Am I an atheist?

[Rookie120 0]

With all the religion threads going I thought I would throw my mind into the mix a bit.

To start, I cannot remember the last time I went to church. I sure as hell cannot tell you what kind of church the last one I went to was. I remember going to church every sunday when I was in Basic Training for the Army. I did that to get out of barracks detail. So my question is am I atheist?

I dont go to church, or pray. I don't stand in from of abortion clinics telling people god will punish you. I dont make decisions because god or the bible told me to. I have never even spoken to the man. I treat people the way they I want to be treated.

I love Christmas season and I say merry christmas. I dont see why so many get bent out of shape because of it. You get the freakin day off work so enjoy the time off with your family.

I dont thank god for things I have. I get them because I work my ass off. I dont ask him for forgiveness. If I make a mistake I learn from it and move on and hope to not make the same mistake twice.

I like to think there is something after I am old and gone. I just hope I live the right life to get a good parking place. I usually dont post anything in the religion threads because I am not very in tuned to the church. So does this make me an atheist or what?

If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck!

[thirdworld19 0]

Do you believe in God? Whether or not you do something with it...

I think deep down, most people say they believe in God because they are too scared not to believe (fire and brimstone). Additionally, most people were raised with some sort of religion. It's a tradition. Why do most brides still wear white at their weddings? Why do people say "Bless You" after someone sneezes (to keep the evil spirits from invading their soul or to keep the soul from escaping the body)?

But how many people actually live their lives as if there is a god, heaven, hell, etc.?

[quade 3]

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So does this make me an atheist or what?

Nope.

If you believe in an after life and specifically you "just hope I live the right life to get a good parking place" that would mean that you believe there will be somebody to judge you in the after life; God or one of his minions, possibly St. Peter, but whatever, it means you actually -do- believe in some higher power and being.

By definition, an atheist does not believe in the existence of a God at all.

You can go to Wikipedia for a more lengthy definition if you want.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[jakee 1,257]

God, yes or no?

That is the only question relevant to whether you are an atheist. It's a pretty simple word

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[philh 0]

Atheism literally means without belief in god. God is usually defined as a perosnal being that created the univrese, althoguh some definitons are more elaborate than that. For example involving god being omipotent and omnipresent etc.
Whist it its technically possible to believe in an after life and be an atheist , its pretty unheard of.
If you are interested in atheism I would suggest reading "The God Delusion" by Richard Dawkins or "Losing Faith in Faith " by Dan Barker . See if what they say gells with you .

[beowulf 1]

I think the reason people believe in god or god's goes much deeper then just fear of hell or what ever their religion's punishment is. I think people believe in god because the are afraid of death and really don't want to believe that life will just end one day and also they have a strong urge to believe there is some purpose to their existence. They can't handle the thought that there isn't any existence after death or that life has no higher purpose. I prefer to live in the here and now. I don't want to spend my time worrying about what will happen when I die. I don't have any interest in participating in some fantasy world that makes empty promises.

[rehmwa 2]

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I think the reason people believe in

"THE reason" nice.

I think that if you took 10000 people that believed in a deity of some sort (I don't care either way), you'd get 10000 reasons. Some that align with that description, some that are nowhere near it, and everything in between.

To think one can get into their minds and simplify so much and so negatively is nuts. But it is easier to just put everyone in a uniform bucket and then proceed to spit into it. Heck, it's even easier with policial groups, races, etc.....

I like it, it makes me feel special. I can cling to it, like my agnosticism, and my guns and my general disdain for small ratlike dogs.

So, I think that generically belittling another's beliefs just because they disagree with yours, by making it about fear or something negative, is etc, etc, etc, etc

so there

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Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[beowulf 1]

Hey it's not even 10am and I have already pissed someone off!
Guess you really have your panties in a bunch this morning.

What I wrote was my personal observations, considering the number of Christians that want to know if I worry about going to hell since I don't believe in God.

[champu 1]

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I like it, it makes me feel special. I can cling to it, like my agnosticism, and my guns and my general disdain for small ratlike dogs.

Don't worry, small rat-like dogs all go to hell in the end.

[BillyVance 34]

You might be more of an agnostic, but the core issue is whether or not you believe there is a God. I rarely attend church but only because there aren't many choices nearby that offer interpreted services for the deaf.

Atheist: renounces all beliefs in God and other religions

Agnostic: Doesn't go to church and doesn't care, but doesn't have an opinion one way or another.

Without looking it up, this is my best guess.

I believe in God, but I'm hardly a practicing believer.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[namgrunt 0]

BRADLEY is a heathen
BRADLEY is a heathen

and PS no one has called me..hint hint

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59 YEARS,OVERWEIGHT,BALDIND,X-GRUNT
LAST MIL. JUMP VIET-NAM(QUAN-TRI)
www.dzmemories.com

[rehmwa 2]

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I like it, it makes me feel special. I can cling to it, like my agnosticism, and my guns and my general disdain for small ratlike dogs.

Don't worry, small rat-like dogs all go to hell in the end.

But why do we have to wait for the end? Can't they all go there right now?

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Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[rehmwa 2]

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Hey it's not even 10am and I have already pissed someone off!
Guess you really have your panties in a bunch this morning.

What I wrote was my personal observations, considering the number of Christians that want to know if I worry about going to hell since I don't believe in God.

How many Christians do you know that don't even talk about it around you? How would you know what they believe other than they show up late at the DZ on Sunday (or, Sundeee as pronounced by radio DJs)?

It's like thinking all liberals are the same based on the loudmouths. Bad example, because they all are the same and should be disdained and mocked until they need counseling. It's like thinking all dogs are the same because 2 of them bit you as a kid. Bad example. It's like all kids are loud and out of control because you couldn't hear Hannah Montana at the concert you were looking forward too. Yeah, that's a good one.

actually, Bucket Pissing is being proposed as a new Olympic sport

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Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[banesanura 1]

Lets start a cult and find god.


I will bring the kool-aid!!!!


yay.

Best Girl Scout Ever.

[Shotgun 1]

I think that if you use a dictionary, you'll find that none of the stuff you mentioned has anything to do with whether you are an atheist or not.

[beowulf 1]

At one time I tried talking to as many people about what they believed and why. Now I do my best to avoid the topic of religion. Many of the people I talked to about religion would get very upset when they asked me what I believe and I told them I didn't believe that there existed any god at all. They seemed to take my disbelief in god very personal and got really upset and angry. I don't understand why, I didn't give them any indication as to what my personal opinion of deity worship was. I was just wanting to know what they believed and why. So I can only base my opinions on my observations of people I meet and talk to.

[banesanura 1]

Most people like to be told what to do.

It would be absurd to have a society that thinks for themselves.

Best Girl Scout Ever.

[rehmwa 2]

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So I can only base my opinions on my observations of people I meet and talk to.

Me too. Like the attachments show, I only talk to the average guys and gals

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Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[beowulf 1]

Oh I get it. All the people I have talked to are crazy. Why don't you just come out and say it with out having to beat around the bush?

All I know is from everything I have seen, read and heard from people is that deity worship is primarily fueled by fear. Either fear of death, eternal punishment or not getting some sort of prize for following the rules.

Oh yeah and nearly every Christian I have talked to has their own definition of what a Christian is and says those that don't fit there definition is going to hell or will be punished by God.

[SpeedRacer 1]

No.

Speed Racer
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[beowulf 1]

Wow there is a straight forward answer. No bullshit involved!

Now just what question does that answer go along with?

[downwardspiral 0]

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I think the reason people believe in

"THE reason" nice.

I think that if you took 10000 people that believed in a deity of some sort (I don't care either way), you'd get 10000 reasons. Some that align with that description, some that are nowhere near it, and everything in between.

To think one can get into their minds and simplify so much and so negatively is nuts. But it is easier to just put everyone in a uniform bucket and then proceed to spit into it. Heck, it's even easier with policial groups, races, etc.....

I like it, it makes me feel special. I can cling to it, like my agnosticism, and my guns and my general disdain for small ratlike dogs.

So, I think that generically belittling another's beliefs just because they disagree with yours, by making it about fear or something negative, is etc, etc, etc, etc

so there

I read that as HIS reasoning people believe. Not necessarily why beowolf thinks people believe on a personal level. In a way beowolf has a valid point. The human mind is too fragile to accept non-existence. The survival instinct is too overwhelming and when a loved one dies it reminds people of their own mortality. So when grandpa dies he's in a better place or grandpa is watching over me. It's too painfull to accept the fact he is gone.....forever.

The question of the existence of God is similar in that humans use him or her to explain the unexplainable. Throughout the history of humankind every society and culture has used dieties to explain something in one way or another. Before it explained solar eclipses, lightning, volcanos, etc.

Since the advent of science humans now use religion, God, Alah, and Buddha to explain such things as the origin of the universe and the afterlife. Both being unexplainable and unprovable coincidently.

www.FourWheelerHB.com

[Darius11 12]

I have a quick questions for you.


As an atheist you don’t believe in god or any god. I am assuming that you believe in the big bang theory or something like it. Here is what I always have difficulty with. Lets say that the universe was created by to huge pieces that collided and formed the universe. Who or what made those objects?

And if we know the answer who made the other objects and who or what after that ect.

You get the point.
That’s the one thing that is always very confusing for me. When you keep on going backwards what created that first thing, and what created that.

WOW I have a headache now.

I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not." - Kurt Cobain

[beowulf 1]

Your questions assumes there is a "Maker". I don't know everything so I can't exactly answer your question throughly. What I do know is that I have never found any reason or evidence to show that there is a deity of any sort.

[Shotgun 1]

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That’s the one thing that is always very confusing for me. When you keep on going backwards what created that first thing, and what created that.

Yep, and it works for the god argument too. What created god?

Personally, I don't believe in god. And I have no idea if the big bang theory is correct or not, but that has nothing to do with my not believing in god. I just accept that we don't know, and probably never will know, the answer to where everything came from. Because, like you said, it's a question with an infinite answer. (But what came before that? And what came before that? etc., etc.)