What Is Atheism

Atheism is, etymologically speaking, a completely rational term. Atheism is to theism what apolitical is to politics. The terms mean not interested in or a part of theism or politics. Atheism is the antithesis of theism.

Rationally atheism is understandable. It isn't easy to wrap one's mind around the creator, Jehovah God. Such a belief requires faith.

By definition atheism is nonsensical. A god can be anyone or anything. Natural, supernatural, person, place or thing, wood, stone, flesh and bone. Even, as Paul said, ones own belly can be a god. There are countless gods. It doesn't require belief, veneration or worship on your part. I don't believe in Zeus; I don't believe he ever existed; I don't venerate or worship Zeus, and yet Zeus is a god.

The definition of atheism as disbelief or lack of belief in the existence of God or gods. That's nonsensical.

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Pikachu

I don't think you've given a realistic description of what constitutes a god.
A god necessarily has consciousness and agency. It is a being, not an object. Or rather it is the belief that the object of worship possesses those qualities.
So no, your stomach cannot be a god, nor money, nor sex. Those are vices that one may prioritize in their life but they are not worshiped they way we worship a being, human or god.

Yes, Zeus is a god whether you believe in him or not. That is not to say that he is real but that, just like the god of the bible, he is a character imagined to possess the qualities of godhood and worshiped accordingly.

So i don't think you've made a very compelling case that atheism is nonsensical. Only when you dilute and distort the definition of "god" past any realistic meaning can you make that argument.

newjaninev2 · 56-60, F

@Pikachu If everything is a god, then nothing is a god. Not having gods becomes an unavoidable consequence... therefore atheism is inevitable

Pikachu

@newjaninev2

Yeah i'm really not persuaded by his proposed qualifications for godhood.

newjaninev2 · 56-60, F

@Pikachu Yes indeed. The claim that atheism is disbelief or lack of belief in the existence of gods fails when faced with:

1. there's no proof that gods exist
2. there's no proof that gods don't exist
3. in any event, there’s no compelling necessity to even postulate gods, and the postulation explains nothing (not even itself)... it merely tries to explain everything away.
4. therefore, I have no gods (I’m an agnostic atheist)

[b]Not a belief in sight[/b]