Consider that while some self-described atheists believe there is no god(s), others would describe themselves as atheists because of their lack of belief in god(s). Also bear in mind that many people who identify themselves as atheists are in fact agnostic. Agnostic’s viewpoint is that it is currently unknown weather or not there is/are god(s).

What a rich, interesting and diverse belief system you folks have there.

Atheism is a doctrine that states that nothing exists but natural phenomena (matter), that thought is a property or function of matter, and that death irreversibly and totally terminates individual organic units. This definition means that there are no forces, phenomena, or entities which exist outside of or apart from physical nature, or which transcend nature, or are “super” natural, nor can there be.

http://www.ATHEIST.org

We’re called the “Don’tknowists”.

And we want tax exemption too.

Particularly when they try and claim its not a belief system, but instead some sort of “higher conciousness”,…which admittedly sounds more like a cult than a belief system, but nonetheless proceed to paint themselves as the erudite “chosen” ones and the theists, the dull and uninformed.

I suppose you could could it pious hypocrisy, without the pious.

The doctrine that there is no deity – Mirriam-Webster Dictionary

The doctrine or belief that there is no God – Princeton University Wordnet

The doctrine or belief that there is no God – Dictionary.com

Science however, makes conclusions only in the presence of data, and evidence. The rest is all hypothesis and speculation, which of course, atheism is nothing more than.

Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein

So much for statistics, ay?

“Ever considered that belief in nothing is still a belief?”
*********************

Never in a lucid moment! Why do people think it profound to assert that a negative is truly a positive. That is to say have I ever considered that -3 is really +3? No, never. Have I ever considered that hate is really love, or that down is truly up? Nope. Such sophistry requires contorting definitions beyond their snapping points just to sound interesting. Metaphysical gobbledygook all, and a hindrance to clear thinking when that is precisely what is required.

That’s a good point.

Jill

In many ways I think you’re right. I certainly don’t know. I may someday meet a goddess or god and I’m open to that. I would have to say I’m a “don’t care”. I use the term atheist because I don’t know the term for “don’t care”. I am not being flippant. It would be exciting to meet goddess and gods. They might turn out to be technically/ethically advanced beings. That would be amazing and interesting.

Jill

http://www.wikihow.com/Persuade-an-Atheist-to-Become-Christian

Penguin lovers in the audience may be amused by the structural similarity to a Linux HOW-TO –although I suppose this is by now the default format for web tutorials.

Jill, I agree. The study sounds a bit off, and even if the conclusion makes sense when considered, how silly would it be to accept sub-par proof for such a conclusion?

On the other hand while not enough to say anything really conclusive, it does make for an intriguing and perhaps promising line of inquiry.

“Protocols of the elders of Zion”, even if it is fake, would definitely work in melding a society how you would want it. As soon as you understand Zionist magic tricks, the sooner you realize that God is an important political tool. Atheism to me, rejects the notion that our society is not driven by politics or religious people cults.

“…In one study cited by the men, a survey of the American National Academy of Sciences found only 7 percent believed in God…” Look who the researchers already determined to be paragons of intelligence–men, members of the National Academy of Sciences. There’s a lot of unexamined bias in the group selected for comparison.

Some of the most thoughtful, well-informed and intelligent posters to this blog are believers. The same may be said of the atheists!

The higher an individual’s intelligence, and one might think also education level, the more difficult maintaining this suspension becomes. Higher intellect usually comes with an inquisitive nature; a need to define one’s self and surroundings rather than to accept. Non-theistic philosophies and ethics provide much of the same framework for guiding human behavior without the reliance on magic or guilt or fear of retribution usually associated with theology.

I’ve used this unattributed quotation on these pages before, but it seems appropriate again. Someone said to a theist,

“I only believe in one less god than you do. When you figure out why you’ve rejected all the other gods available to worship throughout history, you’ll understand why I reject yours”