? FROM THE ' WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE ' THREAD

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Originally Posted by Desdinova

further to that, my understanding is than an athiest has no belief in what cannot be seen. No God(s), psychics, UFOs etc

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I don't think that you can generalize with any accuracy on what an atheist believes beyond their unbelief in a supreme being. My mother, grandfather, sister and one of my two fathers were atheists. I was raised an atheist and remained so until my early teens when I became an agnostic. No atheists in foxholes type of thing. In my thirties I became a believer and have vacillated between agnosticism and belief since.

Not without investigation but with a great deal of research and study. I am the only one of the fore mentioned family members who came to believe. My sister is 70 and still an atheist. The other family members went to their grave unbelievers. At present I am a believer for whatever that is worth.

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Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I don't think that you can generalize with any accuracy on what an atheist believes beyond their unbelief in a supreme being.

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\I suppose you are correct ina way. We are just debating what the proper definition of an athiest is.

I don't think it would be inaccurate to say most atheists or agnostics don't believe in supernatural phenomena, certainly if it was something like ghosts or having to do with some entity thats "beyond the grave"-or part of a religious system, like demons or angels, for example. Belief in something like that would make them something other than an athiest.

But some might believe in ESP or that UFOs have visited earth, things that might be scientifically possible, albeit unlikely.

Your adding things to the definition of Athiest...

The thing is, we have a problem with the Cognitive part of the definition of a "god"

Many believe in an afterlife, or reincarnation, or even a Cosmic force, but none believe that it is a thinking being that is responsible...

It is just that slight difference that makes us Atheists, we don't believe in ANY deity but anything else is still possible..

Of course each person has their own belief system, and I am by all means not saying that all Atheists believe in an afterlife, but we can, and still be an Athiest...

An Agnostic has more of the "it can't be proved therefore it doesn't exist" attitude and again that varies, by each individual...I know Agnostics that believe there is a god but they don't like any of the definitions of that god... so they fall more in the "You can't understand nor define" category

There is a real problem with the word "Atheism". Dictionaries give two definitions which are very different.

1. the doctrine or belief that there is no god.
2. disbelief in the existence of a supreme being or beings.

In my view, these two definitions make the word "atheist" useless; to answer a simple question like "Are you an atheist?", requires a counter question: "What do you mean by atheist?".

Most people who call themselves atheist (including famous atheists like Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens) actually fall under definition 2.

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Originally Posted by jcd

1. the doctrine or belief that there is no god.
2. disbelief in the existence of a supreme being or beings.

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Hmmmmm I am not seeing the difference in this two statements, unless you missed a Capital (G) on the word god, making it into the Judea-Christian "God" of Abraham....

An atheist believes that there is no god where as the agnostic wants to believe in god but hasn't seen any proof of existence. The difference is primarily in desire.

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Originally Posted by red96ta

An atheist believes that there is no god where as the agnostic wants to believe in god but hasn't seen any proof of existence.

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Well, kinda.. This Agnostic doesn't _want_ to per se, but definitely keeps an open mind to whatever might materialize:)

I'm agnocchi - I have a fundamental disbelief in pasta being made out of potato.

James.

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Originally Posted by Jimbo

I'm agnocchi - I have a fundamental disbelief in pasta being made out of potato.

James.

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Hehe, Good one:) And I wholeheartedly agree!