The two of you are not alike, not to me.
When/ how did you become an atheist?
- Thread starter spidergoat
- Start date
The two of you are not alike, not to me.
Time to call Spidergoat.
Hmmm....
No but everything points in the same direction. Also Jedi is an official religion in the UK. Anyway it doesn't matter. Nobody can predict the future. What I can say though, is that it would be naive to think that religion cannot possibly go extinct at some point in the future.
About what?
I am sure you and Spidergoat will have a jolly good time together!
I have been told I am atheist because I don't believe in god. I have no problems with that, it's just a label.
However, I do have problems with people then telling me what I do believe.
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I wasn't choosing to engage you. Just making an overarching comment applicable to the topic of this threat. (Why'd he get banned?)
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The word atheism can refer to various things. It can describe a lack of belief, as with infants, or it can describe a deliberate informed disbelief, or it can be used to describe the modern atheist movement with all it's connections to the enlightenment, rationality, science, and secular humanism. I think talking about what this word means is boring.
Because you can be free in your own mind without thinking someone is watching and judging you.
This thread was only addressing people who are already atheist. Seems like it has drifted off topic a bit.
Your question “Why should I become an atheist?” sounds like a new topic. Why don't you consider posting it as a new topic. I can guarantee you will get a good response. I can't ask that question, because I am an atheist.
You're using Spidergoat as a reference. Impressive. Is he some sort of deity?
Anyway it has already been established that there are various interpretations and uses of the word atheism. I think it's fair to say that it has been discussed plenty here on the forums.
I will refer to the popular atheist PZ Meyers:
http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2011/02/why_are_you_an_atheist.php
Dictionary Atheists. Boy, I really do hate these guys. You've got a discussion going, talking about why you're an atheist, or what atheism should mean to the community, or some such topic that is dealing with our ideas and society, and some smug wanker comes along and announces that "Atheism means you lack a belief in gods. Nothing more. Quit trying to add meaning to the term." As if atheism can only be some platonic ideal floating in virtual space with no connections to anything else; as if atheists are people who have attained a zen-like ideal, their minds a void, containing nothing but atheism, which itself is nothing. Dumbasses.
http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2011/02/why_are_you_an_atheist.php
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Yes, sort of, since he is smart, and he has a thread in which he is 'God', or at least the second son of.
I reckon he's got it about right.
All hail Spidergoat (the one and only deity I am entertaining at the moment
)I disagree with that definition. He wants to redefine the word just like our theist friends. I don't like it because several definitions of the same word lead to confusion.
He talks like the "dictionary atheists" define themselves in their lack of belief. It's pretty silly really. Atheism is just a label to describe a person who doesn't believe in god stuff. Whatever else that person is, can also be described. He might think of himself as a "strong" atheist like spidergoat does. What that really means is that other than being an atheist he is also an antitheist. He believes no gods and he believes that religion is positively harmful to humanity. That's not atheism though. That's antitheism and atheism.
Signal is trying to "make the atheists fight eachother" over definitions of atheism. Spidergoat is trying to hijack the word atheism into his "strong atheism"/antitheism/neo-atheism camp. I just tell you what the words actually mean. I know that language is organic, but you're actually making the language poorer by this attempt of redefinition.
He talks like the "dictionary atheists" define themselves in their lack of belief. It's pretty silly really. Atheism is just a label to describe a person who doesn't believe in god stuff. Whatever else that person is, can also be described. He might think of himself as a "strong" atheist like spidergoat does. What that really means is that other than being an atheist he is also an antitheist. He believes no gods and he believes that religion is positively harmful to humanity. That's not atheism though. That's antitheism and atheism.
Signal is trying to "make the atheists fight eachother" over definitions of atheism. Spidergoat is trying to hijack the word atheism into his "strong atheism"/antitheism/neo-atheism camp. I just tell you what the words actually mean. I know that language is organic, but you're actually making the language poorer by this attempt of redefinition.