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Post by lordsrednuas on Oct 15, 2018 9:34:11 GMT
There is much confusion about what actually makes someone an atheist. A lot of this confusion is perpetuated by religious teachers (that either don't understand themselves, or seek to deceive their 'flock'), but a substantial amount of confusion exists among atheists as well, as colloquial and philosophical definitions are often used interchangeably.
In it's most basic form, atheism is simply the state of not being convinced of a deities existence.
However this broad definition includes demographics that are often not intended by the term. Some forms of Buddhism, Ancestor Worship and other religions have no deities (and thus makes their adherents atheist by this definition).
The colloquial use of atheism is a refinement of the above definition, introducing a 'non-religious' caveat.
This excludes Buddhists, Ancestor Worshipers, Pagans etc.. However it is important to remember that it says nothing about other superstitious or spiritual convictions.
Philosophical atheism is more specific, as a conviction that no deities exist (an important distinction from a lack of conviction either way).
However this again introduces Buddhists etc. (at least those that are convinced that deities do not exist).
This is usually used the same way colloquial atheism is.
A conviction held by a non-religious person that no deities exist. Again it is important to remember that it says nothing about other superstitious or spiritual convictions.
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Post by Elizabeth on Jun 29, 2019 17:17:33 GMT
So why are they used interchangeably? It's a bit confusing when you want to label someone I think Shrug Why do you want to label someone? We all have often quite unique view points. Well, you label things to show differences and to better understand them. This is what all mostly want. People would label themselves a certain religion, could label themselves as vegan or not, etc. These are important. It can even me life threatening not to label someone. Doctors know this well. If they don't label someone as diabetic or not label someone as an allergic individual to latex or to whatever else then they will be sued and might even have a dead body on their hands. So please label, it can save a life.
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Post by franklinlcrook on Jun 29, 2019 19:19:56 GMT
I recently came across a sign (this section of highway adopted by the saline county atheist society,) and joked to my fellow riders that we only get together to talk about stuff we don't believe in. Pretty funny at the time i thought. Now that i have discovered these forums i see its not so simple. Personally i feel that atheism is as "In it's most basic form, atheism is simply the state of not being convinced of a deities existence." said. Really it seems when you start talking about different cannons and whatnot you have already fallen down the rabbit-hole of belief. I even go so far as to consider entities like ancestors as a form of deities, so the Buddhists and Shinto followers all live in the same super, nay, extra-naturalist world. Hey, let us believe whatever makes us happiest. The bigger picture though, that is what is hard, because we are not all the same (great) but we seem to have a need to find order out of the randomness. Unfortunately these solutions we as humans come up with are as di=fferent as we are individually different. Can we not address instead this atavism of stereotyping and classifying that is so detrimental. Any ideas?
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Post by franklinlcrook on Jun 29, 2019 19:26:35 GMT
Excuse my ignorance, I am just starting my journey into thought. I have only reacted mostly for the last 42 years, and spent half of that in prison. Luckily i had a beneficent sibling who sent me books. Met spinoza, plato, aristotle there.
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Post by franklinlcrook on Jun 29, 2019 19:34:59 GMT
I also have issue with the lordsrewhatever definition of philosophical atheism as a belief that no deities exist. I do not know of a way to prove a negative myself, and really would like to know how these "philosophical atheists" defend there position.
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Post by franklinlcrook on Jun 29, 2019 19:40:03 GMT
Elizabeth i see your description on the side here and i am interested, when you mention Polaris, will you tell me what you mean?
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Post by franklinlcrook on Jun 29, 2019 19:42:34 GMT
ok then, sorry if i offended. See ya
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Post by fschmidt on Jun 29, 2019 20:09:49 GMT
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sculptor
Full Member
Posts: 121
Likes: 20
Meta-Ethnicity: Homonid
Ethnicity: Sapiens Sapiens
Country: United Kingdon of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Region: South
Location: Brighton
Ancestry: Homo Sapiens
Taxonomy: Mammalian
mtDNA: From mt EVE
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Hero: My Grandmother
Age: too old
Philosophy: Always
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Post by sculptor on Jun 29, 2019 20:42:14 GMT
Why do you want to label someone? We all have often quite unique view points. Well, you label things to show differences and to better understand them. This is what all mostly want. People would label themselves a certain religion, could label themselves as vegan or not, etc. These are important. It can even me life threatening not to label someone. Doctors know this well. If they don't label someone as diabetic or not label someone as an allergic individual to latex or to whatever else then they will be sued and might even have a dead body on their hands. So please label, it can save a life. You are not going to save me. You just want to put me in a box to make you safe.
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Post by Elizabeth on Jun 29, 2019 21:04:57 GMT
Well, you label things to show differences and to better understand them. This is what all mostly want. People would label themselves a certain religion, could label themselves as vegan or not, etc. These are important. It can even me life threatening not to label someone. Doctors know this well. If they don't label someone as diabetic or not label someone as an allergic individual to latex or to whatever else then they will be sued and might even have a dead body on their hands. So please label, it can save a life. You are not going to save me. You just want to put me in a box to make you safe. What? No one can be saved if they don't want to be. Safety has nothing to do with putting anyone in a box. Safety comes from a sense of calmness and satisfaction with your surroundings. Which is what everyone has or else they must move
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Post by Elizabeth on Jun 29, 2019 21:09:01 GMT
Elizabeth i see your description on the side here and i am interested, when you mention Polaris, will you tell me what you mean? Polaris is a member on this forum. And Polaris is part of the universe, it's the North Star. And since he's a member here and pretty awesome so that's why I wrote that
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