Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Rob on May 8, 2011 at 2:00pm

The term for that, I think, is Agnostic.

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Permalink Reply by Mo Trauen on May 8, 2011 at 2:55pm

Ah, but you do know.  With almost as much certainty as you know that leprechauns don't exist.

 

http://goodatheistarguments.blogspot.com/2010/10/atheism-vs-agnosti...

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Permalink Reply by BryanPaul on May 5, 2011 at 10:21pm

This question is an odd question to me and I don't get it. Atheism is not a belief. It's only a term used to say " I don't believe YOUR bulls*!t. It's simply a lack of belief. It's like asking "do you think disbelief in santa clause is a religion in itself"? Most people don't believe in elves, but the reason that belief is not so contested is the lack of opposing beliefs. Atheists have many opponents willing to tell you that your views are wrong or you are going to pay some tragic and horrific price for your beliefs. This mess about it being a religion or belief system instead of a lack of belief is just a lack of understanding of the term. Religion is a structured belief system. Do you think your beliefs and mine match closely enough to be a system? Not only is it not a religion, it's not even a belief.

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Permalink Reply by Tyler Zumbrun on May 6, 2011 at 5:05am

I prefer the simple route:

 

I define atheism as a lack of religion.

 

I like to compare it to Light and Dark.  Darkness is the absence of light.  There isn't anything that is innately Dark, it's just missing light.

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Permalink Reply by Vinod on May 8, 2011 at 4:00pm

thats one hell of an analogy :D

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Permalink Reply by Arcus on May 8, 2011 at 4:37pm

Sooo... We're the Dark Side now? Really? Sure that's the analogy you want. ;)

May the (mass*acceleration) be with you.

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Permalink Reply by Stanley Brooks on May 6, 2011 at 6:46am

I saw this as a member's signature on The Thinking Atheist Forum:

 

Atheism is a religion like off is a television channel.

 

Sorry, but I don't recall the forum member's name right now.

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Permalink Reply by Ron on May 8, 2011 at 12:17pm

I love that.

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Permalink Reply by Rob on May 8, 2011 at 2:02pm

Great analogy.  I wish I had written that.

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Permalink Reply by Don on May 8, 2011 at 2:38pm

Another good one:  if atheism is a religion, then not collecting stamps is a hobby.

 

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Permalink Reply by Vinod on May 6, 2011 at 12:20pm

"I like to live my life with my own beliefs so I do not begrudge anyone else in their beliefs" - This does, in a lot of ways, explain your question.

 

I don't believe in any Religion. Religion is just a SET OF BELIEFS said to be laid down by ONE to preach people on a set of moralities and standard of life. People who go by these principles and live their life according to the book will be rewarded and those don't will be treated accordingly. The irony is are these so-called believers really living by the book? I bet this is something, that has always crossed a believer's mind.

 

Drawing my point from the above para, Atheism is NO religion. Its more of a position arrived at by reason. Not just by any vague description or some scriptures that preach so. Quoting Sam Harris, its a destruction of ideas. I see it as total freedom of Expression and coming out of FEAR.

 

I don't believe in shoving anything down anyone's throat.

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Permalink Reply by Nate Bauder on May 7, 2011 at 7:43pm

I don't think Atheism is a religion itself... Atheism means "the rejection of beleif in the existance of a deity or deities." (among other slightly modified definitions) 

 

Say Atheism WAS a religion in of itself:

Since Christians (and other religions) reject any other diety other than their own, wouldn't that technically mean that they carry TWO religions? One religion being that they beleive in THEIR god and the other one rejecting OTHER (and to them, "false") gods? 

 

I'm not entirely sure if that answered the question, but that is my reply.

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