How do you feel about atheists?

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Jelrak_TB said:
In dividing belief from knowledge, atheists often allow themselves the ability to gauge one another’s specific outlooks. It is perhaps more absurd to the theist who, as you have already mentioned, would be hard-pressed to explain a belief in a given god that they paradoxically doubt to exist (although I have encountered one who claimed this very stance), but for the atheist it is often helpful as it delivers more insight into the degree or direction of the given atheist so described. Thus as an agnostic-weak-atheist I claim only to be aware that I currently (and may forever) lack sufficient knowledge to make a definitive statement with regards to the existence of a god or gods, but as a weak atheist I have made a conscious decision to assess the limited information that I have to this point acquired in a direction that leads me to lack a belief in such a thing. Essentially, in an effort to distinguish myself from a strong, positive (or militant) atheist, I am declaring:

I do not currently believe in God/gods; I do not know that this is definitively or objectively true; I would be potentially willing to change my position with sufficient evidence or a given level of experience.
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In dividing belief from knowledge???

They are totally different things, that has nothing to do the atheism or theism.
 
MrEmpiricism said:
In dividing belief from knowledge???

They are totally different things, that has nothing to do the atheism or theism.
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Perhaps it was not clear, but simply this: often times an atheist is described in generic terms, whereas most atheists seek to clarify the difference between their positions of knowledge versus belief…something which should have been evident with a patient reading of my post…

…particularly given that you seemingly appear to have succeeded in describing the identical division in your own previous post:
MrEmpiricism said:
Gnostic and Agnostic are positions regarding knowledge.

Theism and Atheism are positions regarding belief
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…but then we atheists do love to quibble over semantics…😉
 
Faithdancer said:
Why don’t you explain, for the benefit of all here, what an “atheist” is and what an “agnostic” is, and how one can be both at the same time.
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I’ve always found it so confusing to put such nuance into a neat little label. But for the most part, it seems most people aren’t interested in or grasp the varieties of nonbelief.

I’ve always found “agnostic atheist” to mean “I don’t believe in God (atheist), but I can’t disapprove His existence (agnostic).”. A few inspirations might include that His existence is unknowable.

After all I can’t claim to know the entire universe and beyond.
 
Jelrak_TB said:
Perhaps it was not clear, but simply this: often times an atheist is described in generic terms, whereas most atheists seek to clarify the difference between their positions of knowledge versus belief…something which should have been evident with a patient reading of my post…

…particularly given that you seemingly appear to have succeeded in describing the identical division in your own previous post:

…but then we atheists do love to quibble over semantics…😉
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Fair enough, I should have read your post more patiently. 😃

I used to enjoy explaining the semantics of my position but I now find repeating the same explanations to be trying at times, so I simply explain my position as this… I do not accept the claim that a god exists for as of yet no one who has made such a claim has met their burden of proof.
 
MrEmpiricism said:
Gnostic and Agnostic are positions regarding knowledge.

Theism and Atheism are positions regarding belief or to be more exact position regarding a particular claim and if you BELEIVE the claim, with the claim being there is a god. If you accept that claim in any form you are a theist (or you could be a subset know as deist). If asked if you believe in a god and you answer with any other answer than one that means yes, including I do not** know**, you are an atheist.

An atheist is simply someone that does not accept the claim that there is a god. Note, this is NOT the same as claiming there is not a god… For example I have a coin in my hand, I am telling you it is a heads, do you believe me? Well clearly you have no way to know so it if perfectly logical for you to not accept my claim it is a heads. That does NOT mean you think it is a tails.
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“Atheism” literally means, “no God.” Seems like there is a lot of hair splitting. Either you believe in God, you’re not sure, or you don’t. Anything else is sophistry.

And btw, just so you know (and I see that you’re new) we capitalize the word “God” here, . In fact in prescriptive English it is proper to capitalize the word God anytime one is referring to the Christian God, whether you believe in Him or not.🙂
 
Faithdancer said:
“Atheism” literally means, “no God.” Seems like there is a lot of hair splitting. Either you believe in God, you’re not sure, or you don’t. Anything else is sophistry.

And btw, just so you know (and I see that you’re new) we capitalize the word “God” here, . In fact in prescriptive English it is proper to capitalize the word God anytime one is referring to the Christian God, whether you believe in Him or not.🙂
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Actually atheism literally means without-theos or theism, not god.
 
Faithdancer said:
“Atheism” literally means, “no God.” Seems like there is a lot of hair splitting. Either you believe in God, you’re not sure, or you don’t. Anything else is sophistry.

And btw, just so you know (and I see that you’re new) we capitalize the word “God” here, . In fact in prescriptive English it is proper to capitalize the word God anytime one is referring to the Christian God, whether you believe in Him or not.🙂
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I don’t care about propriety or reverence in this discussion, but about accuracy.

God and gods are entirely different. Until we get that clear, no substantive discussion is really possible.

To say that one doesn’t believe in gods is trivial. It’s probably a foolish bit of Enlightenment prejudice, but it’s not theologically significant.

Edwin
 
Faithdancer said:
Seriously? What do you think “theos” means??
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It means theism, which means belief in the existence of a god or gods. But like I said above…

I simply explain my position as this… I do not accept the claim that a god exists for as of yet no one who has made such a claim has met their burden of proof.
 
MrEmpiricism said:
It means theism, which means belief in the existence of a god or gods. But like I said above…

I simply explain my position as this… I do not accept the claim that a god exists for as of yet no one who has made such a claim has met their burden of proof.
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Who establishes this burden of proof? And let’s restrict the discussion to the Judeo- Christian God, which is the God that CAF is founded upon. God in three Persons. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. That is the only God Christians believe in and this is a Christian forum, not an atheist, pagan, Zoroastrian, Zen, what-have-you forum.
 
Faithdancer said:
Then my burden of proof is that God is self-evident in His works, in His word, in the power of the Holy Spirit. I meet my burden of proof so voila. God exists.
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Well there we go, then my burden of proof is that thor is self-evident in his works, in his word, in the power of the holy spirit. I meet my burden of proof so voila. Thor exists.

Sorry but through no understanding of epistemology can you meet the burden of proof through unfounded assertions :rolleyes:.
 
lax16 said:
How do receive information with which you make decisions?

Are x-rays anecdotal?
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Well until the data it presented for verification it is nothing more than anecdotal, that is a simple fact :confused:.
 
MrEmpiricism said:
Well there we go, then my burden of proof is that thor is self-evident in his works, in his word, in the power of the holy spirit. I meet my burden of proof so voila. Thor exists.

Sorry but through no understanding of epistemology can you meet the burden of proof through unfounded assertions :rolleyes:.
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Now that’s original, comparing the God of Jews and Christians to Thor, or to the Easter Bunny. You’ve said nothing that veteran members here haven’t heard a thousand times before, with the circular arguments, the sophistry. the insulting comparisons, and the childish refusal to capitalize the name of God. I can only conclude that your sole purpose here is to be a provocateur. The bottom line is, (once again) you either believe in God, you don’t or you’re not sure.
I will pray for the Holy Spirit to work in your heart. 🙂
 
lax16 said:
Okay. How may I present the data to you?

What about x-rays?
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Sure send me the x-rays, then the methodology you used to exclude the variables and calculate the probabilities. In fact why even send it to me? Why not publish it, prove the existence of god, and collect your Nobel Prize. You will literally be the most famous person that has ever lived! 👍
 
Some of the posts on this thread really bother and upset me. I am Agnostic, which means I have no knowledge of whether there is a God or not. To suggest that Atheists do not deserve respect because they do not believe is sickening to me. To say that all Atheists are arrogant is like suggesting all Catholics hate women - simply not true.
punisherthunder said:
How do you feel about atheists? Do you pity them? Hope for them? Argue with them? Pray for them?
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Atheists are people. I believe that people should not be judged by their religious belief or lack of belief. People should be judged on their words and actions.

Do I pity them? No. I hope people don’t pity me, either because that’s not what I want at all. The people I pity the most are those seen quite frequently on these forums asking “is ______ a sin?” because they are unable to tell whether they have just committed an offence or are scrupulous.

Lou
 
punisherthunder said:
How do you feel about atheists? Do you pity them? Hope for them? Argue with them? Pray for them?
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I’m married to one, and he is my heart. 🙂

I converted from atheism. I pray that all people are led to Christ.

What I think about atheists, is that when it comes to faith, they are stubborn. I don’t think atheists are unique in being stubborn about faith. I think most people are. 😃
 
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