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Posted: 8/21/2005 7:12:02 PM EDT
[#1]
But how can this be? Don't they know that the new definition given to atheism is one that says it is merely a lack of a belief in a god or gods?
I am thinking about redefining theism as merely the lack of a belief that God does not exist.  But seriously, I have always understood a religion to be something you follow with all of your heart. The thing followed doesn't necessarily have to be supernatural or even have supernatural elements. I think this understanding has changed only recently. |
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Posted: 8/21/2005 7:15:33 PM EDT
[#2]
I know plenty of athiests that do not worship mankind. But that doesn't fit your preconcieved notion of what an athiest is, does it?
Athiest = does not believe in god It does NOT mean that they believe in man. Many of them don't believe in either. |
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Posted: 8/21/2005 7:22:06 PM EDT
[#3]
All I can do is laugh. I think it is hilarious that people who's main point of pride is turning up their nose at religion are now labeled as a religion. The irony is too beautiful, God has a wonderful sense of humor.
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Posted: 8/21/2005 7:43:43 PM EDT
[#4]
don't be dull. they worship themselves, individually. Not that they have a shrine with their picture in it and pray to themselves, but they veiw themselves as autonomous, the one in charge, the highest authority, the original interpreter of things instead of the re-interpreter. They view thier wants and ideas as supreme. Age old question, started in the Garden. Will mankind submit to God, or try to replace God with himself? Who's going to hold the supreme position, God or man? "For you will be like God..." Going on for a long time now. Gonna be resolved soon. Woe to you if you decide poorly. Bessed you will be if you make the correct and wise secision. |
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Posted: 8/21/2005 8:29:50 PM EDT
[#5]
That's a pretty broad brush, you can't know the thoughts and reasoning of everyone unlike yourself, anymore than I can say that all Christians are <insert label here>. I can honestly say when I was convinced there was no God, I didn't have any illusions that I was in charge of anything. I just knew, deep down, that there wasn't a man in the sky. I was a long way from feeling my ideas were surpreme....and I'm sure I'm not the only one who ever felt that way. If you had been born into a community or at a time when Christianity was not the norm, you'd probably be something very different, with different feelings and ideas about how the world works. Always best to remember that, when pointing fingers. |
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Posted: 8/21/2005 11:09:13 PM EDT
[#6]
Oh brother ...
Many of us have been getting along fine without it for centuries now. ETA: for the record, I fully support religious STUDIES in school, that to include a broad range of religions. If people would actually research different belief systems (not just the big 3) they might find themselves quite surprised. |
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Posted: 8/22/2005 12:08:25 AM EDT
[#7]
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Posted: 8/22/2005 4:09:28 AM EDT
[#8]
nay-sayers are known for saying "nay".
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Posted: 8/22/2005 4:29:41 AM EDT
[#9]
talk about dull. Lack of belief in "A" does not result in a belief in "not A" |
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Posted: 8/22/2005 4:56:59 AM EDT
[#10]
Yea, I find it funny too. It's like the courts look for make work insuring their future.
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Posted: 8/22/2005 5:00:03 AM EDT
[#11]
They have been doing a pretty good job of it for a long time now. It's good that the SCOTUS gets all summer off though, allows us a chance to catch our breath from all of their freakish behavior. |
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Posted: 8/22/2005 5:04:41 AM EDT
[#12]
so not-A does not mean not-A? Lack of A means Not-A, by definition. |
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Posted: 8/22/2005 5:15:31 AM EDT
[#13]
Wow, I had no idea I had so many views about a supreme being. Thanks for telling me what I believe. Did you know Christians eat babies? I heard it on the net somewhere and it fits my personal worldview, so I'm just gonna continue the same sad line of BS, even though it makes me look like an idiot. Lucky I'm not a Christian, or that whole "bearing false witness" thing might bite me in the ass :) One more time for the slow one in the group, Atheists don't believe in any supreme being. I don't believe in Santa, that doesn't mean I'm trying to usurp Santa's place. I don't view myself as a supreme being and neither do any other atheists I know. People who view themselves as supreme are called megalomaniacs, not atheists. I do find it funny that by your definition God himself is an atheist. He views himself as supreme and recognizes no superior. Must be an atheist  |
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Posted: 8/22/2005 5:22:25 AM EDT
[#14]
Now we are playing games with words because we cannot form a intelligent argument, how grown up. Yea, lack of A can ascribe the characteristic not-A to X  , you win, lets start communion in schools.
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Posted: 8/22/2005 6:10:19 AM EDT
[#15]
sorry, should have been clearer: Lack of belief in "A" does not reflexively result in a belief in anything in particular, including the antithesis of A |
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Posted: 8/22/2005 6:16:59 AM EDT
[#16]
Your statement seemed pretty clear to me. |
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Posted: 8/22/2005 6:58:47 AM EDT
[#17]
Then can I borrow your decoder ring when you are done with it?
BTW, I don't believe in the "Tooth Fairy". Does that mean I'm part of the "Anti-Tooth Fairly Religion"?  I got it, we will call it the ATFR and our church is a shooting range with all revenues and property tax free.
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Posted: 8/22/2005 7:13:57 AM EDT
[#18]
If you do so with zeal then yes, you are the "Anti-Tooth Fairy Religion". Any atheist that pursues his cause with zeal or devotion is religious. Just as religious as me probably. Shok |
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Posted: 8/22/2005 7:23:36 AM EDT
[#19]
Then what about athiests who aren't out to erase any visible signs of other religions (like those that seem to think that freedom of religion really means freedom FROM religion). Those that are happy to just live their life without trying to "convert" people away from their reiligions, are they religious athiests? There are those that are the athiestic version of billy graham and other tv evangalasts. For them, I agree, their athiesm is indeed a religion. Those are the people who sue the state because a 100 year old monument has the 10 commandments on it. What about those that don't seek to push their lack of belief onto anyone else? |
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Posted: 8/22/2005 7:29:49 AM EDT
[#20]
So regardless of whether there is a god or not, we have to worship one? I assume you will have no problem with your children praying to the Flying Spaghetti Monster in school. That is who I worship and he is the one true superior pasta being, your god is fake and my kid's ain't praying to him. Everyone in my town, but you, worship His Noodly Goodness so why should your false god get any time in my school? Religion in school sounds great, long as it's YOUR religion. ps-I saw a neat wiccan book for teenagers, bet you'd love to see that one come home in one of the kid's school bags.
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Posted: 8/22/2005 7:30:28 AM EDT
[#21]
Atheists that don't proselytize may or may not be religious. The article MRW posted shows the court ruled that merely having a study group is religious. Shok |
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Posted: 8/22/2005 7:32:14 AM EDT
[#22]
Anyway-what could go on at the Aethist's Meeting?
"Okay, still no God!" "Yup!" "Yup!" "Yup!" "Yup!" "Is there a game on?" |
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Posted: 8/22/2005 7:33:13 AM EDT
[#23]
no you're just anti-Tooth Fairy. If you hate Christianity you're an anti-Christian If you hate theism you're an anti-Theist If you don't believe in God, then you're an atheist. Some atheists are definitely anti-Christian, but not the vast majority. |
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Posted: 8/22/2005 7:36:23 AM EDT
[#24]
Good answer and is why I often said I know many who worship the "Budweiser God" for they will forsake their jobs, their family, and even their health to worship the bottle idol. They even worship their God in groups and buildings called bars. If that's doesn't fit the definition nothing does. A number of pot heads actually tried this a few years back and were shot down by the courts. We've crossed the point of government invovlement where it borders on the rediculous. The mere statement to not believe in something is a belief is strange enough without labeling it a relgion. Nor should zeal for an idea be grounds for guranteed organization or meetings. I'm certain NAMBLA would love to claim to be a religion. The same goes for haters. Should the KKK be a religion? This Pandoras box is so big, you can't see bottom. Tj |
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Posted: 8/22/2005 7:44:09 AM EDT
[#25]
I don't know, I could see this leading to my yearly range fee being tax deductible....
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Posted: 8/22/2005 7:45:16 AM EDT
[#26]
LOL, That was my first impression.
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Posted: 8/22/2005 8:01:16 AM EDT
[#27]
+1 - most athiests/agnostics I know, and I included, are this way. Yes there are some who are too zealous, I like them about as much as I liked the Mormon missionaries telling me that I'm going to hell a few weeks ago. A couple of years ago some athiest was driving through the area where I live, and noticed one of those signs that says "JESUS IS LORD OF ALL" on public land. The ACLU made the city take them down. In response, a large amount of people put the same sign on their own property. My thoughts, he wasted his time over nothing. Regardless of how many signs are up, I still don't believe them. |
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