Atheism is a faith

[BushSucks-istan]

here is what I think yes Atheism is a religion but I don't understand how they have faith that God doesn't exist but they can't have faith in God. Because believing that the universe was started by an explosion takes a lot more faith than believing that God created it.I mean what caused the explosion and if it was an atom how was that atom created I mean eventually it has to lead to God because it just makes sense sometimes. so yes atheism is faith but it takes a lot more faith to believe in atheism than to believe in Christianity

Besides that atheism is not a faith.

Then what created God? ''ok it must be god'' is just ''fuck it, too lazy to actually find out'' or ''too complicated, therefore God''.

atheism is not a belief. Atheists do not believe in anything. It is literally ''not believing in a God''. then how the hell can it be a faith? Do you consider not collecting stamps a hobby, and health a disease?

Because believing that the universe was started by an explosion takes a lot more faith evidence than believing that God created it.

Fixed.

[Wallonochia]

here is what I think yes Atheism is a religion but I don't understand how they have faith that God doesn't exist but they can't have faith in God. Because believing that the universe was started by an explosion takes a lot more faith than believing that God created it.I mean what caused the explosion and if it was an atom how was that atom created I mean eventually it has to lead to God because it just makes sense sometimes. so yes atheism is faith but it takes a lot more faith to believe in atheism than to believe in Christianity

There is a pretty broad spectrum of thought among atheists, so I'll just explain my views. First off I'll say that I'm not one of those militant internet atheists, I'm cool with people being religious, I don't look down on people for being religious, I'm just not religious myself. Growing up I never even heard of the concept of religion until a relatively late age, perhaps 12 or 13, growing up on an isolated farm before regular people had the Internet and in a community where religious was considered to be a private matter that you didn't just make small talk about. I simply don't grasp the concept of religion, all this arguing about what religion is right is to me like people arguing whether the Star Wars Expanded Universe would beat the Halo universe. I've never read any Star Wars EU books and never played Halo, I have no emotional connection to either of those things. I know that metaphor will sound a bit offensive, which isn't the intention but I simply can't think of a better way to describe my particular point of view.

A lot of religious people seem to think that believing in a God is the default setting and that one has to convert to atheism. For me that hasn't been at all the case. I've been baffled by religion ever since I first heard of it and it's never really interested me at all. There isn't a religion shaped hole in my life that I feel needs filling. I've been in a lot of situations where people say they find religion, I was a combat soldier in Iraq, I've had some really close calls in Iraq and elsewhere, I've lost people I care deeply about, etc. but I've never heard that still quiet voice that people describe speaking to them and causing their religious awakening. I've never had anything I could describe as a metaphysical experience.

Religion in the broadest sense is simply not a thing in my life, and never has been. I have more or less the same questions everyone else has about life, the universe and everything but I've never had one that I felt a supernatural explanation answered best. I think maybe I'm just not wired that way, I really don't know.

[Dyakovo]

here is what I think yes Atheism is a religion but I don't understand how they have faith that God doesn't exist but they can't have faith in God. Because believing that the universe was started by an explosion takes a lot more faith than believing that God created it.I mean what caused the explosion and if it was an atom how was that atom created I mean eventually it has to lead to God because it just makes sense sometimes. so yes atheism is faith but it takes a lot more faith to believe in atheism than to believe in Christianity

No, atheism is not a religion.
No, atheists do not have faith that god does not exist.
No, atheists do not believe the universe was started by an explosion.
No, it does not take more faith to be an atheist than it does to be a Christian.
No, it doesn't have to lead to 'God'.

Congratulations, you managed to not say a single thing that is true.

[Xathranaar]

here is what I think yes Atheism is a religion but I don't understand how they have faith that God doesn't exist but they can't have faith in God. Because believing that the universe was started by an explosion takes a lot more faith than believing that God created it.I mean what caused the explosion and if it was an atom how was that atom created I mean eventually it has to lead to God because it just makes sense sometimes. so yes atheism is faith but it takes a lot more faith to believe in atheism than to believe in Christianity

People like you are the reason atheists are condescending.

[The House of Praetoria]

A faith by definition is a belief that there is a greater power that impacts one's way of life in some way, shape or form.

Atheism by definition is the belief that there is no greater power guiding over life.

These, by definition, are polar opposites. Therefore, Atheism is not a faith at all.

[Christian Socialist England]

I don't see how anyone can make absolutist statements about athiesm when there is a such a broad spectrum of beliefs within athiesm. I have known people who identify as athiest who are in fact very spirtual people. But all in all most athiesm relies more on empirical observation than any real "faith".

[Jullin]

It seems to me that this thread is a case of lifelong theists struggling to understand how people can simply have no faith whatsoever, just as much as lifelong atheists often struggle to comprehend how somebody can have faith in a divine entity. And so the theists are trying to shoehorn it into their own understanding of how the world works, missing the point in the process.

[Dyakovo]

It seems to me that this thread is a case of lifelong theists struggling to understand how people can simply have no faith whatsoever, just as much as lifelong atheists often struggle to comprehend how somebody can have faith in a divine entity. And so the theists are trying to shoehorn it into their own understanding of how the world works, missing the point in the process.

Nailed it.

[Grave_n_idle]

Atheism is NOT a faith

There is a big difference between ''not believing in God'' (aka atheism) and ''believing there is no God''.

Atheists do not believe that there is no God. The just don't believe. Calling atheism a faith is like calling not collecting stamps a hobby or calling health a disease.

People: The rejection of belief itself is NOT a belief!

Some atheists do actively believe there is no god. Most just lack belief.

[Grave_n_idle]

here is what I think yes Atheism is a religion but I don't understand how they have faith that God doesn't exist but they can't have faith in God. Because believing that the universe was started by an explosion takes a lot more faith than believing that God created it.I mean what caused the explosion and if it was an atom how was that atom created I mean eventually it has to lead to God because it just makes sense sometimes. so yes atheism is faith but it takes a lot more faith to believe in atheism than to believe in Christianity

Other people have already dissected this pretty well, so I'm just going to point out that some Atheists are religious, but Atheism itself is not a religion.

(Atheist Buddhists, for example).

[BushSucks-istan]

Atheism is NOT a faith

There is a big difference between ''not believing in God'' (aka atheism) and ''believing there is no God''.

Atheists do not believe that there is no God. The just don't believe. Calling atheism a faith is like calling not collecting stamps a hobby or calling health a disease.

People: The rejection of belief itself is NOT a belief!

Some atheists do actively believe there is no god. Most just lack belief.

''believing there is no god'' is not the definition of atheism. Some atheists play golf, does that make atheism a sport?

[Free Detroit]

It seems to me that this thread is a case of lifelong theists struggling to understand how people can simply have no faith whatsoever, just as much as lifelong atheists often struggle to comprehend how somebody can have faith in a divine entity. And so the theists are trying to shoehorn it into their own understanding of how the world works, missing the point in the process.

Nailed it.

Yep, I think that response should permanently kill this thread, in all its forms, in every corner of the Internet.

Well... I prayer'd fer it. God does not deliver. So sad.

[Copenhagen Metropolis]

here is what I think yes Atheism is a religion but I don't understand how they have faith that God doesn't exist but they can't have faith in God. Because believing that the universe was started by an explosion takes a lot more faith than believing that God created it.I mean what caused the explosion and if it was an atom how was that atom created I mean eventually it has to lead to God because it just makes sense sometimes. so yes atheism is faith but it takes a lot more faith to believe in atheism than to believe in Christianity

No, atheism is not a religion.
No, atheists do not have faith that god does not exist.
No, atheists do not believe the universe was started by an explosion.
No, it does not take more faith to be an atheist than it does to be a Christian.
No, it doesn't have to lead to 'God'.

Congratulations, you managed to not say a single thing that is true.

He also said 'I think', which is clearly untrue as well. You forgot that one.

[Big Jim P]

here is what I think yes Atheism is a religion but I don't understand how they have faith that God doesn't exist but they can't have faith in God. Because believing that the universe was started by an explosion takes a lot more faith than believing that God created it.I mean what caused the explosion and if it was an atom how was that atom created I mean eventually it has to lead to God because it just makes sense sometimes. so yes atheism is faith but it takes a lot more faith to believe in atheism than to believe in Christianity

Other people have already dissected this pretty well, so I'm just going to point out that some Atheists are religious, but Atheism itself is not a religion.

(Atheist Buddhists, for example).

LaVeyan Satanists as well.

[Tekania]

I’ve noticed on NS that people who are atheist get mad when a theist talks about the faith of Atheism. Faith is a believe in something everyone has faith that’s where hope and such comes from, you have faith in humanity or faith in your friends, faith isn’t mutually exclusive to religion. Atheism is a faith sense you believe there is nothing, it isn’t a religion though sense you believe there is nothing. The important bit is believing in something every human must believe in something and have faith in it whether they believe there is no god or there is one, is up to them but they must have faith and believe it.

So why do the atheist get so mad about it calling it for what it is?

Ummmm, "sense you believe there is nothing"? How does one believe there is nothing? Sure, you can have a believe in something.... but you can't believe in nothing. There isn't anything to believe in. Nothing isn't a thing, if it were, then it wouldn't be.

[Dyakovo]

I’ve noticed on NS that people who are atheist get mad when a theist talks about the faith of Atheism. Faith is a believe in something everyone has faith that’s where hope and such comes from, you have faith in humanity or faith in your friends, faith isn’t mutually exclusive to religion. Atheism is a faith sense you believe there is nothing, it isn’t a religion though sense you believe there is nothing. The important bit is believing in something every human must believe in something and have faith in it whether they believe there is no god or there is one, is up to them but they must have faith and believe it.

So why do the atheist get so mad about it calling it for what it is?

Ummmm, "sense you believe there is nothing"? How does one believe there is nothing? Sure, you can have a believe in something.... but you can't believe in nothing. There isn't anything to believe in. Nothing isn't a thing, if it were, then it wouldn't be.

Who asked you, you militant atheist...

[Tekania]

Ummmm, "sense you believe there is nothing"? How does one believe there is nothing? Sure, you can have a believe in something.... but you can't believe in nothing. There isn't anything to believe in. Nothing isn't a thing, if it were, then it wouldn't be.

Who asked you, you militant atheist...

True, I should take their example and not think about things.

[Ifreann]

Other people have already dissected this pretty well, so I'm just going to point out that some Atheists are religious, but Atheism itself is not a religion.

(Atheist Buddhists, for example).

LaVeyan Satanists as well.

It occurs to me that Scientology doesn't really have a god. Various space aliens and their spirits or what have you, but no god.

[Copenhagen Metropolis]

here is what I think yes Atheism is a religion

It's not. By definition.

but I don't understand how they have faith that God doesn't exist

They don't. Wrong again. Good job.

but they can't have faith in God.

They can, as in; they are able to - but it's not something one chooses. And if it was, most probably wouldn't find it necessary.
Three strikes, you're out.

Because believing that the universe was started by an explosion

Who believes that? If you're referring to the Big Bang, you're wrong again.
You're on a streak, well done.

I mean what caused the explosion expanding and if it was an atom how was that atom created I mean eventually it has to lead to God

No. It eventually leads to something. That that 'something' is currently unknown doesn't mean you can just say Goddidit. Well, you can, obviously, but it doesn't make it true. Which is, kind of the point.
A long time ago people didn't know the shape of the Earth. They simply didn't have the answer. So they assumed that the Earth was probably flat like a pancake. Obviously we got smarter and we now know that the Earth was in fact, not flat like a pancake. As of now, we don't know what was before the Big Bang, and we might never know, but that doesn't qualify baseless assumptions as being true. You can't just put in 'God' whenever you don't know the answer. Either try to figure out the answer or face the fact that there are things you just don't know.

because it just makes sense sometimes

I makes no sense all the time.

so yes atheism is faith but it takes a lot more faith to believe in atheism than to believe in Christianity

First of all, you don't ''believe in atheism''. Stop embarrassing yourself.

Second of all, it does not. Being an atheist requires no faith whatsoever. However, to believe that you know all the answers with no evidence at all, now, that takes faith. A stupid amount of faith as a matter of fact.

[Copenhagen Metropolis]

LaVeyan Satanists as well.

It occurs to me that Scientology doesn't really have a god. Various space aliens and their spirits or what have you, but no god.

I don't think you necessarily need a God for it to be recognized as a religion.

I'd definitely consider both Buddhism, Satanism and Scientology as religions. Scientology probably being the least religion-like of the bunch.

[Khadgar]

It occurs to me that Scientology doesn't really have a god. Various space aliens and their spirits or what have you, but no god.

I don't think you necessarily need a God for it to be recognized as a religion.

I'd definitely consider both Buddhism, Satanism and Scientology as religions. Scientology probably being the least religion-like of the bunch.

It's entirely possible to be a religion and say nothing of god or gods.

[Choronzon]

every human must believe in something

Because there are no nihilists.

[Copenhagen Metropolis]

I don't think you necessarily need a God for it to be recognized as a religion.

I'd definitely consider both Buddhism, Satanism and Scientology as religions. Scientology probably being the least religion-like of the bunch.

It's entirely possible to be a religion and say nothing of god or gods.

And I now see that the ones I was replying to agree with me. I just read it the wrong way. Thought they were saying that those things weren't religions.

[National Liberty of Anarchists]

It may be a faith but it definitely isn't a religion.

[Czechanada]

here is what I think yes Atheism is a religion but I don't understand how they have faith that God doesn't exist but they can't have faith in God. Because believing that the universe was started by an explosion takes a lot more faith than believing that God created it.I mean what caused the explosion and if it was an atom how was that atom created I mean eventually it has to lead to God because it just makes sense sometimes. so yes atheism is faith but it takes a lot more faith to believe in atheism than to believe in Christianity

Certainly with this display of irrationality you will lead all of us heathens to the Lord of the way, the truth, and the light.

However, your assertions are rather insufficient; The scientific explanation merely observes what exists, and observes how it all ties together. Christianity is but one religion. How are you certain that the Zoroastrian story of creation is not correct?