Learning to become an Atheist

[Bishadi]

how does a person learn to become an atheist?

Is there a bible to it?

Or is it possible that most atheist (self prescribed) were once religious?

name some why's that would cause such a conversion

(please, no bigotry items)


Then; i ask, are people born atheist?

 

[spidergoat]

Well, for me there was that Santa thing. I was never taught to believe in it, but I was shocked that some kids did, and that the parents knew they did and liked the fact that they were fooling them. I thought, if people can lie about that, what else are they lying about?

It helps if your parents do not confuse facts with make-believe from the very beginning.

 

[S.A.M.]

Then; i ask, are people born atheist?

I'd say so, all the ones I have met were uncomfortable with belief. There are some who were fanatics as religious people and simply change the focus of their fanaticism but usually people without belief are like that since birth.

 

[Bishadi]

I'd say so, all the ones I have met were uncomfortable with belief.

So all people are born atheist and uncomfortable with beliefs.

I can go with that.

but then some change into the utter kind, right?

There are some who were fanatics as religious people and simply change the focus of their fanaticism but usually people without belief are like that since birth.

basically, all are born straight and have to learn religion?

i can go with that too.

 

[Bishadi]

Well, for me there was that Santa thing. I was never taught to believe in it, but I was shocked that some kids did, and that the parents knew they did and liked the fact that they were fooling them. I thought, if people can lie about that, what else are they lying about?

It helps if your parents do not confuse facts with make-believe from the very beginning.

make-believe coming from our own rearing?

it would have too, as we all know knowledge does not just pop into our heads.

kind of funny, to realize we born good and then get messed up (contradicts quite a few religious beliefs.....ie.. what is baptism for?)

So how does a person learn to be an atheist?

 

[spidergoat]

We are born to believe what our parent say. This is a vital skill burned into our genes by evolution. We learn to be atheist by learning to overcome this trait and question what is reasonable to be questioned.

 

[baftan]

We are born to believe what our parent say. This is a vital skill burned into our genes by evolution. We learn to be atheist by learning to overcome this trait and question what is reasonable to be questioned.

Agreed. That's more or less summarizes the topic.

 

[mike47]

Well, for me there was that Santa thing. I was never taught to believe in it, but I was shocked that some kids did, and that the parents knew they did and liked the fact that they were fooling them. I thought, if people can lie about that, what else are they lying about?

It helps if your parents do not confuse facts with make-believe from the very beginning.

You said in previous posts that you are a Jew . I understand Jews have no Santa . Am I misunderstanding something here ?.
Atheism is a personal philosophy whereas a person is convinced there is no God ( creator ) . Of course an Atheist has no religion . Atheists follow logic so their bible can be said logic and reason .

 

[mike47]

I'd say so, all the ones I have met were uncomfortable with belief. There are some who were fanatics as religious people and simply change the focus of their fanaticism but usually people without belief are like that since birth.

Since birth ?.
People do not think since birth . At early stages in life one just follows instinct .

 

[spidergoat]

I had that advantage, that my parents never tried to fool me with belief in Santa. Therefore, I was able to see how absurd it was that some kids believed it. I just extended that idea to religion in general, but for a long time I was merely agnostic.

 

[Bishadi]

Atheism is a personal philosophy whereas a person is convinced there is no God ( creator ) .

So born, with no knowledge of God to begin with and then......?

Of course an Atheist has no religion . Atheists follow logic so their bible can be said logic and reason .

kind of like 'follow no one' but a use logic and reason....?

So without someone telling the child, about a God, then it may be easier to just learn everything else and naturally be atheist.

Does an atheist have to say, they don't believe in a creator?

 

[Crunchy Cat]

how does a person learn to become an atheist?

One way is to value truth over psychological satiation.

Is there a bible to it?

Nope.

Or is it possible that most atheist (self prescribed) were once religious?

Don't know.

name some why's that would cause such a conversion

(please, no bigotry items)

* All human claims of 'God' existing are false.
* Humans naturally anthropomoprhize.
* Humans are naturally social and hierarchical.
* Humans naturally believe.
* Humans often value psychological satiation more than truth.
* Humans often have difficulty separating subjective form objective.

Then; i ask, are people born atheist?

Yep.

 

[spidergoat]

Originally Posted by Bishadi
Or is it possible that most atheist (self prescribed) were once religious?

I was always interested in religion, does that make me religious?

 

[Bishadi]

I was always interested in religion, does that make me religious?

what's a religion?

who taught you that and not santa claus?

 

[spidergoat]

Self taught.

 

[Bishadi]

One way is to value truth over psychological satiation.

is that what this paper is about?

http://gestalttheory.net/archive/lewinp2.pdf

* All human claims of 'God' existing are false.
* Humans naturally anthropomoprhize.
* Humans are naturally social and hierarchical.
* Humans naturally believe.
* Humans often value psychological satiation more than truth.
* Humans often have difficulty separating subjective form objective.

those looks real technical

these could perhaps be expanded to assist the little guys like me

 

[Bishadi]

Self taught.

do you have a bias?

Did you become religious or are you still kind of atheist (like when born)?

 

[baftan]

* All human claims of 'God' existing are false.

fair enough, however:

* Humans naturally anthropomoprhize.

Humans socially anthropomorphize, not naturally. Otherwise we can not understand the different human understandings such as the belief systems of hunter gatheres who tend to see humans as a part of wider nature.

* Humans are naturally social and hierarchical.

Could be. Yet this being social and hierarchial differ from the natural ones. Many animals share these norms, yet they do not make written rules or establish institutions to support their social structures. Ours is political, rather than natural.

* Humans naturally believe.

If it means that "we believe due to our human nature", I would like to ask what is human nature, and how do we define it to find a concrete place for belief.

* Humans often value psychological satiation more than truth.

Maybe they think what they value is actually truth. They don't say that "I value this because it is psychological, and I ignore the truth."

* Humans often have difficulty separating subjective form objective.

Some people under certain situations. We can not generalise, even if we use the word "often", in order to leave an open door.

 

[spidergoat]

do you have a bias?

Did you become religious or are you still kind of atheist (like when born)?

The atheism of a baby is weak atheism. Strong atheism is active disbelief. I am the latter. I'm not sure what being religious means. The topics that are often addressed under the heading of religion are of interest to me, but I never completely accepted any belief system. I did practice Buddhism from about 16-21, which culminated in what some people would call a spiritual experience. I think my later studies about atheism were a natural extension of this.

 

[Bishadi]

The atheism of a baby is weak atheism. Strong atheism is active disbelief. I am the latter.

i just realized, that a baby is not really religious or atheist; what label can someone come up with that makes it kind of fair to both.

I'm not sure what being religious means.

i often have the same feeling. what is "being" religious? could be a topic

The topics that are often addressed under the heading of religion are of interest to me, but I never completely accepted any belief system. I did practice Buddhism from about 16-21, which culminated in what some people would call a spiritual experience. I think my later studies about atheism were a natural extension of this.

sounds like you've been evolving all throughout life.

me too