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ic0n0 
I have become Death, Destroyer of Worlds
Group: Members
Posts: 1352
Joined: Sep. 2000
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Posted on: Jul. 20 2002,16:01 |
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The 1st thing that needs to be done is define what an atheist is.
What atheism is
"I don't have the evidence to prove that God doesn't exist, but I so strongly suspect he doesn't that I don't want to waste my time." (Isaac Asimov)
Atheism is the opposite of theism (duh! . Theism is the belief that there is a supernatural entity (from now on known as God). For reasons of simplicity, I will use "God" to refer to the supreme deity of the Jewish, the Christians and the Muslims, the three major monotheistic religions that share a cultural background. I don't believe in the many gods of the Hinduist religion, or any other religion that I know so far; and I haven't created any other god in my mind.
Atheism, then, is the opposite of theism. But this doesn't mean the atheist rejects God, like many religious authorities (people and documents) say; the average atheist doesn't affirm "God doesn't exist" but "I don't believe in any god". This is an important distinction. Atheism (in its most common, "weak" form) is not a belief in the non-existence of God, but disbelief.
Therefore, I don't reject God. I cannot reject someone that I don't even believe to exist. I have no faith in the theist statement "God exists", but neither do I have faith in the statement "God doesn't exist". It doesn't take a leap of faith to disbelieve; you have to do nothing in order to be an atheist, and indeed you don't have to justify your atheism, because it's the default view. If nobody taught you about God, you will never believe in Him. The hypothetical existence of God is not evident at first sight, and any claim for His existence must be justified using nothing else than what is evident and accepted (therefore not allowing revelation, authority or tradition).
So atheism is the lack of belief in god, not an active disbelief.
2nd thing to do is list the reasons why I personally am an atheist.
1. I feel the Bible/Koran/Torah are less then accurate.
2. I do not think a universe built on rules would allow something like a free willed omnipotent being that could change rules as it saw fit, then god would then not be governed by rules.
3. Humans seem to me to be too illogical most of the time to have been created by a perfect god (god has to perfect otherwise it's not god)
4. Humans have a need to be part of something greater, they need reason to exist and continue living for the most part. Like it is commonly said if there was no god it would be necessary to create him.
5. This is very simple: who or what created god?
Edited by ic0n0 on Jan. 01 1970,01:00
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"I don't have the evidence to prove that God doesn't exist, but I so strongly suspect he doesn't that I don't want to waste my time." (Isaac Asimov)
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| Post Number: 2
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Bozeman
Guardian
Group: Members
Posts: 762
Joined: Jun. 2000
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Posted on: Jul. 20 2002,16:35 |
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I share many of ic0n0's views, but I call myself Agnostic. To each their own.
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It's the pop-o-matic bubble, motherfucker!
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| Post Number: 3
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Uberkommando
My cup is half empty.
Group: Members
Posts: 337
Joined: Jan. 2002
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Posted on: Jul. 20 2002,18:33 |
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| Quote (Bozeman @ 20 July 2002,10:35) | | I call myself Agnostic. |
We call that a 'lazy atheist' where I'm from... But I fit into that category.
You'd be suprised how little relevent theoligical discussion occured between my friends and I -- an atheist, an agnostic, a Baptist, a Jehova's Witness, a Mormon, and a Greek Orthodox. Not to mention the occassional Jew. Religion was sort of taboo -- everyone was treading on someone else's feet.
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Now if you'll excuse me, there's a bottle in the cupboard with my name on it.
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| Post Number: 4
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ShakerMaker
Mad For It
Group: Members
Posts: 103
Joined: Sep. 2001
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Posted on: Jul. 21 2002,10:39 |
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Instead of typing all that, do what I do and say 'Cause I can't be fucked going to church.'
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| Post Number: 5
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Bozeman
Guardian
Group: Members
Posts: 762
Joined: Jun. 2000
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Posted on: Jul. 21 2002,13:53 |
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| Quote (Uberkommando @ 20 July 2002,13:33) | | We call that a 'lazy atheist' where I'm from... |
I prefer "realist" or "secular humanist."
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It's the pop-o-matic bubble, motherfucker!
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| Post Number: 6
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Rhydant
I don't work here.
Group: Members
Posts: 1843
Joined: Dec. 2000
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Posted on: Jul. 21 2002,17:54 |
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i just dont believe in what i cant see.
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And when people tell me what is OK and what is not, it should not be unexpected see, I extend my middle right hand digit and say "Hey, would you like a lemon or lime with that piece of advice, Mister?"
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| Post Number: 7
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ic0n0
I have become Death, Destroyer of Worlds
Group: Members
Posts: 1352
Joined: Sep. 2000
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Posted on: Jul. 21 2002,18:04 |
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| Quote (ShakerMaker @ 20 July 2002,20:39) | | Instead of typing all that, do what I do and say 'Cause I can't be fucked going to church.' |
Do you want an answer to that? (Catholic priest joke) And yes you can, what if your going to the wrong church or worshiping the wrong god, then I would say you’re fucked. At least I can plead ignorance, and say well I refused to pick because I didn't know. You on the other hand cannot plead ignorance. If when I die it turns out there is a classic Christian god and he is judging me, he/she/It will see that I made a logical decision, I do not want to be with the hate and bigotry that most religions seem to be ripe with. Instead I have decided to live by the basic rule of do unto others, as I would like to be done unto me, which is a Judeo-Christian value I value. If god condemns me to hell I still Took the right path for me, because I wouldn’t worship a god that would condemn people who are “good” in a classic sense just because they are not a specific religion. If god exists it gave us logic for a reason, I would think he/she/it would want us to use it.
Edited by ic0n0 on Jan. 01 1970,01:00
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"I don't have the evidence to prove that God doesn't exist, but I so strongly suspect he doesn't that I don't want to waste my time." (Isaac Asimov)
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| Post Number: 8
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The_Stomper
300,000 dead kittens and counting!
Group: Members
Posts: 542
Joined: Sep. 2000
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Posted on: Jul. 21 2002,20:09 |
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Well said.
Why am I agnostic? Simply ... I don't know what's out there. I don't know if there is or isn't a God/gods/godesses/etc ... so I'm not going to spend my time fighting/killing/convincing others that my beliefs are correct when I wouldn't even be sure of them myself.
If at some point I become convinced that there is someone/something out there, then perhaps I could change to Religion X ... but I'm perfectly content staying out of all the religious fights and jihads abounding the world.
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There is no round with your name on it. They're all labeled:
"To Whom It May Concern"
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| Post Number: 9
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Anztac
Ronin
Group: Members
Posts: 1294
Joined: May 2000
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Posted on: Jul. 21 2002,21:55 |
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| Quote (ShakerMaker @ 21 July 2002,05:39) | | Instead of typing all that, do what I do and say 'Cause I can't be fucked going to church.' |
That's pretty ironic considering your handel 
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~[b]Anztac[/b][ [i]All Who Grok are God[/i] ]
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| Post Number: 10
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ShakerMaker
Mad For It
Group: Members
Posts: 103
Joined: Sep. 2001
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Posted on: Jul. 22 2002,12:17 |
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| Quote (Anztac @ 21 July 2002,13:55) | | Quote (ShakerMaker @ 21 July 2002,05:39) | | Instead of typing all that, do what I do and say 'Cause I can't be fucked going to church.' |
That's pretty ironic considering your handel |
Haha
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