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Castro
Intern
Joined: 14 Feb 2007
Posts: 55
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Location: Dallas, Tx
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 Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 4:16 pm Post subject: What is an "Atheist" really? |
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I have spent a lot of time reading posts on this forum. I must admit that I am overwhelmed in some aspects but in others I totally agree. I can only hope that with the more understanding I gain from the people here and other sources that I will come to gain the knowledge I desire. So back to my original question. What really is an atheist? If someone was to ask me if I was atheist, I don't think I would say yes, but then again I don't completely know what the CORRECT definition is for an atheist. There has to be an understanding with all Atheists of a definition. I see my self more as agnostic right now, but like I said, as I learn more I can determine this for myself. 
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excidius
Irreducible Simplicity
Joined: 28 Feb 2003
Posts: 912
Local time: 10:26 AM
Location: San Jose, CA USA
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| Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 4:32 pm Post subject: Re: What is an "Atheist" really? |
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| Castro wrote: | | I have spent a lot of time reading posts on this forum. I must admit that I am overwhelmed in some aspects but in others I totally agree. I can only hope that with the more understanding I gain from the people here and other sources that I will come to gain the knowledge I desire. So back to my original question. What really is an atheist? If someone was to ask me if I was atheist, I don't think I would say yes, but then again I don't completely know what the CORRECT definition is for an atheist. There has to be an understanding with all Atheists of a definition. I see my self more as agnostic right now, but like I said, as I learn more I can determine this for myself. |
I can speak only for myself, but for me, atheism is lack of theism. As an atheist, I do not invoke any concept of god to explain any phenomenon or solve any philosophical conundrum, and I see no compelling reason to.
Many people, theists and atheists, place far too much emphasis on ontology in the definition of atheist. They say that an atheist is someone who believes gods don't exist. Whether or not this is true for me depends on the particular definition of god. Some god-concepts are outlandish, others are far more plausible as far as existence is concerned. For instance, if someone worshipped the sun as a god, I would NOT deny that the sun exists. However, I am atheistic with respect to all of these concepts, since I do not feel they are necessary to explain anything, or in the case of something like the sun, I see no reason to call such a thing a god, and with it attach all the connotations and metaphysical baggage commonly associated with the term god. In this case, the concept of the sun as a god is reduced to a vacuous re-labeling of an ordinary, mundane thing.
Also, since for me, an atheist is simply someone who does not posit a god-concept to explain anything or solve any problem, it is not mutually exclusive with agnostic. You can be agnostic with respect to some god-concepts while maintaining atheism toward them all.
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"Atheists are the driving force behind what I call Big Secularism. Card-carrying members of BS have snaked their way into every branch of our government, except for the judicial and executive. Did you know that in the House of Representatives and the Senate, there are as many as one self-described atheist currently serving? Democratic Representative Pete Stark of California's 13th district, to name just one." -Stephen Colbert |
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Jutter
Quixotic Cloggy
Joined: 26 Jul 2003
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Location: Den Helder, the Netherlands
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| Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 4:38 pm Post subject: |
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An atheist is not something that you so much are. Rather, it's something you are from a theistic perspective. Ultimately the word only says what you're not, that the term "theist" is not aplicable to you.
Observing that a person is an atheist in and of itself has told you didly squat sofar about what that persoon indeed IS. Same as noting the absence of wings and a tail tell you nothing about what's present.
There are terms that, in the absence of theism, can and often do apply. Most atheists are probably monists, so that'll tell you where atheists generally stand on metaphysics. Morally/ethicly the most applicable term is bound to be humanism, because that's pretty much what you're left with when you take the God out of "love God and love your neighbor". When it comes to epistemology, rationality and science appreciation are dominant. Beyond that you'll soon venture into areas like politics and taste of music, which is where fragmentation occurs and you're better of simply getting to know people.
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~ Let us be reasonable ~
Congratulations: you are paracorrect about the supernatural.
*"If there were nobody listening to gods anymore, there would be nothing left for us to do,...
... then to finally start listening to each other."
*As any gamer will tell you: God-mode is a cheat-code.
Last edited by Jutter on Fri Feb 16, 2007 9:06 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Moloth
Coin Operated Boy
Joined: 27 Aug 2003
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| Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 4:49 pm Post subject: |
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the one, true definition of 'atheist' is 'without belief'.
a-theist.
thats IT. no other assumptions can be made from it.
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Last edited by Moloth on Tue Feb 30, 2026 13:61 am; edited 426 times in total |
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Mr_C
Reckoner
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| Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 4:52 pm Post subject: Re: What is an "Atheist" really? |
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| Castro wrote: | | I have spent a lot of time reading posts on this forum. I must admit that I am overwhelmed in some aspects but in others I totally agree. I can only hope that with the more understanding I gain from the people here and other sources that I will come to gain the knowledge I desire. So back to my original question. What really is an atheist? If someone was to ask me if I was atheist, I don't think I would say yes, but then again I don't completely know what the CORRECT definition is for an atheist. There has to be an understanding with all Atheists of a definition. I see my self more as agnostic right now, but like I said, as I learn more I can determine this for myself. |
Atheists just don't have a positive belief in a god or gods. That's all. Oh, and we really like swords! Stabbity, stabbity! |
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ChrissyFos
Lobal Dominatrix
Joined: 08 Dec 2005
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| Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 5:02 pm Post subject: Re: What is an "Atheist" really? |
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| Mr_C wrote: | | Atheists just don't have a positive belief in a god or gods. That's all. Oh, and we really like swords! Stabbity, stabbity! |
I guess I don't understand this. Wouldn't having any opinion about god be a belief, even believing that god doesn't exist?
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Sal1981
Do you hear me now?
Joined: 23 Mar 2006
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| Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 5:12 pm Post subject: |
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... and nonchucks.
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SalsaShark
has filled in a custom rank.
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
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| Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 5:17 pm Post subject: |
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I don't understand all this technecal mumbo jumbo, I think when people say they are atheist they just mean they don't believe that a God or Gods exists.
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Mr_C
Reckoner
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Location: Pale Blue Dot
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| Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 5:24 pm Post subject: Re: What is an "Atheist" really? |
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| ChrissyFos wrote: | | Mr_C wrote: | | Atheists just don't have a positive belief in a god or gods. That's all. Oh, and we really like swords! Stabbity, stabbity! |
I guess I don't understand this. Wouldn't having any opinion about god be a belief, even believing that god doesn't exist? |
That's why I qualified it with "positive". |
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Nimitz
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 5:42 pm Post subject: |
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The "a" prefix means without/non/aint got no. 
As in....
asexual
amoral
apolitical
atypical
asymetric
atheist |
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ChrissyFos
Lobal Dominatrix
Joined: 08 Dec 2005
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| Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 5:49 pm Post subject: Re: What is an "Atheist" really? |
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| Mr_C wrote: | | ChrissyFos wrote: | | Mr_C wrote: | | Atheists just don't have a positive belief in a god or gods. That's all. Oh, and we really like swords! Stabbity, stabbity! |
I guess I don't understand this. Wouldn't having any opinion about god be a belief, even believing that god doesn't exist? |
That's why I qualified it with "positive". |
Right, but wouldn't it be a positive to say that no god exists? I'm not really challenging what you wrote, just trying to get clarifiction on this issue. I know it matters to some, but it doesn't matter to me the way atheist is defined, whether it's a lack of a belief or a belief that god doesn't exist. The end result is the same.
Oh and I prefer sling shots.
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Last edited by ChrissyFos on Fri Feb 16, 2007 5:52 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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CET
The Spiritual Atheist
Joined: 02 Apr 2003
Posts: 12826
Local time: 10:26 AM
Location: SoCal, USA
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| Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 5:50 pm Post subject: Re: What is an "Atheist" really? |
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| Mr_C wrote: | | Atheists just don't have a positive belief in a god or gods. That's all. Oh, and we really like swords! Stabbity, stabbity! |
I'm a hack 'n slash kind of guy!
Hand me my lightsaber. It's the one that says "Bad Motha Fucka"! 
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The Spiritual Atheist
"Much of the suffering in the world comes from the delusion that we are separate from one another." - Gautama Buddha
"Those who dance are considered insane by those who can't hear the music." - George Carlin |
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CET
The Spiritual Atheist
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| Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 5:50 pm Post subject: |
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Atheist = lack of theistic belief.
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CET
The Spiritual Atheist
"Much of the suffering in the world comes from the delusion that we are separate from one another." - Gautama Buddha
"Those who dance are considered insane by those who can't hear the music." - George Carlin |
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Uncertainty
Forum Master
Joined: 23 Oct 2005
Posts: 3414
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| Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 5:56 pm Post subject: |
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Yup that's all it means..
Other than that theres no qualifications or beliefs, it's not a dogmatic cult or anything..
We is all different yo. |
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FlatEarth1024
Hey, Everybody!
Joined: 18 Sep 2006
Posts: 4098
Local time: 6:26 PM
Location: Dippin' my balls in it.
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| Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 6:01 pm Post subject: |
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| SalsaShark wrote: | | I don't understand all this technecal mumbo jumbo, I think when people say they are atheist they just mean they don't believe that a God or Gods exists. |
I agree. You can quantify it and clarify it six ways to Sunday, but at the end of the day the one thing all atheists have in common is that they don't believe in the existence of a hovering dispenser of justice and candy.
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