Atheism

[Abbey Marie]

The only reason atheists express an opinion on the matter is that they have no choice. We are surrounded by tens of millions of theists, and churches and crosses everywhere. We can't escape it no matter how much we would like to.

I guarantee you we would spend ZERO time in denial of your beliefs if we did not have it in our faces 24/7.

I rarely have any evidence out in the world that a particular person is a "theist". How can you tell? Are they running you down, shouting " I believe in God, and you'd better too!!".

As for churches and crosses, how are they "in your face"? They are just there, inanimate, stationary, docile. At most, there's a sign out front with a name and what time services are. Seems to me you are trying to be offended.

[Russ]

Semantics does not refute that a belief is a belief. Atheists DO argue against the existence of God. They BELIEVE He does not exist. THAT is a belief.

Agreed. And I have to say few things are worse than a strident atheist that tries to convince others not to believe, or that mock believers for being "stupid". An atheist that does this is essentially trying steal the afterlife away from others.

Put another way, a believer that tries to convince someone else to believe is just trying to save them, but an atheist that tries to convince some to not believe is (potentially) trying to damn them.

[Gunny]

that question isn't valid - not an important point.

It's not a fallacy to claim you don't believe in something. And saying you don't believe in something is not evidence the something exists

I believe it is a valid point. Atheist. A-theist. Against theism. A word with meaning. You cannot be against something you do not believe exists. It is a non-issue.

It is an important point when it is the argument.

[PostmodernProphet]

that question isn't valid - not an important point.

It's not a fallacy to claim you don't believe in something. And saying you don't believe in something is not evidence the something exists

saying you don't believe in something is the realm of agnostics........atheists do say they believe in something.....the non-existence of deity.......

[PostmodernProphet]

The only reason atheists express an opinion on the matter is that they have no choice. We are surrounded by tens of millions of theists, and churches and crosses everywhere. We can't escape it no matter how much we would like to.

I guarantee you we would spend ZERO time in denial of your beliefs if we did not have it in our faces 24/7.

.....I know how you feel.....I know people who are demmycrats......

[stevecanuck]

Oh, you mean like...every time any Christian says they believe in God. That's being thrown in your face? Much like every time an Atheist tells us there is no such thing, we have it thrown in our faces? Seems like a Stalemate to me.

I guess you didn't feel like really reading what I wrote.

[stevecanuck]

saying you don't believe in something is the realm of agnostics........atheists do say they believe in something.....the non-existence of deity.......

Only because we're forced to due to the ubiquity of religion. You don't have to express your disbelief in the FSM, because there are so few pastafarians, but if there were billions of them, you would have to eventually address the issue. That's where I am with this god thingy y'all keep going on about. If you want to call it a belief, I can't stop you, but then I guess you could say I have as many "beliefs" as there are unsupported claims, limited only by any given individual's ability to dream up something magical for me to also not believe.

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

Only because we're forced to due to the ubiquity of religion. You don't have to express your disbelief in the FSM, because there are so few pastafarians, but if there were billions of them, you would have to eventually address the issue. That's where I am with this god thingy y'all keep going on about. If you want to call it a belief, I can't stop you, but then I guess you could say I have as many "beliefs" as there are unsupported claims, limited only by any given individual's ability to dream up something magical for me to also not believe.

The only way to make Islam sound compatible with the modern world is to lie about it.

^^^^^^ Love your tagline...
Although it is lacking... in saying the whole truth....
ISLAM WAS NOT COMPATIBLE IN THE OLD WORLD EITHER, THAT IS WHY THEY MURDER AT LEAST 250 MILLION PEOPLE DURING THEIR 1400+ YEARS, TO SPREAD THEIR FALSE RELIGION.
And show no signs of ever stopping in their murdering ways, as daily/current events worldwide so clearly show....
Christians are not doing that, in case you have missed that little tidbit...-Tyr

[stevecanuck]

^^^^^^ Love your tagline...
Although it is lacking... in saying the whole truth....
ISLAM WAS NOT COMPATIBLE IN THE OLD WORLD EITHER, THAT IS WHY THEY MURDER AT LEAST 250 MILLION PEOPLE DURING THEIR 1400+ YEARS, TO SPREAD THEIR FALSE RELIGION.
And show no signs of ever stopping in their murdering ways, as daily/current events worldwide so clearly show....
Christians are not doing that, in case you have missed that little tidbit...-Tyr

I did not at all miss it. I'm happy to see that Christians (at least the vast majority of them) have finally reverted to the peacefulness of their founding. Given the NT, I still don't see how at least 1600 years of Christianity was the horror show that it was.

[aboutime]

I did not at all miss it. I'm happy to see that Christians (at least the vast majority of them) have finally reverted to the peacefulness of their founding. Given the NT, I still don't see how at least 1600 years of Christianity was the horror show that it was.

They fooled ya stevecanuck. It was only a horror show for the NON-believers. And if it wasn't something to fear by Atheists, and Agnostics....why is there any need to keep defending the NON-beliefs???
As a Christian. I've had a wonderful life filled with friendships, and love. What's wrong with that?

[stevecanuck]

They fooled ya stevecanuck. It was only a horror show for the NON-believers. And if it wasn't something to fear by Atheists, and Agnostics....why is there any need to keep defending the NON-beliefs???
As a Christian. I've had a wonderful life filled with friendships, and love. What's wrong with that?

I have no idea what you think you're responding to.

[mundame]

Sure, a majority of the population is "unbelievers" now, certainly non-church attenders.

The Episcopals in my county are closing church after church and the membership and attendance keeps dropping. So they are taking whatever they can get for ministers -- this is a predominantly white, country county but one country church had a black rector and one has just hired a lesbian with a "wife" who will live with her in the manse. I'm betting that church, in deep country, will lose most of their members immediately. Oh, and both of these are over 68.

Christianity is certainly going downhill, but that sure doesn't mean it ought to be replaced by Islam.

[aboutime]

I have no idea what you think you're responding to.

Just as I expected. But....I forgive you anyway.

[PostmodernProphet]

Only because we're forced to

is that why you deny the existence of free will?....

[Abbey Marie]

Sure, a majority of the population is "unbelievers" now, certainly non-church attenders.

The Episcopals in my county are closing church after church and the membership and attendance keeps dropping. So they are taking whatever they can get for ministers -- this is a predominantly white, country county but one country church had a black rector and one has just hired a lesbian with a "wife" who will live with her in the manse. I'm betting that church, in deep country, will lose most of their members immediately. Oh, and both of these are over 68.

Christianity is certainly going downhill, but that sure doesn't mean it ought to be replaced by Islam.

IMO, many of the main line denominations have strayed and lost their way. My belief is that churches that stay Bible-based are continually blessed by God, so perhaps the opposite is true.