Cold Hard Truth: You Were an Atheist

[OrbitalDawn]

Well, the first 9/10 of my post basically asks the same question that CoolBug answered. How can a baby be an atheist if he doesn't even grasp the concept yet? To me he is uninformed, but the definition says atheist.

He's an atheist simply because he lacks belief, which is all that's required for atheism. As TJ99 mentioned, whether you reject belief or are uninformed, there's still not an active belief. To me this indicates how unnecessary and empty the term atheism actually is. This is why people liken it to having a specific term for people who do not believe in astrology, or for people who do not collect stamps as a hobby. We don't do this, because it's a silly way of describing people and their convictions - by the things they do not believe in, or positions they do not hold.

Calling someone a theist is useful because it points to certain beliefs the person holds to be true, and certain positions they might take. Atheists are simply people who are sceptical and unconvinced by those claims. Why do we need to have a whole new term for this? Seems unnecessary and pointless to me, at least in this day and age.

As for me stopping halfway through: Isn't this thread the same as the Definition of an Atheist thread?

In the way that the usual suspects get the very basic definition wrong, time and time again? Yeah, I guess it is.

[Catal]

In this Universe with its billions of galaxies, each with billions of stars, our puny planet is
rather insignificant. Even less insignificant are its human inhabitants, which might look
like tiny ants to an outside observer.

What are the chances that those inhabitants have the correct explanation of the deeper
inner workings of the universe, of that which they cannot observe with their instruments?
What are the chances that the Bible, or the Koran correctly extend implications to
the rest of the utterly vast universe with its various manifestations of life?

We are utterly tiny, yet we are a physical manifestation of a Creative power that
brings this Universe into existence. It is an infinite Creative power, and is
experienced as ever-new joy in the hearts of blessed humans.

Dogma and blind rituals have desensitized man to the message of the holy men
and sages like Jesus. Still the tumult of your mind, meditate, and quickly behold
the Divinity of your own Self.

Where there is smoke... Why do you think religion is and has always been such
a key part of civilization, beyond our need for deeper fulfilment? There is something
to the stories, and that is the examples set by God-men who showed that
you can realize your own unity with the Creative force of this Universe.
[PM me if you want to know more]

Genesis 1:26: "God said: Let us make humankind, in our image, according to our likeness..."

John 10:33: "For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?"

Luke 17:21: "Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you."

Matthew 6:33: "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

[buyeye]

This thread is sooo stooopid because a baby is as much an atheist as a pig is bacon. If you don't get that then you are also soooo stoopid.

[CoolBug]

This thread is sooo stooopid because a baby is as much an atheist as a pig is bacon. If you don't get that then you are also soooo stoopid.

Well atheist includes different explanations, 1 the rejection of the concept of deities, 2 the lack of a belief in deities.

Seems to me that babies fall under the second part, so do agnostics.

Wow people really have a problem with this?

Interesting.

[Freaksta]

To me an Atheist is a person who made a conscious decision not to be a Theist. A decision is involved. A baby is just ignorant until options are presented over time and a decision is made. Could be in and out of things over a lifetime.

Babies can't make choices, they are often "forced" to follow what the parents follow, and yes while they can make a choice later in life, if the parents are the over religious type, they too will be brainwashed to believe the same.... Children trust the stories their parents tell them.

My main reason for not following a religion is because , if there was a god iro religious ways there should only be one religion, the only real proof is all generated by man, man is known to lie, exploit the masses, and love power.. Just not my cup of tea, everyone's going to hell because everyone believes there own stories and if you don't believe MY story you will go to hell, me ill just die and see what happens...

[CoolBug]

Babies can't make choices, they are often "forced" to follow what the parents follow, and yes while they can make a choice later in life, if the parents are the over religious type, they too will be brainwashed to believe the same.... Children trust the stories their parents tell them.

My main reason for not following a religion is because , if there was a god iro religious ways there should only be one religion, the only real proof is all generated by man, man is known to lie, exploit the masses, and love power.. Just not my cup of tea, everyone's going to hell because everyone believes there own stories and if you don't believe MY story you will go to hell, me ill just die and see what happens...

I know what happens when you die.

But people have such a huge problem with it that they make up comfort stories to try and cope.

What happens when you die?

Bugs eat you.

[zippy]

It's true.

At one point in your life, like other humans and every other species that ever existed on this planet you were an atheist.

I therefore argue that if there is a default philosophical viewpoint, it is in fact Atheism until someone with enough authority and / or charisma persuades you otherwise.

Every infant on this planet is born without any dogmatic beliefs in deities.

It is only until someone tells you about these things where your mind starts believing. Usually it's your parents.

To sum up, this is one of the biggest reasons I don't see myself ever being a theist, because if someone doesn't tell you about God, you'll never know about him.

And as a skeptic, I have little faith in what I'm told by other people.

In fact, I assert that most theists are also very skeptical in many aspects of their lives, I do not think all theists see "You are the 1 millionth visitor to this site, you win 1 million dollars" and quit their job. They are skeptical. They are often skeptical about the purchases they make, the work that they do, if a theist develops an application for example, he is skeptical that it's 100% and tests for errors.

I am so skeptical that I think both theists and atheists are full of sh##t

[porchrat]

I don't know if I regard every other species as atheists. To me you should be capable of believing in a god or gods in order to qualify. I mean you have to have enough of an ability to rationalise in order to comprehend what is involved.

Otherwise you could argue that the chair I'm sitting on is an atheist... which just seems silly.

Still that is just my opinion and I haven't really given it a lot of thought. If there are any holes in it please let me know.

[CoolBug]

Yes there are a few threads on the interwebs having similar discussions.

They say that calling inanimate objects like rocks, chairs and garden gnome statues "atheist" kinda changes its meaning or perhaps the perception of the word so much.

everything in the universe(s) would be atheist and would make theist numbers very puny

*pats Swa on the back*

there there.

:O OUR PETS!! THEM TOO OH NOES!!

[unskinnybob]

:O OUR PETS!! THEM TOO OH NOES!!

Yeah - but pets, like gingers, don't have souls. So what's the point?

[CoolBug]

Yeah - but pets, like gingers, don't have souls. So what's the point?

Well it's interesting, they did a study with a few thousand people and the evidence showed that most of us lose our souls by the age of 23.

Gingers are just born without them which is the difference, like being born with less pigment, same thing.

So it's becoming vestigial like your appendix.

[Unhappy438]

Isnt the suffix in Atheist "ist" used to denote a personal noun. So chairs and rocks cant be Atheist.

[porchrat]

Isnt the suffix in Atheist "ist" used to denote a personal noun. So chairs and rocks cant be Atheist.

Actually that is a good point. Never considered that. Not surprising considering languages are not exactly something I'm good at

[nogard]

It's true.

At one point in your life, like other humans and every other species that ever existed on this planet you were an atheist.

I therefore argue that if there is a default philosophical viewpoint, it is in fact Atheism until someone with enough authority and / or charisma persuades you otherwise.

Every infant on this planet is born without any dogmatic beliefs in deities.

It is only until someone tells you about these things where your mind starts believing. Usually it's your parents.

To sum up, this is one of the biggest reasons I don't see myself ever being a theist, because if someone doesn't tell you about God, you'll never know about him.

And as a skeptic, I have little faith in what I'm told by other people.

In fact, I assert that most theists are also very skeptical in many aspects of their lives, I do not think all theists see "You are the 1 millionth visitor to this site, you win 1 million dollars" and quit their job. They are skeptical. They are often skeptical about the purchases they make, the work that they do, if a theist develops an application for example, he is skeptical that it's 100% and tests for errors.

The same can be said for knowledge.
The default was that you knew nothing. That changed when someone taught you something.
By your reasoning around theism we should go back to the default and unlearn everything we know.

This is not to say that theism is the way to go. It simply shows that your "clever" reasoning in your post is not so clever after all.

[porchrat]

The same can be said for knowledge.
The default was that you knew nothing. That changed when someone taught you something.
By your reasoning around theism we should go back to the default and unlearn everything we know.

This is not to say that theism is the way to go. It simply shows that your "clever" reasoning in your post is not so clever after all.

You can't really compare religion to having some sort of knowledge though. Bad comparison is bad.