Atheism is abnormal human behavior

[Mike Cl]

I think Atheism was less common in the past simply because there weren't as many contrivances and rationalizations developed and adopted by mankind to make a more comfortable atheism possible.  Most human beings recognize their environment and life itself as an effect of a much greater cause intuitively.  Unless you're enabled to reject your built-in intuitions, things like atheism are very hard to affirm.

What are 'contrivances and rationalizations'???  I'm not an atheist because it is more 'comfortable'--actually it is a little less comfortable than claiming theism of some sort.  I do recognize my environment--and myself--as the result of a greater cause.  That 'cause' however is not divine in any way, shape or form.  Atheism is simply the rejection of a belief in any god.  That is not hard, in the least, to affirm.  You can believe in fairy tales if you wish--I chose not to.  Pretty easy. 

[aitm]

I think Atheism was less common in the past

Indeed originally there was no belief at all. Religion was invented by man. How that developed is pretty easy to see in the history of humanity.

simply because there weren't as many contrivances and rationalizations developed and adopted by mankind to make a more comfortable atheism

What? Really, what does that even mean? Contrivances and rationalizations is what humanity adapted in order for religion to flourish, not the other way around. Have you even studied the history of religions?

Most human beings recognize their environment and life itself as an effect of a much greater cause intuitively.

No, most humans hope that life has a greater purpose that what reality shows them. We call it wishful thinking, or to some irrational beliefs

Unless you're enabled to reject your built-in intuitions, things like atheism are very hard to affirm.

Enabled? By enabled do you mean afforded an education beyond the 4th grade?
Built in intuitions? What horse crap is that?
Atheism doesn't need affirmation, it is the default case. Do you not notice the millions of churches and the like that are built to help keep the affirmation of religion indoctrination? Now, look around……...see any ones for atheists?
Man…talk about a whack-a-doodle sentence

[stromboli]

The ancient Greeks were devoid of anything that we have technologically, yet many scholars of that time were atheist or nonreligious. Religion is taught, it is not a default, as aitm pointed out. Religion is a specific set of beliefs that have to be taught. A-theism is simply the lack thereof, nothing more. You don't have to be taught not to believe. We don't have atheist seminaries, last time I checked.

The bible says the natural man is the enemy of god- you have to be taught belief. If we lived in a world without religion there would be no need to teach a belief because atheism isn't a belief by itself. Science is not a belief, it is a system of acquiring information. Religion is a belief. There may be other beliefs inside the fabric of a non religious society, but they are hopefully not based on a false idea to begin with.

[SkyChief]

Religion is taught, it is not a default, as aitm pointed out. Religion is a specific set of beliefs that have to be taught. A-theism is simply the lack thereof, nothing more.

Exactly. 

Everyone is born atheist.

It often takes years of indoctrination, coercion, corruption and delusion to ruin a perfectly good atheist.

[stromboli]

Exactly. 

Everyone is born atheist.

It often takes years of indoctrination, coercion, corruption and delusion to ruin a perfectly good atheist.

Right. its that "A" in a-theist. throws em' every time.

[trdsf]

Exactly. 

Everyone is born atheist.

It often takes years of indoctrination, coercion, corruption and delusion to ruin a perfectly good atheist.

And you would think that if there were one "correct" religion, it would be difficult to raise a child to be anything else.  Funny how it seems to depend, at least until the child is old enough to (hopefully) start thinking for him/herself, 100% on what the parents believe and not on any other factor.

[Mike Cl]

And you would think that if there were one "correct" religion, it would be difficult to raise a child to be anything else.  Funny how it seems to depend, at least until the child is old enough to (hopefully) start thinking for him/herself, 100% on what the parents believe and not on any other factor.

Exactly, and it is where the parents live that determines what that religion is.  One's religion is determined almost totally by accident.

[SGOS]

And you would think that if there were one "correct" religion, it would be difficult to raise a child to be anything else.  Funny how it seems to depend, at least until the child is old enough to (hopefully) start thinking for him/herself, 100% on what the parents believe and not on any other factor.

Exactly, and it is where the parents live that determines what that religion is.  One's religion is determined almost totally by accident.

When I started learning about all those other Gods down through the ages that were sincerely believed in by the ancients, just as sincerely, or even as hypocritically as modern day Christians believe in the more fashionable modern day god, I quickly noticed the myth like similarities of the cast-away gods with the modern god.  While such observations are not rocket science, they do invite thoughtful consideration.

Mankind keeps throwing out gods in favor of new gods, somewhat different, but always without evidence as mankind flocks to a "new and improved" god, and now we have just one god, the real god, which the ancients somehow overlooked.  How could anyone overlook the real god?

But wait, as I observe the world today, there are still many different gods competing for our attention.  There are gods of the West, gods of the Mideast, and gods of the Fareast.  And each of the demographic areas are sprinkled with lesser gods that are supported equally enthusiastically, but by smaller segments of the population.

Mankind's history is rich in god mythologies.  Even mankind's current world is rich in god mythologies.  But theists all seem to know that all the OTHER gods, including all the OTHER CURRENT gods are false.  How they know this seems to be a function of demographic birth rite.  There is no actual knowledge involved.  You are born and raised into it.  Few people question the birth rite.  And maybe even fewer test their "knowledge".

[the_antithesis]

I think Atheism was less common in the past simply because there weren't as many contrivances and rationalizations developed and adopted by mankind to make a more comfortable atheism possible.  Most human beings recognize their environment and life itself as an effect of a much greater cause intuitively.  Unless you're enabled to reject your built-in intuitions, things like atheism are very hard to affirm.

What the hell is wrong with you?

[Mike Cl]

What the hell is wrong with you?

That's a silly question--he said he was a christian. 

[Solitary]

It's not impressive, it's just what it is.

What word or meaning have I twisted? Cite it, using the post and comtext. The only bullshit on this thread appears to be what you're deficating out, love. Tell me, do you agree that defining a 'true' liberal is nonsensical when you use the arbitrary test of '"not finding things boring" as a qualifier?

This sounds like lunacy, most likely because it is.

Have you noticed that every time this so called atheist troll gives a compliment he ends it with a despairing remark to atheists Fidel?  He thinks he is cute when he is just annoying like a bratty child. Solitary

[Givemeareason]

Have you noticed that every time this so called atheist troll gives a compliment he ends it with a despairing remark to atheists Fidel?  He thinks he is cute when he is just annoying like bratty child. Solitary

If I like you you will like me.
And oh how happy we will be.

[Solitary]

If you like me hell really is empty, and all the devils are here now Leviathan.  Solitary

[Givemeareason]

If you like me hell really is empty, and all the devils are here now Leviathan.  Solitary

You can talk to me.  I mean if you really were addressing Fidel you could have done so privately.   So I figured you were just being bashful.

[AllPurposeAtheist]

I lost the printed instructions that were on the inside of my eyelids when I was born..