Has atheism made the world a better place?

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

In my opinion, we are born clean slates regarding religion and philosophy. We acquire beliefs and ways of thinking through experience. That societies or civilizations have created belief systems is, to me, a way in which to explain the world and nature around them, not necessarily because deities are a must for existence.

As for whether atheism has made the world better or not, I’d rather say it’s secularism that has both improved and perhaps harmed at intervals. I think the best thing indeed to have happened to my society is the separation of church and state. One has no business in the other.

[Region of Dwipantara]

As observed in the annals of history, major civilizations were bound to a religion of some form. That kept them strung together.

Religion, or more importantly a "set of ideals". Irreligiousity however have the perks of not divinely bound to those "set of ideals", so they have the advantage of being able to review and adjust when new findings and understandings are coming in.

[North Korea 2006]

Talking about radical atheism here, not normal atheist or spiritual atheist,

The idea that everything came from nothing for no reason whatsoever and theres not poin in anything in life for no reason whatsoever and when you die nothing happens for no reason whatsoever, i think is a dangerous worldview for a society to adopt to it fullest, and not good for anybodys mental health, even in strongly none religious countires like norway where im from, where 30 to 40 percent of the population is atheist, even they think theyre some reason we are here,and belive in some sort of ``afterlife`` or whatever we call it. Iv meet some few Richard dawkins like fundamentalist atheists, but theyre a minority and most people in my country find them annoying.

[Region of Dwipantara]

Talking about radical atheism here, not normal atheist or spiritual atheist,

The idea that everything came from nothing for no reason whatsoever and theres not poin in anything in life for no reason whatsoever and when you die nothing happens for no reason whatsoever, i think is a dangerous worldview for a society to adopt to it fullest, and not good for anybodys mental health, even in strongly none religious countires like norway where im from, where 30 to 40 percent of the population is atheist, even they theyre some reason we are here and belive in some sort of ``afterlife`` or whatever we call it.

The idea that a set of backwards and harmful ideas are divinely unchangeable, and we have to obey it under a gunpoint called "eternal torture", isn't exactly healthy either.

[North Korea 2006]

I havents said that religion is better, and im not a religous person either, i dont like religion, dont strawman me

[Region of Dwipantara]

I havents said that religion is better, and im not a religous person either, i dont like religion, dont strawman me

Well, sorry . My statement don't apply to all religion, but while you have reservations about atheism, it does seems like that you agree that "less religion" make things better.

[Albrenia]

Umm... yes it is.

Ignoring the low hanging fruit about how "utterly without knowledge" is the same as atheism, I'll have to disagree. You can't hold any belief unless taught, so a newborn baby is no more an atheist than they are a Christian or a Jew, or any other belief.

Being utterly without knowledge or thought about religion is one way of being an Atheist. It's just not believing in Gods - how or why one obtains that state does not matter.

It does not require active rejection of Gods, only a lack of belief.

[Neanderthaland]

Umm... yes it is.

Ignoring the low hanging fruit about how "utterly without knowledge" is the same as atheism, I'll have to disagree. You can't hold any belief unless taught, so a newborn baby is no more an atheist than they are a Christian or a Jew, or any other belief.

Atheism is not a religion. Atheism is not a belief. Atheism is just lacking one particular belief. Since newborns tend not to have any beliefs, they are, of course, atheists. I don't know why you're making a big deal about this. It surely doesn't matter.

[Vetalia]

Ignoring the low hanging fruit about how "utterly without knowledge" is the same as atheism, I'll have to disagree. You can't hold any belief unless taught, so a newborn baby is no more an atheist than they are a Christian or a Jew, or any other belief.

Atheism is not a religion. Atheism is not a belief. Atheism is just lacking one particular belief. Since newborns tend not to have any beliefs, they are, of course, atheists. I don't know why you're making a big deal about this. It surely doesn't matter.

There's a big difference between strong and weak atheism though; one is as you mentioned simply not believing in gods and the other is stating gods do not exist. In the case of newborns, they don't believe in anything...by that logic gravity is just as debatable as the existence of God because they don't believe in it.

[Albrenia]

Ignoring the low hanging fruit about how "utterly without knowledge" is the same as atheism, I'll have to disagree. You can't hold any belief unless taught, so a newborn baby is no more an atheist than they are a Christian or a Jew, or any other belief.

Atheism is not a religion. Atheism is not a belief. Atheism is just lacking one particular belief. Since newborns tend not to have any beliefs, they are, of course, atheists. I don't know why you're making a big deal about this. It surely doesn't matter.

I'm not sure what word they'd use to describe the state of being without knowledge if one rules out Atheism. If Atheism is a 'belief' than so is Agnosticism, so we can't even fall back on that old walnut.

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

Atheism is not a religion. Atheism is not a belief. Atheism is just lacking one particular belief. Since newborns tend not to have any beliefs, they are, of course, atheists. I don't know why you're making a big deal about this. It surely doesn't matter.

I'm not sure what word they'd use to describe the state of being without knowledge if one rules out Atheism. If Atheism is a 'belief' than so is Agnosticism, so we can't even fall back on that old walnut.

As atheism is a lack of belief in something, I guess Neanderthaland is pretty much spot on. Are there atheists that treat their lack of belief in something as a belief system though?

[Ngarchelong]

.

[Vetalia]

Atheism is not a religion. Atheism is not a belief. Atheism is just lacking one particular belief. Since newborns tend not to have any beliefs, they are, of course, atheists. I don't know why you're making a big deal about this. It surely doesn't matter.

I'm not sure what word they'd use to describe the state of being without knowledge if one rules out Atheism. If Atheism is a 'belief' than so is Agnosticism, so we can't even fall back on that old walnut.

It's honestly agnosticism in that case...you can't believe or disbelieve in something you don't know exists.

[Albrenia]

Atheism is not a religion. Atheism is not a belief. Atheism is just lacking one particular belief. Since newborns tend not to have any beliefs, they are, of course, atheists. I don't know why you're making a big deal about this. It surely doesn't matter.

There's a big difference between strong and weak atheism though; one is as you mentioned simply not believing in gods and the other is stating gods do not exist. In the case of newborns, they don't believe in anything...by that logic gravity is just as debatable as the existence of God because they don't believe in it.

What babies believe has no standing on what may or may not be true, no. It doesn't change the fact that it is still the default state of a baby to not have a religion.

[Neanderthaland]

Atheism is not a religion. Atheism is not a belief. Atheism is just lacking one particular belief. Since newborns tend not to have any beliefs, they are, of course, atheists. I don't know why you're making a big deal about this. It surely doesn't matter.

There's a big difference between strong and weak atheism though; one is as you mentioned simply not believing in gods and the other is stating gods do not exist. In the case of newborns, they don't believe in anything...by that logic gravity is just as debatable as the existence of God because they don't believe in it.

I'm not saying that god doesn't exist because newborns don't believe in one...

If a god did exist, newborns probably wouldn't believe in them either. Although, I suppose, a god could make it so they do.

[Vetalia]

There's a big difference between strong and weak atheism though; one is as you mentioned simply not believing in gods and the other is stating gods do not exist. In the case of newborns, they don't believe in anything...by that logic gravity is just as debatable as the existence of God because they don't believe in it.

What babies believe has no standing on what may or may not be true, no. It doesn't change the fact that it is still the default state of a baby to not have a religion.

Which is correct. The default state of a baby is to know nothing about anything, which would be agnosticism, not atheism, let alone strong materialist atheism.

[Vetalia]

There's a big difference between strong and weak atheism though; one is as you mentioned simply not believing in gods and the other is stating gods do not exist. In the case of newborns, they don't believe in anything...by that logic gravity is just as debatable as the existence of God because they don't believe in it.

I'm not saying that god doesn't exist because newborns don't believe in one...

If a god did exist, newborns probably wouldn't believe in them either. Although, I suppose, a god could make it so they do.

In my view the latter part is correct. As humans develop, they develop questions about meaning and purpose in life and this points them toward the God that created them and the world around them.

[Telconi]

Atheism is not a religion. Atheism is not a belief. Atheism is just lacking one particular belief. Since newborns tend not to have any beliefs, they are, of course, atheists. I don't know why you're making a big deal about this. It surely doesn't matter.

I'm not sure what word they'd use to describe the state of being without knowledge if one rules out Atheism. If Atheism is a 'belief' than so is Agnosticism, so we can't even fall back on that old walnut.

Nothing, they simply do not have information. Just like we don't try to quantify a baby as an anti-vaxxer because they don't hold the belief that children ought to be vaccinated, or we don't quantify them as homophobes because they don't hold the belief that homosexuals ought to have equal rights.

Simply put, a baby is simply nothing, it isn't an atheist any more than it's any other name we put to some sort of conclusive state of thought.

[Region of Dwipantara]

I do find (especially religious) people to be more respectful to you when you say "I'm an agnostic" as opposed to "I'm an atheist", though. Even is the term isn't correct, agnosticism carries the connotation of "I am searching for the truth", while atheism is "I am illuminated and you are stupid God's not real lolz". Idk if that's the case out there.

[Albrenia]

What babies believe has no standing on what may or may not be true, no. It doesn't change the fact that it is still the default state of a baby to not have a religion.

Which is correct. The default state of a baby is to know nothing about anything, which would be agnosticism, not atheism, let alone strong materialist atheism.

Technically it's both. Not knowing about any gods obviously means you don't believe in any gods.

As for it being strong material atheism, no, babies are not that. They're not the kind of Atheist who reject God.

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

I do find (especially religious) people to be more respectful to you when you say "I'm an agnostic" as opposed to "I'm an atheist", though. Even is the term isn't correct, agnosticism carries the connotation of "I am searching for the truth", while atheism is "I am illuminated and you are stupid God's not real lolz". Idk if that's the case out there.

I think it depends on the atheist in question.

[Region of Dwipantara]

I'm not sure what word they'd use to describe the state of being without knowledge if one rules out Atheism. If Atheism is a 'belief' than so is Agnosticism, so we can't even fall back on that old walnut.

Nothing, they simply do not have information. Just like we don't try to quantify a baby as an anti-vaxxer because they don't hold the belief that children ought to be vaccinated, or we don't quantify them as homophobes because they don't hold the belief that homosexuals ought to have equal rights.

Simply put, a baby is simply nothing, it isn't an atheist any more than it's any other name we put to some sort of conclusive state of thought.

And simply put, babies aren't born with any religion or belief set. Think that'll settle.

[Region of Dwipantara]

I do find (especially religious) people to be more respectful to you when you say "I'm an agnostic" as opposed to "I'm an atheist", though. Even is the term isn't correct, agnosticism carries the connotation of "I am searching for the truth", while atheism is "I am illuminated and you are stupid God's not real lolz". Idk if that's the case out there.

I think it depends on the atheist in question.

Actually many people (mistakenly) thought that agnosticism means "I belief God exists, but not the God of all religion that I've researched about." Wrong, but whatever that disarms people from violent tendencies, real tolerance > inside-our-head philosophical squabbles.

[Europa Undivided]

Nothing, they simply do not have information. Just like we don't try to quantify a baby as an anti-vaxxer because they don't hold the belief that children ought to be vaccinated, or we don't quantify them as homophobes because they don't hold the belief that homosexuals ought to have equal rights.

Simply put, a baby is simply nothing, it isn't an atheist any more than it's any other name we put to some sort of conclusive state of thought.

And simply put, babies aren't born with any religion or belief set. Think that'll settle.

Is there an experiment where someone was never taught anything?

[Albrenia]

I'm not sure what word they'd use to describe the state of being without knowledge if one rules out Atheism. If Atheism is a 'belief' than so is Agnosticism, so we can't even fall back on that old walnut.

Nothing, they simply do not have information. Just like we don't try to quantify a baby as an anti-vaxxer because they don't hold the belief that children ought to be vaccinated, or we don't quantify them as homophobes because they don't hold the belief that homosexuals ought to have equal rights.

Simply put, a baby is simply nothing, it isn't an atheist any more than it's any other name we put to some sort of conclusive state of thought.

Again, Atheism doesn't require active or conscious rejection of any belief system. A baby is not a stamp collector until it grows up enough to desire to be one. One is not barred from describing a baby as 'not a stamp collector' until it can actively reject said action.