A question for Atheists?

Question

This is a serious question, I am in to way trying to offend. Can an Atheist believe in other powers or forces? I am asking because I have read posts from Atheist Wiccans etc. One person said they were an Atheist but believed in "forces" that could be controlled, by spells and rituals..Isn't that shamanism or Paganism?

Sorry for typo..IN NO WAY trying to offend. I guess I need more coffee.

Answer 1

The American Heritage Dictionary defines atheism as "1. Disbelief in or denial of the existance of God or gods. 2. The doctrine that there is no God or gods." The organization American Atheists (http://www.atheists.org) states, "Atheism is a doctrine that states that nothing exists but natural phenomena (matter), that thought is a property or function of matter, and that death irreversibly and totally terminates individual organic units. This definition means that there are no forces, phenomena, or entities which exist outside of or apart from physical nature, or which transcend nature, or are 'super' natural, nor can there be. Humankind is on its own."
While atheism in its strictest sense pertains only to the assumed existance or belief in supernatural, intelligent sentience(s), you will find that atheists similarly discredit concepts of souls, spirits, ghosts, and magic. You are correct: belief in "forces" that can be controlled through spells and rituals is shamanism or paganism.

Answer 2

Interesting question. I'm an atheist inasmuch as I don't believe in or worship gods, but I'm also very interested in the idea of energy - can the focussed thought energy of thousands or millions of human beings have a creative effect in the universe - can we in fact "generate" the existence of gods? Quantum physics seems to say that observation with expeactation (which is surely a focussing of thought energy) has a discrete effect on the structure of the micro-universe. If that's true, maybe we can literally "create" gods in our own images. And come to that, what happens when we die? Does the thought-energy that makes us "us" die with the extinction of the chemical processes that keep our brains alive, or does it dissipate into an alternative, non-material dimension? I don't know, but it's something I'm interested in. Does possibly believing in the survival of human thought energy make me any less an atheist? I don't think it does, but ultimately, I don't really care. Labels are only useful up to a point.

I suppose a coldly material way of looking at it is this. We all believe in forces that can be controlled - if we didn't, then turning on a light or a TV would be an act of willful futility. Electricity is a force that can be controlled by what you might call a "scientific spell" - the knowledge of wiring and circuits. But we don't necessarily believe that when we flick the switch, the electricity flows because a higher power makes it flow. Seems obvious to say now, but try explaining that five hundred years ago and see how fast you get burned at the stake ;o) Science and faith are ultimately just different ways of explaining fundamentally the same things...

Answer 3

I believe in gravity. That's a force. I believe in electricity, that's a power. All magic is, is a natural force that hasn't yet been explained. I don't believe in telekinesis or physic powers because science has shown time and time again that they don't exist as natural phenomena and are the products of over active imaginations and fraudsters.

You can call me close minded but if any of these things were real, there would be at least one positive result where a phenomena has occurred under test conditions and measured through the appropriate scientific means. There never has been.

Answer 4

So I can assume Atheists are not as practical as they claim to be.

They can believe in ghosts, gobblins, reincarnation, astrology, tarot, psychics, astral projection, out of body experiences and other things science generally consideres NONSENSE.

So Atheists can break with science just as they can break with religion.

But what is unresolved is how Atheists can say "I don't believe in imagary friends" but still believe in magic, spells, incantations, spirits and other things science considers garbage and Science does oppose Paganistic claims of the ability to be supernatural or cast spells.

Where did all that high IQ stuff about Atheists come from if they believe in spirts and curses and mediums and spells...

I mean Christians don't believe in that stuff.

Does that make Christians mentally superior to Pagans and Wiccans.

A WICCAN CAN'T PROVE their power under scientific invesgitagtion. This IS reality. It has been tested and no special powers are found or measured scientifically.

So they can, as are the Christians, be classified as dellusional. Having faith in something that can't be proven imperically.

Answer 5

I would hazard to say that a true atheist would not believe in these things. We tend to reject all claims of supernatural phenomena as there is no evidence to support them that cannot be explained in more logical ways.
A Wiccan, Shaman or Pagan still believes in a supernatural higher power, just not a single divine being - whereas an atheist does not

Answer 6

There are Pagans and Wiccans, etc, who are Athiests yes. It depends upon what branch you go into. Such as there is one called "Eclectic" where you pretty much decide for yourself what you believe, how you believe and how your own rituals and ideals work, etc. Could sound like a cop-out, but that's the best definition I can give you - and believe me, in many ways its' more honest than anything that's already decided for you.

Atheist just means there is no belief in God or gods, it doesn't prohibit anything else. Most buddhist branches do not practice the worship of God or gods, yet I would almost put money on the fact they would be aware of energy/energies - Chakra points (energy centres), etc.

Plus scientifically it is highly possible to believe in other forces and energies and the like. Goes into Metaphysics, Quantum Physics and the like mind, but its' possible.

Shamans can also be athiests as such though. Most Shamans are more like spiritual guiders, healers and other similar roles, highly respected and revered by their communities in equal measure.

Their extent also tends to go in most cases to being able to communicate with other spirits, travel on different planes (not the Boeing 747 types lol) of existence, heal a spirit and transfer energy generally. How they do it differs, and what a Shaman actually does in his practices from the outside view is purely up to subjective opinion.

But its' possible all the same.

As for whether those forces and the like exist is more subjective. I for one believe such things as precognition and other such similar abilities are very feasable and that energies in their own way does exist, and there have even been psychological studies on such principles and how they could work.

Think of it this way: We believe we use 10% of our brain capacity. No-one ever said it was the same brain capacity as the next guy, that we don't differ in some way. Ever heard of Synethesia? Who's not to say that's not a valid ability or idea that just has a psychological name on it - such as one of my closest friends being able to see auras, or myself being able to channel energy when I'm in a trance, or my best friend being able to scry?

I hope that makes sense to you.

Toodles

Answer 7

definition of atheist per the dictionary: "a person who denies or disbelieves the existence of a supreme being or beings"

that does leave room for a belief in some type of forces



Credence of the Right > Weird because in my own experience it is the reverse...I tend to find atheists are actually vastly more knowledgeable about physics and evolution than theists (as I have never seen/heard an atheist say "humans come from monkeys" that I hear Christians say every day). Just proof of the differences in the world.

Answer 8

Shamans deal with ghosts and spirits of the dead, they may have certain rituals but they are in no way called "spells" unless you call spirit possession and under a trance a 'spell' or 'episode' as many times when they are under the influence of another spirit in their bodies they do things they normally would not do.

Answer 9

There are Pagans who are atheists. I have a couple as contacts. Atheist simply means no belief in any gods or goddesses. A lot of times that goes along with disbelief in all things supernatural, but not always.

Answer 10

All atheist means is lack of belief in gods.

Beyond that, it's up to the individual. I'm a non-theistic Pagan, but I don't believe in the supernatrual. I know some atheists that are highly spiritual...