How many of you believe or do not believe in God?

[JuicyJ]

Militant athiests = militant religious

+1

[helmut]

Atheist and agreed with those above who are fighting against the notion that atheism offers no comfort. Believing in god, or being 'spiritual' has nothing to do with seeing beauty and being in awe of the world around you. I don't see a godless universe as cold or soul-less. In fact it is all the more fascinating as something that simply exists and evolves based of a set of laws (some of which we understand, some of which we don't yet) into something amazingly complex.

Something like the punch-line of this poem.
http://www.wimp.com/stormpoem/

agree entirely. can't i be in awe of the amazing goodness in some people, the crazy world around me that i don't always understand? feelings of love, amazing art and architecture, exhilaration, deep sadness, music and determination are all things that make me feel unreal.. but i believe that it's just part of this world, i feel no need to attribute it to a greater being.

there's actually not much difference between me and the next person who says 'ahh but i believe in a godlike presence'. i can feel the same thing, only i attribute it to myself and the beings and things around me. i feel that is very empowering, to say yes, the only God here is me and you....

i think perhaps people underestimate themselves and the world around them, and the way to cope with their otherwise overwhelming feelings of potential is to attribute all power to some sort of divine force that we cannot control. but in atheism we are in fact putting ourselves at the helm... now THAT is comforting.

[EceGled]

I don't think of atheism as a religious view, or even a lack thereof. I think atheism is just a reaction to theism. According to this, I might be atheist, but I'd prefer not to call myself that because of the connotations it conjures in my head of a bunch of Christianity bashers (as little as I care for that particular religion myself, I go to a Catholic university where many of my friends are Christian). Now, I know the majority of atheists may not be Christianity bashers, but the most vocal ones are... what do I gain by calling myself atheist? On second thought, I shouldn't call myself atheist. I believe that we create gods. They don't create us. Sure, there's something unchanging called Change, but even the capital letter is of human creation.

I remember the previous thread on this topic... got into some argument when I said that Zen basically agrees with agnosticism (not knowing). A famous Zen priest/poet wrote, "Know nothing. I know nothing; nobody does. Can you face me and know nothing?"

Oh, and I like theology class. Had a wonderful Problem of God professor who specializes in Tibetan Buddhism.

[Big Good Wolf]

What's a militant atheist ?

[Hiking Fox]

Perhaps it refers to people who don't just see their atheism as a personal standpoint, but who actively push it on others, perhaps in an aggressive way?

"Militant" is a bit of a crap word, really, cos a person wearing a pro-vegan t-shirt or taking part in a protest would be described as "militant" by the gutter press.

[Johnboy74]

Militant athiests = militant religious

The problem with atheism is a semantic issue, atheism the word was coined from theism but the negative 'a' to assign a cognitive anti stance to religion. This is completely way off the mark. Because atheism, which should really be termed 'humanist realism' should be seen as not as anti religion but pre-religion. Just because I'm atheist (that term has stuck so I refer to myself as atheist) doesn't mean I'm militant anti religious. My atheism is from a neutral point of view looking at all the evidence with lucid thinking and coming to a conclusion that what we see is what we get, nothing more nothing less on our path to the ultimate 'nothing' (death).

I think earlier on in this thread you said something about you can equally prove that god does or doesn't exist from a neutral stance how would you prove that god exists? I'm intrigued!

[Johnboy74]

Religion is a form of mental illness.
Just because millions of people share a delusion, and have done for centuries, it doesn't make it any less delusional.

Yes I would say it's delusional thought, but not a mental illness, it is a very natural thing for our brains to believe in such things. It's quite amusing actually, nature of evolution has created us in such a way to shield us from the truth of the nature of everything. The ultimate smokescreen, well done nature I applaud your trickery!

[Big Good Wolf]

I don't get this idea of equating atheism with a religion.
It's like those people who ask me which team I support or which is my local and have such a limited world view that they can't grasp the idea that such things don't interest me.
No football team is not a football team.
No pub is not a pub.
No belief is not a belief.

[Big Good Wolf]

Why is it acceptable to ridicule homeopathy but not religion ?
Has asking an imaginary friend for help been proven to be more effective than drinking water ?

[Fallen_Horse]

Militant athiests = militant religious

The problem with atheism is a semantic issue, atheism the word was coined from theism but the negative 'a' to assign a cognitive anti stance to religion. This is completely way off the mark. Because atheism, which should really be termed 'humanist realism' should be seen as not as anti religion but pre-religion. Just because I'm atheist (that term has stuck so I refer to myself as atheist) doesn't mean I'm militant anti religious. My atheism is from a neutral point of view looking at all the evidence with lucid thinking and coming to a conclusion that what we see is what we get, nothing more nothing less on our path to the ultimate 'nothing' (death).

I think earlier on in this thread you said something about you can equally prove that god does or doesn't exist from a neutral stance how would you prove that god exists? I'm intrigued!

Yes I wasn't referring to you, only to those who go out of their way to verbally attack and degrade the idea of religion in its many forms...

As far as before, what I was actually saying was that neither side can prove anything either way. I can prove God exists about as well as you can prove he doesn't. This is to say, no one can prove anything on either side, so why argue about it? Discussing religion is fine, but being angry and hurling insults doesn't help anyone. I think most people here agree with that...

[erske]

The problem with atheism is a semantic issue, atheism the word was coined from theism but the negative 'a' to assign a cognitive anti stance to religion.

Perhaps it's just me (and swedish semantics) that uses the prefix "a" as "lack off/non" and not as "anti". It has no negative or polar tone in my head..

I much prefer it to humanist since humanism has a movement behind it (at least here in sweden) trying to connect non belivers behind theire own liberal worldview and ethics, making it much more like a religion than atheism ever was.

[Hiking Fox]

Why is it acceptable to ridicule homeopathy but not religion ?

Personally, it is because homeopaths con money out of people and potentially put their health in danger. Religious beliefs on the other hand are harmless provided people see it as a personal thing and do not attempt to make money out of it or put others at risk.

When religion becomes political, of course, it ceases to be harmless (e.g. the situation in Northern Ireland), but there's the argument that it isn't actually the religion doing that, it is the fact that it is used to categorise people and enable a 'them and us' mentality.

[vegan hal]

i believe in Lemmy.

[mabli]

Why is it acceptable to ridicule homeopathy but not religion ?

Personally, it is because homeopaths con money out of people and potentially put their health in danger. Religious beliefs on the other hand are harmless provided people see it as a personal thing and do not attempt to make money out of it or put others at risk.

did you see the below that was posted on the Religiouls thread? Think its very funny, certainly religion cons a hell of a lot more people out of money than homeopathy!

SELL THE VATICAN! FEED THE WORLD! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bObItmxAGc

The creation myth makes absolutely no sense and Im always baffled that seemingly normal folk can believe such codswallop. Im also against most organised religion because it does seem quite destructive for the main. However, I will always stand up for someone’s right to believe in a God just like I would for someone’s right to believe in homeopathy, it’s their personal choice.
Inspite of not believing in a God I think society would be better off if we followed some of the key rules in many religious texts, they’re good steps to pleasant life and harmonious society. Individuals need rules, some folk can devise their own but for the rest living millennia old rules is better than the worship of commodities which breeds the gluttony, apathy, greed and depression that we have in society in general.

[xJimx]

I can prove God exists about as well as you can prove he doesn't. This is to say, no one can prove anything on either side, so why argue about it?