However - there is no such thing as an Atheists. My point is made by the Atheists who blame God (ie religion) for all the world's woes and they are foolish enough to believe without religion period, that wars would cease to exist, not taking into account there are a large number of murderers and thieves who say they don't believe in God, not allowing for the greed of man being not a religious nature - a driving force to use religion or anything else that can satisfy the human craving for wealth and power. Anyway - they hate and blame a God they swear up and down does not exist. They hate the idea of people who acknowledge a god they profess does not exist. How can one hate something that is mythical? I don't hate Atheists - they don't exists! Really. People who believe in God are those who believe by faith and there are those who believe in God by various proofs, regardless if those proofs are agreed on by others or not. Agnostics down deep know there is a God, but while not absolutely saying he doesn't exist, they are confused because for them some of the dots don't connect "in their minds".., ie.., they don't understand certain things regarding God. Whether you agree or not - this is a better argument than the one you presented.

Answer 4

The argument is dumb. But I will agree to a certain point.

Technically speaking it would be wrong to say you are an atheist who believes in reason and logic if you can not reasonably and logical prove that there is no god. Personally, I can't prove that there is no god so the best I should be is an agnostic.

But, consider - are you an atheist or an agnostic about Unicorns ? How about Big Foot ? How about Vampires ?

I can't disprove any of them either. But I feel fairly safe running my life with the very strong idea that there is no Unicorn and there is no God.

Does that make sense ?

Answer 5

The first statement does not mean we atheists are omniscient, we welcome new paradigms of physics and science to test. There are many things in reality that are unknown or which we have no knowledge. To jump to a supernatural explanation is using CAVE MAN logic to explain the universe. If we didn't have open minds, we'd still be living in a flat earth society.

Regarding the 'sinning' with a guilt-free mind, i'm good for good's sake, not because of a bribe of heaven or threat of hell.

Answer 6

I love hearing this argument. Because if they are saying atheists are actually agnostics because they cannot possibly be 100% sure, then applying the same reasoning to them shows that they are also agnostics.

It can lead to a slighlty better understanding of what atheism, theism and agnosticism actually are. And if you're really lucky, a discussion on logical fallacies...

Answer 7

Atheism =/= assertion that there is no god (with god here being the sentient theistic personal deity)

Atheism = No positive assertion that such a thing exists.



In other words, if you do not assert the existence of a theistic god, you are an atheist.

Answer 8

I've heard some of the christians on here make that statement without explanation, and have always dismissed it as the same kind of nonsense as muslims saying everyone is born muslim. Now that I've heard the "argument" behind it, I think its one of the stupidest things I've ever heard.

Answer 9

Their entire argument is based on their false belief that there is indeed a god. Atheist know for a fact there is not.

Answer 10

The technical term for that argument is "grasping at straws."


I don't believe in gods. Period.


Unicorns, Yahweh, Zeus, Freya, FSM... all the same.