Atheist & Agnostic
Evolution is a Fact and a Theory
The problem of evil, as described circa 300 B.C.
In about 300 B.C., Epicurus eloquently summed up the problem of the existence of evil. It has come to be known a s the Riddle of Epicurus or the Epicurean paradox .
Apatheism
Apatheism ( / ˌ æ p ə ˈ θ iː ɪ z əm / a portmanteau of apathy and theism / atheism ), also known as pragmatic atheism or (critically) as practical atheism , is acting with apathy, disregard, or lack of interest towards belief or disbelief in a deity .
Too many times I have informed someone that I am an atheist, only to have them reply, “Oh, but how could you know that God doesn’t exist? You’re taking a faith position!” Many headaches later, we finally come to an agreement over the definitions of these words.
Atheist, Gnostic, Theist, Agnostic
Why Atheism?
Just about everyone is an atheist when it comes to other gods — the gods that other people believe in or that nobody believes in anymore.Why there is no God - Richard Dawkins / The Times (UK)
please don't take this wrong, ok? i totally understand why a person would want to take an atheistic view on the universe. what God would let injustice survive, right?
i noticed that you have a lot of Richard Dawkins pages on your tree - may i make an observation? Richard Dawkins certainly has views and compelling arguments, however, to subscribe so much to one person's or a groups views, it could be argued that a person subscribes to that particular writers/scholar's doctrine on what God is not. so, in fact (to follow this observation) to believe so definetly that there is no god at all, and to be sure of what he is not, is to have a set of agreed upon beliefs that you share with others. this sounds a lot like a religion. Richard Dawkins, Deepak Choprah and others would be your pastors or teachers, and perhaps "no god" and your firm belief in it, is "your god"
just a thought.
i am in no way trying to make you angry, but to only present a question. by Jun 17
An Atheist Manifesto
Update: (2/08/2006 1:35 p.m. EST) Read Sam Harris’ additional arguments about The Reality of Islam Editor’s Note: At a time when fundamentalist religion has an unparalleled influence in the highest government levels in the United States, and religion-based terror dominates the world stage, Sam Harris argues that progressive tolerance of faith-based unreason is as great a menace as religion itself.
Hundreds of Proofs of God’s Existence
just a bug, but probably an omen.
i just happen to believe in the God who refers to himself as "I am who I am" and he left it pretty much open with that. if i want to know, i can find out. he is not a statue that may or may not manifest something, he is not the interconnectedness of people (because if that existed - there would be no war). God is a separate entity that i know is real due to real unexplained personal experience, and the main on of those is love. by orphananni1978 Jun 16
i believe that the gods you listed, this being the actual idols or statues or temple building, have/had some power engaged with them and the people worshipping these gods. For a large group of people to have a single thought process that controlled how they lived their lives, did their trade, farming etc..is like populations actually manifesting what the "gods" actually want. see the discourse? how can you have one without questioning the other. the gods you listed; like baal, zeus and Ra are all basically the same story, if not the same person. Hadad is the root god for this belief system.
i am in no way saying that these gods were not powerful or very real to the people worshipping....in fact, i believe these gods probably seemed so much more powerful because of the huge shift in lifestyle we have going on in contrast to peoples of the past. what i am saying is: when your god is a huge statue that you believe controls the weather, a bug blowing on the breeze is no longer by orphananni1978 Jun 16
“I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer gods than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.” (Stephen Roberts) Presumably you do not believe in Thor, Aphrodite, Baal, Zeus, Rama, or Krishna. You are an atheist with respect to those Gods. In the same way I am an atheist with respect to every God whenever they have been or will be invented. This thread is about the conception of God as Human beings, and the impact of Religion on Society. I am concerned with how Religions form. The lenses people use to form their beliefs regarding God. Including the nature of religion; how do religions form and why do they die out or remain in existence. Why people have religious experiences. Furthermore, a look at morality and the role religion plays in its social construction. I believe all the links in the thread to be points of interest when thinking about God and Religion. Thanks for commenting! by zaphodbeeblebrox Jun 16