I'm not an atheist

JimiTime

Popinjay wrote: »

I think I get what Jimi is trying to say. Everyone (I hope) can calm down a little bit. He's not saying that we're contradicting what actually happened. It would seem in the point he's trying to make that he's not actually making any judgement of whether or not atheism and a disbelief in the supernatural is right or wrong.

When he says "Man's history is full of the supernatural" and that we are "contradicting" this history, he (again I think) just means that man's history is full of belief in and acceptance of the supernatural. We durty heathens are disagreeing with the opinions of a vast majority of our ancestors. Please note, I also don't think that for Jimi's point it matters what god, what supernatural phenomenon or even how many gods our ancestors accepted, merely that they believed something and we don't at all, at all.

Yay!:)

I can see the point he's trying to make, it is a little odd that all us genius folk who arrived at our position for whatever reason but from (in general) a starting point of belief (again, no lynchings please, I know we weren't born believing but most of us here had that changed pretty darn quick) are described using the same word as the little mite who was lucky enough not to fall to the evils of theism.

Again, is there such a person who has never had exposure to this?

We believe the same thing as this kiddy but because that child had no exposure to religiosity our reasons are generally different. I think this is part of the reason the term bight is sometimes used.

bight? Whats that now?

Galvasean

JimiTime wrote: »

As i said, i'm not looking to debate on why mankind has, through the ages, reported and believed in things that were supernatural. Merely to make the point that they did, in context of the discussion of the last 2 pages.

Hey thats cools, I was just giving you my two cent as to why they may have.

JimiTime wrote: »

Groan:rolleyes::)

I already apologized.:p

Dades

JimiTime wrote: »

i just realised this is my second reply to this post:o Its a bit more detailed though. to reiterate though, among its adhearents, there does not sem to be a common meaning to 'Atheist'.

I think (babies aside) there is a common meaning to 'atheist'. What there isn't, is any other group traits that can be associated with the word. Sure there are anti-theists, many of whom post here. But there are also Fascists, Anarchists, Humanists, Buddhists etc. Any of these can be an atheist.

It has become commonplace here to associate the most common personality types who post here with atheism, when in fact no individual is (or could be) representative of that belief for the reason mentioned above.

JimiTime

Dades wrote: »

I think (babies aside) there is a common meaning to 'atheist'. What there isn't, is any other group traits that can be associated with the word. Sure there are anti-theists, many of whom post here. But there are also Fascists, Anarchists, Humanists, Buddhists etc. Any of these can be an atheist.

It has become commonplace here to associate the most common personality types who post here with atheism, when in fact no individual is (or could be) representative of that belief for the reason mentioned above.

So it is a denial or disbelief in God or gods. the result of a thought process, not an ignorant state. Correct?

JimiTime

Galvasean wrote: »

I already apologized.:p

to be fair, i did laugh, but don't tell.:)

Tigger

buddist and athiest?
is budda not a fat god? the god of not trying to make the most of your life?

its not our fault that people take offence to anti-thiests and decide that athiests are therefore of the same ilk but to be aware through personal revalation that there is no god is not conditional on looking down on those who are still blinkered

so i'll call myself an athiest cos its easier for those who still believe in the man upstairs they have enough stuff to wrap their heads around with good things happening to bad people without confusing them

robindch

JimiTime wrote: »

So it is a denial or disbelief in God or gods. the result of a thought process, not an ignorant state. Correct?

We've already been over this exact point with PDN, and I think you, in another thread and there was some agreement on the terms natural atheism and strong atheism or something like that.

If you've going to try to dice the meaning of the term "atheist", then you will have to be quite specific in what you mean, since the general term does mean slightly different things to different people.

Dades

JimiTime wrote: »

So it is a denial or disbelief in God or gods. the result of a thought process, not an ignorant state. Correct?

Correct.
Where thought process = "Do I believe any god exists? No."

Though the word denial doesn't really fit. You can only deny something that exists - at least in my vocabulary.

And quite why we're still following the "ignorant state" line of inquiry I don't know!

seamus

I've also realised why I don't like the word "disbelief" (nor denial). "Disbelief" implies a refusal to believe - as if to believe is the correct stance, and people who disbelieve are just being stubborn

This is why I prefer the phrase "non-belief" and is probably why I lump "ignorant state" in with other atheists.

PDN

Tigger wrote: »

buddist and athiest?
is budda not a fat god? the god of not trying to make the most of your life?

its not our fault that people take offence to anti-thiests and decide that athiests are therefore of the same ilk but to be aware through personal revalation that there is no god is not conditional on looking down on those who are still blinkered

so i'll call myself an athiest cos its easier for those who still believe in the man upstairs they have enough stuff to wrap their heads around with good things happening to bad people without confusing them

The irony. Someone who thinks Buddha is a god portrays others as blinkered.

eoin5

PDN wrote: »

The irony. Someone who thinks Buddha is a god portrays others as blinkered.

Who can blame people when Dunnes have T-shirts that go: "I have the body of a god, shame its buddha"

Asiaprod

eoin5 wrote: »

Who can blame people when Dunnes have T-shirts that go: "I have the body of a god, shame its buddha"

I want one, no Dunnes Stores in Japan:(

Tigger wrote: »

buddist and athiest?
is budda not a fat god? the god of not trying to make the most of your life?

Buddhism is not about Gods. Buddhists are free to decide for themselves if they believe in one or not.
I am a Buddhist, I am an Atheist.

Tigger

you're a buddist so what is buddah or "The Buddah" is it someone who reincarantes to the point of the dahli lama , enlighten me

Dades

Tigger wrote: »

enlighten me

I think you have to achieve that on your own... :pac:

Tigger

Dades wrote: »

I think you have to achieve that on your own... :pac:

if it looks like a god and smells like a god then i don't believe in it
there is loads i don't believe in, too much to list here

PDN

eoin5 wrote: »

Who can blame people when Dunnes have T-shirts that go: "I have the body of a god, shame its buddha"

I bought my dog a basket from Dunne's that has a label saying "St Bernard". However, I am still unblinkered enough to know that he is a border collie rather than a St Bernard.

Tigger

PDN wrote: »

I bought my dog a basket from Dunne's that has a label saying "St Bernard". However, I am still unblinkered enough to know that he is a border collie rather than a St Bernard.

youre streching the anaolgy
1 dunnes don't do a dog basket with a st bernard branding
2 i don't think biddah is a god i think people believe buddah is a fat lazy god and the tee shirt proves this

i will now be smug and you can go on believing in whatever magic personas you want

eoin5

PDN wrote: »

I bought my dog a basket from Dunne's that has a label saying "St Bernard". However, I am still unblinkered enough to know that he is a border collie rather than a St Bernard.

Lesson for today: Dont base your knowledge on cheapo merch from dunnes

Tigger, wot?

Seriously what is wrong with our culture though? Why is it that damn near everything we see or hear reinforces our ignorance instead of broadens our minds. We need to teach classes on "critical thinking" and "learning to be cynical" in schools to go along with the religion and CSPE crap we have now.

PDN

eoin5 wrote: »

Seriously what is wrong with our culture though? Why is it that damn near everything we see or hear reinforces our ignorance instead of broadens our minds. We need to teach classes on "critical thinking" and "learning to be cynical" in schools to go along with the religion and CSPE crap we have now.

I wonder what effect such classes would have on the sales of tabloid newspapers.

PDN

PDN wrote: »

The irony. Someone who thinks Buddha is a god portrays others as blinkered.

It's a highly common misconception tbh:(

Tigger

bluewolf wrote: »

It's a highly common misconception tbh:(

what is the difference between buddah and a god is it the fact that buddah may have existed while on the balance of probabalities its more likley that a choclate teapot orbits the earth than it is that this all powerfull being used to chat to human all the time but is now bored and has decided to leave us to our own devices

Tigger

re-posting to clear up my point

1. Dunnes stores don't do a dog basket with a St Bernard branding St Bernarnd is a groceries brand and is being done away with now after 30 years as it is percieved as sub standard.

2 i don't think that buddah is a god (i don't think anyone is) i think people believe buddah is a godgod and the tee shirt proves this is the belief in popular culture which seems to be the only culture left anymore

robindch

PDN wrote: »

I wonder what effect such classes would have on the sales of tabloid newspapers.

And I wonder what effect such classes would have on organized religion? But then again, few schools have such classes and many of those that don't are controlled by organized religion. Hmmmmm....

Tim_Murphy

I saw that tshirt in Dunnes and tried to be smart by pointing out the obvious problem with it, but nobody cared. :eek::rolleyes: