What Is An Atheist

"If atheism solved all human woe, then the Soviet Union would have been an empire of joy and dancing bunnies, instead of the land of corpses." - John C Wright

No, an atheist is someone who rejects the belief of God. Nothing more.

I want to prove there Is no god

What you describe as an atheist to me is a better description of an all around good person. I am very much the same except I have very strong spiritual beliefs and I don't like any religion. In the end though I think that it doesn't matter if we believe or not as long a we do our best to be good people and help each other out as you describe. secondly thoughi don't think any of us have all the right answers as to who or what or even if God is.

I can't figure out why people want to believe in a person that don't exist. It's like believing in the Easter Bunny or Santa Clause. Why don't they give money to those people too. They only know what people have preached to them since they are young. What if there is no such person and look at all the money has been spent on no one.
I would rather it be spent on people today that are down on their luck or living in the streets.
At least then we could see the money at working and helping the needy.
Instead we continue giving money away for someone to preach more worthless words to us so they can feel good about themselves.
Just think we could even pay down the US deficit with all that money going no where.

An atheist is on track. Any Christian that is really a Christian would agree with the atheist. The only difference between the two is one guesses the universe is infinite while the other guesses the universe is finite. It's trivial if they both agree on good, because for what isn't a guess is clear to both. The fly in the ointment here is that we have bad people in both schools that would not agree with this atheist.

Atheists love their fellow man as long as their fellow man is also an atheist. Now I know this isn't always the case, but 99% of all the atheists I've ever met, are the rudest, and most insensitive to other people's beliefs, type of people that I've ever met. They act like anyone who believes in any sort of higher power, regardless of who it is, is some sort of un-evolved caveman.

Beautiful post. I completely agree.

Actually Godfree, your post describes a humanist, not an atheist. The only definition of an atheist is that he does not believe there is any god or divine creator. Don't be mistaken, some atheists are not nice people at all and don't care for their fellow men. Other atheists, such as those who really help those in need, are also humanists.

This may be true on your perspective but if that is the case why is there so much violence and hatred in this world when the majority of people (6 billion I add) are atheists and agnostic? If Atheism is based on self-righteousness and individualism, also love for fellow human beings I do not see any of this applied in this life. But to be truthful if all of this is the definition of an atheist then you are all in denial because for you to not believe in God means to reject him and turn your back on God as well. Otherwise what is the point if you don't believe in him, why bother speaking about God to begin with? Why even blame God? Isn't that contradictory to the belief itself. In order to get into heaven you have to believe in Jesus Christ, the begotten son of God that is it, nothing less or more. Have faith that his son died on the cross for your sins.

I cannot speak for other religions, but in the one in which I worship, we are taught to love our fellow man, not go to bed angry at our fellow man, and treat them as you would want them to be treated. We want poverty and disease vanquished as well. Those things really don't have anything to do with being religious or atheistic. It's just common sense.

I agree, this is a great post. Speaks the true meaning and i love your picture xD

Beautiful post.

Would it be sacreligions (or antisacreligious - or something) to say Amen?

The concepts (Ideas) are universal, you will find them in the teachings of the Buddha, The Tao Te Ching, the Vedas, the songs of praise to Athena and of course the teachings of your jesus's predecessor Mithra.

But for atheists these teachings come without the baggage of gods, guilt, avatars, sins, sacrifices or magic talking animals. In other words atheist teachings as similar as they might be to christian have one big difference, they are grounded in reality

Oddly enough many of your ideas are very Christian. You seem to have met a bad example of Christianity in your life. Of course there are many narrow-minded so called 'Christians' in the world, and especially throughout history. God has warned us about them: 'You shall know them by their fruit'. Why not log into Joyce Meyer's website to find out what real Christianity is all about? You may be surprised to find out that you have many ideas in common!

I really like this. I feel like this is a point I wish more people would understand and I wish more people would focus on real life and the world and being a good person here just because they should be.



Thank you.

Hmm . . . I believe 80% of this yet still believe in God.

I must commend you on a very well written account of Atheism. I think people mistakenly imagine that we walk around wild and unclothed and are prone to devouring small children when we aren't being beaten back with whips and chains.



Thank you for dispelling that myth, Godfree.

The city of Fort Collins, Colorado used to always have a city sponsored Christmas Display every year. Last year the local Atheist s protested that this was the support f a religion by a public office.



So this past Christmas season Fort Collins, Colorado set up 4 areas around their town , each dedicaicated to a group's religion.



The Christians had an area where the traditional manger & crib scene was displayed.

Jewish people had an area where the seven candles of Hanukkah were shown.

The black People had an area showing their special day, Kwangju.

and the Atheists had an empty field.









hPra 4 areas around town, each to a

A doctrine makes a religion? You might wish to cross refrence your beliefs with our lord Mirian Webster.

That aside. You see the difference between the religious and the non religious people is not that they hold an opinion but instead from where that opinion is dserived from.

Non religious people gather thier ideas of morality from the human condition, both past and present with a view to the future. Religious people are taught thier morality from ancient books generally authored by divine beings. They receive thier instructions in the form of disembodied voices only they can hear.

Non religious people are forced to draw conclusions from trial and error, inspection, observation and notation. A non religious person is asked to prove his findings or at least show the work leading to his conclusions. A religious person is asked to exercise faith and as Mark Twain said "faith is believing in things you know aint true"

If I might end this little blurb with just one more quotation, I do not know who to attribute authorship to but it is a nice summation "If atheism is a religion then good health is a disease"

wow an Atheist sounds just like what God wants from us. To love thy neighbor, to treat others the way you would want to be treated. To give to others and to be kind to everyone else.



Sounds like Atheism has a doctrine and is therefore a religion with beliefs. But belief I guess is only for those bible thumpers right?

Whatever he desire and it is materialised he can call himself as AETHIST.



Though best efforts are put by that man, but if it is happening beyond his expectations or more than his capacity, whom he will allegate whether he will curse humself or pass the blame to socalled

bortherlevels( whom they will question him or antogosnising withhim) or the powers beyond his thinking levels. Some body should be there beyond our vision to take that allegations. That is how

another power to absorb our allegations known as GOD.

I love how a lot of religious people claim to see or talk to god or Jesus on a daily basis. If that really is the case, take a picture, record his voice, show us proof. Until I see some sound proof, I refuse to follow the brainwashed and controlled to church

Atheism by definition is to be against theism, not to deny God or that God exists. I am against mych of the theism that exists today as well however, I DO believe in God. People who do not beileve in God are, by definition, Agnostic. Pick up the correct banner to wave if you are going to lead a march.

Wow, interesting comments. Atheism is not a very big thing in Europe. Some days ago, I read this analyse in the newspaper that 57% of American hospital workers believe more in the help of God than medical help. I think that says enough.



I think that believers need their God to choose for them. Realists prefer otherwise.



It must be hard to get somewhere in a place so ruled by religion....

Godfree I bet you never would have guessed that your story would have so much attention

So many great comments that I don't know what to say. I will say that I'm encouraged to read about aestheticism in such a wonderful light. I think that emphases on religion and not on connection with the world leads to a lot of hurt and misunderstandings.



People are people, so we are different but we have to stop looking at the external as a means of bonding. If we live lives that are productive and positive who cares what we believe, that's all superficial anyway. I just shy away from generalizing negative statements about any group of people. Promoting ethical practices that encourage unity, not exclusion, is powerful and its what life is all about.

All Religions=the 4 C's

(in this order)

Confuse

Condemn

Control

Conflict

Im new so i'll explain more in a new post. I do enjoy the outlook you have though, its the same as mine except i believe god resides in all of us but kissing a** wont get you anywhere.

LOL - Godfree, you're cheering me up with that last comment considering I have a major hangover at the mo!