I just read an answer about "debating with atheists about souls." I was shocked, because I'm an atheist, and yet I believe in souls. What I do not believe in is a god in any relevant sense. Possibly a pantheistic abstraction or something, but not a creator god like in the Bible. Why should that imply there is no such thing as a human soul?
2007-12-15 00:42:03 · 29 answers · asked by auntb93 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Kzinti, isn't the essence of atheism that we are free thinkers? What's this about embarrassing the other atheists? Are you a "doctrinaire" atheist?
2007-12-15 00:56:19 · update #1
The ONLY requirement for being an atheist is:
"I don't believe in the existence of any kind of deity."
Besides, there is no rule in what atheists believe or not.
Many atheists believe in some kind of reincarnation process.
Many don"t say "soul", "spirit" but "consciousness" instead.
Never be converted to other atheists' believes/disbelieves (except the basic disbelief in any kind of deity).
There is no "atheism" but THOUSANDS of atheistic perspectives on life.
Edit:
I am an atheist and I believe that some parts of my consciousness may survive after I die, I believe that life is widespread in the Universe, that there are thousands of highly evolved intelligent extraterrestrial civilisations and that some of them know ours.
2007-12-15 01:02:53 · answer #1 · answered by Axel ∇ 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Believing in reincarnation is the equivalent of believing in a soul. I don't believe in reincarnation. I don't believe in a soul, because if there ARE souls, then why wouldn't EVERYTHING have one, including insects? If you got reincarnated, then, you could come back as an ant, which would be THE most likely thing, since there are over half a billion on them on Earth at any time. Insects, as a whole, make up 75% of the multicellular animal population on Earth. Bacteria outnumber THEM.
2016-04-09 04:31:31 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Generally most atheists tend to come to that philosophical conclusion of atheism through philosophical naturalism (materialistic monism) so they would not believe in anything "supernatural" as there is no extraordinary proof for that extraordinary claim. That would include God(s), soul (the personality is a product of the human brain - check out the consequences of strokes), invisible pink unicorns, the tooth fairy, the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, etc.
I would suggest that you read "Atheism - A Very Short Introduction" by Julian Baggini.
2007-12-15 03:05:20 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I was reading The God Delusion by Dawkins and he brought this point up. I found it very interesting. Often people think of their bodies as an egg, when they die the egg breaks and the soul is released. From reading Dawkins, I think in a way atheists believe in a soul if by that you mean that through the brain, experiences, and body chemistry there is a unique internal sense of a person. They do not by and large believe in an internal spirit of the person. The "soul" is actually a part of the body--and the word soul is just shorthand for how we describe our unique characteristics.
2007-12-15 00:51:47 · answer #4 · answered by Todd 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Not an atheist, but I thought that atheist did not believe in God or gods at all. Is it only the Creator whom you deny? Then I would respectfully submit that you are not really an athiest.
I AM a Christian and I do not believe that we have souls but that we ARE souls. This is what the Bible teaches.
2007-12-15 00:54:10 · answer #5 · answered by babydoll 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am more on the science side, that all matter is constant and nothing is lost, therefore we will all cotiniue existing in some type of form. And yes like you most atheists you reject a creator god but believe in alerations within themselves like souls and punishment, karma, etc. I believe you are very level headed and sensible. Anyway who knows what happens when we die, if we just rot in the ground or there is something out for us and our kliving memory (which i really doubt)
2007-12-15 01:04:02 · answer #6 · answered by Heather 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe that the human soul is the static in the neurons in our brain. The faint electric charge, the energy that powers our brain and thus gives us LIFE and a consciousness. It is our EXISTENCE. When that static dies we die as well.. we cease to exist. But remember that it is energy! Energy CANNOT be destroyed but only transformed! The question is: what does it transform to?
And lately I've been pondering about the black hole and how it can destroy even energy. Does this mean that if you're sucked into one even your soul is destroyed??? Probably..
I'm a Catholic by the way..
2007-12-15 04:00:34 · answer #7 · answered by V 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is definitely something that differs among atheists. I believe there is something about me that transcends my physical body, and I guess I do refer to it as a soul, just so people get an idea of what I'm talking about. I am still making up my mind on this, however.
2007-12-15 00:59:03 · answer #8 · answered by Linz VT•AM 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I'm an Atheist and unlike you I know there is no soul. Having a soul is indeed a religious hang-up. Get over it. If you can believe there is no god but we have a soul then you are not thinking clearly.
2007-12-15 00:46:31 · answer #9 · answered by ms_beehayven 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
You can believe whatever you want, it shouldn't matter what other people believe in. I feel that the debate between atheists and theists isn't really about proving what is real or what can be proved, I feel that it is about people wanting other people to agree with their ideas.
If someone ever tells you that what you believe is wrong, think long and hard about why they are telling you this. Is it because they have a better argument, or do they ust want you to agree with them?
2007-12-15 00:54:19 · answer #10 · answered by cannon_lab 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋