Acid Monkey wrote on Jun 12^th, 2008 at 6:05pm:


LOL No. I don't even know any atheists like that. An Atheist doesn't believe in gods. No further explanation required.

Post deleted by muso.

but consider that it could be knowable to others

You consider yourself somehow inferior in these matters? I don't think that is what they mean by knowable.

Therefore I don't believe in God - I'm an atheist.

An atheist is someone who believes that God doesn't exist, not merely someone who lacks belief.

Your definition sounds anything but clean and simple.

It is based on the presence or absence of belief.

I pray that this will clear things up:

Atheism, as an explicit position, either affirms the nonexistence of gods[1] or rejects theism.[2] When defined more broadly, atheism is the absence of belief in deities,[3] alternatively called nontheism.[4] Although atheism is often equated with irreligion, some religious philosophies, such as Jainism, secular theology and some varieties of Buddhism such as Theravada do not include belief in a personal god as a tenet of the religion.

Many self-described atheists are skeptical of all supernatural beings and cite a lack of empirical evidence for the existence of deities. Others argue for atheism on philosophical, social or historical grounds. Although many self-described atheists tend toward secular philosophies such as humanism[5] and naturalism,[6] there is no one ideology or set of behaviors to which all atheists adhere.[7]

The term atheism originated as a pejorative epithet applied to any person or belief in conflict with established religion.[8] With the spread of freethought, scientific skepticism, and criticism of religion, the term began to gather a more specific meaning and has been increasingly used as a self-description by atheists.

Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atheism
(Ok, it's Wikipedia, but it's succinct)

You know what is needed? A set of guiding principles for dealing with people from different faiths and worldviews so that we can learn to live together in harmony.

It should work on the basis of "I'm ok and you're ok"

1. I understand that you have different beliefs to mine, and I respect your rights to those beliefs.

2. I understand that you know more about your own beliefs than I do, and I will consult with you before making statements about your beliefs that may otherwise be distorted.

3. I promise that I won't try to convert you to my beliefs.

4. I promise not to be judgemental.

5. I promise to be a tolerant role model to young people, and will actively acknowledge and praise tolerance whenever I see it.

6. I promise to actively discourage racial and religious vilification, even among peers representing my own beliefs.

What do you think? Brave New World stuff?

I'm against religious schools. Not because I think they 'brainwash' kids, or because I don't think parents have the right to pass on religious views to their children. I just think that the benefits of schools with children of various religious backgrounds provides a much better building ground for religious understanding and tolerance in the future.

Schools are the primary place of learning for the crucial time of development, where values are taught/developed, and opinions form. I think the benefits of exposing students during this time to diverse beliefs could only have a positive effect on society. I'm not trying to say that religious schools are evil, or that they breed hatred and close-mindedness. I went to a religious school myself and know from experience that this isn't the case. I just think that, as I said, the benfits of not having religious schools would be enourmas, particulalrly in a time when debates about religion are so intense, and religious differences have the potential to divide the world.

Huh?

i

and?