Athiests please answer these questions

by Mrs Smith 67 Replies latest jw friends

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  Layla33

  I think the interesting thing is that atheists seem to be stuck on the word "religion", which just means "man trying to interpet God", when atheism is just another interpretation of the world around us.

  I just find that atheism seems to try to suggest they are the opposite of religious, when it seems there are a few very obvious similarities, it just does not believe in a divine. To me it is more of a response to religion and can be seen throughout the core of its beliefs. But there are beliefs, it is an "ism", which denotes a distinctive system of beliefs, myth, doctrine or theory that guides a social movement, institution, class or group and as such can have the same pitfalls of any "religion" as an ism.

  To me there is a distinct difference from not following religion whatsoever and being an atheist. That's pretty much my point here.
• 

  seattleniceguy

  Hello Mrs. Smith,

  There have already been some great answers posted, but for what it's worth, here are mine.

  Certainly, my frame of reference is Christian. The Bible is the only holy book I have ever read, and my non-belief in gods in general started as a simple non-belief in the Bible. However, I want to state emphatically that from the very beginning I understood that ruling out the JW God, or the Christian God, or even the Bible God did not necessarily rule some other kind of god(s). The logic that "If the Bible God doesn't exist, no other god does either," is fallacious.

  However, the experience of coming to a non-belief in the Bible God certainly opened up new directions of inquiry, which for me ultimately showed me that there is no good reason to believe in any gods at all.

  In discussions regarding atheism, my only reference to Christianity and the Bible would be for the benefit of any Christian parties I am talking with. Showing idiosyncracies in the Bible does not prove atheism, but it might allow a Christian to begin to contemplate the idea that things are other than they have always believed.

  I don't think atheists have any special disagreement with Christianity (as opposed to, say, Islam or Hinduism). Like FunkyDerek said, it's just that bringing these religions into a discussion with a Christian is probably a pointless exercise. But for the record, other religions certainly do "get knocked" for their wackiness. It isn't just Christianity.

  Hope that helps!

  SNG
• 

  Galileo

  The Mother of American Atheism was very hateful, ignorant and attacked people to the point that she was murdered.

  Madeline Murray O'haire was not the mother of american atheism, by a long shot. She was before my time, but she's never been someone I looked up to or even thought much about. At any rate, she was murdered over a very valuable collection of gold coins, not ideology. It was about money.

  atheism is just another interpretation of the world around us.

  I just find that atheism seems to try to suggest they are the opposite of religious, when it seems there are a few very obvious similarities, it just does not believe in a divine

  Lack of belief is not a belief. Religion is largely defined by belief in the supernatural, the antithesis of atheism. It is true that there are activists promoting atheism. I could even be defined as such. But there are a great deal of others that just aren't interested in the discussion. As the Nobel Prize winning physicist Stephen Weinberg said:

  "I've occasionally... not too often, gotten into conversations with my physicist colleagues about religion and I find an overwhelming lack of interest in it. I once said that they don't care enough about it to qualify as practising atheists. They... they just regard it as a sort of question that it's silly to raise, and umm... I, for some obscure reason, I tend to care about it and I'm interested in religion, but most of my physicist friends are not."
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  Rapunzel

  Mrs. Smith - Many people in the Western world misunderstand Buddhism especially its general lack of any deities/divine figures at all. People in Western socities don't realize that, for many believers, Buddhism is essentially an atheistic religion. For many people living in Western cultures, the phrase - "atheistic religion" - is an utter oxymoron, a paradox in terms. People in Western societies are accustomed to religions all being theistic, so the notion of an atheistic religion is incomprehensible and absurd to them. However, the Western viewpoint is necessarily limited and limiting. In fact, Buddhism is indeed an atheistic religion in that it lacks the Western concept of a deity/divine figure. Buddhism is in fact atheistic - the Greek prefix, a, means without.
• 

  undercover

  I used to like to ponder on the definitions of atheists versus agnostic and try to figure out which one I was...

  ...but as time goes by, I've figured out that I'm an apatheist. I just don't care to debate it anymore. A believer can't prove there is a god and an unbeliever can't prove there isn't. I've got better things to do than worry about what might/might not exist.

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apatheism
• 

  sustainedhaze

  Like others my location in this world makes christianity more my frame of reference than other beliefs. But my views would be the same regardless of location, putting faith in

  myths and handed down stories isn't my style. It just happens that I live in a country that at this time is controlled by the Christian right. So my disgust with religion is focused

  toward the one that most affects me. Although as a member of the global community I find religion to be a detriment to the majority and a wall erected to block the progress of mankind.
• 

  R.Crusoe

  Apatheism is how I feel!

  But like all belief it is work in progress whether without effort or with effort!

  And my progress is from Bible based mutations to pantheistic and atheistic evolutions which resulted in an amalgamic cosmic aura of scientific divinity through all life forms and inate matter which I am moderately sedated in the depression of!

  The depression is the residue of past imagined realities I now see as deluded belief and lifestyles coupled with my being derailed from my future having nothing to declare and take on my flight into the life ahead.

  A feeling of nothing to offer and nothing to go to!

  So apatheism is a place I know in each passing minute - though I would prefer it to be otherwise - one cannot be a tree if one is a chair leg!
• 

  Layla33

  The Mother of American Atheism was very hateful, ignorant and attacked people to the point that she was murdered. Madeline Murray O'haire was not the mother of american atheism, by a long shot. She was before my time, but she's never been someone I looked up to or even thought much about. At any rate, she was murdered over a very valuable collection of gold coins, not ideology. It was about money. I have heard her referred as such because she has did create the American Atheists organization and was the person who challenged a lot of religious practices in school, etc. I realize how she was murdered, but I believe based on what I have read and seen on forensic files, her nastiness and her attacking nature made her a target by some, not saying it was directly related to her murder, but I think the way she lead her life made her somewhat of a target. atheism is just another interpretation of the world around us. I just find that atheism seems to try to suggest they are the opposite of religious, when it seems there are a few very obvious similarities, it just does not believe in a divine Lack of belief is not a belief. Religion is largely defined by belief in the supernatural, the antithesis of atheism. It is true that there are activists promoting atheism. I could even be defined as such. But there are a great deal of others that just aren't interested in the discussion. Okay, this is where I have issues, not enough to start a big debate over it, but that's my current observation. Why do atheists continually deny they have any belief at all? Isn't rejecting religion a belief? Isn't the rejection of the supernatural a belief? Isn't believing that everything has a logical natural explanation a belief? I think, well rather know, that there are religious people (whatever that ideology may be) that aren't interested in a discussion and perfectly happy to live their lives without making a big ruckus about it. Anyway, it's been interesting reading the thoughts of atheists on here something I tended not to do. It has been enlightening.
• 

  Free

  It's safe to say that I dispise all who try and tell me that I am lacking something if I don't believe what they do. I am more toward the agnostic side of things now and although opinionated on my current views life is better without thinking someone invisible is watching you ( which is kind of freaky now that I look back ), Believe in what you will but mention to me anything about any Religion and how a higher power will condemn me if I don't come along and you will see that I am often quick to tell people to go F themselves.
• 

  IP_SEC

  Why is it that athiest often (not always) direct their argument for athiesism towards Christians? Why not direct your argument towards Buddists or Muslims or even New-agers?

  Muslims dont discuss their views. Buddists and New agers arent interested in changing peoples minds to fit their world view. A new ager will never condemn you to hell for not believing.

  I mean they also believe in a higher power so why is it that only Christains seem to get knocked?

  See above. And I am an equal opportunity 'knocker'

  Is it because your only point of reference is JWs and the bible and therefore easier to reference?

  This is far from my only point of reference.