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I Am An Atheist

"Atheism is a religion like off is a TV channel, and bald is a hair colour." - Hemant Mehta

I wonder if the people who think atheism is a religion actually do just sit in front of a television, eating popcorn, enjoying the latest show on the Off channel.
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hippyjoe1955 · 70-79, M
You don't understand religion despite you having one and you being an evangelist of your religion.
RoboChloe · 26-30, F
@hippyjoe1955 Atheism is the lack of a belief based on God. This leaves atheists with other belief systems, like Humanism for example, which aren't religious because they're not based on a God.

You can't evangelise for atheism, becuase there's no belief system there. It's quite literally an absence of religion. (Moreso you can't evangelise for atheism because the word "Evangelist" is specifically tied to the Christian faith.)

I could however be evangelical in my attitude about Humanism, which is, loosely, what I believe in. But I don't do that because it is my belief, and of no consequence to you or anyone else.

Also, it has been proven time and time again that atheists have a better general understanding of religion and religious texts than the members of those religions, and this is primarily because atheists tend to spend more time thinking about it than religious people do, because we find ourselves having to defend ourselves very often about our lack of religious beliefs.
hippyjoe1955 · 70-79, M
@RoboChloe I prefer a little broader definition of 'religion' preferring to call any unprovable belief as one's religion. You can not prove that God does not exist any more than I can prove He does exist. Any explanation you have as to how things came to be I can effectively counter with an equally viable explanation. Since both of us 'believe' as we believe we both have a religion.
RoboChloe · 26-30, F
@hippyjoe1955 ll I can do is ask that you read through my other comments and conversation on this post, because I do not care to write an essay telling you what I have already written in this very post.

However, I will say this. Religion is a word with a definition, and not one you get to choose. The definitions of words do not change simply because it suits you, don't even try to go there. You are not the highest authority on the english language, far from it, so you do not get to choose what religion is. My beliefs are Humanist. That is not a religion, because it refers to no God. Beliefs require no explanation, because they are beliefs. It is when religion tries to move from the realm of morality, to the realm of science and history, that I have a problem. As for your claim that "Any explanation you have as to how things came to be I can effectively counter with an equally viable explanation", all I can say is that you have a very bad idea of what "viable" means. Because if your expalnation requires belief, then it is not viable.
hippyjoe1955 · 70-79, M
@RoboChloe Words have multiple meanings and inferences. You have a religion (belief system) just as does everyone else. To think yours is superior to others is simply wrong.
RoboChloe · 26-30, F
@hippyjoe1955 You could not be more wrong if you tried. Religion has a specific meaning. That meaning is tied to God, and Faith. I have no God, I have no faith. I have beliefs, but those are basic moral beliefs, there is no scripture, no diety, no centralisation, no religion.
@hippyjoe1955 I don't have to prove that there is a god to believe that one doesn't exist.
hippyjoe1955 · 70-79, M
@softspokenman And you haven't proven your point. Next.
@hippyjoe1955 "Thou shalt not have False gods before me." Implies that there are other gods and that they are all false. THE "POINT"; Atheist don't believe that there are gods, false or otherwise. Now, You, are dismissed.
hippyjoe1955 · 70-79, M
@softspokenman Let's get back on topic by answering this question. If your belief is not a religion then why are you so evangelical about it? You go to great lengths to convert people to your belief system. Therefore it is more than simple belief it is a religion for you.
"EVANGELICAL" is about religion/god not atheism.
hippyjoe1955 · 70-79, M
@softspokenman So why are so evangelical about pushing atheism? Most Christians are not as evangelical as you are.
@hippyjoe1955 ALL people who believe in other gods/religions, when they die, will immediately go to hell and be punished for eternity for committing a mortal sin because Christianity is the Only true god and religion. Ignorance keeps a mind closed. Education opens it to embrace the possibilities that life has to offer as a beautiful experience for every one.
hippyjoe1955 · 70-79, M
@softspokenman Have you ever thought that you are misinformed? You aren't a very deep thinker. Most atheists are not deep thinkers so don't feel alone.
@hippyjoe1955 It doesn't take a deep thinker to see that your Ignorance is persistent and misinformed.
hippyjoe1955 · 70-79, M
@softspokenman Ha ha ha When I was an atheist I thought like you. Fortunately I discovered the lost art of thinking and ditched the dead end that is atheism.

Atheism believes: In the beginning there was nothing. Nothing happened to nothing for a very long time until suddenly for no reason whatsoever nothing exploded and became everything. Still later some bits of everything, again for no reason whatsoever, got together and formed dinosaurs.
RoboChloe · 26-30, F
@hippyjoe1955 Go on, keep talking. All you're doing is exposing how little you know about both atheism and science.
newjaninev2 · 56-60, F
@hippyjoe1955
Nothing happened to nothing for a very long time until suddenly for no reason whatsoever nothing exploded...

Nothing? How do you come by 'nothing'?
What do you mean by 'nothing'?

nothing exploded...

A singularity exhibited a stunningly rapid expansion... 'explosion' is a lay-person's mischaracterisation. ir seems to find favour because it seems more dramatic but in fact the expansion was a much more impressive event (and still is)
hippyjoe1955 · 70-79, M
@newjaninev2 How long did singularity last? Why did singularity become the universe and everything in it? You never understood the Big Bang theory in detail have you?
newjaninev2 · 56-60, F
@hippyjoe1955 Gosh, despite my inability to understand the Big Bang Theory in detail, I'll see if I can make some sort of answer...

It is meaningless to ask how long the singularity existed before expansion, because spacetime came into existence only when expansion began... so there's no 'before' expansion.

The singularity did not 'become' the universe... the singularity is the universe.

How am I going..?
hippyjoe1955 · 70-79, M
@newjaninev2 No you are wrong. Singularity 'exploded' the big bang in the big bang theory and became the universe as we know it. So you can accept a timeless universe but not a timeless God. interesting.
newjaninev2 · 56-60, F
@hippyjoe1955 What you're referring to as an 'explosion' was actually a stunningly rapid expansion. It didn't become the universe... it was the universe that began expanding...

The term 'singularity' doesn't refer to a thing... it refers to a state.
The state of the universe before expansion.

Time is not meaningful for such a state, because without expansion, there are no natural laws of the universe. It is those natural laws which underpin change... and time is change in accordance with the natural laws of the universe.
Hence the term 'spacetime'.

Am I still going OK?
hippyjoe1955 · 70-79, M
@newjaninev2 Yeah uh huh. What ever you say. Nice try though.
newjaninev2 · 56-60, F
@hippyjoe1955 Oh gosh... please tell me (in detail) what was incorrect?
newjaninev2 · 56-60, F
As much detail as you like... I'll try to keep up
hippyjoe1955 · 70-79, M
@newjaninev2 So you think that singularity is simply the universe. Well that eliminates the big bang from the big bang theory.