2007-10-05 19:24:39 · 22 answers · asked by My account has been compromised 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I don' care about the definition of atheist in the dictionary. There are people that we call atheists here on Y!A and I care about what they believe. Some of them hide behind definitions etc. to avoid admitting their belief in the non existence of God and at the same time say that God is a fairy tale.
2007-10-05 19:37:51 · update #1
Apparently, the answer to the question is that they don't want to appear in denial. At the least one atheist wanted to clarify that he is not in denial. I prefer those who can accept to say that they believe or even are certain or know, whatever, that God does not exist in the same way that they believe that fairy tales aren't the reality. Just be consistent. If you say that God is a fairy tale, then accept to say that you DO BELIEVE that God does not exist. Here, in this context that you claim that you believe, know, etc. is about the same thing for me. There may be some nuance, but I am happy with any of these. If you say that you know it -- I will be just thinking that you are really delusional, that's all.
2007-10-05 19:55:05 · update #2
To qxzqxzqxz: If you simply reply that you do not believe that God exists, you simply avoid the question. Of course, if you are an atheist, you do not believe in God. The question is do you further agree that you do believe (or know, whatever) that God does not exists? It is not the same thing. It is a stronger statement. Hopefully, the atheists that refuse to go that far understand the difference.
I asked the question as if all atheists disagreed with that statement, even though I know it is only some of them that disagree. I am always happy when an atheist correct me and say that he do believe that God does not exist.
2007-10-05 20:05:02 · update #3
Antihero: Just for your information, look up in the dictionary and you will see that "disbelieve" in the context of a doctrine means "refuse to believe", not "believe the opposite". Anyway, as I said, the definition in the dictionary is not the issue here. The issue is what you actually believe, if you do.
2007-10-05 20:15:29 · update #4
stlcardsfan4life15: If there is no difference between "I do not believe God exists" and "I believe God does not exist", why do some atheists happily say the former, but refuse to say the latter? As far as how much the difference matters, ask them. It matters to me because I like when people are consistent.
It's a belief. Saying that it is a knowledge, a fact, not a belief, makes it even more a belief to me. If I say that I know God exists, it is a belief, even a strong belief. No? If you say that you know God doesn't exists it is also a strong belief. Let's be fair.
We either believe or not believe a statement. When we do not believe the statement, it maybe that we believe that the statement is false (a fairy tale, etc.) or simply that we honestly do not know (have honestly no opinion, etc.) There are very few atheists here on Y!A that say that they honestly don't know. When these same atheists insist to say that they have no belief on the subject, it annoys me.
2007-10-06 05:52:54 · update #5
I don't disagree with that. I do believe that god does not exist.
Why are you mincing words? Why make a big deal regarding the difference between "I do believe that god does not exist" and "I do not believe that god exists"? Does it make that big of a deal where we place the "not"?
2007-10-05 19:27:33 · answer #1 · answered by Two quarters & a heart down 5 · 8⤊ 1⤋
On the probably foolish assumption that you're actually interested in an answer, many atheists would not disagree with that statement at all.
Some proponents of the position of weak atheism argue that all they are prepared to say is that they DO NOT BELIEVE that God exists, which is easily sufficient to meet the dictionary definition.
2007-10-05 20:01:12 · answer #2 · answered by Voyager 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Being an atheist means that I DO NOT BELIEVE in God. You do understand the difference between belief and disbelief, right?
2007-10-05 19:31:17 · answer #3 · answered by Subconsciousless 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Yes, I disagree with that statement.
To be an atheist, all one has to do is have no beliefs in any god/s.
2007-10-05 19:41:39 · answer #4 · answered by CC 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
when an atheists says god is a man made fairy tale that is what thay mean thay do no believe in that god
2007-10-06 06:22:02 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Did you try and make us slip up or something? I do agree with that statement, because I do believe that god doesn't exist.
2007-10-05 19:33:41 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
I do agree with that statement that I believe that God doesn't exist.
was that a trick question?
2007-10-05 19:30:24 · answer #7 · answered by Seeker 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I disagree that atheists disagree with the statement that they do believe that God does not exist!
(snort! LOL)
.
2007-10-05 19:28:36 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
It's not a belief. I just know there are no gods.
2007-10-05 19:29:57 · answer #9 · answered by link955 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'll just say that I do not believe that god exists. Is that good enough for you?
2007-10-05 19:34:58 · answer #10 · answered by qxzqxzqxz 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋