0
Atheism
Atheism is the disbelief in or denial of the existence of God or gods.
1,002 Questions
Who were the forefathers that were agnostic or atheist?
I presume you mean the founding fathers? At that time there wasn't really the concept of agnostic - that was coined around 100 years after 1776. The religious beliefs of the founding fathers is interpreted from their writings; based on that Franklin was probably "agnostic" or atheist, George Washington may also have been agnostic.
How does atheist view nature of god?
Atheists would view God as imaginary, therefore the nature of the concept would be human-originated.
It's a concept coined by Bertrand Russell for the discussion of whether it's possible to prove the non-existence of god. He said that it's possible to claim there's a teapot orbiting beyond Jupiter, but no-one would believe you, so everyone is a teapot atheist without having to prove it isn't there. In a similar way, it isn't possible to prove the non-existence of gods, but that doesn't mean it make sense to think they actually exist.
The term has a vague meaning, but it's probably the theory that removing belief in gods would produce a nirvana on Earth.
How do you deal with the idea of death if you're atheist?
It may give those with religious beliefs a feeling of comfort to believe that they will have further life after death. But atheists know this is not true, and believe that we should try to live happy and fulfilling lives, be ethical and moral towards others and earn respect for our accomplishments, whatever they be. If we can do that, our loved ones, friends and acquaintances will cherish our memory.
:
To an atheist life is composed of three stages: Birth, Life, Death. Of these three events you only get to enjoy the "Life" part - you aren't there before the "Birth" or after the "Death"
Death is a reality, it cannot be avoided. Not accepting these two facts is delusional. In general no sane person hastens towards death although some situations may suggest a need for an altruistic acceptance of premature death.
Opinions
- Since religion had to have a beginning, atheism is older than religion. Richard Leakey (The Origin of Humankind) believes that the first evidence of religion shows up around 30,000 years ago, in certain cave paintings in Europe. Ritual burials, arguably evidence of religious practices, date from about the same time. Based on that evidence, all humans were atheists until around 30,000 years ago. Atheism was never 'created' and is not a response to any one religion, because it is not an organised philosophy - anyone who does not believe in any god is an atheist. .
- Atheism can't be "invented" it simply is. Atheism is the lack of belief in a god. Which obviously means atheism has been around for as long as any living thing has, even before that.
- Atheism did not "start" it is the original status of all humankind. Mark Twain is, however, good enough to tell us when religion started. In his words "Religion was invented when the first con man met the first fool." Even today children are atheists until inculcated into a religion by adults.
- We are all born Atheists and our eventual religious beliefs are largely a matter of geography. Therefore Atheism precludes religions.
Yes Atheism would be a sin.
AdditionWorse yet in many Islamic countries apostasy carries the penalty of death.Where is Gnosticism practiced now?
Gnostocism flourished during the early years of Christianity and, in the view of some scholars, may have accounted for around half the Christian population. What was to become the dominant branch of Christianity, Catholic-Orthodox, persecuted Gnosticism out of existence in western Europe, although it continued in eastern Europe. The Cathars were a sect with strong Gnostic influences that re-established a presence in southern France in the twelfth century, but was once again eliminated by the Catholic Inquisition.
Modern Cathars claim to be survivors of that purge and to maintain original Cathar beliefs.
The Rosicrucians are a legendary and secretive order that appears to have been founded in the 15th century, the 17th century or perhaps the 18th century. While it probably can not be described as genuinely Gnostic, it does claim some Gnostic influence.
It can be for many non religious reasons. It could have been a charished gift, a family heirloom, a symbol to honor legacy, or just a fashion statement. Much like why a Christian might have kosher salt or even celebrate Halloween.
Did Einstein really argue about Science versus God with an atheist professor of philosophy?
Einstein himself wrote a letter to a friend outlining his position on religion (see Link) which leaves little room for him to be a "man of faith"
According to someone who knew him, Burton believed in a creator - but not like the biblical god.
Do atheists hope for a better life by chance?
What are some Non Christian initiations?
In Judaism there is the Bar Mitvah for young men and the Bat Mitzvah for young ladies. As for atheist's initiations; there are none. If one is a non-Christian, then there's no need for rituals.
Who said If you don't believe in God then you will believe in anything?
I think the quotation you're thinking of is: When people stop believing in God, they don't believe in nothing - they believe in anything. This was said by GK Chesterton.
Why are atheists considered devil worshippers?
Opinion
It really makes no sense calling an Atheist a "devil worshiper"; the definition of an Atheist is not believing in any god, deity or another higher power. Being an Atheist myself, why would I worship the Devil if I don't even believe in him? The simple answer is people don't put much thought into their insults anymore, whether that is a good thing or not is for one to decide.
Opinion
I would say because they don't believe in any divine being or just any thing when it comes to religion. But because atheists do not believe in any divine being I do not see how they could be devil worshippers, because the devil is part of religion, but atheists don't believe in relegion at all.
Opinion
Atheists are not considered devil worshippers. That is simply propaganda spread by religious extremists. Religionists often resort to demonizing anyone who is different and who doesn't accept their particular world views. They fear anyone who is not under their control.
Who are some famous Atheistic Mystics?
Hate to tell you this, but there are no "mystics" of atheism. There are no guidelines to follow, nor any stories to learn. The only thing that makes a person an atheist is a disbelief in god, beyond that you can think that the Earth is flat and the center of the universe. We don't follow anyone in particular, even people like Richard Dawkins we can disagree with.
Henry Winkler may be an atheist, but he was born into a Jewish family, so I expect he is Jewish.
Is idol worship allowed in Christianity?
Atheists rely on themselves. They take full responsibility for their own life and they do the right thing just because it is the right thing to do not because someone told them it was the right thing to do. They think for themselves.
For technical needs they turn to and rely on science. As examples:
- Medicine is they are sick or injured
- Engineering if they want to build things
- Electronics to extend their senses
- Agriculture to grow crops
Do I have a lawsuit against the Boy Scouts if I was removed for being an atheist?
This is not a legal opinion.
Can atheist or an agnostic participate effectively in 12-step programs?
Yes. Anyone can, with hard work and determination. Difference of faith does not interfere with the efficiency of any 12-step programs.
However, note that you cannot work the program as described in the AA Big Book, which consistantly and repeatedly describes God as the creator of the Universe.
If you have faith but not faith in a supernatural, divine creator, you will need to find another fellowship, with a less religious tone or ignore their basic text and stay and find a sponsor who works a less supernatural program.
Answer:
The success rate in AA is about 5%. A lot of clients turn to cigarettes and coffee as replacement drugs, some turn to binge drinking as an alternative to continuous alcohol use. Even he religion pushed by AA is seen as a crutch for facing the real world in the same way as the drugs or alcohol which it replaces. So an atheist or agnostic could get as much or as little use out of the program as anyone. Most alcohols or drug abusers that kick their addiiction do it by deciding internally that they've had enough and want to be clean without recourse to any program at all.
What are the strengths of the design argument?
The design argument is one of the strongest indications of God's existence. For details, see these links: Is there evidence against Evolution
