If it is retarded for theists to fight about who is the true worshipers of God, isn't it just as retarded....

Question

To fight over which atheists are true atheists?

Isn't that the same argument, minus God?

I read something last night about someone who thought converted atheists were never "true atheists" in the first place. Excuse me, I'm confused. I thought to only requirement for being in atheist is lack of belief in God. If you don't believe in God, isn't that being an atheist? Regardless of whether you later find a reason to believe in God, for the moment, you are an atheist! Am I wrong in thinking this? Please explain.

Well, I get this a lot cause I used to be an atheist. Lots of people tell me that because I became a christian, i must not have been an atheist in the first place. Which is silly. I denied the existence of God, and believed in his/her/their absence.

I had my own reasons for conversion, and glad I did, but to say I wasn't atheist is stupid, and lets your ignorance show. So much for enlightened freethinkers.

Answer 1

I once had someone who did not believe in God tell me that he was not an atheists, because in order to be an atheist you had to not believe in God- in order to not believe in God, you had to first have a belief in God and he never had a belief in God, therefore, he was not an Atheist, but he did not believe in God. I still don't understand his reasoning- But whatever.

Edit**

And while we are sort of on the subject - What does an Insomniac, Dyslexic, Agnostic do for fun?

Lies awake at night wondering if there really is a dog.

And yes I know the difference between Atheist and Agnostic.

Answer 2

What that person is saying is that we all are born atheistic, then we are indoctrinated by our parents to believe in religion of some sort. A "true atheist" is someone who has never been exposed to religion in the first place (which is almost impossible by the way). That doesn't mean the author was in the midst of some war between "true atheists" and "converted atheists" and picking a side (like religions do). He was merely describing a term, not attaching a negative connotation to it. There's not two different organizations of atheists or anything like that. It's kind of like how there is "Magnetic North" (the direction) and "True North" (which is 3 degrees off from magnetic north). They are both the same thing, slightly different, and their aren't two organizations that are fighting over which one is better or anything like that.

Answer 3

When you refuse to believe in God, you are called an atheist..whether you were converted or have always been. It is a silly assumption to me as to whether one is a "true atheist" or not. Maybe if one claims to be an Atheist yet is still unsure about the existance of God..he has misrepresented himself and should call himself an agnostic. This is just an opinion.

Answer 4

Yea I tend to agree.

People rely on different things for belief. Some rely on early indoctrination, some rely on personal scriptural interpretation, some rely on science.

There is no need to argue over who is a real Christian or a real atheist. The truth is that if the person thinks they are Christian or atheist, they probably are. And the results of that belief are all that matter.

Answer 5

No, you're right. If you don't believe in God, you're an atheist. Some people just like to feel special, and try to exclude others in any manner they can. Others just like to argue. Personally, I don't bother getting hung up on labels. I believe what I believe, whatever that might make me.

Answer 6

i think sometimes believers get angry at their god and claim to be atheist, even though in the back of their mind, they really still believe, even if it's only a bit. then, for what ever reason, they start attending church again, or just start believing again - or should i say "more" instead of again.

but you're right, even if you don't believe in god for a moment, you are atheist for at least that moment

Answer 7

Atheism is practicaly a relgion it requires faith that there is no god . It is stupid to even bother talking about who is a true atheist it's not really going to change any thing an atheist is some one with faith that there is no god or super natrual power. Yes a beliver of god can be atheist for a moment or two but it dosn't happen very often where there faith in god is that low where they have faith that there is no god.

Answer 8

You are correct.

Are you sure those weren't believers trying to qualify atheism by their rules? No atheist I know would revert to such a sectarian way of thinking.

Answer 9

I think a lot of people are starting to confuse athiest (no belief in any sort of greater power) and agnostic (belief there is something, but you choose not to follow).

Answer 10

I agree. It's about as retarded as fighting over which day of the week the Sabbath is on.