Confused Athiests

[LittleLambofJesus]

And all the Gods you mentioned here from top to bottom of your post have one thing in common:

Non-existence.

Well, you only have to convince about 4 billion Jews, Muslims and Christians of that, not counting the various other religions that believe in various forms of gods or entities.

 

[franklin]

Well, you only have to convince about 4 billion Jews, Muslims and Christians of that, not counting the various other religions that believe in various forms of gods or entities.

I don't have to convince anybody of anything. They want to believe in such a thing as gods, then that's their problem, not mine. And just because 4 billion believe in such a thing, it still only amounts to one thing :

Belief.

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

I don't have to convince anybody of anything. They want to believe in such a thing as gods, then that's their problem, not mine. And just because 4 billion believe in such a thing, it still only amounts to one thing :

Belief.

Yep.

 

[franklin]

Yep.

Yep.

4 billion can still believe but it still doesn't magically make it fact.

YEP.

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

Yep.

4 billion can still believe but it still doesn't magically make it fact.

YEP.

Variety is the spice of life I suppose. I did find this post by a pagan interesting though:

http://christianforums.com/showthread.php?t=7259976

Post #77

quote:.....................So, I de-converted and I am better off for it. I didn't lose faith in God. I was able to develop a relationship with a God who has different attributes than the one I was taught about in church. I simply exchanged belief in one deity for belief in many Deities who all possess very unique and awe-inspiring characteristics.

 

[Eudaimonist]

According to this PEW Poll, 21% of Athiests believe in God and 8% are absolutely certain he exists.

It sounds to me like it is theists who are confused about what the word "atheist" means, and checked the atheist box by accident.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[franklin]

Variety is the spice of life I suppose. I did find this post by a pagan interesting though:

http://christianforums.com/showthread.php?t=7259976

Post #77

quote:.....................So, I de-converted and I am better off for it. I didn't lose faith in God. I was able to develop a relationship with a God who has different attributes than the one I was taught about in church. I simply exchanged belief in one deity for belief in many Deities who all possess very unique and awe-inspiring characteristics.

These are the words and thoughts of someone who obviously left Christianity, meaning he is now a non-Christian and not an atheist. He still believes in God. Are you one of these believers who has it in your mind that just because someone deconverts from Christianity they are automatically now atheists?

I think you are a little confused and misinformed.

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

These are the words and thoughts of someone who obviously left Christianity, meaning he is now a non-Christian and not an atheist. He still believes in God. Are you one of these believers who has it in your mind that just because someone deconverts from Christianity they are automatically now atheists?

I think you are a little confused and misinformed.

I suppose so

 

[Rasta]

It sounds to me like it is theists who are confused about what the word "atheist" means, and checked the atheist box by accident.


eudaimonia,

Mark

Excellent point. If they believe in god, that makes them theists, even if they checked the atheist box.

 

[franklin]

Psssst, Sec, it's atheists, not athiests.

/nitpick

I have been calling myself an atheist, but it's more complicated than that. I still talk - and even pray - to God sometimes. Doesn't mean I'm dumb, just skeptical of both sides.

That's interesting. Do you pray because you were a believer for a long time and recently lost your faith and were in the habit of praying so much that every now and then you get caught up and pray again by force of habit so to speak? I can certainly relate to that after my de conversion from Christianity but eventually it wore off as time progressed. Eventually I had to come to the conclusion that the baby really wasn't there in the first place after throwing out the bath water, then the prayers came to a halt.

 

[exxxys]

It's an internet poll. You're forgetting some very important things.

First of all, on the internet, people lie. Someone may decide to mess up the poll, and thus the results cannot be taken seriously.

Second, and this was mentioned before, Americans. Lots of Americans can't even locate their country on a map. How can you expect them to know what athiests even stand for? How do they know their beliefs?

I feel rather offended, even though I'm not athiest, that you'd suggest that they're not smart. It seems rather ironic.

 

[DanielRB]

Hi, exxxys

It's an internet poll. You're forgetting some very important things.

First of all, on the internet, people lie. Someone may decide to mess up the poll, and thus the results cannot be taken seriously.

Second, and this was mentioned before, Americans. Lots of Americans can't even locate their country on a map. How can you expect them to know what athiests even stand for? How do they know their beliefs?

I feel rather offended, even though I'm not athiest, that you'd suggest that they're not smart. It seems rather ironic.

If it was an internet poll, then how could you be sure all the respondants "Americans"? Remember, anyone can post to internet polls, as you point out.

Second, it wasn't an internet poll. Please see information on the methodology: http://religions.pewforum.org/reports#

Third, your comments about "Americans" can be considered offensive, just as some were offended by the OP. Please remember that not all "Americans" are the same.

Daniel

EDIT: My original post was kind of snide. Please forgive me; I apologize to any and all who may be offended, especially exxxxys.

 

[Atheista]

It looks like almost everyone is confused. Every religion except Mormon contains "adherents" that don't believe in God, e.g., 17% of Jews don't believe in God, and that is when you leave the word "God" undefined. What if you actually define the word? You are likely to loose even more of the so-called religious.

 

[1j9r8w9]

My two pence (cents if your're US/EEC):

According to this PEW Poll, 21% of Athiests believe in God and 8% are absolutely certain he exists. http://religions.pewforum.org/pdf/report2religious-landscape-study-key-findings.pdf

Lolz is this for real? Saying 21% of Atheists believe in God is like saying 21% of Christians think God doesn't exist. I'm presuming people who responded are confusing Atheism with Agnosticism. Either way, that 21% must only have double-digit IQs.

I guess those atheists aren't really as smart as they keep telling us. LOL

No, we as a whole are still smart. American Atheists are a different kettle of fish though....

 

[DanielRB]

Hi, 1j9r8w9

My two pence (cents if your're US/EEC):

Lolz is this for real? Saying 21% of Atheists believe in God is like saying 21% of Christians think God doesn't exist. I'm presuming people who responded are confusing Atheism with Agnosticism. Either way, that 21% must only have double-digit IQs.

Actually, quite a few prominent "Christians" don't believe in God...for example, Bishop Shelby Sbong of New Jersy. He's written several books and would hardly consider his IQ in the double-digits (even if I consider him to be the worst kind of hypocrite.)

No, we as a whole are still smart. American Atheists are a different kettle of fish though....

Hardy har-har. Gee, isn't it swell to make fun of someone because of nationality? Why don't we move to racist jokes next, and then sexist jokes?

Daniel

 

[Jersey]

According to this PEW Poll, 21% of Athiests believe in God and 8% are absolutely certain he exists. http://religions.pewforum.org/pdf/report2religious-landscape-study-key-findings.pdf

Hmmmmm

I guess those atheists aren't really as smart as they keep telling us. LOL

If someone believes in God, how can they be an atheist?

 

[SebNoker]

Ive seen some 'messed up' polls and questionnaires with the americans, and even some of the ones you would think are smart can give seriously poor answers to simple questions, so i go with that they dont know what atheism means and they are not particularly smart.
Feel bad about always picking on the americans though, but unfortunately they keep reinforcing the fact that for the 'supposedly' most advanced nation in the world. they defiantly have the most uneducated population....

(sorry, this does not apply to all americans, just my personal viepoint, I have many great and wonderful american friends myself!)

 

[DanielRB]

Ive seen some 'messed up' polls and questionnaires with the americans, and even some of the ones you would think are smart can give seriously poor answers to simple questions, so i go with that they dont know what atheism means and they are not particularly smart.
Feel bad about always picking on the americans though, but unfortunately they keep reinforcing the fact that for the 'supposedly' most advanced nation in the world. they defiantly have the most uneducated population....

(sorry, this does not apply to all americans, just my personal viepoint, I have many great and wonderful american friends myself!)

"Some of my best friends are Americans..."

...but would you like your daughter to marry one?

Seriously, what you posted is nearly word-for-word what 'moderate' racists said in the 50's and 60's about [insert your racial group that you dislike]--"I know quite a few 'good' [insert racial group here], but most are dumb/lazy/violent."

And before you use this poll as 'evidence' on the supposed stupidity of we Americans, consider that atheists are a tiny sub-group of Americans, and it is a minority of these 'atheists' who are confused about their belief in God, even according to this poll.

Citing this particular figure in this poll as evidence of the stupidity of Americans would be like saying how insane the Canadians are on the basis of interviews solely mental patients, even when the majority of those patients could function in society.

Daniel