Are you a "super atheist"?

Question

I've coined the word "super atheist" to refer to someone that not only believes that "God does not exist" (now) but also believes that God could never have existed or never will exist because one or more definitions of God (all powerful, all good, etc) leads to a paradox - the existence of God is therefore logically impossible.

Consider another famous paradox to illustrate my point... it's called the Ship's Barber Paradox:

On a ship, there's a barber who follows the following rule (definition) regarding haircuts "The ship's barber cuts the hair of everyone on the ship that does not cut his own hair". This definition seems reasonable, until you ask yourself the following question, "Who cuts the ship's barber's hair?" If he doesn't cut his own hair then the barber cuts his hair. But if the barber cuts his own hair then he doesn't cut his hair. This is a paradox that proves that a ship's barber CAN NOT exist (given the original definition).

The same is true of God.

My super atheist argument would disappear if people defined God as very powerful (instead of all powerful) and very good (instead of all good), but no one defines God that way.

Answer 1

I'm with ya philosophically, but the "super" I can do without... I lol

This is also an interesting question because I've always believed that a God never did exist... and I thought that was a logical part of atheism, but there well could be atheists who believe differently.

You should ask that as a question... how many atheists think a god could ever have existed.... do any believe that there might have been a god once, who no longer exists.

Answer 2

Yes, I consider myself a Militant Super Atheist. I do not believe in any supernatural beings at all of any kind whatsoever. Show me proof of a god, a genie, a ghost, a devil, a demon, an angel, a spirit, a fairy or a leprechaun and I'll believe it. Until then I will believe that they are all figments of the imagination. I also do not believe in magic, I do not believe in possession, I do not believe in talking with the dead, conjuring up spirits and demons, telling the future (prophesy), tarot readings, reading tea leaves, palmistry, numerology or parapsychology. All of these things have been proven false and are counter productive and just make people dependent on superstition. Done in the spirit of entertainment, I'm not against it, but I, in no way, delude myself that it's real.

@>}----}----

AD

Answer 3

Boy are you gonna catch flak on this one! Thirty-nine years ago I read Ayn Rand and never looked back. I'm not evil either, selfish, misguided, to be pitied, to be "prayed" for, wicked, bad, lost, ashamed, or socially inept. I don't raise the issue, but when the other night an acquaintance quoted Corinthians the third time, then began with the "proof of a higher power", I disagreed. The power is what religion demands you relinquish, humbling your own capable and necessary judgement, leaving it to some "higher power" to distinguish and resolve. It's the ultimate irresponsibility.

Answer 4

Sorry, I think you're over-reaching. To claim that a thing "could never have existed or never will exist" is to commit the same error that religions make -- that is, claiming knowledge which they cannot possibly possess.

So, even though I think it's likely that there has never been any deity of any kind -- simply because there's no evidence for same -- I would not qualify as a super-atheist.

Answer 5

please find another paradox the ships barber did not do haircuts in sailing days men at sea used pitch (a tar like substance,that was used to seal decks.)they used such things to keep it from flying around and getting caught
in lines and things. but the ships barber did tattoos, and
surgery, that is why barber poles all ways had red and white poles in front of their store to denote surgery, they also did the wrapping of body's for sea burial for sailors that died at sea
stop looking to turn words, to fit facts If one is a believer then that's what he is if we don't believe then he is a nonbeliever the freedom of choice does allow you to be super atheist, and me what ever I wish to let us both have peace and happiness in our individual choice. and thank goodness we live in a free society that gives us choice

Answer 6

To put it simply, I believe that any being that deserves to be called God would have to be omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent and transcendent of time and space - at least a few of these properties are logically impossible, therefore by definition, God cannot exist.

Answer 7

God is an idea that is supposed to lead you to an experience that is beyond ideas. God is a finger pointing to the moon, unfortunately so many people suck on the finger instead of looking at the moon.

If god is defined thusly, how can you prove that an idea does not exist?

Answer 8

Well, I'm an atheist and I think I'm pretty super, so...

No, really, I agree that of all the attributes endowed to god by his believers, several are mutually exclusive, therefore god cannot be what his believers think he is. I think they need to re-evaluate god and how they think of him. Maybe some will come around to reason?

Answer 9

The clue's in the name...

And I support Leviathan's restriction of the category to those who eschew ALL supernatural elements. It certainly is embarrassing sometimes to hear these 'spiritual' crypto-atheists.

CD

EDIT: Oh, yeah: The barber SHAVED everyone who didn't shave themselves. And he had a beard.

Answer 10

It sounds like word games to me. The barber exists whether accurately defined or not. His worth lies in hair rather than words.