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 Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2006 7:22 pm
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Okay, so just about any dictionary will give somewhere in its description of an Atheist as being a person who "disbelieves in the existance of a god"/gods/or god-like beings. So I hope we can all agree on that.
So the debate begins with the use of the word "Believe." What does it mean to believe. For me, I don't belive in Santa Clause, so without scientific evidance to show that Santa exists, I won't even entertain the idea. Therefore, I my humble opinion, an Atheist is someone who does not believe in god, nor will entertain the idea. This doesn't mean that an Atheist must think it impossible, just so unlikely that it isn't worth giving a second thought.
However, I am finding more and more Atheists adapting Agnostic ideology (an Agnostic simply believes it can't be known if a god/gods/or god-like beings exist). So my question is: If someone thinks that there is a fifty/fifty chance, or something similar, that there might be a god, isn't that more like a skeptical Agnostic than an Atheist?
I think, if you don't think that the odds of there being a god are so unlikely that it isn't worth mentioning, then you're not really an Atheist. That's just me. To disbelieve is to not believe. To accept a likelyhood is to be skeptical, not disbelieve.
So what do you guys think?
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Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2006 7:39 pm
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Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 9:37 am
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Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 1:09 pm
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Yeah, that's fine, but what do you think are the criteria, and the limits for being an Atheist?
For example: I know this girl who doesn't believe in god/gods/etc, but she still believes in souls, ghosts, spirits (like earth spirits, or forest spirits), and magic. o_O? Personally, I don't really consider her an Atheist, but technically she is. So this brings to mind the issue of what is a technical Atheist and an "ideal" Atheist, but then "ideal" is objective, and can change from person to person.
So I kind of just want to know what you think are the standards of a good Atheist?
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Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 2:35 pm
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Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 2:41 pm
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agrab0ekim a god is something with a greater power than humanity, no matter what exactly that power is
Huh? Oh you mean the girl. Well, according to her (unusual) belief system, the "earth" spirits don't really have any special power. I began the arguement from the same idea that you're having. I saw spirits as gods too, but the way she saw them, they were more like souls. Trees have souls, rocks have souls, cheeseburgers have souls, and forrests have souls, but they can't really do anything other than tell you what they know. Weird huh? I still think souls are a bit religious, and so I still don't agree with it, but I don't think souls (human, or whatever) is a god. I mean, all they can do is talk. But I dunno, do you think a soul is something that has a greater power than humanity. But even then I've heard PLENTY of arguements (not debates. emotional arguements) about what "technically" is a god. Sometimes I wish someone would revamp the dictionary and put some real clarity to certain definitions. But anyway, I still think she may "technically" be an Atheist. But you know a good arguement that can prove otherwise, I'd love to hear it. I've been dying to tell her that she's just nuts and not an Atheist. blaugh |
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Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 4:53 pm
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Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 6:41 pm
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Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 7:03 pm
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Dathu agrab0ekim have her prove beyond a resonable doubt that there are those spirits... when she cant, ask her if she still believes in them, and not just that they could be there, but that they are there... If she still does, then not an athiest
I was just looking for something short and sweet, but like I said I've given up on her. I just hate thinking there are Atheists like her out there. It just makes it harder on me.
if you actually feel that something is true without hard scientific evidence (you can entertain theories, just not blindly) then you are not an athiest |
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Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2006 6:38 pm
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agrab0ekim Dathu agrab0ekim have her prove beyond a resonable doubt that there are those spirits... when she cant, ask her if she still believes in them, and not just that they could be there, but that they are there... If she still does, then not an athiest
I was just looking for something short and sweet, but like I said I've given up on her. I just hate thinking there are Atheists like her out there. It just makes it harder on me.if you actually feel that something is true without hard scientific evidence (you can entertain theories, just not blindly) then you are not an athiest |
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Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2006 7:10 pm
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Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2006 8:06 pm
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agrab0ekim ok... so you want technically... ok from www.m-w.coman athiest Quote: one who believes that there is no deity a diety Quote: one exalted or revered as supremely good or powerful ok... does she think these spirits are good or powerful...
Nope. Just things. They can be good or evil, but not supremely, and they have no power. |
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Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2006 8:27 pm
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Dathu agrab0ekim ok... so you want technically... ok from www.m-w.coman athiest Quote: one who believes that there is no deity a diety Quote: one exalted or revered as supremely good or powerful ok... does she think these spirits are good or powerful...
hmmm... she is not a scientific athiest... but an athiest none the less... damnit, that harms our type |
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Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2006 8:29 pm
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agrab0ekim Dathu agrab0ekim ok... so you want technically... ok from www.m-w.coman athiest Quote: one who believes that there is no deity a diety Quote: one exalted or revered as supremely good or powerful ok... does she think these spirits are good or powerful... hmmm... she is not a scientific athiest... but an athiest none the less... damnit, that harms our type |
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Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 3:26 am
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Reply
