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I never particularly thought of atheists as being a minority. For that matter, any religious creed (outside of the ones passed by lineage) being a minority.

I don't think it makes a damn though. It's not like atheists tattoo big A's on their foreheads to identify themselves. Or have common gathering places on a weekly basis by which to prey on them.

No real opinions, just meh.
As a [Strong] Atheist, I find that laughable. The atheists I know are more firm in their values than any of the religious people I know.

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As a [Strong] Atheist, I find that laughable. The atheists I know are more firm in their values than any of the religious people I know.
As a [strong] atheist, you also make an impossible knowledge claim.
(Unless your notions, of what make up a "strong atheist," fail to meet the usually envisioned requirements.)
Natas Ferret
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As a [Strong] Atheist, I find that laughable. The atheists I know are more firm in their values than any of the religious people I know.
As a [strong] atheist, you also make an impossible knowledge claim.
(Unless your notions, of what make up a "strong atheist," fail to meet the usually envisioned requirements.)


My 'claim' is reality. A Strong Athiest does not merely lack belief in a god (negative/weak Atheism) but deneys it. Such a judgement requires a firm philosophical base. Many strong atheists reject the concept outright as it is invalidated by their metaphysics. The concept of god mandates a philosophy that rests on the primacy of consciousness. Strong Atheism generally means acceptance of the opposite.. the primacy of existence.
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My 'claim' is reality. A strong athiest does not merely lack belief in a god (negative/weak Atheism) but deneys it. Such a judgement requires a firm philosophical base. Many strong atheists reject the concept outright as it is invalidated by their metaphysics. The concept of god mandates a philosophy that rests on the primacy of consciousness. Strong Atheism generally means acceptance of the opposite.. the primacy of existence.
Talking babble does little to reduce the inability to usher in an abosolute denial, of a metaphysical entity. Without sufficient evidence, to support such a denial, lack of belief is a more logical approach.
Denying the existence, would require concrete reasoning. Moreso, than simply a philosophical blow of hot air.
Your ideals, for the concept of a god, do little to dictate the general usage of deities. Just because you think it is a primary influence on consciousness, and not of existence, hardly invalidates those who utilize it in reciprocal.
During the start of the whole Anti-Freemason trend, a judge ruled a man as an incompetent witness because he was an athiest.
And I almost agree, you'd have to be atleast a little bit mentally incompetent to not believe in SOMETHING. I mean the whole need to worship something is ingrained in the human psyche. To disbelieve is just petty and contrary.
imho

So, inregards to being a distrusted minority, I think thats nonsense, they don't ever get together and meet and discuss their common idiocy. But I could do well with a lot less of those people.

As of the strong/weak thing. Weak athiests are just agnostics in my opinion, its sad they lack faith, but atleast they don't try to deny it. Thats the real idiocy, the denial.
Elder Spawn
And I almost agree, you'd have to be atleast a little bit mentally incompetent to not believe in SOMETHING.
Ad hominem does little to help your point.

Elder Spawn
I mean the whole need to worship something is ingrained in the human psyche.
Evidence of such?

Elder Spawn
to disbelieve is just petty and contrary.
imho
As is your opinion, apparently.

Elder Spawn
As of the strong/weak thing. Weak athiests are just agnostics in my opinion, its sad they lack faith, but atleast they don't try to deny it. Thats the real idiocy, the denial.
The same could be said for those who follow some paths of religious faith, as well. Many religions make a claim of a deity. Yet, lack the same ability to prove it, as the strong/hard atheist can provide evidence to deny.
Natas Ferret
Elder Spawn
And I almost agree, you'd have to be atleast a little bit mentally incompetent to not believe in SOMETHING.
Ad hominem does little to help your point.

I don't actually think that my point would accomplish anything here in the first place. Plus, emotion and personal considerations are just as important as sheer logic. Especially when logic requires a common belief in whats right and wrong etc. Thus even logic is based on perspective and is not the end all solution. Ad hominem works just fine.

Natas Ferret
Elder Spawn
I mean the whole need to worship something is ingrained in the human psyche.
Evidence of such?
Every culture, aside from hedonistic ones in their deaththroes, (like this culture, or the Greco-Romans), have belief in some greater beings. So unless humanity's culture is genetic, than how would you explain how all cultures have some sort of religion?

Natas Ferret
Elder Spawn
to disbelieve is just petty and contrary.
imho
As is your opinion, apparently.
Which is just your opinion of my opinion. All perspective.

Natas Ferret
Elder Spawn
As of the strong/weak thing. Weak athiests are just agnostics in my opinion, its sad they lack faith, but atleast they don't try to deny it. Thats the real idiocy, the denial.
The same could be said for those who follow some paths of religious faith, as well. Many religions make a claim of a deity. Yet, lack the same ability to prove it, as the strong/hard atheist can provide evidence to deny.
Yeah except we point to creation as evidence of our beliefs, we point our miracles and other sort of events. The thing is, evidence can be viewed from different perspectives and disbelieved for it. Even if someone had "concrete" evidence of the existance of dieties, someone else would claim its not proof of it. Thats why no one tries to proof it. They just believe it.
You can't prove that killing is wrong. Or right. So why do we make laws against it? Because we believe its wrong. Proof of anything isn't the point. Its the belief in something. We all believe slavery is wrong. And thus its outlawed. Can you prove slavery is wrong? Or killing? There's no concrete evidence saying its right or wrong. Proving anything is not my point. My point is -in my opinion, because this whole place is about opinions, and communicating opinions (and beliefs, even anti-beliefs), I am going to express my belief- people who deny all existance of dieties are mentally incompetent.
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That is the fundamental strong atheist invalidation of god.
Too bad it solely attacks the Judeo-Christian-Islamic god, and no others.
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The burden of proof rests on those making the assertion.
Yep.

Guess what the denial of a god or gods is?
Elder Spawn
So unless humanity's culture is genetic, than how would you explain how all cultures have some sort of religion?
Thirst for knowledge, and explanation. When the physical is lacking, in such an explanation, many turn to the metaphysical.
Many others do not.
It is, as you say, all perspective.

Elder Spawn
Yeah except we point to creation as evidence of our beliefs, we point our miracles and other sort of events.
And the evidence of creation by your specific deity/miraculous event? Many "miracles" are the constituion of the human body, and the fact that we don't give our internal systems enough credit, sometimes.

Elder Spawn
Even if someone had "concrete" evidence of the existance of dieties, someone else would claim its not proof of it. Thats why no one tries to proof it. They just believe it.
Except no one has ever had "concrete evidence" for the existence of deities. Which is why it has always fallen to faith, and not evidence.

Elder Spawn
You can't prove that killing is wrong. Or right. So why do we make laws against it? Because we believe its wrong.
There are no laws against standard killing. Otherwise it would be illegal to breathe, as you kill much when you do so. Murder, which is what I believe you're thinking of, is considered "wrong" by basis of simple social contract.
Killing someone, with no reason, makes the killer a threat to others in a society. As such, most would not want someone, who randomly kills, walking amongst them. So they lock the killer up, or destory the killer. Then forget they ever existed.
I'm not sure why you brought this tangent up, as I have not said that I think killing is wrong. Nor have I made any allusions to such a notion.

Elder Spawn
Proof of anything isn't the point. Its the belief in something. We all believe slavery is wrong. And thus its outlawed.
Again with the made up notions, that I have not made. Nevermind that you're taking general consensus, of a society, and trying to apply it along the lines of believing in an incorporeal item.

Elder Spawn
Can you prove slavery is wrong? Or killing? There's no concrete evidence saying its right or wrong. Proving anything is not my point.
Considering you went off on a tangent, I'm not surprised it doesn't relate to your point.

Elder Spawn
My point is -in my opinion, because this whole place is about opinions, and communicating opinions (and beliefs, even anti-beliefs), I am going to express my belief- people who deny all existance of dieties are mentally incompetent.
Fair enough. My opinion, which has a little more of an edge of mental exercise, falls along with, "those who assert their opinion, with absolutely no backing, nor any indepth thought, are no greater, than that which they degrade."

If you care to actually address the issue, of faith in deities, as opposed to social infractions, you might actually gain something.
Elder Spawn
During the start of the whole Anti-Freemason trend, a judge ruled a man as an incompetent witness because he was an athiest.
And I almost agree, you'd have to be atleast a little bit mentally incompetent to not believe in SOMETHING. I mean the whole need to worship something is ingrained in the human psyche. To disbelieve is just petty and contrary.
imho

So, inregards to being a distrusted minority, I think thats nonsense, they don't ever get together and meet and discuss their common idiocy. But I could do well with a lot less of those people.

As of the strong/weak thing. Weak athiests are just agnostics in my opinion, its sad they lack faith, but atleast they don't try to deny it. Thats the real idiocy, the denial.


Congradulations. You just proved everything in the study. Feel proud.

Seriously though, It's crap like this that people like me have to put up with every damn day.

Where the ******** do you get off thinking that I am any less of a person because I demand proof before I believe in god/ghosts/scientology/angels/etc!?

How would you feel if I said "You know! I kind if agree with the idea that Christians don't make good witnesses. Their belief in things with no real proof whatsoever must make them at least A LITTLE mentally incompetent!"

Starting to see why that pissed me off so bad?

Let me explain something to you. Atheists are just as moral as you or me (I'm agnostic myself. I happen to agree with you in that you can't prove the nonexisence of something as poorly defined as god). More so in some cases because, unlike most christians whom just show up on sundays and have never actually picked up the bible, they have actually put alot of thought into their belief rather than just taking what their parent's told them on faith. Beleive it or not you CAN come to rational conclisions on issues of morality and ethics without needing the bible/koran. You just need a good head and the right intentions. Atheists arent just people "mad at god" (and yes! I have heard them characterized like that) Many are scientists whose studies have dissproved FAR too much of biblical creed to take the idea seriosly. Others are fans of philosophy, others just free thinkers. You can't pigionhole us that easilly. We come in FAR too many varieties for you to do that.

And last time I checked it was christians/muslims/other religions that did most of the killing in the world. I've NEVER heard of an atheist killing someone because his lack of faith in god commanded him to do it.

So let me ask you and all the other christians whom seem to have their heads up their asses a few questions:

1) What study showed that Atheists where any more or less mentally sound than religious folks?

2) Why is it any less valid to believe that what isn't seen doesn't exist than to believe in something that can't be seen and may not exist?

3) What difference is there between taking an atheist off the wittness stand because you think he's incompetent and taking a jewish person off the stand because you think he's too greedy and will be bought off?

4) HOW is 3% of the population that isn't even all that vocal going to do damage in any way shape or form to a country that is doing a fine job of damaging itself as it is?

5) What would be the horrible fallout if, say, 70% of the population of the world eventually beacame Atheist? Prove your claims please.

(sorry if I sound bitter, I've put up with alot of bullcrap over this and have a short temper when it comes to this. That and it's 2:30am)
chibiartstudios
And last time I checked it was christians/muslims/other religions that did most of the killing in the world. I've NEVER heard of an atheist killing someone because his lack of faith in god commanded him to do it.
Apparently, you've never heard of Stalin.

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