Atheists in the Okanagan.

[Donald G]

I defy anyone to identify who is a "believer" and who is an "atheist" based on that persons actions or beliefs regarding their fellow man.

[Farmmaa]

Absolutely an atheist can be 'spiritual'.
Being spiritual is a very personal thing and has different meaning to different people.
Being spiritual can simply mean feeling a deep connection between self and nature.

I think that one of the reasons you will find many atheists speaking out so passionately against the absurdity that we see as being religion, is that it is being thrown in our faces continually.
Something good happens and 'God is good'. Thank God.
Something bad happens and it's God's plan.
Going through a hard time, death in the family, serious illness - everyone prays for you.
We are still asked to swear on the bible when issuing an official statement.
We can't even sneeze without being blessed by god !

Again, I don't think that most atheists mock and ridicule religious people.
But, I do think that most religious people take any comments mocking or ridiculing their beliefs as a personal attack.

Unless you personally wrote the bible, invented the story of Jesus or claim to have found gold plates sent by angels - it is not a personal insult.

[Healthyskeptic]

We have blasphemy laws?

Yes, there are blasphemy laws in this day and age. Google 'recent blasphemy laws.'

[Healthyskeptic]

II find it rather ironic and hypocritical for posters to join in on a thread about atheism and then suggest that atheists shouldn't be participating here.

Agreed!!!

Religion/ spiritual talk isn't forbidden to Atheists. We are Atheists because we questioned the ideas of Creator Gods. Google 'Creator Gods' and see just how many gods you theists don't believe in either.
I'm not angry at Zeus. I don't have a beef with Thor. I'm not 'rejecting' Japanese Goddess Ameterasu because I don't like sun myths. I'm not dissing Osiris with my disbelief. I'm not rebelling against anyone.
I simply questioned the supernatural claims and find them suspiciously like stories made up by primitive man.

[zzontar]

We are Atheists because we questioned the ideas of Creator Gods.
I simply questioned the supernatural claims and find them suspiciously like stories made up by primitive man.

Why wouldn't you equally be suspicious of how all the matter in the universe either appeared as if by magic, or has always existed with no beginning? A theory is a theory, whether scientific or religious.

[Healthyskeptic]

The dark ages lasted 1000 yrs. thanks to religious doctrine and evil men.
The Scientific method is relatively new.
definition: a method of procedure that has characterized natural science since the 17 th Century, consisting in systematic observation, measurement, and experiment, and the formulation, testing, and modification of hypotheses.

No, science doesn't know everything. We are working on things.ie. Medicine, space, time,etc, etc.

How ironic that Christians have no problem with a God with no beginning nor originator/ cause. Hmmm.

[zzontar]

How ironic that Christians have no problem with a God with no beginning nor originator/ cause. Hmmm.

Nothing ironic at all. Science says time and the big bang couldn't have started without an external force. That's where the religious theory could make sense. Why do you find it so easy to believe the universe has no beginning?

[JLives]

Believing that all the matter that makes up the universe either appeared from nowhere or existed forever with no beginning seems pretty far-fetched too, should atheists be ridiculed because of it?

The only thing atheists have in common is not accepting the existence of a supernatural deity. That's it. Outside of that you will find atheists have vast differences in their beliefs. I have met atheist who believe in ghosts or souls.

We don't know how matter came to be or if it always existed. So, no, atheists do not share a common belief on the topic. Personally, I form my opinions based on what the facts are. I have ideas or leanings on areas I don't totally understand but I wouldn't say I "know" any answers on those areas.

[zzontar]

Either all the matter was here already or appeared from nowhere. What other choice would an atheist believe in?

[zzontar]

I have met atheist who believe in ghosts or souls.

That would be interesting as you could use everything they say to disprove God and apply it to ghosts.

[JLives]

Either all the matter was here already or appeared from nowhere. What other choice would an atheist believe in?

None. The correct answer is "I don't know as we don't have any evidence.".

[zzontar]

None. The correct answer is "I don't know as we don't have any evidence.".

That seems to be the basis on which atheists say God doesn't exist.

[JLives]

That seems to be the basis on which atheists say God doesn't exist.

Well, no. We know matter exists, we just don't know how it came to be or if it's always been here. There is no evidence that a god has ever existed.

[zzontar]

Well, no. We know matter exists, we just don't know how it came to be or if it's always been here. There is no evidence that a god has ever existed.

There's the same amount of evidence for how it all came to be on both sides.... none. Whether all the matter just "came to be" or existed forever with no beginning seems as magical as believing in God, so it's fairly even in that aspect.

[Farmmaa]

I don't think Atheist means what you seem to think it means.

Atheism is not the belief in every scientific theory out there.
Atheism is not the belief in the Big Bang theory.

Atheism is simply the lack of belief in any sort of deity.

One does not have to have proof of how life truly began or to have all of the answers to life's questions in order to not believe in your god , or any other.

We are ALL Atheists to some degree.....some of us just take that lack of belief one god further.