by Chariklo 553 Replies latest jw friends
Does there need to be a term for the negative and another definition for the positive? Or is this splitting hairs.?
No, it's not splitting hairs . . . it's at the heart of the matter . . .
"There is no God" is a statement of belief.
"There is insufficient evidence for God's existence" is a suspension of belief . . . the two are actually worlds apart.
My experience is that the majority who fall under the label "atheist" are of the latter.
An interesting history of the word atheist is that Christians were called atheists in Rome because they did not observe state mandated religion. Socrates too was accused of atheism. True atheism actually started with the publication of a book by a catholic priest called Thoughts and Feelings of Jean Meslier. It wasn't until the 17th and 18th century that the term atheist actually came to apply to those that actually denied the existence of God.
Why are atheists so intent on scorning "believers"?Huh? They're not.
It is interesting isn't it CA?
My hubby is a believer, me not so much. I respect my hubby's belief and am not hell bent to change him. He respects my disbelief and doesn't try to impose anything on me. I wish the board could be like that. Maybe one day, sooner than later.
... relatively recent polarization that hopefully will be short lived. In that I have faith that Simon will calm things back to normal.
This is an interesting read Christ alone.
History of Atheism
Although the term atheism originated in the sixteenth century – based on Ancient Greek ?θεος "godless, denying the gods, ungodly" [1] – and open admission to positive atheism in modern times was not made earlier than in the late eighteenth century, atheistic ideas and beliefs, as well as their political influence, have a more expansive history.
The spontaneous proposition that there may be no deities at all is logically as old as theism itself (and the proposition that there may be no deity as old as the beginnings of monotheism or henotheism). Philosophical atheist thought appears in Europe and Asia from the sixth or fifth century BCE.
Will Durant explains that certain pygmy tribes found in Africa were observed to have no identifiable cults or rites. There were no totems, no deities, and no spirits. Their dead were buried without special ceremonies or accompanying items and received no further attention. They even appeared to lack simple superstitions, according to travelers' reports. [citation needed] The Vedahs of Ceylon [clarification needed] only admitted the possibility that deities might exist, but went no further. Neither prayers nor sacrifices were suggested in any way [citation needed] .
That's really interesting about the Pygmy tribes, Still. Now I want to study them and see what kind of culture they had---peaceful--or not---loving---or not---like how were they driven to act with no god concept.
I'd like to take a moment and celebrate what atheists have brought to America.
10% of the country and yet only .25% of the prison population in the country?
kinda blows that whole, "well all atheists want to do is run free with no rules" bs out the water doesn't it?
kinda blows that whole, "well all atheists want to do is run free with no rules" bs out the water doesn't it?
Yes, and that's interesting.
But also the reduction in teen pregnancy and abortion rates. I am assuming it is because to be prepared for sex is to plan it, and that would be wrong---but a momentary lapse of judgement is more forgivable? Atheists don't worry about that.
