What are atheists?

[5VP]

You'd have to read more of what I read and I'm not going to endlessly quote bible scriptures or definitions of words that one can find out for themselves but...

As I've stated in many previous posts, my beliefs are more gnostic and not restricted to christianity or any one particular faith.

Here's a sampling of what that (gnosticism) is and where it can lead you...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treatise_o ... surrection

Lord Melchizedek is another interesting though little known character...

[Tacklewasher]

Try again without the language.

[5VP]

Scientifically speaking...

Anti-theism is the antithesis of theism.

The laws of physics say that you can't have one without the other.

This, and much more information, is available to all and is accessed by those who have effectively learned to utilize some inherent human abilities such as reading and perusing.

[fluffy]

This, and much more information, is available to all and is accessed by those who have effectively learned to utilize some inherent human abilities such as reading and perusing.

Yes but that would take a lot of time and effort. Much easier to just pop in here and see how you define everyone else's beliefs.

[cliffy1]

Theism, in the broadest sense, is the belief that at least one deity exists.[1] In a more specific sense, theism refers to a doctrine concerning the nature of a monotheistic God and God's relationship to the universe.[2][3] Theism, in this specific sense, conceives of God as personal, present and active in the governance and organization of the world and the universe. The use of the word theism as indicating a particular doctrine of monotheism arose in the wake of the scientific revolution of the seventeenth century to contrast with the then emerging deism that contended that God, though transcendent and supreme, did not intervene in the natural world and could be known rationally but not via revelation.[4] - Wikipedia

An atheist is not a theist but may be a deist. In common usage in the west, an atheist does not believe in the Torah, Bible, Qur'an version of God. Myself, I believe that there is a conscious design to the Universe, but I doubt whatever it was is not only beyond our finite minds to comprehend, I doubt very much it has time in its busy schedule to be concerned with the petty beliefs, actions or thoughts of such an insignificant being as us, on such an insignificant speck of dust as the Earth in an infinite Universe. Seems to me to be a colossal ego trip to think that such an infinite being that could create the Universe would give a damn about us.

Aboriginal people believe in the Great Spirit, or more correctly, the Great Mystery; something that is unknowable. That is why they pay more attention to Mother Earth. She is the source of all life, food, clothing, housing , medicine... in other words, everything we need to exist. Without the sun we would not exist. Life on this planet is dependent on the "marriage" between Mother Earth, Grandfather Sun, Grandmother Moon and Father Sky.

I point this out to show that it is possible to be a deist without being a theist. There are many more example. I think this would qualify all who do not believe in the War God of the Desert - Yahweh - as atheists.

[Born_again]

This, and much more information, is available to all and is accessed by those who have effectively learned to utilize some inherent human abilities such as reading and perusing.

Yes but that would take a lot of time and effort. Much easier to just pop in here and see how you define everyone else's beliefs.

That's funny, -fluffy-. Think about it.

[fluffy]

An atheist is not a theist but may be a deist.

I would think that the two, atheism and deism, would be mutually exclusive, atheism by definition denying the existence of any deity and deism asserting that there is a deity, albeit one not directly involved in our lives.

[5VP]

Good post cliffy1...

There is a closed mindedness that occurs with people when it comes to pondering God.

I think many of us were turned off by the religionification of the bible, or actually even scared off, at a young age, by fire and brimstone spewing minister/pastor/priests and have missed finding the true "words" of G.O.D. and God's intentions and the relevance this has for each of us.

I've stated here previously (to the annoyance of many here) that I live in a very remote region of the Okanagan and can't help but be moved, on a daily basis, by the wonders of god's creations.

It's hard to explain to the uninitiated or unwilling that the spirit, power and grace of god is tangible and real beyond the need for validation by science. My own life experiences and ongoing search for esoteric knowledge has convinced me of the existence of hosts of celestial beings (demi gods??) working amongst us as guides and guardians for G.O.D Inc..

It's a gift waiting for all of us.

Science itself, using string theory, proves, at the very least, that there are other dimensions outside of the one we are in now.

God wouldn't be restricted to just ours.

[cliffy1]

I now live in Nakusp, but for 10 years ('72 - '82) I lived (squatted) in the forests of northern BC east of Quesnel. I am in agreement with your assessment of the divine presence in nature. Quantum physics is bridging the gap between the mysticism of the past with the science of the present and future.

Being an atheist may mean different things to different people, but in modern use, it usually means someone who doesn't believe in the version of god in the books that came out of the middle east (Zoroaster excluded). Indigenous peoples world wide all had a creator in the mythology. This would make them deists but atheist by modern definition. I have heard many Christians and Muslims declare the belief in these ancient systems "the work of the devil" and refuse to give those people any credit for not believing in their god.

[5VP]

You go right by my driveway off Hwy 6 on the way to Nakusp.

[cliffy1]

You go right by my driveway off Hwy 6 on the way to Nakusp.

Vernon, Lumby or Cherryville areas?

[5VP]

Closer to Edgewood...

[fluffy]

Right in the thick of hippie country.

"I had a job last month, but I'm okay now."

[cliffy1]

Right in the thick of hippie country.

"I had a job last month, but I'm okay now."

You say that like it is a bad thing.

[fluffy]

Right in the thick of hippie country.

"I had a job last month, but I'm okay now."

You say that like it is a bad thing.

I'm trying not to be judgmental. It is what it is and I can accept that.