Atheism as a religion

amortalman · Post by **amortalman** » Thu Nov 01, 2018 3:29 pm

The following excerpt is from the National Catholic Register, www.ncregister.com :

But the truth is, atheism is the farthest thing in the world from simple absence of belief. Indeed, atheism is a whole system of beliefsâ€”a system that has its own philosophy (materialism), morality (relativism), politics (social Darwinism), and culture (secularism). It even has its own sacraments (abortion and euthanasia). And this system of beliefs has been responsible for more death, carnage, persecution and misery than any system of beliefs the world has ever known.

Topic of debate: Do you agree or disagree with the statement above and why.

Edit Note: The web address for the National Catholic Register is incomplete. The article I referenced can be read at http://www.ncregister.com/blog/guest-bl ... is-atheism

2timothy316 · Post by **2timothy316** » Tue Nov 27, 2018 2:47 pm

rikuoamero wrote:
I don't personally don't believe ghost exist, I have an absence of belief in ghost,
You'll want to rewrite this part, since I'm not entirely sure what it is you're trying to say. The first part has two negatives, so parsing it is a little difficult. Either you're saying you don't believe ghosts exist AND that you lack a belief in ghosts (two things that are in direct conflict with one another), or you don't not believe ghosts exists, and have a lack of belief.
Basically...rewrite it.

No.

This is exactly the issue.

Belief: an acceptance that a statement is true.

My statement: Ghosts do not exist
My belief: The statement 'ghosts do not exist' is true.

Your statement: God doesn't exist
Your belief: The statement 'God doesn't exist' is true.

You keep dodging terms like belief, dogma and doctrine but these descriptive words can be used toward atheist.

It takes conscious thought to believe something doesn't exist.
No it doesn't.

Um yes it does. If what you say is true you wouldn't even be able to tell me if you believed God existed or not because it would be like asking a cat if it believed in God. It wouldn't understand the question. If you truly did not have the conscious thought if something existed or not you wouldn't be able to grasp or answer the question. By your logic only animals are true atheist because they truly cannot ask or answer the question 'does God exist'.

2timothy316 · Post by **2timothy316** » Tue Nov 27, 2018 2:56 pm

rikuoamero wrote:
Why are you talking about choices? You just said you have an absence of belief, so how is it a belief?
Again, to go back to earlier posts, this is like you saying that a person who has no sports, plays no sports, is still a sportsman...somehow.

I have chosen to believe there are no ghost based on the evidence I have researched. There are others that do choose to believe in ghost. Either way, it's a belief, which a belief is "an acceptance that a statement is true". Don't you accept the statement 'there is no God or gods' as true? If so, that is your belief.

rikuoamero · Post by **rikuoamero** » Tue Nov 27, 2018 3:35 pm

[Replying to post 111 by 2timothy316]

I have chosen to believe there are no ghost based on the evidence I have researched. There are others that do choose to believe in ghost.

You in post 108 said "I have an absence of belief in ghost,"
Not the same thing as saying there are no ghosts.
Again for the nth time, there is a huge difference between the two.

Don't you accept the statement 'there is no God or gods' as true? If so, that is your belief.

Why do you ask me this question, when I have already answered it plenty of times in this thread in the negative?
I have a lack of a belief in a God or gods.
Not the same thing at all as me saying "There is no gods is true".

How many times do I have to repeat myself?

rikuoamero · Post by **rikuoamero** » Tue Nov 27, 2018 3:37 pm

[Replying to post 110 by 2timothy316]

No.

This is exactly the issue.

Belief: an acceptance that a statement is true.

My statement: Ghosts do not exist
My belief: The statement 'ghosts do not exist' is true.

Your statement: God doesn't exist
Your belief: The statement 'God doesn't exist' is true.

Nope. No no and no. No again, just to try to drive it home.

Quote me in this thread, where is the statement from me, "God doesn't exist".

It seems either you're doing this strawman deliberately, despite my many corrections...or there is some block in your mind preventing you from understanding, something that has you putting words in my mouth.

2timothy316 · Post by **2timothy316** » Tue Nov 27, 2018 4:51 pm

[Replying to post 113 by rikuoamero]

The definition of atheist is "a person who does not believe in the existence of a god or any gods"
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/atheist

This doesn't describe you?
You said you were an atheist in a past post. Right? Why are you being confusing on purpose?
viewtopic.php?p=944397#944397

Please use the English dictionary to describe yourself.

2timothy316 · Post by **2timothy316** » Tue Nov 27, 2018 4:57 pm

[Replying to post 112 by rikuoamero]

You live in a strange world if you think they are not the same.

rikuoamero · Post by **rikuoamero** » Tue Nov 27, 2018 5:00 pm

[Replying to post 114 by 2timothy316]

The definition of atheist is "a person who does not believe in the existence of a god or any gods"
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/atheist

Have you forgotten the back and forth we had over your use of dictionaries? I'm not going to rehash that.

This doesn't describe you?
You said you were an atheist in a past post. Right? Why are you being confusing on purpose?

What MW have as their definition does not fit me. I have already discussed this ad nauseum.

Please use the English dictionary to describe yourself.

Why must I consult a dictionary? Why aren't you taking onboard my 'I lack a belief in a God or gods"?

rikuoamero · Post by **rikuoamero** » Tue Nov 27, 2018 5:01 pm

2timothy316 wrote: [Replying to post 112 by rikuoamero]

You live in a strange world if you think they are not the same.

Please explain how my lack of a belief that you are 6 foot 2, is the same as me believing you are not 6 foot 2.

2timothy316 · Post by **2timothy316** » Wed Nov 28, 2018 9:09 am

rikuoamero wrote:
2timothy316 wrote: [Replying to post 112 by rikuoamero]

You live in a strange world if you think they are not the same.
Please explain how my lack of a belief that you are 6 foot 2, is the same as me believing you are not 6 foot 2.

Seriously, if you can't see it then I don't know how to explain it. The above statement equals the same result. A lack of belief is the same as not believing. Both statements are negative in their assertions. Not believing, disbelief, lack of belief in something are all the same thing.

Someone tells someone, "The Earth's climate is changing due to Global warming". They say to them, "I don't believe it".

I tell you I'm 100ft tall, you say to me, "I don't believe you're 100ft tall." or you could say, "I can't believe that your 100ft tall." They are the same statement.

No one says, "I have a lack in belief in Global Warming" though it would accepted as the same as "I don't believe in Global Warming".

This is like the English 101 in negative statements.

2timothy316 · Post by **2timothy316** » Wed Nov 28, 2018 9:10 am

rikuoamero wrote: [Replying to post 114 by 2timothy316]

The definition of atheist is "a person who does not believe in the existence of a god or any gods"
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/atheist
Have you forgotten the back and forth we had over your use of dictionaries? I'm not going to rehash that.

Ah yes they are taboo for you, you don't follow them and use your own lexicon that changes as you need it to, my bad I forgot. I sure wish I could get a copy of your personal dictionary, but then you'd probably trow that one out too.