I never really thought about it. I guess I always assumed that since babies don't have the capability to contemplate such things, they'd be more agnostic.
If you agree with the statement, does that mean I qualify as an "ex-atheist"?
2007-10-12 06:31:30 · 46 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Wow, the thumbs-down fairy is on a role today! FYI: those aren't from me. :)
2007-10-12 06:38:54 · update #1
yes, it is true, agnostic means you don't believe in any type of god, but you think it is possible for one to be out there. Atheists says they know for sure that there is no god. Either way you look at it, babies are not religious.
2007-10-12 09:34:34 · answer #1 · answered by Coma White 5 · 4⤊ 2⤋
Everyone is born with the ability to have a personal relationship with God If God exists, he would have necessarily included this attribute in the Creation. We are reborn with the Spirit of God upon salvation. Professed atheists are in denial or exist in a fantasy world.
2016-05-22 02:22:55 · answer #2 · answered by cari 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well the term atheist would imply that the person has thought about it long enough to decide that they don't hold a belief in God. I am not saying that is the definition, but it certainly implies that. So, I'd say that a baby can not be described with any term relating to religion because a baby has no concept of such a thing.
2007-10-12 06:36:44 · answer #3 · answered by Linz ♥ VT 4 · 4⤊ 4⤋
It means that if you do not hear about religion from an outside source, you will not be Christan, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, etc etc. Everyone is born with no religion, and picks one up as they grow, whether it's instilled by their parents/community, or they read about it in a book.
Edit: That's why less developed societies, ones that have no contact with the outside world, do not share the same religions. If somehow religion was universal, then people wouldn't need to be "taught" the word of anyone, they would just know it.
2007-10-12 06:37:56 · answer #4 · answered by 006 6 · 1⤊ 3⤋
No, I don't agree. A baby would have to have some knowledge of God in order to reject Him, and if we look at young children who are old enough to comprehend, we know that young children have great faith. That's why it's so easy for them to believe in the tooth fairy, Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. However, we mustn't lead children astray with these paganisms. We know that there is a REAL God who created our bodies and this universe. When you can actually show children the evidence, it's a lot easier to believe.
2007-10-12 06:37:52 · answer #5 · answered by FUNdie 7 · 2⤊ 3⤋
Atheist is a term that applies to somebody that knows of the idea of God, but rejects it. I would say a baby doesn't understand the concept of a God. I don't really believe we need to create a label for that.....just like we don't have labels for somebody that have no concept of supernovas.
There is also no such thing as a Christian baby, an Islamic baby, or a Jewish baby. Religious labels should be left for people that have grown to an age where they can understand these concepts and ideas.
2007-10-12 06:37:11 · answer #6 · answered by Primary Format Of Display 4 · 2⤊ 5⤋
Well, I think by most peoples definition, an atheist is someone who believes there is no God. Because an infant cannot make such a decision I agree that they would be considered agnostic, unknowing.
2007-10-12 06:38:14 · answer #7 · answered by Thomas The Servant 4 · 1⤊ 4⤋
Technically, yes. And I'm all for it. Ultimately you are born alone and you will die alone in this world, so you are born free to believe what you want to believe. It's part of organized religion for parents to pass on their belief onto their children. Otherwise they go to hell or something. It's like a vicious circle. It's all centered around guilt. If everyone wants to go to heaven, then why is it no one wants to die?
2007-10-12 08:44:50 · answer #8 · answered by remove me 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
I do... a = no or not, theism = belief in or knowledge of god
Therefore, a baby is born an atheist, one who has no belief or knowledge of god. A belief in god must be carefully taught so that a child learns whatever is the belief of the parents or teachers.
This is why religious indoctrination of the very young is practiced in all major religions.
No knowledge of and rejecting god are two different things. Someone who is anti-god, or anti-theist, is one who rejects god... they believe there IS a god, but reject him. Atheists don't believe there is such a thing as god or gods... there is nothing to believe in. It's not that there is one and we just don't believe he is the god... we don't believe there IS such a thing as gods. We have no knowledge of god... the same as when we were babies.
I was brainwashed (indoctrinated, taught, etc.) about god as a child and I believe what I was told by trusted adults. I realized as an adult myself that what I had always suspected (that there is no god) was the truth, I was officially an atheist. I didn't reject god... I always suspected there was no such thing. It took an adult's ability to research and come to a conclusion that helped me decide what I believe and/or know to be true.
2007-10-12 06:34:40 · answer #9 · answered by Rogue Scrapbooker 6 · 6⤊ 5⤋
Atheism isn't a religion or ideology, it's simply an absence of beliefs based on lack of evidence, so technically speaking (if you will), I think everyone is born as atheist, as there is no reason to believe in a god or religion, unless one has been taught that there is a need to.
2007-10-12 06:40:41 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 3⤋