What's the difference?
Aside from the obvious alleged absence of gods, what is the difference between atheism and theistic religions?
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BlueSkyKing · M
"A wise man has told us that ‘men are once for all so made that they prefer a rational world to believe in and live in.’”
— Jane Addams, Twenty Years at Hull House (1912)
“If the concept of God has any validity or use, it can only be to make us larger, freer, and more loving. If God cannot do this, then it is time we got rid of him.”
— James Baldwin, The Fire Next Time (1963)
[i]Bill Blass: I have a firm belief in such things as, you know, the water, the Earth, the trees and sky. And I’m wondering, it is increasingly difficult to find those elements in nature, because it’s nature I believe in rather than some spiritual thing.[/i]
SF Weekly: You’re not a religious man?
BB: No. And I do suppose that science has taken, to a large extent and for a number of people, has taken the place of religion.
SFW: What do you mean by that?
BB: That one can have more belief in scientific cures or scientific miracles than you do in God miracles. It’s inevitable that we will eventually diffuse into nothingness.
— Interview, SF Weekly (Sept. 1, 1999).
[i]"We are lucky enough to be living in a country that not only guarantees the freedom to practice religion as we see fit, but also freedom FROM religious zealots who would persecute and prosecute and even physically harm those of us who do not believe as they do. … Predicating patriotism on a citizen’s belief in God is as anti-American as judging him on the color of his skin. It is wrong. It is useless. It is unconstitutional.”[/i]
— Harvey Fierstein, “In the Life” broadcast by Generation Q (November 2004)
"Science is the record of dead religions.”
— Oscar Wilde, Phrases and Philosophies for the Use of the Young (1894).
“It took me years, but letting go of religion has been the most profound wake up of my life. I feel I now look at the world not as a child, but as an adult. I see what's bad and it's really bad. But I also see what is beautiful, what is wonderful. And I feel so deeply appreciative that I am alive. How dare the religious use the term 'born again.' That truly describes freethinkers who've thrown off the shackles of religion so much better!”
—Quote submitted by Julia Sweeney
— Jane Addams, Twenty Years at Hull House (1912)
“If the concept of God has any validity or use, it can only be to make us larger, freer, and more loving. If God cannot do this, then it is time we got rid of him.”
— James Baldwin, The Fire Next Time (1963)
[i]Bill Blass: I have a firm belief in such things as, you know, the water, the Earth, the trees and sky. And I’m wondering, it is increasingly difficult to find those elements in nature, because it’s nature I believe in rather than some spiritual thing.[/i]
SF Weekly: You’re not a religious man?
BB: No. And I do suppose that science has taken, to a large extent and for a number of people, has taken the place of religion.
SFW: What do you mean by that?
BB: That one can have more belief in scientific cures or scientific miracles than you do in God miracles. It’s inevitable that we will eventually diffuse into nothingness.
— Interview, SF Weekly (Sept. 1, 1999).
[i]"We are lucky enough to be living in a country that not only guarantees the freedom to practice religion as we see fit, but also freedom FROM religious zealots who would persecute and prosecute and even physically harm those of us who do not believe as they do. … Predicating patriotism on a citizen’s belief in God is as anti-American as judging him on the color of his skin. It is wrong. It is useless. It is unconstitutional.”[/i]
— Harvey Fierstein, “In the Life” broadcast by Generation Q (November 2004)
"Science is the record of dead religions.”
— Oscar Wilde, Phrases and Philosophies for the Use of the Young (1894).
“It took me years, but letting go of religion has been the most profound wake up of my life. I feel I now look at the world not as a child, but as an adult. I see what's bad and it's really bad. But I also see what is beautiful, what is wonderful. And I feel so deeply appreciative that I am alive. How dare the religious use the term 'born again.' That truly describes freethinkers who've thrown off the shackles of religion so much better!”
—Quote submitted by Julia Sweeney