What set of beliefs do atheist follow? and why?
kalinka
year of school. I would appreciate if any atheists could
share with me the beliefs that they have and how they
affect their day to day lives. Also, majority of people
follow religion, why do atheists choose not to?
* Sent from AltaVista http://www.altavista.com Where you can also find related Web Pages, Images, Audios, Videos, News, and Shopping. Smart is Beautiful
Dr Sinister
<18489d36...@usw-ex0108-061.remarq.com>:
>I am researching religion and non-religion for my final
>year of school. I would appreciate if any atheists could
>share with me the beliefs that they have and how they
>affect their day to day lives. Also, majority of people
>follow religion, why do atheists choose not to?
Why bother asking this? Atheists will simply tell you that atheism
isn't a belief, and then proceed to avoid your question about what
atheists believe.
--
If atheism is the lack of belief in god, then baldness is the lack of
belief in hair. - Jean Paul Sartre
Julie Kale
>Date: 5/3/00 11:35 PM Central Daylight Time
>Message-id: <18489d36...@usw-ex0108-061.remarq.com>
>
>I am researching religion and non-religion for my final
>year of school. I would appreciate if any atheists could
>share with me the beliefs that they have and how they
>affect their day to day lives. Also, majority of people
>follow religion, why do atheists choose not to?
What about us agnostics???? <sniff>
I don't know what they believe, but they don't believe in god.
I personaly believe in myself, and the goodness of humanity. And that is why I
do not follow organized religion.
*Julie Kale
*alt.atheism athiest\agnostic #1029
*I only talk to god when I'm having sex.
raven1
wrote:
>kalinka_0...@yahoo.com.invalid (kalinka) wrote in
><18489d36...@usw-ex0108-061.remarq.com>:
>
>>I am researching religion and non-religion for my final
>>year of school. I would appreciate if any atheists could
>>share with me the beliefs that they have and how they
>>affect their day to day lives. Also, majority of people
>>follow religion, why do atheists choose not to?
>
>
>Why bother asking this? Atheists will simply tell you that atheism
>isn't a belief,
Which is correct, as you are well aware.
> and then proceed to avoid your question about what
>atheists believe.
Of course, Dr. Sinister should know, since he wrote the book on
avoiding questions about what he actually believes. Cowardice or
immaturity?: you make the call.
Go ahead Arvin. Enlighten us from that pile of feces you call a brain,
oh exalted guru.
Sniper
>
> kalinka_0...@yahoo.com.invalid (kalinka) wrote in
> <18489d36...@usw-ex0108-061.remarq.com>:
>
> >I am researching religion and non-religion for my final
> >year of school. I would appreciate if any atheists could
> >share with me the beliefs that they have and how they
> >affect their day to day lives. Also, majority of people
> >follow religion, why do atheists choose not to?
>
> Why bother asking this? Atheists will simply tell you that atheism
> atheists believe.
An honest atheist will tell you that they believe that
"god" is an imaginary concept. An honest atheist will
tell you that they believe that all the definitions of
"god" that they've heard about seem improbable, if not
downright impossible. An honest atheist will tell you
that atheism _is_ a _belief_ that gods do _not_ exist.
The wishy-washy atheist will tell you that they lack
beliefs that gods exist, _and_ that they lack beliefs
that gods do not exist. IOW, like the doc said, they
won't tell you anything, or at least anything of any
real substance.
I really don't know how someone can claim to lack
(have an absense of belief) that something that
they've been told about exists, _and_ claim to lack
(have an absense of belief) that something that
they've been told about does not exist, both at the
same time.
Go figure.
Johnny Bravo
<kalinka_0...@yahoo.com.invalid> wrote:
>I am researching religion and non-religion for my final
>year of school. I would appreciate if any atheists could
>share with me the beliefs that they have and how they
>affect their day to day lives.
I'll make it easy for you. Chances are there is at least one
imaginary thing you don't believe in, Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny,
Lucky the Leprechaun, ect. For this example I'll pick Santa Claus.
Write down how your lack of belief in Santa affects your beliefs and
how it affects your day to day life.
Now you have your answer. It doesn't matter one bit to us and
doesn't affect us at all, no more than our lack of belief in the
Easter Bunny does.
> Also, majority of people
>follow religion, why do atheists choose not to?
You score partial credit for that statement. There are roughly
20,000 known religions on this planet. For most of those religious
people, they choose not to follow 19,999 of them. We only follow one
less than they do. 19,999 to 20,000 is not a hell of a lot of
difference.
Personally, I can't see how people can find so much difference in
one of those 20,000 out of all the others that makes them willing to
kill members of the other 19,999. The majority of people are
gullible. That might have something to do with it.
--
Best Wishes,
Johnny Bravo
BAAWA Knight, EAC - Temporal Adjustments Division
"The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability
of the human mind to correlate all it's contents." - HPL
Dr Sinister
<pc42hssvmfkuc1h75...@4ax.com>:
(snip)
>Of course, Dr. Sinister should know, since he wrote the book on
>avoiding questions about what he actually believes.
I told you before. I believe in my toaster.
>Cowardice or immaturity?: you make the call.
Do you recall writing this, raven1?...
[raven1]"There is no "atheist perspective", Mikey. The only thing that
all atheists have in common is that we lack belief in god/s. Atheism qua
atheism begins and ends there, and implies no perspective on anything
else. This has been patiently explained to you literally dozens of
times. Have you actually bothered to listen to anything that we've
said to you?"
[From: raven1, Subject: Whats Atheism?]"The lack of belief in god/desses.
No other philosophical/political/ethical baggage is included or implied."
[raven1]"Oh go stick it in your ear. Atheism qua atheism is simply the
lack of belief in (however one chooses to define it) any kind of "deity".
It makes no judgement of what "can" or "cannot" exist, nor does it
include any political or philosophical implications. "
Moreover, your atheist dominatrix Michelle has this to say:
[Malkin] "I'm an atheist and I do have a world view which is none of your
business."
[Malkin] "As far as my own views are concerned, they are my own."
--
rav...@mailops.com (raven1):
"It's OK, I love you anyway. Especially the way you let my cum dribble
down your chin after you blow me."
Carl Wilson
"Dr Sinister" <drsin...@my-deja.com> wrote in message
news:8F2A9D9...@216.254.136.142...
> >year of school. I would appreciate if any atheists could
> >share with me the beliefs that they have and how they
> >follow religion, why do atheists choose not to?
>
>
> isn't a belief, and then proceed to avoid your question about what
> atheists believe.
And then again the god grovelers in our midst simply can't grasp the notion
that everybody doesn't share their particular beliefs. And if anything is
beyond their particular comprehension level, then they simply twist it into
something they *do* understand. Like turning "lacks belief" into "belief".
--
**************************************************
EAC Department of Bible Recycling
http://www.angelfire.com/ok3/EAC/
Atheist # 1665
"Creationists make it sound as though a 'theory' is
something you dreamt up after being drunk all night."
[Isaac Asimov]
**************************************************
Carl Wilson
"Sniper" <sni...@gotcha.com> wrote in message
news:3910BFE5...@gotcha.com...
> Dr Sinister wrote:
> >
> > kalinka_0...@yahoo.com.invalid (kalinka) wrote in
> > <18489d36...@usw-ex0108-061.remarq.com>:
> >
> > >I am researching religion and non-religion for my final
> > >year of school. I would appreciate if any atheists could
> > >share with me the beliefs that they have and how they
> > >affect their day to day lives. Also, majority of people
> > >follow religion, why do atheists choose not to?
> >
> > Why bother asking this? Atheists will simply tell you that atheism
> > isn't a belief, and then proceed to avoid your question about what
> > atheists believe.
>
> "god" is an imaginary concept. An honest atheist will
> tell you that they believe that all the definitions of
> "god" that they've heard about seem improbable, if not
> downright impossible. An honest atheist will tell you
> that atheism _is_ a _belief_ that gods do _not_ exist.
> The wishy-washy atheist will tell you that they lack
> beliefs that gods exist, _and_ that they lack beliefs
> that gods do not exist. IOW, like the doc said, they
> won't tell you anything, or at least anything of any
> real substance.
>
> I really don't know how someone can claim to lack
> (have an absense of belief) that something that
> they've been told about exists, _and_ claim to lack
> (have an absense of belief) that something that
> they've been told about does not exist, both at the
> same time.
Simple. It's called evidence, or the lack thereof. For example, I
"believe" that mindless fundamentalist Christians exist because I have good
evidence that they exist. On the other hand I lack a belief in this thing
these people wail about called "God" because I have yet to see any good
evidence that any gods exist, let alone the virgin humping Christian
variety. Simple enough?
Nat
>I am researching religion and non-religion for my final
>year of school. I would appreciate if any atheists could
>share with me the beliefs that they have and how they
>affect their day to day lives. Also, majority of people
>follow religion, why do atheists choose not to?
We're not a religion. Each atheist has his/her own set of beliefs.
I, for one, believe that there is no such thing as a
god/goddess/ghost/saint/spirt/soul/afterlife/devil/fate/etc.. I don't
believe in the "big bang" either.
In fact, quite honestly, I don't have any beliefs, except that I must
live my life without hurting others, in a way that I can look at
myself in the mirror in the morning and not be ashamed of being the
person in the reflection. If I fuck up, I learn from my mistakes and
keep going, trying to avoid doing the same thing in the future.
When I have a problem, I work on overcoming it, rather than pray for
the assistance of an imaginary "god." I don't need an omniscient,
omnipotent being to keep me company or to help me through rough times;
that is what my friends, my family and my self-confidence are for. By
the same token, when bad things happen I never place the blame on
such a "being." Tornadoes happen because of natural causes, not
because "god" decided to blow hundreds of farms off the face of the
earth. A hurricaine happens because of a combination of meteorological
factors, not because god felt like wiping an island out. If I do bad
on a test, it's because I didn't study, not because god didn't help.
And when people die of illnesses, it's because their bodies gave out,
not because god wanted them to be in heaven.
As to why people choose to follow religion... I can't speak for
everyone. I know that a lot of people feel that by placing their
faith in someone "greater than themselves" they have more chances of
getting through rough times; others simply need to blame someone other
than themselves or nature or the people around them when bad things
happen. I really haven't bothered to look into why people have faith
in all these different gods and spirits, and quite honestly I don't
understand them. However, I feel that people should be free to think,
feel, worship and act in a way that makes them happy, just as long as
they don't overstep into someone else's right to do the same. If you
want to worship your toaster, go right ahead, for all I care. Just
don't try to make me do the same.
-- Nat (a.a. #1750)
*****************************************************************************************
Live not as though there were a thousand years ahead of you.
Fate is at your elbow; make yourself good while life and power are still yours.
-Marcus Aurelius
****************************************************************************************
Blowero
>I am researching religion and non-religion for my final
>year of school. I would appreciate if any atheists could
>share with me the beliefs that they have and how they
>affect their day to day lives.
Just so you're clear on this - since atheism is not a religion, it does not
have a set of beliefs that go with it, although many of us might have certain
things in common. So I assume you are asking us each to state our beliefs as
individuals. Kind of a strange question, though, since everyone has their own
set of beliefs, and even religious people have individual beliefs seperate from
their common religious beliefs, so I'm not sure why you would single out
atheists for such a question.
Having said that, here are some things I believe:
1. Life will be better for all if you follow the "golden rule" - i.e. be nice
to other people.
2. You're only gonna get one chance at life, so you might as well do the best
you can right now.
3. We all have brains - we should use them.
4. Cap'n Crunch isn't just for kids.
Also, majority of people
>follow religion, why do atheists choose not to?
Because I find it impossible to believe something that I don't think is true.
I see no evidence of a God, therefore I have no choice but to not believe in
Him.
Also, your question seems to imply that if a lot of people believe something,
then that would make it right. Of course you must know that this is not true.
Just ask all the people who went along with Hitler.
-Blowero
Atheist #1663
White Raven
kalinka <kalinka_0...@yahoo.com.invalid> wrote:
> I am researching religion and non-religion for my final
> year of school. I would appreciate if any atheists could
> share with me the beliefs that they have and how they
> follow religion, why do atheists choose not to?
I won't simply tell you "atheism is not a system of beliefes", I'll
explain the problem you're running into. Think about it, atheism exists
only as the lack of athesim. Therefore, it is of the same breadth of
range as atheism. Whoud you try to define the beliefes of "theism"?
Other than "they believe in a god or gods" there's not much to say. The
same is true of atheists.
Now, you can feel free to create your own sub-catagories of atheism for
your research. You just need to keep in mind that, on the theist side
you only talk about "what they believe" on the level of individual
religions. Atheism is a much more general term than, say, "christian"
and you can't even get a very long list of beliefes all christians
believe in.
--
White Raven... Sad as a lonely little wrinkled balloon.
Fact: A state or an event.
Theory: Our explanation of a fact.
Beliefe: What we wish the facts were.
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
Goatboy
news:18489d36...@usw-ex0108-061.remarq.com...
> I am researching religion and non-religion for my final
> year of school. I would appreciate if any atheists could
> share with me the beliefs that they have and how they
> affect their day to day lives. Also, majority of people
> follow religion, why do atheists choose not to?
I'll try to answer that question directly, i.e. share the beliefs that I
have:
I believe that god's are a construct of man, designed for use both as an
emotional crutch and an easy answer for difficult questions.
I believe that this construct has become less and less necessary throughout
the history of mankind, and that continued belief in the construct borders
on the ridiculous.
I believe that the continued power of the various churches over the various
nations of the world has a negative effect.
I believe that it is unfair that The Church Of England should have a say in
how I live my life, yet they continue to do so.
I believe that the idea of a fundamentalist christian running the most
powerful and most heavily armed country in the world is incredibly scary.
I don't know that one chooses not to "follow religion", as such. You just
realise one day that it's pretty silly, living your life according to
outdated myths and rules written by primitives, for primitives, about
primitives. If I told you to hop everywhere, would you do it?
--
Goatboy
aa#1684
http://www.markrendle.co.uk/eac/
Remember: It's Just A Ride.
Cynical Prophet
> I am researching religion and non-religion for my final
> year of school. I would appreciate if any atheists
> could share with me the beliefs that they have and how
> they affect their day to day lives. Also, majority of
> people follow religion, why do atheists choose not to?
I assume that you're not an atheist yourself, otherwise
you'd know the answar. I take the liberty to assume that
you are a Christian, since that's the belief that the
majority of English-speaking people have.
So, I can be safe to assume that you do not believe in
Allah? (if you DO belive in Allah, just replace the
word "Allah" with the word "Yehova") Well, we kinda' have
the same relationship with God (and all other gods, for
that matter). The reason you've been getting some rather
harsh answars to your question will only be obvious when
youask yourself the following question: Can you share with
me the beliefs you have in not believing in Allah, and how
they affect you in your day-to-day life? Many people follow
Allah, why don't you?
In other words, atheism is simply another way of
saying "I don't believe in any gods". You can be a humanist
atheist, you can be a nazist atheist, you can be a
deterministic atheist, you can be a moral-objectivistic
atheist, you can be a fanatical reader of Nietzsche, you
can consider Teletubbies to be the best show ever made,
hell, you don't even have to believe in evolution to be an
atheist; all that matters is that you don't believe in
gods. Where you take it from there, doesn't really matter
to your question.
Morgan
chibiabos
<kalinka_0...@yahoo.com.invalid> wrote:
> I am researching religion and non-religion for my final
> year of school. I would appreciate if any atheists could
> share with me the beliefs that they have and how they
> affect their day to day lives. Also, majority of people
> follow religion, why do atheists choose not to?
I'm an atheist, but I believe with all my heart in zymurgy. It affects
my life in major ways almost every day. :)
-chib
--
wild(at our first)beasts uttered human words
--our second coming made stones sing like birds--
but o the starhushed silence which our third's
--e.e. cummings
Edgar A Pearlstein
kalinka (kalinka_0...@yahoo.com.invalid) wrote:
: I am researching religion and non-religion for my final
: year of school. I would appreciate if any atheists could
: share with me the beliefs that they have and how they
: affect their day to day lives. Also, majority of people
: follow religion, why do atheists choose not to?
There is no "set" of beliefs. The only thing atheists have in common
is that they don't believe in gods. I.e. they have a NON-belief.
Beyond that, atheists might be conservative or liberal, smart or
dumb, saints or scoundrels, etc, just like religious people.
ClaySkye
>year of school. I would appreciate if any atheists could
>share with me the beliefs that they have and how they
>affect their day to day lives.
The "beliefs" of atheists will be different for everyone, just as if you asked
anyone for their personal beliefs. I think the only time you would get
someones religious beliefs is if you specifically asked someone for those.
Since atheists don't have a religious belief, you will get a personal answer.
That would be a neat experiment ask for personal beliefs on one questionaire
and religious beliefs on a second and then afterward in the post interview ask
for religion and compare. See if the religious people put down their religious
beliefs when the word religion was not there.
>Also, majority of people
>follow religion, why do atheists choose not to?
Atheists do not believe in god. That's kind of a prerequisite for most
religions.
>* Sent from AltaVista http://www.altavista.com Where you can also find
>related Web Pages, Images, Audios, Videos, News, and Shopping. Smart is
>Beautiful
ClayeSkye
#4 (Head of EAC Department of Education/Reeducation)
I still believe that I cannot be saved-Smashing Pumpkins
Rednecks didn't do this. Rednecks aren't this creative-Michael, The Blair
Witch Project
hes...@my-deja.com
Thanks for pointing out the difference between "atheism"
and "an atheist".
What will you do for your next trick, attempt a
lame insult?
Tichy
Julie Kale <iro...@cs.comJUNK> wrote in message
news:20000504015453...@ng-fg1.news.cs.com...
> >From: kalinka kalinka_0...@yahoo.com.invalid
> >Date: 5/3/00 11:35 PM Central Daylight Time
> >Message-id: <18489d36...@usw-ex0108-061.remarq.com>
> >
> >year of school. I would appreciate if any atheists could
> >share with me the beliefs that they have and how they
> >follow religion, why do atheists choose not to?
>
>
> I don't know what they believe, but they don't believe in god.
>
> I personaly believe in myself, and the goodness of humanity. And that is
why I
> do not follow organized religion.
Upon what objective evidence do you base this belief?
--
Cheers,
Tichy
General Director, THEOHIPPIP
Don Kresch
>I am researching religion and non-religion for my final
>year of school. I would appreciate if any atheists could
>share with me the beliefs that they have and how they
>affect their day to day lives. Also, majority of people
>follow religion, why do atheists choose not to?
Well, it's not going to have anything to do with atheism per se, since
atheism strictly has to do with lacking belief in the existence of a god or
gods. Each atheist has his or her own beliefs; there's no set of beliefs we
must follow.
Myself I believe in me. I believe that there is one reality, and it exists
independently of our whims, wishes or our observation. That in order to live
properly we must discover the proper way to discern truth from falsity (reason)
and that individuals are born with inherent rights which can only be violated
by an initiation of force.
Why am I not religious? Because gods are a silly concept and religion is
just the cover for a silly belief.
Don
aa #51, Knight of BAAWA, DNRC o-, EAC Decryption squad
Atheist Minister for St. Dogbert.
"No being is so important that he can usurp the rights of another"
Picard to Data/Graves "The Schizoid Man"
Tirdun
> year of school. I would appreciate if any atheists could
> share with me the beliefs that they have and how they
> affect their day to day lives. Also, majority of people
> follow religion, why do atheists choose not to?
I think that you will run into the same problem that many find when
they try to categorize atheism. I think it was best stated: "If you ask
10 athiests you'll get 12 opinions".
I'll sumarize my personal experience/beliefs for you. First, I started
as a devout Catholic, I was an altar boy, choir member, and asst.
deacon. I was asked by my pastor to consider the priesthood, and I gave
it some thought. In college, I studied theology and the bible and was
shocked at the difference between what I had been taught and what I was
reading and learning. The Bible is not the tome of love and joy that it
is often touted as, and I was in for several years of difficult and
often painful transformations in my faith and beliefs.
Eventually, I gave up my search for a God and realized that I was an
atheist. It was not something I was happy about, especially considering
the labels of evil that are often applied to atheists and agnostics. I
have since accepted my beliefs and have argued many of my friends and
family in support of my beliefs.
I think you may find several similar stories. Many atheists were at one
time members of other churches, and led a troubled path out. It is not
an easy or rewarding choice, believe me. It takes time to assume a
humanistic position of "love thy fellow man".
As for my day to day life, I live knowing that one day I will die. I
firmly believe that when I die, I will cease to be in all forms other
than in the memories of my friends and genetics of my children. I
follow, as best I can, the golden rule and do so because I wish to, not
because I am told to. I seek no eternal reward, a pipe dream escape
from death and pain as far as I am concerned. I fear no eternal
torment, an unjust punnishment for honest inquiry and doubt. I honor no
unseen, unfelt deity.
--
Tirdun
tirdun at yahoo dot com
KoX EAC
Arturo Magidin
kalinka <kalinka_0...@yahoo.com.invalid> wrote:
>I am researching religion and non-religion for my final
>year of school. I would appreciate if any atheists could
>share with me the beliefs that they have and how they
>affect their day to day lives. Also, majority of people
>follow religion, why do atheists choose not to?
A long time ago, as time is measured in Usenet, a threat was started
in alt.atheism in which people would say what their beliefs were. The
results were interesting: what we believe varies greatly. The only
thing we have in common is that we don't believe in the existence of
god or gods (and even there, we have notable exceptions such as
Charles Fiterman). Nothing else will make it across the board, and
precious few things will even get a majority of people agreeing, and
most of those do not have as their basis of agreement the atheism of
the speakers, but other, more complex, sources.
For example, I believe laws should be respected, even if you disagree
with them, provided there are standard procedures for ammending and
changing those laws, and provided safeguards exist for the protection
of minorities. But this is not really related to my atheism, but
rather to my more complex set of moral imperatives.
As to your final question, what makes you think I "choose" not to
follow religion? I didnt' wake up one morning feeling contrary and
decided to stop being religious. The fact is, I ->cannot<- follow
religion, because it does not meet with what I consider to be
essential requirements for my adherence and my belief. I don't believe
in god not because I choose to, but because given the evidence before
me, I have no choice.
======================================================================
"It's not denial. I'm just very selective about
what I accept as reality."
--- Calvin ("Calvin and Hobbes")
======================================================================
Arturo Magidin
mag...@math.berkeley.edu
.d.a.n.f.a.k.e.
chibiabos <chib...@SPAMBLOCK.earthlink.net> wrote:
> In article <18489d36...@usw-ex0108-061.remarq.com>, kalinka
> <kalinka_0...@yahoo.com.invalid> wrote:
>
> > I am researching religion and non-religion for my final
> > year of school. I would appreciate if any atheists could
> > share with me the beliefs that they have and how they
> > affect their day to day lives. Also, majority of people
> > follow religion, why do atheists choose not to?
>
> It affects my life in major ways almost every day. :)
Related in any way to belief in zymosans and zymograms? (-:
______________________________________________
Dan Fake, FREELOVER #1, who cares deeply about truth,
freedom, and maxing out this one and only experience we
all know and share on this earth, at this time, in this life.
FREELOVER? Freethinking Realist Exploring Expressive
Liberty, Openness, Verity, Enlightenment, & Rationality
(also, pro-love, free from state and church authorities)
______________________________________________
>
> -chib
>
> --
> wild(at our first)beasts uttered human words
> --our second coming made stones sing like birds--
> but o the starhushed silence which our third's
> --e.e. cummings
>
Robibnikoff
kalinka <kalinka_0...@yahoo.com.invalid> wrote:
> I am researching religion and non-religion for my final
> year of school. I would appreciate if any atheists could
> share with me the beliefs that they have and how they
> affect their day to day lives. Also, majority of people
> follow religion, why do atheists choose not to?
For me it really wasn't a matter of choice. Like everyone, I was born
an atheist and was not raised to believe in a god. That's not to say
that I didn't look into a variety of religions as I grew up, but the
bottom line is that I have a terribly hard time believing in something
for which there is no proof. For instance, I've been interested in
witchcraft and the occult since I was pre-teen and got into Wicca about
5-6 years ago. I've even taken classes and participated in study
groups. But, as much as I've enjoyed it, there will always be this
little voice in the back of my head screaming "This is all just a load
of BS" - which is pretty much the way I feel about all the world's
religions.
>
> * Sent from AltaVista http://www.altavista.com Where you can also
find related Web Pages, Images, Audios, Videos, News, and Shopping.
Smart is Beautiful
>
--
Robyn
Resident Witchypoo and EAC Spellcaster
#1557
.d.a.n.f.a.k.e.
kalinka <kalinka_0...@yahoo.com.invalid> wrote:
> I am researching religion and non-religion for my final
> year of school. I would appreciate if any atheists could
> share with me the beliefs that they have and how they
> affect their day to day lives.
Atheists have as many beliefs as theists, the primary
difference being that theists tend to congregate in
churches / synagogues / mosques / temples and dogmatize
their beliefs in official organized religions with
fundamental documents / unprovable claims of a most
profound nature / demands for adherence to rules and
conformity based solely on theistic interpretations ...
atheists are by and large not inclined to do any of those
things although many atheists are drawn to "rules and
conformity" free of theistic interpretations.
Refer to the following and ponder the variety of beliefs
in the theist and atheist communities:
--- --- Believer/Non-Believer Populations/Percentages --- ---
From the 1999 Time Almanac, figures based on United
Nations median variant figures for mid-1996:
Christians (total) . . . . . 1,955,229,000 . . 33.7%
Roman Catholic . . . . . . 981,465,000 . . 16.9%
Protestant**. . . . . . . 404,020,000 . . 7.0%
Orthodox**. . . . . . . . 218,350,000 . . 3.8%
Anglican . . . . . . . . . 69,136,000 . . 1.2%
Other . . . . . . . . . . 282,258,000 . . 4.9%
Muslims (83% Sunnis,
16% Shiites, 1% other) . . . 1,126,325,000 . . 19.4%
Nonreligious (no religion,
nonbelievers, agnostics,
atheists, freethinkers,
skeptics, anti-religious) . 1,109,124,000 . . 19.1%
Hindus (70% Vaishnavites,
25% Shaivites, 2% neo-
Hindus & reform Hindus) . . . 793,076,000 . . 13.7%
Buddhists (56% Mahayana,
38% Theravada,
6% Tantrayana) . . . . . . . 325,275,000 . . 5.6%
Chinese Folk Religionists
(local deities, ancestor
veneration, Confucian
ethics, Taoism, universism,
divination, some Buddhist
elements) . . . . . . . . . . 220,971,000 . . 3.8%
New Religionists (Asian
20th century new religions,
New Religious movements,
radical new crisis religions,
non-christian syncretistic
mass religions, all founded
since 1800 & most since
1945) . . . . . . . . . . . . 106,016,000 . . 1.8%
Ethnic Religions . . . . . . 102,945,000 . . 1.8%
Sikhs . . . . . . . . . . . . 19,508,000 . . 0.3%
Jews . . . . . . . . . . . . 13,866,000 . . 0.2%
Spiritists . . . . . . . . . 10,293,000 . . 0.2%
Baha'is . . . . . . . . . . . 6,404,000 . . 0.1%
Confucians . . . . . . . . . 5,086,000 . . 0.1%
Jains . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,920,000 . . 0.1%
Shintoists . . . . . . . . . 2,898,000 . . ----
Other Religionists (including
70 minor world religions & a
large number of spiritist
religions, New Age religions,
quasi-religions, & religious
or mystic belief systems) . . 1,952,000 . . ----
Parsees . . . . . . . . . . . 191,000 . . ----
Mandeans . . . . . . . . . . . 45,000 . . ----
**Protestant & Orthodox christians consist of many groups.
The following brief listing includes distinct non-Catholic
groups with over 2,000,000 members in the United States
(listed in order by membership size), based on information
from The Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches, 1998:
Southern Baptist, United Methodist, National Baptist-USA,
Church of God in Christ, Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
(Mormon), Presbyterian, National Baptist-America,
African Methodist Episcopal, Lutheran Church-Missouri
Synod, Episcopal, Progressive National Baptist, National
Missionary Baptist, Assemblies of God, Churches of
Christ, Orthodox Church of America
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
For me, personally, atheism led me to ponder what, free of
the burdens of blind faith, I wanted to be about, leading
me to a definition of my personal beliefs based on FREELOVER
principles:
A FREELOVER is a Freethinking Realist Exploring Expressive
Liberty, Openness, Verity, Enlightenment, & Rationality
(also, pro-love, free from state and church authorities) ...
Freethinking : one who forms opinions on the basis of
reason independently of authority, especially one who
doubts or denies religious dogma.
Realist : one who has concern for fact or reality and
who rejects the impractical and the unreal.
Exploring : investigating, studying, analyzing, looking
into, and becoming familiar with by testing or experimenting.
Expressive : effectively conveying meaning or feeling.
Liberty : the quality or state of being free, the power to
do as one pleases, freedom from physical restraint, freedom
from arbitrary and despotic control, positive enjoyment of
various social, political, or economic rights and privileges,
and the power of choice.
Openness : free, forthright, and sincere expression.
Verity : the quality or state of being true.
Enlightenment : knowledge, insight, intuition, cognition,
awareness, rejection of traditional social / religious /
political ideas with an emphasis on rationalism, peace,
and a feeling of wholeness and completeness.
Rationality : the quality or state of being agreeable to
reason.
Pro-love, free from state and church authorities : promotion
of a sense of well-being in which the closeness of humankind
is cherished and mutually respectful encouragement of love is
the ideal by which humankind seeks ultimate peace, in this
life / at this time / on this earth, not by edict of state
and church, but by inherent virtue and admiration for the
best / most hopeful / most caring / kindest / most nurturing /
most promising side of human nature.
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Generally speaking, positive atheism, atheist humanism,
and the principles of enlightened freethinkers in the
atheist community are reflected by the following approach
using FREELOVER principles (principles of libertarianism,
freedom, and pro-humanity that are counter to conservative
conformist and non-pro-humanity approaches adopted by less
enlightened and non-pro-humanity atheists) ...
*** FREELOVER Principles ***
FREELOVERs know that every detail, every nuance, every
aspect of life is totally up to human beings to determine.
Therefore, FREELOVERs accept absolute and total
responsibility for our knowledge of that which we are
and for our eventual destiny.
This approach frees FREELOVERs from having to submit to
ancient authority figures.
This approach facilitates FREELOVERs' use of any and every
technology available to maximize to the full extent of
human resources, this life, this time, this one and only
sure experience we all know we have on this earth.
This approach relieves FREELOVERs from ancient burdens of
guilt regarding sex, free choice, free thinking, search for
truth, search for meaning and purpose in this life, and
longing for a rich and fulfilling existence for as long
as is humanly possible.
Since FREELOVERs don't rely on non-existent deities for
guidance, FREELOVERs are free to responsibly address all
of the issues of conscience without the burdensome myths
and lies of ancient cultures.
Since FREELOVERs are willing to face death without fear and
with a certainty of inevitable natural destiny, FREELOVERs
are free to hope for a continued pleasant existence without
the requirement for belief in mythical figures. FREELOVERs
are also free to accept the end of life on this earth as
the likely winding down of our one and only shot at it,
thereby giving FREELOVERs a love of life that knows no
bounds, for FREELOVERs treasure each and every moment of
life we have, knowing it's almost a certainty that this
life is the entire deal.
---
> Also, majority of people follow religion, why do atheists
> choose not to?
Because god is not an experiential reality, he/it/she/them
is an imaginary one, a carry-over from our genetic and
memetic heritage, an evolutionary burden, if you will.
For those that respect open-minded search for truth, god
must remain in the classification of an imaginary being
until he/it/she/them becomes real in an existential
(non-imaginary) manner.
______________________________________________
Dan Fake, FREELOVER #1, who cares deeply about truth,
freedom, and maxing out this one and only experience we
all know and share on this earth, at this time, in this life.
FREELOVER? Freethinking Realist Exploring Expressive
Liberty, Openness, Verity, Enlightenment, & Rationality
(also, pro-love, free from state and church authorities)
______________________________________________
Richard Smart
> I am researching religion and non-religion for my final
> year of school. I would appreciate if any atheists could
> share with me the beliefs that they have and how they
> follow religion, why do atheists choose not to?
>
>
There is no set of beliefs all atheists follow, so I could only tell you my
own beliefs. I think you need to know what atheism means though.
atheism: the lack of a belief in god(s).
If there was a descriptive name for someone who didn't believe in the Loch
Ness Monster, I would be one of those too. Just because atheists don't
believe in god(s) doesn't mean they don't follow a religion. I wouldn't say
I "choose not to" follow a religion, I simply "don't choose to" follow a
religion.
Nat
>kalinka <kalinka_0...@yahoo.com.invalid> wrote:
>> I am researching religion and non-religion for my final
>> year of school. I would appreciate if any atheists
>> could share with me the beliefs that they have and how
>> they affect their day to day lives. Also, majority of
>> people follow religion, why do atheists choose not to?
>
> I assume that you're not an atheist yourself, otherwise
>you'd know the answar. I take the liberty to assume that
>you are a Christian, since that's the belief that the
>majority of English-speaking people have.
>
> So, I can be safe to assume that you do not believe in
>Allah? (if you DO belive in Allah, just replace the
>word "Allah" with the word "Yehova") Well, we kinda' have
>the same relationship with God (and all other gods, for
>that matter). The reason you've been getting some rather
>harsh answars to your question will only be obvious when
>youask yourself the following question: Can you share with
>me the beliefs you have in not believing in Allah, and how
>they affect you in your day-to-day life? Many people follow
>Allah, why don't you?
The analogy would work much better if you asked about Thor, Zeus or
Vishnu. Christians, Jews and Muslims believe in the same god, just
have different versions of what happened from the time jesus was
supposedly born: Jews think he was a liar and a fake, Christians see
him as their savior, Muslims think he was just a prophet and that
Mohammed was the latest, greatest prophet (and thus greater than
jesus).
Nat
>rav...@mailops.com (raven1) wrote in
><pc42hssvmfkuc1h75...@4ax.com>:
>
>(snip)
>
>>Of course, Dr. Sinister should know, since he wrote the book on
>>avoiding questions about what he actually believes.
>
>I told you before. I believe in my toaster.
I am probably one of the few people on here that have absolutely no
problem with that. =) Whatever makes you happy!
raven1
wrote:
>rav...@mailops.com (raven1) wrote in
><pc42hssvmfkuc1h75...@4ax.com>:
>
>(snip)
>
>>Of course, Dr. Sinister should know, since he wrote the book on
>>avoiding questions about what he actually believes.
>
>I told you before. I believe in my toaster.
Why should we believe you?
>
>>Cowardice or immaturity?: you make the call.
>
>Do you recall writing this, raven1?...
>
>[raven1]"There is no "atheist perspective", Mikey. The only thing that
>all atheists have in common is that we lack belief in god/s. Atheism qua
>atheism begins and ends there, and implies no perspective on anything
>else. This has been patiently explained to you literally dozens of
>times. Have you actually bothered to listen to anything that we've
>said to you?"
Yes, I do? Your point is?
>
>[From: raven1, Subject: Whats Atheism?]"The lack of belief in god/desses.
>No other philosophical/political/ethical baggage is included or implied."
Mine also. Point being?
>
>[raven1]"Oh go stick it in your ear. Atheism qua atheism is simply the
>lack of belief in (however one chooses to define it) any kind of "deity".
>It makes no judgement of what "can" or "cannot" exist, nor does it
>include any political or philosophical implications. "
Yep, I wrote that. Relevance?
>
>Moreover, your atheist dominatrix Michelle has this to say:
>
>[Malkin] "I'm an atheist and I do have a world view which is none of your
>business."
>
>[Malkin] "As far as my own views are concerned, they are my own."
And the relevance of *any* of that was supposed to be...?
Cabrutus
kalinka wrote:
> I am researching religion and non-religion for my final
> year of school. I would appreciate if any atheists could
> share with me the beliefs that they have and how they
> affect their day to day lives. Also, majority of people
Please remember that there are no beliefs that all atheists have in common. Atheism is a lack of a belief, not a belief, and certainly not a belief system.
Yes, there are beliefs that I have, but I can't see what use they'd be to you, as you probably share very many of them, and none of them are necessarily
shared by any other atheist.
>
> follow religion, why do atheists choose not to?
Because no religion is convincing enough. A few atheists follow some religion, but no religion that includes belief in any god.
>
>
> * Sent from AltaVista http://www.altavista.com Where you can also find related Web Pages, Images, Audios, Videos, News, and Shopping. Smart is Beautiful
--
Cabrutus
locratz @ geocities . com
24.6.208.162/cabrutus/
Elf Sternberg
kalinka <kalinka_0...@yahoo.com.invalid> writes:
>I am researching religion and non-religion for my final
>year of school. I would appreciate if any atheists could
>share with me the beliefs that they have and how they
>affect their day to day lives. Also, majority of people
>follow religion, why do atheists choose not to?
I don't think anyone "chooses" to become an atheist. It's
simply the default conclusion after you've looked at what all
religions have to offer in terms of evidence and realized that none of
them have a compelling story to tell. Without any reasonable evidence
pointing to the notion that "God exists," you're left with the simple
statement, "I don't beleive that." I don't think you choose it. It's
just what's left over.
In my day to day life, I'm mostly a Confucian these days; the
moral system is emotionally compelling without being stultifying or
threatening. I've also been reading the works of Peter Singer and
Hilary Putnam recently, and I admire the way both of these men are
striving to find a definition for an ethical and moral life.
If I have any serious "beliefs" about reality, there is only
one: that it makes sense. The universe around us is rationally
knowable, even if we do not immediately understand it nor will I in my
life time. "We do not know but we will never give up trying until we
find out!" is the most satisfying battle cry I've ever subscribed to.
What we think we know must be put to the test, to ever more stringent
investigation, until we can feel certain that what we are seeing is
the truth, and not self-deceit or confusion.
Elf
--
Elf M. Sternberg, rational romantic mystical cynical idealist
http://www.halcyon.com/elf/
"The purpose of writing is to inflate weak ideas, obscure pure
reasoning, and inhibit clarity. With a little pratice, writing can
be an intimidating and impenetrable fog!" - Bill Watterson's Calvin.
CTThegreat
<chib...@SPAMBLOCK.earthlink.net> wrote:
>In article <18489d36...@usw-ex0108-061.remarq.com>, kalinka
><kalinka_0...@yahoo.com.invalid> wrote:
>
>> I am researching religion and non-religion for my final
>> year of school. I would appreciate if any atheists could
>> share with me the beliefs that they have and how they
>> affect their day to day lives. Also, majority of people
>> follow religion, why do atheists choose not to?
>
>
>I'm an atheist, but I believe with all my heart in zymurgy. It affects
>my life in major ways almost every day. :)
Zymurgists get more head.
CT
===
"I believe in luck; how else can you explain
the success of those you dislike?"--Jean Cocteau
Dr Sinister
(snip)
>What will you do for your next trick, attempt a
>lame insult?
For my next trick, I will present some of yours:
http://x40.deja.com/=dnc/getdoc.xp?AN=346428163
"Ugh, I feel soiled just reading this tripe. Bleating god-soaked wannabe
philosophers like you make gag. All the mental manstribation you've
been peforming has reduced you to a gibbering idiot, not that anyone
has noticed a difference. I hope you choke on your own verbage and if
anyone attempts the Heimlick manuver to save you (highly unlikely) they
redefined it to mean kick the arrogant butt-wipe in the nuts to keep him
aware and suffering for a few more seconds."
--
If atheism is the lack of belief in god, then baldness is the lack of
belief in hair. - Jean Paul Sartre
Puck Greenman
>In article <18489d36...@usw-ex0108-061.remarq.com>
> kalinka <kalinka_0...@yahoo.com.invalid> writes:
>
>>I am researching religion and non-religion for my final
>>year of school.
Research religion, yes I can understand that, but research "non-religion"? Do I get
just the faintest scent of troll?
>> I would appreciate if any atheists could
>>share with me the beliefs that they have and how they
>>affect their day to day lives.
I can't think of a single thing that I believe that does not have supporting,
empirical evidence.
>> Also, majority of people follow religion, why do atheists choose not to?
I didn't choose. Had there been any choice, I would still be a xtian; life was so
much simpler then.
Puck Greenman
#162
BAAWA Knight.
ICQ 15096558
The spelling, like any opinion stated here,
is purely my own
Julie Kale
>Date: 5/4/00 9:16 AM Central Daylight Time
>Message-id: <1DfQ4.3632$k4.1...@typhoon.tampabay.rr.com>
>
>
>Julie Kale <iro...@cs.comJUNK> wrote in message
>news:20000504015453...@ng-fg1.news.cs.com...
>> >From: kalinka kalinka_0...@yahoo.com.invalid
>> >Date: 5/3/00 11:35 PM Central Daylight Time
>> >Message-id: <18489d36...@usw-ex0108-061.remarq.com>
>> >
>> >share with me the beliefs that they have and how they
>> >follow religion, why do atheists choose not to?
>>
>>
>> I don't know what they believe, but they don't believe in god.
>>
>> I personaly believe in myself, and the goodness of humanity. And that is
>why I
>> do not follow organized religion.
>
>Upon what objective evidence do you base this belief?
Which? Believing in myself? Or the goodness of humanity?
Well, I'll answer both.
Experience has shown me time and again that if I want to solve a problem badly
enough I can. I don't have to turn to sky daddy for guidance and relief.
Experience has also shown me that if I can't solve a problem on my own or if I
need a little help, I can turn to someone else for a shoulder to cry on, a hand
that reaches out in comfort, etc.
Every good deed in this world is done at the hands of humans. And it is my
opinion that people who hurt others do so because they are hurting themselves,
internally.
*Julie Kale
*alt.atheism athiest\agnostic #1029
*I only talk to god when I'm having sex.
raven1
>On Thu, 04 May 2000 13:10:01 GMT, chibiabos
><chib...@SPAMBLOCK.earthlink.net> wrote:
>
>>In article <18489d36...@usw-ex0108-061.remarq.com>, kalinka
>><kalinka_0...@yahoo.com.invalid> wrote:
>>
>>> I am researching religion and non-religion for my final
>>> year of school. I would appreciate if any atheists could
>>> share with me the beliefs that they have and how they
>>> affect their day to day lives. Also, majority of people
>>> follow religion, why do atheists choose not to?
>>
>>
>>I'm an atheist, but I believe with all my heart in zymurgy. It affects
>>my life in major ways almost every day. :)
>
>Zymurgists get more head.
All hail the One True God: John Barleycorn!
Andrew Case
>
> I don't think anyone "chooses" to become an atheist. It's
>simply the default conclusion after you've looked at what all
>religions have to offer in terms of evidence and realized that none of
>them have a compelling story to tell. Without any reasonable evidence
>pointing to the notion that "God exists," you're left with the simple
>statement, "I don't beleive that." I don't think you choose it. It's
>just what's left over.
It's like looking at all the available clothing, realizing it's all
either uncomfortable or ugly and so you walk around naked. Depending
on where you live the reaction of your neighbors can be pretty similar,
too :)
......Andrew
--
Andrew Case |
ac...@plasma.umd.edu |
Institute for Plasma Research |
University of Maryland, College Park |
Joe_SixPack
drsin...@my-deja.com (Dr Sinister) wrote:
> hes...@my-deja.com wrote in <8es02s$ufg$1...@nnrp1.deja.com>:
>
> (snip)
>
> >What will you do for your next trick, attempt a
> >lame insult?
>
> For my next trick, I will present some of yours:
>
> http://x40.deja.com/=dnc/getdoc.xp?AN=346428163
> "Ugh, I feel soiled just reading this tripe. Bleating god-soaked
wannabe
> philosophers like you make gag. All the mental manstribation you've
> been peforming has reduced you to a gibbering idiot, not that anyone
> has noticed a difference. I hope you choke on your own verbage and if
> anyone attempts the Heimlick manuver to save you (highly unlikely)
they
> redefined it to mean kick the arrogant butt-wipe in the nuts to keep
him
> aware and suffering for a few more seconds."
Ya gotta admit, though, his insult was pretty creative.
> --
> If atheism is the lack of belief in god, then baldness is the lack of
> belief in hair. - Jean Paul Sartre
>
stoney
<kalinka_0...@yahoo.com.invalid> wrote:
]>I am researching religion and non-religion for my final
]>year of school. I would appreciate if any atheists could
]>share with me the beliefs that they have and how they
]>affect their day to day lives. Also, majority of people
]>follow religion, why do atheists choose not to?
Kudos on the research. Not many people have the courage to come into
an atheist newsgroup and ask honest questions. From the way your
questions are phrased it's quite apparent you'll be astonished at the
education you will receive from the honest answers.
Shall we start?
All atheism is is the lack of theism. This is due to the theists of
every brand of deity construct not objectively supporting their
assertions. This is not a surprise as it is not possible for them to
do so since the critical three letter string, g-o-d, the whole scam is
based on is undefined. Granted, there is a bunch of verbage in the
dictionary which tries, and fails, to pass itself off as a
'definition. What is laughingly called a 'definition' is a joke. It
blatantly begs the question, hand waves furiously, and provides zero
information.
You disagree? Well, lets take a hard look at one.
]>http://www.m-w.com/
]>Main Entry: 1god
]>Pronunciation: 'gäd also 'god
]>Function: noun
]>Etymology: Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High
]>German got god
]>Date: before 12th century
]>1 capitalized : the supreme or ultimate reality:
This begs the question by an unsupported assumption. Further the
words supreme and ultimate are meaningless handwaving and a
Glittering generality.
]>as a : the Being perfect in power, wisdom, and goodness who is
]>worshiped as creator and ruler of the universe
Once again begs the question by an unsupported assertion. The word
perfect is again meaningless handwaving and a glittering
generality.
And the 'perfect in power, wisdom, and goodness' is more
unsupported assertion and meaningless handwaving. "Worshipped as
creator and ruller of the universe" is another unsupported assertion
that 'x' "created and rules" anything. It's also broken logic in that
the question of "who created the creator" is not asked and is
handwaved away.
With the above dissection of the undefined letter string g-o-d there
is literally nothing to consider or to believe in.
I can no more 'choose' to believe in such garbage than I can flap my
arms and fly. There is no choice involved. It is an incapability.
I don't believe in Leprechaun's or Santa Claus either.
The majority of people have been indoctrinated into various organized
superstitions, atheists included. The thing is atheists (those who
were so indoctrinated) have looked beyond the smoke and mirrors,
blatant assertions, and illogic, to see the injustice and evil it is
based on.
I, myself, shattered the slave chains of both Catholicism and
Lutheranism.
The difference in day to day items is that the atheist does not go
praising an imaginary friend when things go right or blame an
imaginary adversary for when things go wrong. Nor does an atheist
attempt to legislate bronze/iron age superstition into law or consider
others second class citizens based on theistic status, gender, race,
or sexual orientation.
Generality statement. The appearance is that atheists see the beauty
of the world with vibrance and awe of the colour and shape riot rather
than with the pastel and out-of-focus view of the theistic ho-hum God
did it and the "it's meaningless, what's important is preparing for
the "NEXT LIFE(tm)" attitude."
I'll finish off this post with a quote from a lady atheist:
What do I dislike about theism?...Let me count the ways...
I dislike the hypocrisy,
the corruption,
the greed
and the lies.
I dislike the veneration of ignorance,
the glorification of idiocy,
the wild-eyed hatred of progress
and the fear of education, which send the faithful shrieking,
vampire-like, from the light of knowledge.
I dislike the way in which prejudice
is passed off as piety.
The way superstition is peddled as wisdom.
The way intolerance is raised to the lofty heights
of "Truth".
I dislike how hatred is taught as love,
how fear is instilled as kindness,
how slavery is pressed as freedom,
and how contempt for life is dressed up and adored as spirituality.
I dislike the shackles religions place on the mind,
corrupting, twisting and crushing the spirit
until the believer has been brought down to a suitable state
of worthlessness.
So lost and self-loathing, so bereft of hope or pride,
that they can look into the hallucinated face of their imaginary
oppressor
and feel unbounded love and gratitude for the additional suffering
it has declined,
as yet,
to visit upon them.
I dislike people's need for a communal delusion,
like drug addicts who unite just to share the same needle.
I dislike the way reason is reviled as a vice
and reality is decreed to be a matter of convenience.
The way common sense and ordinary human decency
get re-named "holy law" and advertised as the sole province
of the faithful.
I dislike religions' wholesale theft of any number
of ancient mythologies,
only to turn around and proclaim
how "unique" their doctrine is.
I dislike how intelligence is held as suspect
and inquiry is reviled as a high crime.
I dislike the pillaging of the impoverished,
the extortion of the gullible,
the manipulation of the ignorant
and the domination of the weak.
I dislike the invention of sins
for the satisfaction of those who desire to punish.
I dislike the demonization of unbelievers,
The ill-concealed hate of proselytizers,
The hysterical rants of holy rollers,
The wigged-out warnings of psychic healers,
The dismantling of public education via religious school vouchers,
The erosion of civil rights by theocratic right-wingers,
The righteous wrath of gun-toting true believers,
The destruction wrought by holy warriors,
The blood-drenched fatwas of ayatollas,
and the apocalyptic prophesies of unmedicated messiahs.
Most of all, though, I dislike the certain knowledge
that religion,
in one grotesque form or other,
will be with us so long as there is a single dark, cobwebbed corner
of the human imagination
that a believer can stuff a god into.
Alikhat
#757
(And, oh yeah, what do I *like* about theism? Some nice art, some
pretty
music and some photogenic buildings.)
/end quote
Regards,
Stoney
Trippy666/Sara
> > I am researching religion and non-religion for my final
> > year of school. I would appreciate if any atheists could
> > share with me the beliefs that they have and how they
> > affect their day to day lives. Also, majority of people
> > follow religion, why do atheists choose not to?
>
> explain the problem you're running into. Think about it, atheism
exists
> only as the lack of athesim. Therefore, it is of the same breadth of
> range as atheism. Whoud you try to define the beliefes of "theism"?
> Other than "they believe in a god or gods" there's not much to say.
The
> same is true of atheists.
>
> Now, you can feel free to create your own sub-catagories of atheism
for
> your research. You just need to keep in mind that, on the theist side
> you only talk about "what they believe" on the level of individual
> religions. Atheism is a much more general term than, say, "christian"
> and you can't even get a very long list of beliefes all christians
> believe in.
Excuse me, you (and almost everyone else) are missing the point of the
poor girl's question (probably 'cause you saw an opportunity to repeat
yourself). All she did was ask what different atheist's beliefs
were... No where did she imply that atheism was a religion, and in
doing so also showed a great deal of maturity that deserves a little
more respect than answers which ignore the question. I'm sure everyone
here already knows what atheism is, and anyone who doesn't is a lost
cause anyway. Therefore, not only are you changing the context of her
question so that you can reply with a short rant, but you are beating
the dead horse.
--
Sara.
Carl Wilson
"chibiabos" <chib...@SPAMBLOCK.earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:040520000610557831%chib...@SPAMBLOCK.earthlink.net...
> In article <18489d36...@usw-ex0108-061.remarq.com>, kalinka
> <kalinka_0...@yahoo.com.invalid> wrote:
>
> > I am researching religion and non-religion for my final
> > year of school. I would appreciate if any atheists could
> > share with me the beliefs that they have and how they
> > affect their day to day lives. Also, majority of people
> > follow religion, why do atheists choose not to?
>
>
> my life in major ways almost every day. :)
>
Ah! But are you a Real True Zymurgist (tm)? Do you mash or use extract?
;-)