Is living as an atheist tantamount to apostasy?

[Searching1]

If, after being baptized, you sincerely adopt the belief that:

-there is no God,
-no supernatural powers or realm,
-that the universe consist ONLY of matter and energy,
-and that mankind is the master of his own history and self…

if you express these beliefs publicly and infamously, in word and in writing whenever confronted with anything you perceive is in opposition to your atheism, are you effectively an apostate?

Or does a formal, singular act of apostacy need to take place?

 

[1Lord1Faith]

if you express these beliefs publicly and infamously, in word and in writing whenever confronted with anything you perceive is in opposition to your atheism, are you effectively an apostate?

Apostate or not, that kind of behavior is immature and obnoxious. Which is more concerning - the related jargon describing the behavior or the behavior itself?

 

[GLam1761]

If you DENY that there is a God AFTER a
public profession of faith in Christ, ie making
a covenant w/ God for redemption thru the
shed Blood of Christ. You will be considered
apostate. However if you do it under extreme
duress and torture, you MAY be reconciled to
the Church…

 

[Elias]

Yes that’s pretty much the definition of an apostate ( in the context of the Church)

 

[strita]

if one was baptised as an infant, but raised as an atheist, then it seems difficult to assert that one is an apostate except in some sort of technical sense.

I don’t understand what you mean by a “formal act of apostasy”? “if you express these beliefs publicly and infamously, in word and in writing whenever confronted with anything you perceive is in opposition to your atheism, are you effectively an apostate?” – sounds like it to me. What more formality are you suggesting? Are you talking about a formal ceremony to become a Freemason, for example ?

 

[0Scarlett_nidiyilii]

Are you asking for a friend?

 

[Searching1]

Are you talking about a formal ceremony to become a Freemason, for example ?

Yes. A formal ceremony to convert to another religion or something like the scenes in the movie Silence, where the people were forced to apostacize by stepping on an image of our Lord.

 

[Dan_Defender]

that the universe consist ONLY of matter and energy,

You need to update your data. Currently scientists hypothesize that the universe is actually mostly made of dark matter and dark energy, and those are not extensions of regular concepts but remain beyond knowledge, they are a mystery!

 

[FiveLinden]

immature and obnoxious

Most of those beliefs are my own sincerely held views. Please don’t describe them in this way.

 

[1Lord1Faith]

I was referring to the way in which the OP is describing how the beliefs are expressed, not the beliefs themselves. So, I could say the same thing about any set of beliefs. In fact, I see immature and obnoxious expressions of Catholic beliefs here on CAF in the same manner as is described in the OP.

 

[Freddy]

I was referring to the way in which the OP is describing how the beliefs are expressed…

Expressing them publicly (as in a forum setting) when questioned about them is immature and obnoxious? I have no idea what the op meant by expressing them ‘infamously’.

 

[GLam1761]

The antithesis of that is the degree exemplifications
for the Knights of Columbus!! we have to revere the
Lord and the paternity of the fellowship.

 

[GLam1761]

My bro. was baptized as a baptist, but joined the
Bahai faith for a number of years, raising his kids
along with his wife in that faith. Later on he and
his family LEFT the Bahai church, Now, he has NO
belief but practices w/ a christian gospel band since
he is a good guitarist, but doesn’t go to church and
as far as I know, doesn’t believe in Christ anymore.
What about his “apostasy”? I think that God will weigh
each one case of “leaving the faith” by the intentions of
the heart. “the furnace for gold, the crucible for silver,
but God weigheth the heart” Prov. 17:3

 

[AlbMagno]

According to my priest, an apostate must go to the parish in which they were baptized and ask to be erased from the records. That is the formal act. However, one might argue that the person is still baptized, per ex opere operato of the Sacaraments, so still the person would have the Holy Spirit fully with them, I think.