2007-09-15 15:50:43 · 26 answers · asked by Chi Guy 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
In general, atheists do not 'believe' simply because the reasons or evidence purported to support the idea that invisible, magical sky-fairies (gods) 'exist' are not compelling, and thus are insufficient to initiate or support a mental state of 'belief'. The idea that there is a 'choice' involved seems silly to me.
The reasons for 'believing' are either good, or they're not good. If they're NOT good, then one's 'bullshit alarm' goes off. You do not 'choose' to have your bullshit alarm go off... it just goes off.
Agnostics, on the other hand, find that they do not have (or have access to) sufficient 'knowledge' (Greek: gnosis) to make a DECISION as to whether gods do or do not exist. So... they DO NOT BELIEVE that gods DO exist... and they DO NOT BELIEVE that gods DO NOT exist. Notice that the former statement corresponds to the statement which defines 'atheist'.
So... all agnostics are atheists... but not all atheists are agnostics.
'Proof' is irrelevant. NOT believing in something bears no burden of proof.
"Atheism can be considered to be a 'belief', or a 'religion', only in the same sense that one might regard NOT collecting stamps to be a 'hobby'." ~ Unknown
"I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours." ~ Stephen Roberts
"If you claim that something is true, I will examine the evidence which supports your claim; if you have no evidence, I will not accept that what you say is true and I will think you a foolish and gullible person for believing it so." ~ Richard Dawkins
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2007-09-15 15:58:26 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
If that is the case then the fact that I DON'T believe that there is a cat in a bubble flying in space that controls my mind must be a religion too. Or the fact that I don't believe in Zeus must be a religion. I could go on and on, there are an infinite amount of things that I do not believe, so I must be a member of an infinite amount of religions. Perhaps if there was evidence that proved that the cat in the bubble in space really existed, and I still flat out didn't believe it in spite of overwhelming evidence, that may be considered one, but I would imagine there would have to be some kind of dogma inside my own mind that is making me not accept it in order for it to start to have the ring of religion. One could easily not accept the facts because they are stubborn and that would not be called religion, it would just be call closed mindedness, which although is associated with religion it is not religion in and of itself.
2007-09-15 16:10:40 · answer #2 · answered by justin l 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Atheism is quite the opposite of religion in that it doesn't have a strict set of rules to follow that, if broken, will irreversibly send you into an inescapable tormenting place which, magically, has never been seen before. Atheism is the freedom from "hell" and "sin" and "heaven" and "satan" and "god" and everything else invisible.
2007-09-15 15:59:27 · answer #3 · answered by Cold Fart 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
http://atheism.about.com/library/FAQs/ath/blath_index.htm
says this about atheism:
"The broader, and more common, understanding of atheism among atheists is quite simply "not believing in any gods." No claims or denials are made - an atheist is just a person who does not happen to be a theist. Sometimes this broader understanding is called "weak" or "implicit" atheism. Most good, complete dictionaries support this."
2007-09-15 17:03:08 · answer #4 · answered by D.A. S 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
faith is a perception in an more desirable being answerable for the creation of each thing. despite if if be Jehovah, Allah, Buddha or the different 'god'. understand that faith is a man made theory to justify and clarify issues previous our comprehension. guy has had to have this justification through, to him, inexplicable happenings ion the international. for example in historical circumstances the have been gods for purely approximately each thing, the gods of iciness Spring, summer season, Autumn, the sea, the air, love, conflict, the sky etc. those varieties of issues ought to no longer be understood my many so he placed the organic occurrences of the international right down to the paintings of the 'Gods'. finally as expertise grew to alter into extra popular and the inexplicable grew to alter into defined maximum of those gods have been abandoned. They have been replaced by using teachings and philosophies preached by using the recent gods, Jesus, Mohammed, Confucius etc. on condition that atheism is a denial of the existence of any 'gods' it can not be defined as a faith in undemanding terms a loss of perception or 'faith'.
2016-10-09 06:25:05 · answer #5 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A = not or without
Theism = belief in one or more deities
That's all... we are without the belief in a deity. It is not a religion. It is an absence of belief.
Religion requires all of its followers to follow the letter of the religious belief as set down by the originators (the bible, for example). Christians all follow the Christian beliefs handed down by the bible and their religious leaders.
Atheists, on the other hand, usually can't agree on anything other than they don't believe in the existence of a god. Good ole freethinkers. It's a pain, really. :-)
2007-09-15 15:56:44 · answer #6 · answered by Rogue Scrapbooker 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
No, since the definition of religion is: A set of beliefs usually based upon the Divine or supernatural.
Atheists don't believe in anything supernatural. So, by definition, no.
2007-09-15 16:00:14 · answer #7 · answered by Uliju 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Atheism is sometimes a characteristic of some religions such as theravada buddhism but i like the quote from Einstein :
I am a deeply religious nonbeliever - this is a somewhat new kind of religion.
Albert Einstein
2007-09-15 15:59:31 · answer #8 · answered by dogpatch USA 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
No, a religion involves worshiping a supreme being of some sort. An atheist does not believe in any kind of supreme being.
2007-09-15 15:56:44 · answer #9 · answered by Purdey EP 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Atheism is not a religion. An atheist is one who does not believe in god.
2007-09-15 15:54:05 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 7⤊ 1⤋