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The Secular Student Alliance, Camp Quest, and Foundation Beyond Belief were all nominated for the Chase Community Giving program, which awards grants based on the votes of the public. Everyone gets 2 votes on Facebook, plus an additional one if they share a CCG page. The links for them are:
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Voting runs from September 6-19
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Atheists (imgur.com)
submitted 8 months ago by Raazzuls
[–]TheBlackHive 54 points55 points56 points 8 months ago
The look delicious.
[–]Raazzuls[S] 50 points51 points52 points 8 months ago
That the do.
[–]SlightlyAmbiguous 40 points41 points42 points 8 months ago
"That the do." - Raazzuls
Poetry.
[–][deleted] 8 months ago
[deleted]
[–]Battlesheep 18 points19 points20 points 8 months ago
TROLL IN THE DUNGEON!
[–]TitaniumTicTac 4 points5 points6 points 8 months ago
Relevant
[–]Manocean 5 points6 points7 points 8 months ago
Look at Bill Gates.
Oh wait, -7000 comment karma... you're a troll, logic don't work on yer type
[–]usk49 3 points4 points5 points 8 months ago
Actually scaps have been found. By scaps i mean bacteria. By bacteria i mean life. By life i mean your wrong now stfu.
[–]melissa714 1 point2 points3 points 8 months ago
*you're
[–]Raazzuls[S] 1 point2 points3 points 8 months ago*
Christianity does not have an objective, rational base in the slightest. I was about to ask you if you were out of your mind, but you're a self professed Christian so I'll save my breath. We have not explored 1% of the universe, yet because we spent billions and looked under a couple rocks you are satisfied to say intelligent (or otherwise) life doesn't exist elsewhere.
[–]Rizuken -1 points0 points1 point 8 months ago
do you lack the ability to understand satire?
[–]Raazzuls[S] 2 points3 points4 points 8 months ago
I lack the ability to sort the trolls from the actual dumbass Christians.
[–]Rizuken -2 points-1 points0 points 8 months ago
lol you think people who use satire are trolls.
[–]addboy 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
Wow, I never thought of it that way. You make total sense. Maybe I should give Christianity a try! Has that ever happened? Yeah well it's not gonna happen now either.
[–]robin5670 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
A planet that can hold life and life that is capable of intelligent thought would be very rare. There could very possibly be life on other planets, it's just that they are so uncommon and far apart that we cannot find them.
[–]kingssman 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
If there is no evidence of life outside of earth, does this mean that the universe is devoid of life? If there is no evidence that god exists, does this mean that there is no god?
Not until it's proven.
[–]TrevorBradley 1 point2 points3 points 8 months ago
I swore the subcaption was going to be "Because these babies aren't going to eat themselves".
[–]casualfactors 3 points4 points5 points 8 months ago
Quiet you fool. Rebecca Watson is listening, and she has a blog post to write.
[–]TheBlackHive 1 point2 points3 points 8 months ago
Should I know that name?
[–]ocon60 -11 points-10 points-9 points 8 months ago
In short: 15 year old fairly attractive redditor posts of pic of her with her grandma's birthday present (a Dawkins book I believe). Needless to say, the thread gets a million responses of "Hey, how u doin'?", and "Abort, Abort! She's only 15!!!1".
Rebecca Watson, a blogger with what seems to be a redwood tree stuck up her ass is disgusted by what is obviously REDDITORS FUCKING AROUND, BEING SILLY. She writes a post on her blog titled "Why Atheists piss me off" or some such.
TL;DR: She's a cunt
[–]TI-994A 6 points7 points8 points 8 months ago
Wait, you're saying that 15-year old girls don't like creepy neckbeards joking about raping her? Wow, what a cunt! Why can't she just understand that they're just joking about raping her? And what's more is that Rebecca Watson also doesn't understand that the girl's post asking for everyone to stop was just a joke! HELP, REDDIT IS BEING OPPRESSED BY THE FEMINAZIS
tl;dr You're a cunt
[–]Supora 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
I agree with you, but I disagree with her "Why Atheists Piss Me Off" blog post. It is fair for her to be angry at those misogynist redditors, but to group them with ALL non-believers is wrong. Also, if she was giving her grandmother a Dawkins book, it seems like she may be a non-believer herself...why did she say Atheists piss her off then?
[–]ocon60 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
I was saying the blogger was a cunt, although the 15 year old was opening the proverbial door by saying 'bracin mah anus'. But yeah, it's fucking Reddit, thick skin required.
[–]Mandinder 3 points4 points5 points 8 months ago
Congrats, you are what is wrong with the atheist community.
[–]ocon60 1 point2 points3 points 8 months ago
I would extend that to what is wrong with all of reddit, as the post made the front page in a short time.
[–]TheBlackHive 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
Oh, that bullshit. I remember that. Blah.
[–]odei 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
Yeah, you write those sexy words you slut.
[–]Kay_Elle 5 points6 points7 points 8 months ago
Dude, I'm not sure. Children are some of the cruelest, most evil creatures on the planet!
[–]ShingyoujiPai 4 points5 points6 points 8 months ago
the second one already has this converted look on his face Oo
[–]mirex0_0 17 points18 points19 points 8 months ago
Atheists
[–]mirex0_0 1 point2 points3 points 8 months ago
Ask and you shall receive.
[–]serotoninflood 1 point2 points3 points 8 months ago
XD Thanks.
[–]nigganigga -1 points0 points1 point 8 months ago
brilliant
[–]I_Hate_Nerds 3 points4 points5 points 8 months ago
I'm not sure about the whole idea that people are born atheists until they are taught theism. The tendency to believe is hard wired into our brains (maybe through evolutionary purposes), that's why there's religion in every single human culture - even those who developed completely independent of one another. Many some more in the know redditors can provide links to some literature.
[–]disaster_face 1 point2 points3 points 8 months ago
I'm not sure I agree. I think the desire for answers is what's hard-wired. Before science was able to answer many questions that it can today, this desire often resulted in religion.
[–]blechinger 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
I'm not sure I agree. I think the desire for winning is what's hard-wired. Before science was able to answer many questions that it can today this desire often resulted in violence and oppression.
Oh, wait... It still does. Dammit.
[–]MUnhelpful 26 points27 points28 points 8 months ago
Gonna get some downvotes for saying so, but this argument applies to rocks, trees, and all manner of things incapable of holding beliefs. I agree atheism is the reasonable null hypothesis, but claiming it as label for somebody not able to evaluate claims regarding god(s) feels dishonest.
That said, this is the funniest and most adorable statement of this ludicrous claim that I have seen thus far.
[–]rascal_red 17 points18 points19 points 8 months ago*
I'm going to disagree with you.
Insofar as we can determine, rocks, trees and the like do not possess potential/developing minds.
That said, the atheism of infants is only incidental (it isn't by reason), so it's negligible on the practical level.
[–]Hiphoppington -5 points-4 points-3 points 8 months ago
Incidental I agree. But this picture, no matter how silly does imply other issues. Imagine a controlled environment. What happens if one of these babies grows up and dies having never once learned about God what happens to them?
[–]rascal_red 5 points6 points7 points 8 months ago
What happens if one of these babies grows up and dies having never once learned about God what happens to them?
... This is only an "issue" with a number of baseless assumptions. To name a few:
Some version of god exists.
The version that does cares about humans (not necessarily in a positive way).
Humans can/do "exist after death."
The not-terribly-defined version of god decides what happens to humans after death, and its decision at least partially depends on whether or not the dying believed in it (the god).
... Frankly, I don't consider your concern an "issue."
[–]Hiphoppington 1 point2 points3 points 8 months ago
I don't think my question came out right.
I also don't think it's an issue, I'd just be curious to hear that question answered by the ardently religious. You'll not find that behind my text here. It was just thought I had while seeing the picture.
[–]rascal_red 1 point2 points3 points 8 months ago
Oh, well, clarification taken.
[–]MeloJelo 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
You inferred that he was asking if the babies will be punished by a god if the die having never known about said god. I think he meant to ask if the babies would develop a concept of god or supernatural beings if they were never taught any such idea by adults and never developing such ideas on their own (which I assume at least a few would, being that our species had to have imagined a god up at some point for us to get where we are now religiously).
[–]KarmakazeNZ 1 point2 points3 points 8 months ago
I disagree. God was invented when there wasn't a better explanation. I think it is highly unlikely it would be invented now, if it didn't already exist, and even if some nutter claimed it, no one would believe it.
[–]Knockerbot 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
Jackpot.
[–]nedolya 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
well according to dante alighieri they're "virtuous pagans" because they were never exposed to god/jesus/etc so never refused to follow said path. that's the only response I've heard or read, but I'm sure there's others out there depending on the strictness of the religion
[–]acolossalbear 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
It's a very interesting thing to think about, and the answer is more or less, in my opinion anyway, the same answer to "Is there a God?". I don't think we can really know. Over time, people, of course, came up with the idea of a God or Gods. Be it out of hope, greed, insanity, idealism, stupidity, or, who knows, even maybe because a "God" (however unlikely) told them, it's happened. For any number of those reasons, a child raised in a controlled environment may come up with it in a similar way to how people have in the past (though it's probably less likely now as science and technology are far more advanced than they were at the time).
That being said, it's still a possibility, and it could go either way. I'd love to see some studies done on it, but I don't think there'd really be a feasible way to conduct such a study while still being fair to the child.
[–]geekboutique 2 points3 points4 points 8 months ago
Maybe the OP is also indirectly stating that these particular babies are incredibly intelligent and therefore have the capability to be atheists. Smart babies equal atheists, or atheists because they're smart?
WTF OP
[–]headphonehalo 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
Given that they're atheists, they clearly have the "capability."
[–]winder487 4 points5 points6 points 8 months ago
I thought it was just a baby-eating joke, actually.
[–]KarmakazeNZ 3 points4 points5 points 8 months ago
You're born an atheist and stay that way until someone teaches you the concept of a god. Children never come up with the idea on their own.
[–]Stahrk 1 point2 points3 points 8 months ago
Ehhhh. Then how does the concept exist, period?
Because when the concept was invented, we didn't even know what fire was. In a world where everything is a mystery, its easy to come to the belief that some sentient being controls it all.
In a world where there is very little mystery left, it would be ridiculous to invent an explanation that makes less sense than the ones science has given us. Even when theism was dominant, scientific explanations won the debate.
[–]squigs 1 point2 points3 points 8 months ago
I suspect they probably would. We seem hardwired to believe.
While religion itself is ingrained by society, as far as I know, every culture has had some concept of a god or gods.
[–]yes_faceless 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
Yeah but it's not the CHILDREN that make them up...
[–]KarmakazeNZ 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago*
I suspect they probably would.
No, because the conditions in which that sort of thinking can flourish are gone. We simply know too much about how the world works for anyone to jump to the "magical man in the sky did it" explanation. That sort of thinking can't survive when it is being actively promoted today, so how could it survive if everyone already believed it was false?
How exactly could you convince a world that has scientific explanations for our existence that we were actually created by a god and all the evidence is wrong? A few nutters may come up with idea, but they would be seen as crazy because they deny all the evidence in front of them in favour of a fantasy they made up.
[–]Kay_Elle 2 points3 points4 points 8 months ago
I hate to break it to you, but they do. The whole idea of "magical thinking" is actually very strong in children. It is exhibited in ways sch as "believing good things will happen if you only touch the white parts of a zebra crossing". Apparently, kids come up with the life after death idea all on their own.
I can't remember the name of the researchers, but there was an experiment with a dead mouse and kids. When asked questions like "Can the mouse run?" Or "Can it still eat?" the kids would reply "no". But to questions like "Does the mouse still love it's mother?" the kids would answer "yes". Obviously the dead mouse in the experiment was anthropomorphized, but it showed the kids assigned transcendental qualities to the post-mortem mouse.
[–]KarmakazeNZ 2 points3 points4 points 8 months ago
I hate to break it to you, but they do.
No, they don't. They do not imagine wrathful and jealous Gods. They have to be taught that.
"believing good things will happen if you only touch the white parts of a zebra crossing"
Kids say the damnedest things. That is nothing at all like "god". You will see the exact same kid ignore that rule as soon as he gets bored of trying to avoid the white bits.
Apparently, kids come up with the life after death idea all on their own.
Maybe so (I doubt it, I'd need some evidence to agree) but first you have to explain what death is to them, and it's likely that is when you will plant your own "life after death" beliefs.
but it showed the kids assigned transcendental qualities to the post-mortem mouse.
Or that they didn't really understand death.
[–]Kay_Elle 1 point2 points3 points 8 months ago
It's not the same as believing in a God - especially not the Abrahamic God, but it actually feeds on the same mechanisms. Magical thinking is at the base of superstition, and leads to ritual behavior (linked to religious beliefs).
Obviously a child would not start quoting the Bible out of the blue if they never heard about it. But that does not mean they would not concoct some sort of personal religion, a superstitious construct in which they make themselves believe that some behaviour will be rewarded by a higher power, and some behaviour will be punished.
As for the experiment: These were children that were actually not foreign to the concept of death. Te fact that you say they didn't understand death is in fact part of the issue. While the mind cognitively knows that death is a "stop of biological fuctions", there is a very strong notion of rejecting death as being final, even in young children.
Here, found it for you: http://books.google.be/books?id=SE9DT1prNlwC&pg=PA185&lpg=PA185&dq=%22dead+mouse%22+children+experiment&source=bl&ots=-7EBTkSw0V&sig=McAbeYsCSNNrOoyEquirPoBsyAY&hl=nl&sa=X&ei=BloBT6btGsTp8QPS4cSeAQ&ved=0CB0Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22dead%20mouse%22%20children%20experiment&f=false
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magical_thinking
[–]molecularmachine 1 point2 points3 points 8 months ago
That would depend on how many of these children had been introduced to ideas about what happen after death through the adults in their lives. Children between the age of 5 and 12 are very quick at snapping up bits here and there, and if these children were American I would assume at the VERY least half of them has grown up around some sort of religion, or in some cases even people who keep children stuck in magical thoughts by telling lies about what happened to their hamster and that the tooth fairly brings them money.
Unless one can properly account for and adjust for what children that old has gotten told by parents there is no way one can equate this to "This is what Children think without religious influence". Magical thinking is in a lot of ways things we force upon our children by lying, exaggerating and telling them magical stories when they ask questions instead of telling them the truth.
they would not concoct some sort of personal religion
I never said that. I said they would not come up with the concept of a god that created the universe. They certainly would not try to claim that the universe is only 6000 years old and that it was created to look 14 billion years old as a test of faith by the god that created it.
While the mind cognitively knows that death is a "stop of biological fuctions", there is a very strong notion of rejecting death as being final, even in young children.
No, the mind knows no such thing until it is taught it. The children first had to learn about death before they could conceive of life after it. Children are actually inclined to believe they are immortal, not that death is not final.
[–]Kay_Elle 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
Right. But then you're talking about one specific interpretation of God (namely that of the Bible) - which no, they obviously would not come up with on their own. You might also argue that if they have a "personal religion" they're less likely to be fanatical about it - which may be true, I have no data on it, but of course Christianity has strength in numbers. My point is that kids are not the "empty slates" a lot of people claim them to be, and they do have the tendency for magical thinking (which is closer to old tribal religion than Christianity).
[–]KarmakazeNZ 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
But then you're talking about one specific interpretation of God
What else could god be but god?
God (in Christianity and other monotheistic religions) The creator and ruler of the universe and source of all moral authority; the supreme being (in certain other religions) A superhuman being or spirit worshiped as having power over nature or human fortunes; a deity
God
(in Christianity and other monotheistic religions) The creator and ruler of the universe and source of all moral authority; the supreme being
(in certain other religions) A superhuman being or spirit worshiped as having power over nature or human fortunes; a deity
Neither of those definitions would be a natural result of what science tells us. You would never say a divine being caused an earthquake, if you know how earthquakes occur. There simply would be no reason to overturn a proven fact in favour of a fantasy.
It's hard enough to convert people when you have billions of supporters. Try being the first person to say "You know plate tectonics? Nope the magic man in the sky did it."
[–]Raazzuls[S] 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
Life after death =/= god.
Life after death = religious concept
I understand you make the distinction, but are you seriously arguing that believing in life after death is not religious thinking?
Religion and atheism are not mutually exclusive. Yes, life after death is a religious belief but an atheist isn't one without religion, it's one that does not believe in a deity. One could be a follower of a non theistic religion such a Buddhism and still be an atheist, could they not? Life after death and belief in god may both be "religious," but belief of one is not belief in the other.
You may argue that Buddhism is more a life philosophy than a religion, but still.... The problem there is, without a deity, how do you then imagine this life after death? If you believe in reincarnation, but not a deity - then how do you see this process - as a natural process, same as being born or going through puberty? Or do you see it as being "regulated" - because if the latter, then that sort of implies a higher power.
"Heaven" or "Elysium" type of situations are even more problematic, because then you are talking about realms that are traditionally in the hands of God(s). How would you see such an afterlife, without a deity?
And any such afterlife would pretty much imply an immortal soul.
Even though you could strictly be atheist and a buddhist - if you believe in things like reincarnation, you are basically doing the same as theists: you are placing faith in something that cannot be scientifically proven, so it does actually work on the same mechanisms.
I'm not saying that that's terribly wrong to do, in itself - I'm just saying I don't see a huge difference with what (moderate) theists are doing there.
I really can't address this head on, because I personally do not believe in reincarnation. However, I don't see how the two (a deity and reincarnation) go hand in hand.
[–]immunofort -4 points-3 points-2 points 8 months ago
Just because children might never come up with the idea on their own doesn't mean that they're an atheist. There's a difference between absence of belief and disbelief ie atheism. Disbelief requires a person to actively make a decision. I can make the claim that I have $10,000 in cash in my pocket. I'm guessing you think that claim is false and it certainly is, I don't have $10,000 in my pocket, but before I made the claim did you even think for a second, "he doesn't have $10,000 in his pocket"? No you were absent belief. The instant I said I have $10,000 in my pocket you would have made up your mind that I am lying, your position changed from absence of belief to disbelief.
[–]Mattk50 1 point2 points3 points 8 months ago
absence of belief is atheism.
[–]immunofort -1 points0 points1 point 8 months ago
Right, You're not even going to try and support your statement by giving a coherent reason/argument? Idiots like you seriously decline the quality of comments.
Absence of belief simply means you do not have any beliefs, and that includes atheism. Atheism is very much a belief, but in the negative, eg "I do not believe god exists"
[–]Mattk50 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
No... Its absence of belief. I dont know for sure whether or not there is a god, however there is no evidence for it and so there is no reason for me to think anything else, however i dont assert factual knowledge of the absence of a god. Im an agnostic atheist, essentially.
Before you say it, no, atheism and agnosticism are not mutually exclusive.
Just because children might never come up with the idea on their own doesn't mean that they're an atheist.
They do not believe in god. They are atheists. Once you tell them what god is and that they will go to hell forever and ever to suffer for all eternity if they don't believe... then they become converts.
[–]immunofort 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
Yeah just ignore all the argument points I gave right? Answer this then, before I told you I had a $10,000 did you actively think "He does not have $10,000 in his pocket?
I assumed you didn't, because I understand the concept of money and that 10K is a lot to be carrying around for no reason.
I still had to know what money was before I could ever even conceive of you having 10K worth of it in your pocket. My preconceived notions of the value of money, inculcated into me by my parents, affected my thinking, and made me just assume that ordinary people do not carry that much money around.
[–]king_of_the_universe 1 point2 points3 points 8 months ago
Not that anyone can really evaluate claims regarding something untestable.
[–][deleted] 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
The difference between babies and rocks and trees and all manner of things, is that babies are tiny people. Just as how many adult Christians don't understand evolution, and rocks don't understand evolution, does that mean that many Christians are as smart as rocks? Well, when it comes to evolution, yes, but they are still people! Jesus fucking christ man, you can teach a rock to praise allah and it won't, the point is you can teach a baby whatever you want and they will believe it. Because they are remarkably different from rocks, because they are tiny people!
[–]MUnhelpful 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
They eventually become able to hold beliefs about god, and in that regard they are different from rocks... but have you tried to teach a newborn anything at all? We come with one or two reflexive behaviors, and a couple of hardwired skills (I don't think a minimum age has been established for subitizing), but cognitively a lot of our personhood isn't there yet.
A newborn is like an organic videocamera, absorbing everything around it since its birth. This is the real programming stage, the years between birth and after babbling (when your child actually starts talking). What you program here is going to determine what this child ends up "believing".
People aren't just born "people". This is why feral children are fascinating, that is because they haven't been programmed during those key years and have forever lost their chance of being considered truly human. Of course to the best of our knowledge a fully feral child has never existed, as anyone who has actually created one has never left records of what it was like. But they do exist and we have found otherwise disrupted developmental years (such as when a newborn is taken from the sex slave and not taught how to speak). It permanently retards them and they never progress beyond the mental ages of children or even infants. Many of them never talk at all, they just don't understand how.
So yes, babies do start programming from birth and if you do certain things for that programming stage, like put a cross in front of the camera, or sing certain songs in front of the microphone, then they are going to be programmed in and they will probably never go away. These "idiots" we are talking about are simply properly programmed people, as far as the Catholic church is concerned. Babies being programmed from birth is business as usual and religion wouldn't have it any other way. If they were not allowed to program people until after they talk, then their numbers go down. If they don't program people until after they graduate, then their numbers disappear completely as new social orders almost instantly dominate the old ones, and people start taking complete control over each successive generations programming for religion. This is all no secret, the Christians know this themselves, as in (for the sake of example) the Jesuit maxim "Give me the child till the age of seven and I will show you the man."
[–]bittlelum 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
But rocks and trees are atheists.
[–]Candour 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
Isn't that what disbelief is? The inability or unwillingness to believe? As a common example thrown around here; I don't need to know what stamps are to not collect them. Atheism is very much a meaningless word that has only gained a purpose because of the huge proportion of theists to not theists.
If anything this image points out how preposterous it is to assume anything about an atheist (other than the inherent meaning).
[–]BreSput 2 points3 points4 points 8 months ago
You're conflating belief and a dispositional property something has. Having beliefs entails dispositions to act, but they are deeper in a sense, and furthermore actions for pre-linguistic infants and animals are public in a way that mental states of linguistic creatures are not.
If a baby was a stamp collector, we would know because we could see it gathering stamps, even if it couldn't tell us what it was doing, or didn't have a concept of stamp, post office, messages, etc. we can still say it's collecting something, and that something is what we call stamps.
Now, as a matter of course I would say the same about the infant here. If someone asked if your dog or tree collected stamps, you'd greet them with a puzzled look, because dogs, trees, and pre-linguistic infants just aren't the kind of thing to collect things or to know what a stamp is or why it should find stamps to be more interesting than random pebbles or scraps of paper.
Right.
Atheism is very much a meaningless word that has only gained a purpose because of the huge proportion of theists to not theists.
Not the first time I've heard this expressed, but I like it. The point I was making is that the babies can't hold any beliefs, so their position with regard to god(s) is meaningful. Yours or mine is because there are others who believe, yes, and because we are capable of holding beliefs. It would be really nice if we didn't need this word. :/
I wasn't disagreeing, just saying it's redundant, not dishonest. Though it sometimes needs to be pointed out in such a way that atheism is by no means an extreme position.
[–]throwaway13121 -1 points0 points1 point 8 months ago
The argument is invalid to begin with. How can you be an atheist when you have no concept of theism to begin with? These babies are non-theists. They cannot believe in nor reject it.
[–]rascal_red 2 points3 points4 points 8 months ago
The argument is invalid to begin with. How can you be an atheist when you have no concept of theism to begin with?
It isn't necessary for one to have any concept of theism in order to not be a theist.
"Atheist" is a descriptive term; it isn't a view or title that must be chosen.
These babies are non-theists.
... Nontheism is atheism.
They qualify per a definition I see a lot in /r/atheism "lack of belief" in god, but that seems a meaningful definition to me only for those who could accept such a belief.
[–]CorpusCallosum -9 points-8 points-7 points 8 months ago*
Babies aren't atheists, they are agnostic. They would have to be able to grasp the concept of creation in order to reject the assertion that they are a result of it.
Atheism isn't the null belief, agnosticism is.
Atheism is faith (that there was no creation), just like theism is faith (that there was a creation).
Don't listen to people who tell you that atheism is a lack of belief; Atheism in it's strictest form is the BELIEF that there is no god, and was no creation. That is the only definition that matters, and it is chock full of BELIEFS.
DOWN-VOTING THIS = EXERCISING "YOUR RELIGION's" INTOLERANCE
[–]Rosti 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
so by your definition if asked that there could be a God
A theist would say: yes, there is one, I believe (or there are many gods I believe in)
An agnostic would say: I don't know, it's unknowable (at this point)
An atheist would say: I don't believe there is (or I don't have reason to believe that there is)
[–]rascal_red 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
However, if you change the question to "Do you believe in any gods?", then anyone being honest will need to say yes or no.
Theist: Yes
Atheist: No
Agnostic: Yes or no
One still either particularly believes in god/s ... or not.
Isn't the agnostic going to say no as well? - He doesn't believe in any god/gods, but says there could be a chance that there are some.
(Anyway I feel like that atheism has a lot of different definitions unlike agnosticism which is a more clear "label". But maybe I'm lurking on /r/atheism too much :) )
[–]rascal_red 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago*
Isn't the agnostic going to say no as well?
Usually, yes (although many of them will avoid saying it).
But believers can also be/identify as "agnostic": I believe in god/s, but I don't think we can definitively know.
EDIT
The definitions of atheism are actually simple, and in practicality, don't really vary much except in subtlety.
And agnosticism is popularly misunderstood.
subtle differences could mean a lot, but thanks. TIL there could be agnostic theists.
well there is no way to surely know - I think that a lot of atheist miss that. Knowledge is something which is a fact, and can be tested. Belief is something untestable.
For example trust is a belief in a friendship.
That's the reason that most believers don't describe themselves as "agnostic," because agnosticism is obviously contrary to religious faith on the practical level.
They would have to be able to grasp the concept of creation in order to reject the assertion that they are a result of it.
Mmm, no.
It isn't necessary to hold the concept of god in order to not believe in it (not believing in any gods is atheism). The formal rejection that you speak of isn't necessary.
"Agnostic" doesn't mean "ignorant of the subject." And the relevant ignorance does render infants "atheists" (by incidence, not reason).
As for your understanding of atheism ...
Atheism in it's strictest form is the BELIEF that there is no god
That's correct.
But the "lack of belief" definition is still valid.
And atheism doesn't require assumptions that supernatural states/beings exist; it doesn't require "faith." Even the strong form of atheism doesn't require "faith."
Do you require "faith" to reject much lesser supernatural beings (faeries)?
Conceptions of god are on the same level.
[–]CorpusCallosum 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago*
They would have to be able to grasp the concept of creation in order to reject the assertion that they are a result of it. Mmm, no. It isn't necessary to hold the concept of god in order to not believe in it (not believing in any gods is atheism). The formal rejection that you speak of isn't necessary.
Not believing in god is agnosticism. Lack of belief = agnosticism. That was my point.
Believing in "not god" is atheism. That requires knowledge and faith.
Atheism isn't the null belief, agnosticism is. "Agnostic" doesn't mean "ignorant of the subject." And the relevant ignorance does render infants "atheists" (by incidence, not reason).
Agnosticism means not having a position (literally, "Don't know"). Nothing more. Tautologically, babies are agnostic.
As for your understanding of atheism ... Atheism in it's strictest form is the BELIEF that there is no god That's correct. But the "lack of belief" definition is still valid.
No, lack of belief is agnosticism. You shouldn't equivocate, because it is disingenuous. Attempting to make a single word simultaneously mean both a lack of belief and a firm belief is like trying to make the word HOT mean both HOT and COLD. Let's choose words that disambiguate these concepts and stick with them so that when we communicate, we actually know what the hell we are saying to each other, okay?
The word agnosticism has always meant "Don't know", which is isomorphic to "Don't believe", "Have no belief", "Have no knowledge", etc... We have that word, and it's unambiguous and very clear. Let's use it.
The word atheism, in the common vernacular, means a positive active belief in the absence of intelligent first principals behind reality (no creator, no god(s)). Everyone who doesn't have a reddit Phd in atheism uses the word atheism to mean BELEIF IN THE ABSENCE OF GOD(s). That is also unambiguous. Let's stick to it.
Atheism does require blind faith, actually. It requires faith because it is a BELIEF (not a lack of belief, that is agnosticism) that reality was not designed or created by an intelligent actor. It requires blind faith, because you are, yourself, an intelligent actor that designs and creates things and almost everything that you are looking at and touching was designed and created by other intelligent actors; So you have to take a leap of faith to an unprovable position of believing in an absence of an intelligent actor who designed and created this reality, even though you have tautological proof that intelligent actors who design and create things exist (you). It's a huge leap.
Faeries are completely different, because their existence has no bearing on your existence. By virtue of the FACT that you exist, the question of the first principals behind reality is begged; As we know that all things come into existence either through intelligent design (or) "maybe" through sequences of natural processes that do not involve the principal of intelligence, it is axiomatic that we must start from the position of agnosticism with respect to the question of first principals. The starting position in the philosophical search for first principals tautologically and axiomatically includes the existence of God as a part of the solution space. God cannot be assumed away like a faery can, because the existence of reality does not depend upon faeries, but may depend upon God(s).
No, they are not. The question of God is axiomatic, predicated on your existence. The question of the flying spagetti monster is not.
Your point is wrong.
Agnosticism is believing that the answer cannot be "definitively determined," but an agnostic still either believes (theist), or doesn't (atheist).
Agnostic doesn't mean "ignorant of the subject," or "undecided," which is how you keep using it.
Wrong again.
Believing that gods don't exist requires no more "faith" than believing that faeries don't exist does. Said that before.
You fundamentally give theism more credit than belief in other mythological beings, which it doesn't deserve.
And, again, one doesn't need to know about theism in order to not be a theist (which means atheist). Agnosticism is not a "neutral ground."
Faeries are completely different, because their existence has no bearing on your existence.
Nice try ... well, not really.
Depending on the version of faeries offered, they do allegedly have relevance to us, to varying degrees ... just like some versions of god.
Atheism does require blind faith, actually. It requires faith because it is a BELIEF
You're the one making bad equivocations, among other things. According to your line here, every "belief" is, or requires "blind faith."
Not so.
It requires blind faith, because you are, yourself, an intelligent actor that designs and creates things and almost everything that you are looking at and touching was designed and created by other intelligent actors
The fact that intelligent beings exist is not evidence that some intelligent designer of the universe may exist ... at all.
You really are being asinine.
Agnosticism means not having a position (literally, "Don't know")
Been through this before: agnosticism doesn't cover the question that theism and atheism do.
No, they are not. The question of God is axiomatic, predicated on your existence.
Other alleged supernatural beings have been described that way too. Your claim of it for possible (rather, just imaginable) gods is no more fundamentally credible.
Anyway, I'm not going to entertain you any longer.
Not believing in god is agnosticism. Lack of belief = agnosticism. That was my point. Your point is wrong.
No, it isn't.
That is a complete load of crap. Agnostic is greek for "not known", it literally means "Don't Know" and since knowledge is defined as justified, true belief, the term agnostic applies equally to both knowledge and beliefs; Agnostic perfectly and completely describes the state of not knowing and/or not believing.
There is no such thing as an agnostic theist or an agnostic atheist. These terms are oxymorons.
Your definitions do not appear to correspond to any authoritative source.
Agnostic means "Not known". That is exactly as I have been using it. I have no idea how you are trying to use it, I don't think you do either.
Believing in "not god" is atheism. That requires knowledge and faith. Wrong again.
In order to be wrong again, I would have had to be wrong before.
I think you need a course in the philosophy of logic. You cannot prove an absence. The issue of creation cannot be assumed away, and therefore the question of the existence of God is axiomatically bound to the question of the existence of your reality. Without using logic to disprove the existence of God(s), which is logically impossible, taking the conclusion of the absence of God(s) is one that must be done on faith, because logic cannot bring you there.
You are exercising irrational faith in this argument with me. I am giving you logic, you are arguing from a position of faith and religion.
It isn't an issue of merit, it is an issue of logic. The question of God(s) is wrapped up into first principals of reality. Faeries are not. Let me rephrase this so that you can see how preposterous what you are saying actually is, using your words:
"Believing that the big bang didn't happen requires no more "faith" than believing that faeries don't exist does."
Those are your words, but I replaced "Gods don't exist" with "Big Bang didn't happen". Do you see the problem now?
And, again, one doesn't need to know about theism in order to not be a theist (which means atheist).
No, not being a theist does not automatically make you an atheist.
Agnosticism is not a "neutral ground."
Agnosticism is the only rational position, because it is the lack of a position. Frankly, on this issue, if you think you know the answers to the riddles of reality, then you are a religious nutcase, regardless of what answers you think you have.
Faeries are completely different, because their existence has no bearing on your existence. Nice try ... well, not really. Depending on the version of faeries offered, they do allegedly have relevance to us, to varying degrees ... just like some versions of god.
The only definition of "God(s)" that matter here involve the intentional design and creation of this reality. If your faery created this reality, then it is God, and we return back to the starting point. If your faery did not create this reality, then it is irrelevant and it can be neatly sliced away by Occam's razor.
Atheism does require blind faith, actually. It requires faith because it is a BELIEF You're the one making bad equivocations, among other things. According to your line here, every "belief" is, or requires "blind faith." Not so.
I didn't say that, and even if I did, it wouldn't be an equivocation. Please look the word up. Holding a belief without logic or evidence is an act of faith, that is the very nature and definition of the word belief. The "blind" part comes into play when you have suggestible evidence that contradicts your belief, but you believe in it anyway (such as the fact that everything you are touching right now is a product of intelligent design, yet you refuse to acknowledge that same process may have produced reality as well).
It requires blind faith, because you are, yourself, an intelligent actor that designs and creates things and almost everything that you are looking at and touching was designed and created by other intelligent actors The fact that intelligent beings exist is not evidence that some intelligent designer of the universe may exist ... at all.
I didn't say that. You seem to be unable to parse my words correctly. I apologize if I am taking you outside of your depth. What I said is that "by virtue of the fact that intelligent design is ubiquitous (everything you interact with is a product of it), ignoring the possibility that reality is also a product of intelligent design is an exercise in closing your eyes (ergo, "blind")"
Think deeper.
Agnosticism means not having a position (literally, "Don't know") Been through this before: agnosticism doesn't cover the question that theism and atheism do.
That's right, now you are getting it. Agnostic covers "Don't know", "Don't believe", "Undecided", "No position", etc..
Theism and Atheism are positions of faith based upon irrational conclusions that a person makes, rendering a delusion upon them that they actually think they have the ultimate answers to the most profound questions of reality (e.g. Jesus, Big Bang or whatever).
No, they are not. The question of God is axiomatic, predicated on your existence. Other alleged supernatural beings have been described that way too. Your claim of it for possible (rather, just imaginable) gods is no more fundamentally credible.
Again, you aren't making the connection here. God = intelligent and creative designer/creator of reality. Faery = not God. If Faery=God, then drop the word Faery and keep the word God. Either way, one thing is not like the other. One of them cannot be ignored, because reality is predicated on some sort of creation, and if that creation was intelligently guided, that's God.
You should be looking at this as an education. Your not entertaining me. I am teaching you.
[–]Optimal_Joy 0 points1 point2 points 3 months ago
Why do you play this game of charades? You pretend you don't know, yet in your "heart", you know that you really do know. Or perhaps you are viewing both parts of yourself, the one side that does know and the other side that doubts the other side, the one side that puts up the illusion and the other side that sees past that illusion, is that right? If you are aware of that game, then why do you say that you don't know? How could you be so enlightened, yet at the same time use this silly label of not knowing? It seems to me that you do know, but you are either playing a silly game with yourself, pretending that you don't know, or you are intentionally trying to mislead yourself into thinking that you don't know? Either way, you can try to fool yourself as much as you want, but you're not fooling me. I am entertained by you, by the way, very much so. In fact, I look forward to see what silliness you come up with next! :-) Namaste PS: I loved hearing all about the Matrix from the point of view of the architect, that was all pretty touching. But do you honestly believe that or were you just pretending to be the wachowski brothers? oh wait, perhaps you are one of the people they stole that idea from? Or perhaps, you somehow have some real ability to see the Matrix for what it really is? Do you really know what it is? Can you really see it, or are you just pretending that as well? It is a fun little game, isn't it? Bouncing back and forth, just like a game of ping pong. When you're ready to drop the act, let's talk. Peace. :-)
[–]CorpusCallosum 0 points1 point2 points 3 months ago*
I am helping people. First people have to realize that they don't know, before they can notice that they do.
But even then, even when you do know, there is no way to explain what you know, or even understand in any human way, what it is that you know. As a result, it's still agnosticism (sort of a gnostic agnosticism, i guess).
And ping pong is fun, especially as you start to bring the paddles closer and closer to one another.
[–]Larhalt 6 points7 points8 points 8 months ago
those kids gotta get baptised ASAP before they continue with their atheist sinful ways
[–]Deadpotato 1 point2 points3 points 8 months ago
The trick here is they're all Nazis
[–]norsurfit 1 point2 points3 points 8 months ago
Atheist "All you can eat" buffet...
[–]Great_Zarquon 1 point2 points3 points 8 months ago
All you can eat
There's only eight of them.
[–]sas78 1 point2 points3 points 8 months ago
It's quite clear to me that the babies have drugged that single Christian baby wearing white (meaning he/she is 'PURE'). Most likely this is done to give a sacrifice to THEMSELVES (for atheists HAVE NO SOULS).
At least I, as a Christian, would have sacrificed that baby to God. You guys just wasted it.
Nice try atheists. I'm onto you.
[–]UnknownArchive 1 point2 points3 points 8 months ago
Anyone seeking more info might also check here:
source: karmadecay
Shitty.
[–]cyvium 1 point2 points3 points 8 months ago
Atheists aren't evil! ...but more importantly, how the **** did you get a picture of my breakfast last saturday?
[–]postalrat 1 point2 points3 points 8 months ago
From your FAQ:
"In modern context, atheism can represent several different viewpoints, which are listed here in order of most consensus:
A lack of belief in gods. 2. A disbelief in gods. 3. A belief in no gods."
I'm sorry, those are in reverse order by consensus. Look up the definition of Atheism anywhere else. It is the active belief that gods do not exist. Without this belief you can not be an atheist.
Children lacking this belief are not atheists.
Truth.
[–][deleted] 1 point2 points3 points 8 months ago
If anything, Christians should support abortion. Damnation to all the atheists!
[–]on_the_redpill 1 point2 points3 points 8 months ago
Came here looking for christians making dead baby jokes.
[–]throwaway13121 3 points4 points5 points 8 months ago
I hate when I see this.. They are not atheists, they are non-theists. They have no concept of theism and cannot reject it.
They are non-theists, not atheists.
They are not atheists, they are non-theists
Non-theists? hmmm.... I think there's a word for that....
[–]willyolio 4 points5 points6 points 8 months ago
atheist = non-theist, someone lacking theistic beliefs.
what you're describing is anti-theism.
[–]Rizuken 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago*
anti-theism just means you are against the belief in God(s).
[–]Rizuken 1 point2 points3 points 8 months ago*
there are 2 categories, atheism or theism
atheism means not theism
theism is defined by a belief in God(s)
try learning prefixes. (Greek: prefix; no, absence of, without, lack of, not)
[–]richd506 3 points4 points5 points 8 months ago
They are, by default, smarter than religious people...
[–][deleted] 4 points5 points6 points 8 months ago
That's very close minded and generally speaking, a stupid point of view to have. Religiousness doesn't instantly mean you're stupid. Atheist/Agnostic doesn't instantly mean you're sensible.
Yes, it does. The same way as believing in the tooth fairy makes you stupid.
I don't feel like pulling up names of Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, and Pagan scientists and thinkers whose ideas have shook the world of intelligent thought, and influence intelligent thought today. Do you know who basically invented modern math? A Muslim. Do you know who invented Calculus? A Christian. What have you done, Mr. Atheist, which makes you feel superior to several generations of highly intelligent and influential men?
[–]KarmakazeNZ -2 points-1 points0 points 8 months ago
whose ideas have shook the world of intelligent thought
Even geniuses can be stupid.
Some would say they can be more stupid than normal, because they are smart enough to make their stupidity sound reasonable.
[–]Poison_Pancakes 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
Did anyone else see the thumbnail and think it was bacon?
[–]SlightlyAmbiguous 1 point2 points3 points 8 months ago
I thought it was a DNA complex.
[–]Gutturals 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
Filthy bigots...
[–]iankenney 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
They are so fiendishly happy...
[–]Sellmeyoursoul 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
Sell me your soul and the souls of your current and unborn children. PM me for transfer details!
[–]Rainieri 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
You can tell that babies are atheists because they always cry when they are forced to go to church.
[–]wut_every1_is_thinkn 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
babies wouldn't help an old lady cross the street. babies wouldn't cross the room to save a dying baby. babies wouldn't even piss on you to put a fire out.
[–]wronghead 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
Buffet
[–]DannyFathom 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
babies are fkn evil.
[–]teuast 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
Sort of related: recently, I was in Washington DC with my dad, who was on the legal team for a case in the Supreme Court. The day before the argument, I spent most of the afternoon wandering the National Mall, and after a while I encountered a homeless man. He told me that he'd been sitting on the same curb all day and I was the first one to look at him. I gave him fifty cents, all I had on me, and shook his hand and went on my way. A Christian I know, who I really hate, saw my bemused Facebook post and spent a good half hour trying to demonize what I'd done, and I defriended him on the spot.
[–]Carbreylynn 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
Why is the only one in white sleeping?
[–]Fenixx117 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
They would go great with some Frank's red hot sauce
[–]Graham20 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
I know right? They should have all been aborted.
[–]mudhole10 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
Awesome-atheist buffet!
[–]yoshi314 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
can i feel it? i can smell it.
[–]LordWorm 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
Those damn atheists are getting more advanced by the day. They've clearly developed a cloaking field with their damn science to render themselves invisible as they devour this entire line of good Christian babies.
[–]kano1257 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
actually, yes, I do feel babies are evil. Regardless of whether or not they're atheist.
[–]skesisfunk 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
...and 843rd reincarnation of the babies are atheists talking point gets 681 upvotes and counting.
[–]MadcowPSA 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
fuck I'm hungry now
[–]atomicoption 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
Blue for boys, pink for girls, and green for hermaphrodites?
[–][deleted] -3 points-2 points-1 points 8 months ago
Stalin was an atheist. One Helluva guy, wasn't he? Atheist immediately means he's logical, prudent, and not genocidal, like all religious leaders will be. Right?
[–][deleted] 2 points3 points4 points 8 months ago
Except his atheism was not a determining factor in his tirade considering he reinstated the church in his name... FAIL.
[–]disaster_face -1 points0 points1 point 8 months ago
this might be the most ridiculous strawman argument i've ever seen.
I've never once seen an atheist claim that all atheists are logical, etc...
I've never once seen an atheist claim that all religious leaders are genocidal.
I guess it's easy to win an argument when you just make up some ridiculous shit and pretend that's what your opponents believe.
[–]pianoman148 -1 points0 points1 point 8 months ago
Babies aren't really atheists... their frontal lobes aren't developed enough to contemplate the existence of god.
an atheist is someone who consciously decides to not believe in god
let the flood of downvotes commence
[–]Rizuken 2 points3 points4 points 8 months ago
there are only 2 categories
Atheist
Theist
a = lack of
theist is defined as someone who believes in God(s)
[–]pianoman148 1 point2 points3 points 8 months ago
classic false dilemma
The point I was making above is that babies are mentally incapable of making a conscious decision about god, the frontal lobe is what is responsible for reasoning, planning, and an awareness of the future, and without these things, the baby may as well be a rock for all of its ability to decide upon the existence of a deity.
[–]Rizuken -2 points-1 points0 points 8 months ago*
it is NOT a false dichotomy. Try actually reading my response you ignorant tool.
[–]pianoman148 2 points3 points4 points 8 months ago
I did. And there are many categories you left out, including deism, and not to mention the subcategories of gnostic vs agnostic.
And maybe you should read my post. My point was that babies are incapable of being atheist, just as they are incapable of being theist. Theres no point in getting mad over semantics. Name calling just makes you look juvenile, which im pretty sure you arent.
It isn't a false dichotomy and no categories were left out. deism is a form of theism. gnostic vs agnostic is a separate attribute that isn't directly related to whether a person is an atheist or a theist. (both can be both).
Babies would be considered agnostic atheists. They are absolutely capable of being atheists as all that requires is a lack of belief. They are incapable of being theists because that requires belief. Your definition of atheism (that it requires a conscious decision) is incorrect. It simply means without belief.
[–]Rizuken -3 points-2 points-1 points 8 months ago*
categories you left out, including deism
deism is a form of theism
mention the subcategories of gnostic vs agnostic.
gnostic and agnostic deal with a belief of knowledge, not belief of God.
My point was that babies are incapable of being atheist, just as they are incapable of being theist.
anyone who hasn't considered a god lacks a belief in a God and is therefore an atheist.
Name calling just makes you look juvenile, which im pretty sure you arent.
you are ignorant...
and you are a tool
Babies are automatically atheists? Debatable. Check out the footnote at the bottom of the page relating to the neutral party in this discussion.
Most technically a baby doesn't register on the scale. Sure, you can infer that they're more atheist than anything else, but the entire discussion is a bit silly as they're clearly the most neutral anyone could possibly be.
[–]Rizuken 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
it is not debatable. there are only 2 categories, theists, and not theists. atheists are synonymous with not theists
It is debatable. We're debating it, sucka.
Also: you're wrong. See my other reply.
I'm not debating it, I'm restating the same thing repeatedly hoping it will stick because you apparently can't comprehend it.
[–]GethLegion 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago
Babies can't be atheist, but they sure as hell can be christian!
"Oh, look at my beautiful little christian girl!"
[–][deleted] -1 points0 points1 point 8 months ago
I don't get it
They don't believe in a god.
[–]archonemis -4 points-3 points-2 points 8 months ago
/r/atheists are babies.
. . . and?
[–]Aqualin 2 points3 points4 points 8 months ago
Well done. Clever
[–]God__Here -1 points0 points1 point 8 months ago
Out of seven, only one will remain atheist when they grow older.
[–]RodneyFiendish -1 points0 points1 point 8 months ago
do?you?ever?feel?like?there?are?too?many?question?marks?in?the?world?
[–]formose -4 points-3 points-2 points 8 months ago
How the fuck do you know they're atheists? Did you ask them?
[–]Rizuken 1 point2 points3 points 8 months ago
I'm sure they would answer rather articulately.
[–]joekarma -10 points-9 points-8 points 8 months ago
Those are actually agnostics.
[–]stoicme 9 points10 points11 points 8 months ago
I don't think that word means what you think it means.
[–]joekarma -4 points-3 points-2 points 8 months ago
Here's an excerpt from Wikipedia; I'm using the word in its "popular sense":
In the popular sense, an agnostic is someone who neither believes nor disbelieves there is a God, whereas an atheist disbelieves in God.
disbelieves
Well, you could also say they are theists, except they worship Mum, the creator.
[–]stoicme 1 point2 points3 points 8 months ago
just because it's the "popular sense" doesn't mean you're right.
you're using the term incorrectly, and by continuing to do so, you're doing nothing but helping to further the asinine and completely incorrect notion that atheism is "just another religion", as well as helping to further junk up the definitions of words and their uses.
[–]joekarma -1 points0 points1 point 8 months ago
To be fair, I didn't apply the principle of charity to the post and was being a bit of an asshat by making that pedantic "correction". I prefer to reserve the term "atheist" for people who actively identify as such, and "agnostic" for people who could give two shits either way or don't know any different.
The precise scope of the words varies depending on who you ask. Not everyone agrees that a person is born into atheism; to me, to define oneself as an atheist is to side with reason--it's a badge that is earned.
I get the political reasons for choosing one definition over the other, but language is usage, so my use of the popular definition does not constitute an "argumentum ad populum".
[–]Manwithtie -4 points-3 points-2 points 8 months ago
Because why not use children to reinforce your opinions?
Wait a second...
atheism isnt an opinion or belief. it is lacking of being theist.
[–]blechinger -1 points0 points1 point 8 months ago
False.
Theism: God exists.
Atheism: No god exists.
Gnosticism: It is possible to know if god exists.
Agnosticism: It isn't possible (right now) to know if god exists.
These are all opinions and beliefs.
Where is your dog now?
disagree
Atheism is defined as lacking theism
theism is defined as believing in God(s)
agnosticism and gnosticism deal with a belief of knowledge, not a belief of God(s)
[–]blechinger 0 points1 point2 points 8 months ago*
Agnosticism and Gnosticism have to do with the belief of knowing god through knowledge.
Atheism and Theism have to do with the belief of god itself.
You're misunderstanding the separation between Etymology and meaning.
Atheism is defined as "the theory or belief that God does not exist". The word itself is a clever word and can definitely be defined as you say, however; it's actually meaning in this context is as defined by every dictionary worth it's weight in salt.
Most "new atheists" misidentify themselves like this. It's ok. Don't feel bad. A lot of people jump on bandwagons they don't fully understand. Almost everyone does at some point. I suggest you educate yourself so you can speak with authority next time instead of speaking out your ass.
Most "atheists" are areligious, but not all, obviously. You might want to look into that.
try learning prefixes. a means lack of or not. theism means belief in god.
I know and understand what prefixes are and how they work. Once again, you're misunderstanding the separation between Entymology (where words come from) and meaning (the actual definition of said word(s)).
Are you really that willfully ignorant and prideful? I sure hope not. Did you not check ANY of the information I provided you?
You are getting rid of the need for transcended parts of words. The point of prefixes and suffixes and the like is so that we can understand the meaning of words without having to have heard those words ever before.
I am? Explain.
Grade school grammar. If you feel you've surpassed that: try something more advanced.
What the fuck are you talking about, man?
if prefixes and suffixes and the like are merely Entymology and have nothing to do with the actual definition of said words then they are useless. What i'm saying is that words cannot simply change their meaning if their meaning is directly tied to how the word was formed.
[–]Manwithtie -1 points0 points1 point 8 months ago
So it's an opinion then?
no... it isnt... look up opinion.
Atheists do not believe in gods or other higher powers, like theists do.
Both are opinions on existence, only one party has their head up their ass and the other party has their head up their ass.
atheism is defined as being without theism, that is not an opinion
Man. You are so defeated on this subject.
[–]dukeofflavor -2 points-1 points0 points 8 months ago
Grah, I hate babies, especially because I was one once.
[–]geekboutique 8 points9 points10 points 8 months ago
I'll be the first one to ask... what the hell are you talking about?
[–]on_the_redpill 3 points4 points5 points 8 months ago
I think I figured it out. Babies are disgusting and irrational and 'brokage' hates them. Even if they are cute, they are not as great as atheists.
[–]geekboutique 1 point2 points3 points 8 months ago
Ooh, nicely done. Upvote for you.
[–]Raazzuls[S] 4 points5 points6 points 8 months ago
wat
all it takes is a username and password
create account
is it really that easy? only one way to find out...
already have an account and just want to login?
login
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