Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
if god is so unimportant to atheists, why does the atheist go to such great effort of defining themself in relation to something that does not exist?
i don't define myself by that which I am not. I don't run around saying, "HI i'm Tzaphkiel, I'm not a diabetic or a professional football player". I don't run around defining myself as "I don't live in Vermont" or "I don't speak Swahili"
If something is really not part of a person, and not important to a person, then they don't spend valuable time and energy and words and thoughts on that subject.
Yet atheists put forth a whole lot of energy, time, arguments, words, posts debating and talking about god, that which they claim is not important and not existent. Atheists who define themselves in that way, who keep talking about god are in relation with the topic of god. They are wrestling with god. They are in relationship with god.
Why do atheists spend so much time talking about something they claim is ludicrous and a waste of their time? Why is it so important to put forth that amount of energy on something that is a "not" to them?
Just as being a non-smoker, unmarried and childless, helps describe me, by what I am NOT, so does atheism. It is just a descriptor that describes one aspect of myself regarding the question about god.
Atheist is just a word used to describe the category of people that have no belief in god. Like it or not, people who believe in god make up a majority of the world. The word "atheist" is just useful in making a distinction between these two groups of people. It is not something you go around calling yourself on a daily basis outside of any kind of religious context. Only when the subject is brought up in comparison to those who DO believe in god, is the terminology useful in distinguishing your non-belief.
Just like those people who are bald. Even though you might not like the word, it is an accurate descriptor of the category of people who have no hair. Like it or not, the majority of the world has hair. If you went onto a message board about hair pieces for example, and they were suggesting how great a clip on extension would be for you, you would need to explain that you were bald and that you had nothing to clip the extension to. You would only have to bring it up in the context of some kind of hair-related conversation, not in your normal day-to-day life. (Obviously, you wouldn't have to bring it up if the person could already "see" that you were bald).
Sure, your lack of hair is not something that defines you just as my lack of belief does not define me in any way, but there is a word already in use that describe the categories that we fit into: bald, atheist........so what is the point in fighting an accurate descriptor?
I don't pray to anyone because I do not know that there is anyone to pray to. I understand what you are saying, though. I would also say that those christians who are 'in your face' really have no faith in their god because they are not following their own doctrine.
Personally, I have no problem with atheists, buddhists, christians, witches, or whatever else... as long as they do not try to pass off their beliefs as reality or try to force it upon me. None of them (including atheists) can know their belief is reality. I'm all for everyone believing anything they like without interference from others. And in this regard, at least, I can sympathize with you as an atheist, as you have a lot of folks out there trying to shove their religion down your throat. But at the same time, having atheism jammed down one's throat is no better.
Either way, forcing belief is wrong. I guess I'm a 'leave me alone' sort of person. I'm okay with whatever you do or believe, but when I'm having something jammed down my throat, I give it the middle finger (even if it's something I support: because I know others may not). So... I can understand your argument. But I also think this needs to be on a case-by-case basis. Not all religious people are in our faces, so not all of them should receive the finger.
If you have a problem with people forcing their beliefs on you, I suggest you go have some conversations with some Christians.
I have yet to have an atheist come up to me and say, "God isn't real! Stop your delusion!" but I've had plenty of Christians come up to me and ask me if I'm saved, what church I go to, have I allowed Jesus into my heart, etc.
Maybe where you live it's different but here in AR, it's quite common for people to accost you with questions about your religious beliefs and what church you attend.
I realize not every Christian is in your face (or else I'd never catch a break) but there are more in your face Christians than in your face Atheists.
if god is so unimportant to atheists, why does the atheist go to such great effort of defining themself in relation to something that does not exist?
i don't define myself by that which I am not. I don't run around saying, "HI i'm Tzaphkiel, I'm not a diabetic or a professional football player". I don't run around defining myself as "I don't live in Vermont" or "I don't speak Swahili"
If something is really not part of a person, and not important to a person, then they don't spend valuable time and energy and words and thoughts on that subject.
Yet atheists put forth a whole lot of energy, time, arguments, words, posts debating and talking about god, that which they claim is not important and not existent. Atheists who define themselves in that way, who keep talking about god are in relation with the topic of god. They are wrestling with god. They are in relationship with god.
Why do atheists spend so much time talking about something they claim is ludicrous and a waste of their time? Why is it so important to put forth that amount of energy on something that is a "not" to them?
HEHEHEHE, because it bugs the H--- out of the christians, just as their incessant preaching bugs the S--- out of us. I take it you do not care for the shoe being on the other foot?
Those who point out that atheists talk a lot about what they don't believe, rather than what they do believe, are of course, right. That is the definition of atheism; it means without a belief in god. In a discussion of atheism and religion the important differences between the two are what atheists do not believe, what they don't think, what they don't say, what they are against, and most importantly what they don't do.
As an atheist, I disagree with this part of your statement. I and other atheists I've met don't spend a lot of time talking about what we don't believe in. If anything, we try to discuss what we do believe in. And if someone asks what drives our actions, we do like you said and say that we appeal to our humanity and our consciences.
Quote:
Originally Posted by PurpleLove08
I have yet to have an atheist come up to me and say, "God isn't real! Stop your delusion!" but I've had plenty of Christians come up to me and ask me if I'm saved, what church I go to, have I allowed Jesus into my heart, etc.
Except for the angry, confrontational atheist (who I believe is a minority among atheists, but unfortunately helps perpetuate the negative stereotype about us), you won't atheists running around telling people to stop believing in God. We let people believe whatever they want, even if we don't agree with it. But I've lost count of how many Christians have come up to me offering to save me, telling me that I'll burn in hell, etc.
if god is so unimportant to atheists, why does the atheist go to such great effort of defining themself in relation to something that does not exist?
i don't define myself by that which I am not. I don't run around saying, "HI i'm Tzaphkiel, I'm not a diabetic or a professional football player". I don't run around defining myself as "I don't live in Vermont" or "I don't speak Swahili"
If something is really not part of a person, and not important to a person, then they don't spend valuable time and energy and words and thoughts on that subject.
Yet atheists put forth a whole lot of energy, time, arguments, words, posts debating and talking about god, that which they claim is not important and not existent. Atheists who define themselves in that way, who keep talking about god are in relation with the topic of god. They are wrestling with god. They are in relationship with god.
Why do atheists spend so much time talking about something they claim is ludicrous and a waste of their time? Why is it so important to put forth that amount of energy on something that is a "not" to them?
Just read your opening post and no more of them, but decided to answer: what a ridiculous concept! This is an open-discussion forum. For exactly the same reasons you come here to debunk atheism, we choose to come here to defend it, and to ask you some questions that appear to be quite embarrassing to the run[of-the-mill fundamentalist apologist Christian.
Additionally, some of us are very concerned about the continuing (but thankfully fading) influence of the Christian faith on public education and use of my tax dollars.
I originally assumed there'd be rational discourse on this sub-forum, but nope: just rampant "Oh yeah? well your mother wears Army sox!" type of response from a cornered Christian instead of accepting he or she's been cornered by some logical point. Christians cannot accede to anything, ever, apparently.
You cling to what we feel are absurd unprovable fantasies, so we choose to debate them. Why do you have a problem with that? If you don't want to discuss these controversial subjects, why not stay off line? Just simply don't bring up controversial topics. Easy, huh?
But if, on the other hand, you decide to say, for example, "Noah's Ark literally happened!" you can expect some controversy. Why? Because mythology should be recognized for what it really is!
if god is so unimportant to atheists, why does the atheist go to such great effort of defining themself in relation to something that does not exist?
Why do atheists spend so much time talking about something they claim is ludicrous and a waste of their time? Why is it so important to put forth that amount of energy on something that is a "not" to them?
Because when you ask us what religion we are, that's the only way we know how to answer your question.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
