BEAKER Posted March 1, 2007 Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 Back to the topic at hand - which in my view hasn't been taken too far off track; But I've been here since before there was a thread relating to "religiosity"; and the topic, "Religion (and lack thereof) at Hypography", while being an entirely valid issue, -Religion as a whole is one that I am pleased to say has blossemed into a flourishing area of conversation here at Hypography, when it was all but anathema at one time. Praise the Lord, and thank you Tormod. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocket art Posted March 1, 2007 Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 Spiritual Atheist. Why limit one's self with the capacity to evolve one's Consciousness? Am not religious, but I believe in Spirituality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgrmdave Posted March 1, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 This poll needs a fouth option—"Other" —Larv Technically, this poll only needed two choiced - atheist and theist. Either you believe in a god or you don't. It doesn't actually have to do with religion, only whether you believe in a god or not. However, I subdivided the atheist category into atheist and 'spiritual atheist'. I'm not quite certain of what constitutes a spiritual atheist, but I don't want this poll to be "what would other people say you are?" but rather "what do you think you are?". I do not think it is possible to be neither atheist or theist - if you believe in a deity, you're a theist. Otherwise, you're an atheist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEAKER Posted March 1, 2007 Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 I do not think it is possible to be neither atheist or theist - if you believe in a deity, you're a theist. Otherwise, you're an atheist. Right on Dude. I think those in the latter catagory are simply in denial. But that's just me.:eek: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffy Posted March 1, 2007 Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 I think those in the latter catagory are simply in denial. But that's just me.:eek:Nah, Beak, they're just Questioning Unreality! I for example still question whether or not LZIV will pass muster with St. Peter... I prefer my Gods to be corporeal like Santa and the Easter Bunny! (BTW: Nice to see you back!) Way down inside, :hihi: Buffy HappytheStripper and Boerseun 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REASON Posted March 1, 2007 Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 I do not think it is possible to be neither atheist or theist - if you believe in a deity, you're a theist. Otherwise, you're an atheist. I disagree. I neither affirm nor deny a deity. I choose not to "believe" either way. Is there a reason why this would make me an atheist? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InfiniteNow Posted March 1, 2007 Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 I disagree. I neither affirm nor deny a deity. I choose not to "believe" either way. Is there a reason why this would make me an atheist? Only in the most semantic sense. If you are not a theist, you are an non theist... aka, athiest... However, the term "athiest" is laden with much more than simple lingual structure, hence the debate... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgrmdave Posted March 1, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 I wish there was another word (I toyed with "non-theist"), but atheist really does simply mean "not a theist". Atheism is not necessarily an active disbelief in a diety, merely the lack of a belief in a diety. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REASON Posted March 1, 2007 Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 Only in the most semantic sense. If you are not a theist, you are an non theist... aka, athiest... However, the term "athiest" is laden with much more than simple lingual structure, hence the debate... I definitely understand your point. I guess for me these labels seem too black and white for someone who considers the concept so gray. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REASON Posted March 1, 2007 Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 I wish there was another word (I toyed with "non-theist"), but atheist really does simply mean "not a theist". Atheism is not necessarily an active disbelief in a diety, merely the lack of a belief in a diety. Maybe again it's an issue of definition of terms. Most of the definitions I've come across for "atheist" use the term deny or denial as opposed to "lack of." To deny is definitely an active disbelief. This is what I reject. But the prefix "a" simply means "without," which is much more like "lack of." I think this difference is what InfiniteNow was suggesting in his reply to my question. My interpretation of the definition of atheist is that it means without God, not without belief in God. Again, that may just be semantics, but it seams to infer a clear denial of God as opposed to not having belief. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ughaibu Posted March 1, 2007 Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 How can one deny that which doesn't exist? Presumably your defiitions were provided by theists. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REASON Posted March 1, 2007 Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 How can one deny that which doesn't exist? Presumably your defiitions were provided by theists. I guess that's all together possible. Obviously, I have no knowledge of the religious orientations of the dictionaries' editors. Here's an example of the definitions I was referring to: atheist - Definitions from Dictionary.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappytheStripper Posted March 1, 2007 Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 Nah, Beak, they're just Questioning Unreality! Definilty!! I prefer my Gods to be corporeal like Santa and the Easter Bunny! I will not ever dis Santa again Buffy. I promise ;) By the way.. I made it to the top of Santas' naughty list 10 years in a row.. Ashley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IMAMONKEY! Posted March 1, 2007 Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 I guess that's all together possible. Obviously, I have no knowledge of the religious orientations of the dictionaries' editors. Here's an example of the definitions I was referring to: atheist - Definitions from Dictionary.com I used the definition you found REASON to think about it. "a person who denies or disbelieves the existence of a supreme being or beings." So what they're saying is they're sure this is a supreme being? Denial doesn't quite fit a neutral stance in this definition. They should try something more like argue or disagree. That makes it seem more like atheists have an even point thus making the definition neutral rather then making it seem like we are a bunch of lunatics with crazy ideas. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larv Posted March 1, 2007 Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 I wish there was another word (I toyed with "non-theist"), but atheist really does simply mean "not a theist". Atheism is not necessarily an active disbelief in a diety, merely the lack of a belief in a diety.Why not "untheist"? (An untheist believes that it doesn't matter if there is or isn't a god.) "Atheist" is a theist's term, because the theists need to invoke a term they can most conveniently oppose. Thus the term "atheist" seems (to me) to imply that there IS a god, but he/she/it is not worthy of believing in. —Larv Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IMAMONKEY! Posted March 1, 2007 Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 "Atheist" is a theist's term, because the theists need to invoke a term they can most conveniently oppose. Thus the term "atheist" seems (to me) to imply that there IS a god, but he/she/it is not worthy of believing in. —Larv which seems pretty conceited don't you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larv Posted March 1, 2007 Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 which seems pretty conceited don't you think?Conceited on who's part? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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