Atheistic dogma

[Science Boy]

Hello all, it is odd to have a group of so called atheists in one place. I usually end up talking to fundamentalist christians. Interesting.

Being a newbie to the board, I would appreciate any info on the general culture of this board.

As a topic, just to cause a little trouble <g>, how do y'all feel about this? It may not be a new idea, but it will allow me to get to know some of you.

I think that organized atheism is just as 'bad' as any other organized religion. Some of the most dogmatic people I have ever met were atheists. Their rage at christians (usually) or god (sometimes, pretty funny) is all consuming. The local atheist cable access show is just an hour of complaining about christians. I don't get it. How about teaching some science instead? The lack of education in this country (USA) is our true enemy.

I have come to the position of atheism (or hypertheism but that is a different discussion) slowly and somewhat reluctantly. It would be swell to believe, I just do not.

Thanks for letting me join you.

Tony the Science Boy

[Captain Ochre]

[QUOTE]Today @ 02:16 PM post located here (http://www.theologyweb.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=324481#post324481)
Science Boy:


d'oh! didn't see the sign.

[Jaltus]

Captain Ochre, this area is for nontheists only. Please respect that by not posting here.

[rach12]

I wasn't aware that atheists were organized in any way, other than into political groups. Is that what you are referring to?

As for dogmatic atheists, I understand where you're coming from,although I don't think I've ever met one that had an all-consuming desire to rail at Christians and god incessantly.

I know a few that enjoy doing this on messageboards, however.

[Ben Franklin]

Religions are philosophies, too: so both theists and atheists believe in some philosophy. Dogmatism can exists anywhere, you know.

[rach12]

Today @ 04:22 PM post located here (http://www.theologyweb.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=325225#post325225)
Ben Franklin:

Religions are philosophies, too: so both theists and atheists believe in some philosophy. Dogmatism can exists anywhere, you know.

I do believe we are on the same page - I simply said I have not met any dogmatic atheists at this point. Well... maybe one.

What I question is whether atheists can ever be organized into something that can be considered an atheist *religion.* How would it work exactly? And what is your idea of an atheist philosophy?

It almost goes against the very nature of atheists to organize themselves.

[Ben Franklin]

Today @ 06:36 AM post located here (http://www.theologyweb.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=325648#post325648)
rach12:

I do believe we are on the same page - I simply said I have not met any dogmatic atheists at this point. Well... maybe one.

What I question is whether atheists can ever be organized into something that can be considered an atheist *religion.* How would it work exactly? And what is your idea of an atheist philosophy?

It almost goes against the very nature of atheists to organize themselves.

It could be that when you are free to think and choose, it's more of an individual than a group activity. What do you think ?

[rach12]

Today @ 12:20 AM post located here (http://www.theologyweb.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=325688#post325688)
Ben Franklin:



It could be that when you are free to think and choose, it's more of an individual than a group activity. What do you think ?

That's what I think, too.

Atheists and agnostics want the freedom to think things out for themselves. Having someone/something else dictate what is appropriate for atheists to think would never work.

However, don't a lot of A/A people go to UU churches?

A/A's are just about as diverse in their beliefs as Christians. Probably even more so.

[Archimedes]

I think there are dogmatic atheists, but you have to go to atheist message boards and websites to find those. Whenever these poor souls* wander to Christian boards they invariably get either trashed or molded into more thoughtful atheists.


* Naturally, I am using this word purely as a metaphor. EAC Manual clearly states that souls do not exist (see page 297, vol. 1).

[Passant]

What I question is whether atheists can ever be organized into something that can be considered an atheist *religion.* How would it work exactly? And what is your idea of an atheist philosophy?

What about secular humanism? All the discussion of morals in the apologetics section got me to thinking more about it. It seems popular among atheists, but not as popular as I would think.
Any opinions on this?

Also, I believe that humanism has been declared a religion, which I find to be a good thing, humanists can demand the same rights as any other religion.

[Science Boy]

12-04-2003 @ 06:36 AM post located here (http://www.theologyweb.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=325648#post325648)
rach12:



I do believe we are on the same page - I simply said I have not met any dogmatic atheists at this point. Well... maybe one.

What I question is whether atheists can ever be organized into something that can be considered an atheist *religion.* How would it work exactly? And what is your idea of an atheist philosophy?

It almost goes against the very nature of atheists to organize themselves.

Exactly! That is why it amuses me so.

It is odd that you have never encountered organized atheists. In minnesota we have at least two major atheist groups. One of them has a televangelism show that spends hours every week ripping on organized religion. Pretty funny.

For me it boils down to the fact that humans have some odd need for religion, it just doesn't have to relate to god to be a religion.

I am mad that the moderator cut out the post from a believer. I do not fear civil discussion.

Tony

[Science Boy]

Yesterday @ 02:12 PM post located here (http://www.theologyweb.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=329712#post329712)
Passant:



What about secular humanism? All the discussion of morals in the apologetics section got me to thinking more about it. It seems popular among atheists, but not as popular as I would think.
Any opinions on this?

Also, I believe that humanism has been declared a religion, which I find to be a good thing, humanists can demand the same rights as any other religion.

Good post. I agree. Our household is essentially secular humanist. We do some UU stuff but that is about as free-style as religion comes. (it is FAR too liberal for me though so I don't go much)

The humanist ideals are proof that morality does not come from god.

Tony

[Passant]

For me it boils down to the fact that humans have some odd need for religion, it just doesn't have to relate to god to be a religion.

I believe humans need orginized sociel structure. Here in Texas we have the Texas Church of free thought, and the Houston Church of freethought. They provide a community similar to a church, without the superstition.

I am mad that the moderator cut out the post from a believer. I do not fear civil discussion.

Well, this section IS reserves for non-theists. If you would like to engage believers in this type of discussion, Apologetics is probably the place for it. We have been going around about Christian morals, it's probably time to introduce some atheist ideas about morality.

[Ben Franklin]

12-08-2003 @ 03:33 PM post located here (http://www.theologyweb.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=330701#post330701)
Passant:

I believe humans need orginized sociel structure. Here in Texas we have the Texas Church of free thought, and the Houston Church of freethought. They provide a community similar to a church, without the superstition.

I think that humans need social structure to get along together in a group. If we all lived independently, and never ever saw another person, it would be a little pointless, wouldn't it ?

[Vorkosigan]

You can't be a dogmatic atheist. How? Atheism consists of one, and only one stance: lack of belief in gods. No dogma is possible.

Vorkosigan

[TenDimensions]

Today @ 10:38 AM post located here (http://www.theologyweb.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=359019#post359019)
Vorkosigan:

You can't be a dogmatic atheist. How? Atheism consists of one, and only one stance: lack of belief in gods. No dogma is possible.

Vorkosigan

What an interesting counter-point to that particular accusation.

But I generally get labeled as dogmatically following science. That I've never been able to understand either because if I'm not going to accept the supernatural on faith alone what else do I have to use?

It's amazing how many times I'm told that I dogmatically refuse to believe in anything supernatural when I simply am asking for scientific evidence.

[TenDimensions]

12-03-2003 @ 09:16 AM post located here (http://www.theologyweb.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=324481#post324481)
Science Boy:
Hello all, it is odd to have a group of so called atheists in one place. I usually end up talking to fundamentalist christians. Interesting.

In general it's more fun arguing with fundamentalist christians. Even the majority of christians aren't very interesting to argue with.

Being a newbie to the board, I would appreciate any info on the general culture of this board.

I've found it pretty standard as far as collections of fundamentalist christians are concerned.

I think that organized atheism is just as 'bad' as any other organized religion. Some of the most dogmatic people I have ever met were atheists. Their rage at christians (usually) or god (sometimes, pretty funny) is all consuming. The local atheist cable access show is just an hour of complaining about christians. I don't get it. How about teaching some science instead? The lack of education in this country (USA) is our true enemy.

I agree 100% percent about education. In fact, I'm hard pressed to come up with any better long term solution to pretty much every social problem there is. Sure, it probably isn't a perfect solution (what really is), but without decent education it's hard to make any other solution really work.

I'm naturally weary of any organized group that professes a single belief. Just the nature of individuals and their natural tendency to have differing opinions tells me that the larger the group and the more they agree - the more dangerous they are.

I have come to the position of atheism (or hypertheism but that is a different discussion) slowly and somewhat reluctantly. It would be swell to believe, I just do not.

I too, would love to believe and have spent many many hours debating Christianity with a friend of mine who is on the extreme end of Christianity. I would love to believe, but my brain just won't let me do it. Instead I hope against hope that science will get me immortality. :rofl:

That's interesting that you have such radical atheism out there where you live. I do think atheists can sometimes take things too far and there is never any productive results from mouthing off without listening to the opposition carefully. After all, people don't believe in something without having good reason to - if they didn't think they had good reason they wouldn't believe, would they?

Welcome to the board.

[Bob Jenkins]

12-31-2003 @ 10:57 AM post located here (http://www.theologyweb.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=359038#post359038)
TenDimensions:



What an interesting counter-point to that particular accusation.

But I generally get labeled as dogmatically following science. That I've never been able to understand either because if I'm not going to accept the supernatural on faith alone what else do I have to use?

It's amazing how many times I'm told that I dogmatically refuse to believe in anything supernatural when I simply am asking for scientific evidence.

The use of the adjective form does not validate the assumption others may have about the noun.

I am dogmatically against dogma

I believe there are absolutely no absolutes.

I religiously hold to atheism.

None of these are contradictions but a declaration of how thoughts are held and expressed in terms that the listener may understand.

[TenDimensions]

Today @ 11:02 AM post located here (http://www.theologyweb.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=361894#post361894)
Bob Jenkins:
The use of the adjective form does not validate the assumption others may have about the noun.

I am dogmatically against dogma

I believe there are absolutely no absolutes.

I religiously hold to atheism.

None of these are contradictions but a declaration of how thoughts are held and expressed in terms that the listener may understand.

While I'm inclined to agree with you I suspect there are others who would argue that those are logical contradictory statements such as "This statement is false".

In the end it's really just another example of how poorly we humans actually do communicate with one another. In those statements above you are using an adjective (and the metaphorical meaning of the root word) when describing how you feel about the noun. A concept I'll keep in mind next time I'm accused of dogmatically following science.