The origins of atheism

[ToddNotTodd]

See atheists are a good source for facts, but not a good source for truth that can explain existence. Plato was a theist.

What's the "truth that can explain existence"?

Please give good evidence for whatever belief this may be.

 

[Eudaimonist]

All atheists are unsaved people?

I'm not sure why you are going on about saved or unsaved people, but presumably all atheists are unsaved people according to Christian doctrine.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[Chriliman]

What's the "truth that can explain existence"?

Please give good evidence for whatever belief this may be.

Existence is not physical, physical things exist, so logically if somethings going to explain existence it's not going to be a physical thing, but rather a non-physical explanation. What should we call the non-physical? How about we call it what it is, spiritual.

 

[Kutte]

In ancient times people could not explain for themselves the nature of lightening and thunder, for example. Therefore they were inclined to assign gods to them. Long ago Greek and Roman people came up with all sorts of gods, entire families, to represent many different natural elements. Just one God would do for Jewish people in ancient times.
With an increase in knowledge of the world we live in some people realized that lightening and thunder could not be personifications of a god but simply natural events. Over time others began to look at the idea of god or gods simply as products of human imagination and with this we find the origin of atheism.

Kutte

 

[Eudaimonist]

Existence is not physical, physical things exist, so logically if somethings going to explain existence it's not going to be a physical thing, but rather a non-physical explanation. What should we call the non-physical? How about we call it what it is, spiritual.

How do you explain the non-physical? Logically, the explanation must be non-non-physical, so that means it's a physical explanation.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[Chriliman]

I'm not sure why you are going on about saved or unsaved people, but presumably all atheists are unsaved people according to Christian doctrine.


eudaimonia,

Mark

From our perspective we consider atheists unsaved, but from God's perspective, an individual who is an atheist may be saved, but just doesn't know it yet, but God knows.

 

[GoldenBoy89]

Existence is not physical, physical things exist, so logically if somethings going to explain existence it's not going to be a physical thing, but rather a non-physical explanation. What should we call the non-physical? How about we call it what it is, spiritual.

Or imaginary, as I prefer.

 

[Dave Ellis]

Hello there everyone. I am sure this has been discussed before but I would like to start a new discussion on this. I want to hear your opinions on why do you think atheism exists and its cause. I will tell mine only after I see yours.

It went something like this:

Person 1: Hey, I believe there's a super powerful non-physical entity that watches over us
Person 2: I don't believe you

And thus, Atheism was born.

 

[ToddNotTodd]

Existence is not physical, physical things exist, so logically if somethings going to explain existence it's not going to be a physical thing, but rather a non-physical explanation. What should we call the non-physical? How about we call it what it is, spiritual.

"Existence" is a property of a thing, like "red" or "tall". There's no reason to call properties spiritual. They're concepts that sit inside physical brains.

If you believe in what are typically called spiritual things (gods, souls, etc.), please give good reasons for those beliefs.

 

[Chriliman]

Or imaginary, as I prefer.

I prefer to say that you're imagining that the spiritual realm is imaginary. Either that or you're just flat out being deceived or deceiving yourself, but how can we ever determine the truth?

And I don't accept the answer that the truth of why theist and atheist disagree on such a huge topic can never be known because that's a cop out.

 

[GoldenBoy89]

It went something like this:

Person 1: Hey, I believe there's a super powerful non-physical entity that watches over us
Person 2: I don't believe you

And thus, Atheism was born.

I think you just won the internet for today.

 

[Davian]

From our perspective we consider atheists unsaved, but from God's perspective, an individual who is an atheist may be saved, but just doesn't know it yet, but God knows.

Do you speak for God?

 

[jenny1972]

I had started by assuming that God exists. I had been taught this as even a little child, and it was natural then to assume that my elders were correct.

I had started to question God's existence. I discovered that I had simply assumed that God exists on the authority of adults. I discovered that I didn't have any rational reason to think that God was even a "possibility".

unlike the tooth fairy , santa , and other fictional characters God has proven His existence to some people and the tooth fairy and santa have not . ALL human beings seek out the truth and desire to have an accurate perception we challenge and test concepts to see if theyre really true and those that do not prove to be real we discard as adults because we seek out truth . Athiests are just people who have not experienced this proof in Gods existence yet and have not been convinced and so they do not believe . If God did not convince us neither would we believe .

 

[Davian]

I prefer to say that you're imagining that the spiritual realm is imaginary. Either that or you're just flat out being deceived or deceiving yourself, but how can we ever determine the truth?

And I don't accept the answer that the truth of why theist and atheist disagree on such a huge topic can never be known because that's a cop out.

Have you not been given ample opportunity to demonstrate that this "spiritual realm" that you speak of is not imaginary? How much more time do you need?

 

[Chriliman]

"Existence" is a property of a thing, like "red" or "tall". There's no reason to call properties spiritual. They're concepts that sit inside physical brains.

"Red" and "tall" are states of being. States of being, exist. An apple exists in a state of being red. An apple does not exist as red.

I exist in state of being tall. I do not exist as tall, that's nonsensical.

 

[Ana the Ist]

Existence is not physical, physical things exist, so logically if somethings going to explain existence it's not going to be a physical thing, but rather a non-physical explanation. What should we call the non-physical? How about we call it what it is, spiritual.

And what is "spiritual" or "non-physical"?

What do those words mean? As in, what are they? Not what aren't they.

 

[GoldenBoy89]

I prefer to say that you're imagining that the spiritual realm is imaginary. Either that or you're just flat out being deceived or deceiving yourself, but how can we ever determine the truth?

How do you know you aren't the one being deceived?

Serious question: How can I tell that what you claim is spiritual isn't just your imagination? How do you prove the non-physical really exists?

And I don't accept the answer that the truth of why theist and atheist disagree on such a huge topic can never be known because that's a cop out.

Well after thousands of years of debate, we clearly are not any closer to understanding each other. Maybe one of us is holding onto an untenable position?

 

[Chriliman]

Have you not been given ample opportunity to demonstrate that this "spiritual realm" that you speak of is not imaginary? How much more time do you need?

It's not up to me to prove anything to you about God, nor can I. It's up to God to prove himself to you and he won't if you don't want him to.

You could try to prove God does not exist, but that would set me back to not knowing why I exist, which where atheists currently sit. I prefer knowing the truth.

 

[ToddNotTodd]

"Red" and "tall" are states of being. States of being, exist. An apple exists in a state of being red. An apple does not exist as red.

I exist in state of being tall. I do not exist as tall, that's nonsensical.

Sigh... Like I said... existence is a property. An apple that is real has the property of "existent". An apple that I'm only thinking about has the property of "non-existent". Both apples can have the property of "red" or "shiny" or whatever. Everything has a set of properties that describe it. Existent is obviously one of them.

So it's actually you that's being nonsensical. Again...

 

[GoldenBoy89]

unlike the tooth fairy , santa , and other fictional characters God has proven His existence to some people and the tooth fairy and santa have not . ALL human beings seek out the truth and desire to have an accurate perception we challenge and test concepts to see if theyre really true and those that do not prove to be real we discard as adults because we seek out truth . Athiests are just people who have not experienced this proof in Gods existence yet and have not been convinced and so they do not believe . If God did not convince us neither would we believe .

Then we cannot possibly have that disbelief held against us if as you say here, it is due to evidence that God has withheld from us.