Once more, with feeling.

Atheism is a lack of belief in the existence of god, gods and goddesses. One may describe it as a position on a single philosophical issue.

Like everyone, I was born an atheist and I remain one to this very day. If theism didn't exist I wouldn't even need to call myself an atheist in regards to the claims of theists.

Atheism is not a doctrine.

Atheism is not a belief.

Atheism is not a philosophy.

Atheism is not a "path".

Atheism is not a doctrine.

Apr 24, 2012 -- 2:03PM, IDBC wrote:

I've heard a rumor that there are people who are interested in what Atheism IS .


The defination of the word is:


atheism  

1. the doctrine or belief that there is no God.

2. disbelief in the existence of a supreme being or beings.


It is a "belief" that is no God and or a "disbelief"  in the existence of a supreme being or beings.  


It is a doctrine and not a dogma.  It is a belief or disbelief.   It is not a statement of knowledge or fact.   

I know that I have a brain.   That is a fact.   

I do not know that I have or don't have a soul for the same reason I do not know if god/gods, supreme beings/beings that have no physical existence.  

Nor do I believe that I have a soul.  I disbelieve in the existence of my soul for the same reason I disbelieve in the existence of god/gods.   

There is I think a difference between believing and knowing, and between knowing an not knowing, between gnosticism and agnosticism. 


I would not be suprised if there are masterminds who think that belief/disbelief,  knowing and  not knowing are all the same thing. 


For a more in depth information about  what atheism IS that expands beyond the definition of the word you may or may not see: 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atheism

www.atheistscholar.org/




                     

Apr 27, 2012 -- 5:51PM, Seefan wrote:

Hmhmhmhm!  I thought it was .....

Atheism – The belief that there was nothing and nothing happened to nothing and then nothing magically exploded for no reasons, creating everything and then a bunch of everything magically rearranged itself for no reason whatsoever into self-replicating bits which then turned into dinosaurs. 

This probably makes as much sense to me ....

That's a strawman argument and may be dismissed as such.

You don't know very much, do you?

Apr 27, 2012 -- 5:55PM, redshifted wrote:

Apr 27, 2012 -- 5:51PM, Seefan wrote:

Hmhmhmhm!  I thought it was .....

Atheism – The belief that there was nothing and nothing happened to nothing and then nothing magically exploded for no reasons, creating everything and then a bunch of everything magically rearranged itself for no reason whatsoever into self-replicating bits which then turned into dinosaurs. 

This probably makes as much sense to me ....

You're joking, right?

What do you think?  It's about as correct and understandable as your understanding of spiritual reality ...

And steve - I'm sure you are right, right!

Apr 27, 2012 -- 5:55PM, redshifted wrote:

Apr 27, 2012 -- 5:51PM, Seefan wrote:

Hmhmhmhm!  I thought it was .....

Atheism – The belief that there was nothing and nothing happened to nothing and then nothing magically exploded for no reasons, creating everything and then a bunch of everything magically rearranged itself for no reason whatsoever into self-replicating bits which then turned into dinosaurs. 

This probably makes as much sense to me ....

You're joking, right?

Sadly, I think not.

Apr 27, 2012 -- 6:10PM, Seefan wrote:

Apr 27, 2012 -- 6:08PM, steven_guy wrote:

Apr 27, 2012 -- 6:01PM, Seefan wrote:

Apr 27, 2012 -- 5:55PM, redshifted wrote:

Apr 27, 2012 -- 5:51PM, Seefan wrote:

Hmhmhmhm!  I thought it was .....

Atheism – The belief that there was nothing and nothing happened to nothing and then nothing magically exploded for no reasons, creating everything and then a bunch of everything magically rearranged itself for no reason whatsoever into self-replicating bits which then turned into dinosaurs. 

This probably makes as much sense to me ....

You're joking, right?

What do you think?  It's about as correct and understandable as your understanding of spiritual reality ...

And steve - I'm sure you are right, right!

What's there to understand about spiritual reality? All of it is simply made up, sometimes on the spot. One might as well say critics don't understand the spiritual reality of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. 

My point exactly steve ...

Thanks ...

Um, alrighty then. Good talk.