# Humanities & Anthropology > Philosophy >  what is an atheist?

## jarvis

what defines them?

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## Brooker

Someone who doesn't believe the universe was designed by a being or force.

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## jarvis

thats it? thats all?

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## Revenant

Usually, they just don't see evidence for a God, or greater force, and so they do not believe, likening the belief in God to a belief in invisible green hobgoblins or such. Understandable really, since those drawn to the the need for evidence (skeptics) will find no hard evidence of God. Although a true skeptic will understand that there is a slight chance God exists, for the sake of simplifying one's beliefs, and not getting caught up in 'what ifs', does one just go with what they feel is the most probable theory, and do away with the others (a big objection I have with the black and white thinking fundamentalists).

Atheists get slammed for being immoral, but I think that is just an old stereotype that should have been laid to rest decades ago. Atheists were often the red-light district patrons, or people that threw off what was considered moral by the Christian majority. But since these days Christianity is hard put to to justify some of it's beliefs, have atheists been on the increase. 

Growing up in the shadow of a vengeful Yahweh, one that will cause eternal unceasing torment for a wrong done (up to and including a false belief, as some Christians will denounce other denominations to be of the devil), have many found relief in atheism.

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## jarvis

whats an atheist beleive in?

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## MeAndroo

> whats an atheist beleive in?


I dunno, science? Fact perhaps? The basic idea is that they just don't believe that a god exists.

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## Mikawa Ossan

As I understand it, according to the Buddha's original teachings, there is no god, or even if there was one or several, it wouldn't make any difference for how we should live our lives here on earth.

Even those Buddhists who believe that Buddha has become a god-like being would almost certainly never claim that he created the earth.

So what do you think? Are Buddhists atheists?

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## jarvis

so besides not beliveing in God, there is no definition of an atheist?

:/

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## Takakoo

From the Collins dictionary:

"*atheism* [*aith*-ee-iz-zum] _n_. belief that there is no God. -*atheist* _n_., -*atheistic(al)* _adj_."

I have heard of groups of radical atheists who start riots etc. against the church. As usual, a few people of every group making life hard for everyone else "pidgeon holed" into that category...

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## Maciamo

> As I understand it, according to the Buddha's original teachings, there is no god, or even if there was one or several, it wouldn't make any difference for how we should live our lives here on earth.
> 
> Even those Buddhists who believe that Buddha has become a god-like being would almost certainly never claim that he created the earth.
> 
> So what do you think? Are Buddhists atheists?


As an Atheist, I consider Buddhists that do not recognise Buddha as a god or any other deity inherited from Hinduism (e.g. Kannon) as being Atheists too. The original Buddhism as taught directly by the Buddha is a form of Atheism. It was changed into a religion and institutionalised by vile people who needed to control the populace and enrich themselves (just look at the absurd cost of a Buddhist funeral in Japan, or the considerable politcal power accumulated by the Buddhist sect Soka Gakkai via the Komeito !).

People truly in harmony with the universe do not need god(s). People understanding the way nature works do not need tales of creation and apocalypse, nor heaven or hell.

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## Maciamo

> what defines them?


Here is a detailed answer to your question : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atheism

Be sure to follow the links of terms you don't fully understand, and enlighten yourself !

Note the difference between Weak Atheism (like most Japanese people), and Srong Atheism (like mine). In Europe, a big part of the population would be considered as Agnostic. which is a variant of weak atheism.

Also note that there is such as thing as "near atheism" or "non-religious belief in god"; it is called Deism. Typically, people who used to believe in Christianity but changed mind because of the atrocities commited in the name of religion, abuses of the chuch, or contradistions within the Bible, first become Deists. With time though, most of them turn agnostic or atheist.

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## Mikawa Ossan

> As an Atheist, I consider Buddhists that do not recognise Buddha as a god or any other deity inherited from Hinduism (e.g. Kannon) as being Atheists too. The original Buddhism as taught directly by the Buddha is a form of Atheism.


Thank you. I personally agree 100%. But my initial instinct is that most people wouldn't even call such Buddhists atheists. Not that it really matters, but I think that many people grossly misunderstand atheism and Buddhism. Even the atheists and Buddhists ourselves.  :Okashii:

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## Mycernius

This was one of the first questions you asked when you joined this forum, on another thread. I thought we had answered it for you? I am an atheist, which means I do not believe in God. The universe was created by natural means and there is no designer to life, the universe and everything (Douglas Adams, anyone?). You are a Theist. A person who believes in a God and that the Universe was created by a diety. There is a third element, and they are called Agnostics. These are people who exist between athesim and theism. For more information try looking at Wikipedia or other reference sources.

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## mad pierrot

Don't forget about _Deists._  



"One who believes, based solely on reason, in a God who created the universe and then abandoned it, assuming no control over life, exerting no influence on natural phenomena, and giving no supernatural revelation."


Interesting, huh? Seems like a contradiction that you could have a belief in god based soley on reason...

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## Mikawa Ossan

Please remember, too, that it's not a matter of believing in monotheism versus believing in nothing. Hindus are certainly not atheists, although they are not monetheists by any means!

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## Maciamo

> Please remember, too, that it's not a matter of believing in monotheism versus believing in nothing. Hindus are certainly not atheists, although they are not monetheists by any means!


Exactly, and so were Ancient Greeks, Romans, Egyptans, etc. In fact, there is a connection between Hindusim (based on the Ancient Aryan religion), and the Greco-Roman and Norse polytheism. We could say that Hinduism is the only survivor of the family.

Shintoists and other animists are theoretically theists, but in fact believe in the "spirits of the nature" rather than real gods. It's like a weak form of polytheism.

I have started a new thread to explain in detail the relations between each religious belief.

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## Sensuikan San

> This was one of the first questions you asked when you joined this forum, on another thread. I thought we had answered it for you? I am an atheist, which means I do not believe in God. The universe was created by natural means and there is no designer to life, the universe and everything (Douglas Adams, anyone?). You are a Theist. A person who believes in a God and that the Universe was created by a diety. There is a third element, and they are called Agnostics. These are people who exist between athesim and theism. For more information try looking at Wikipedia or other reference sources.


Yes, Mike ... you are quite correct. You did answer that question! And I believe I was a party to the argument also.

Can we not all see, however - that "Jarvis" ... is "pulling our chain..."

This disturbed creature is not incapable of reading English - merely incapable of _writing_ in said language. Do not underestimate him/her -but, please ... do not pander to him/her either! Ignore ... simply ignore!

Where I come from, there is a place we send such folk to ...

... _it is called ..... "Coventry"_ ....!

W

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## Maciamo

> Can we not all see, however - that "Jarvis" ... is "pulling our chain..."
> 
> This disturbed creature is not incapable of reading English - merely incapable of _writing_ in said language. Do not underestimate him/her -but, please ... do not pander to him/her either! Ignore ... simply ignore!


I have banned him after his insulting and unacceptable comments (some now deleted) in the thread comments about Islam

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## Frank D. White

it's a person who when faced with death (truly believes they are about to die) cries out for their mommy to help them instead of God?

Frank

 :Okashii:

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## Sensuikan San

> it's a person who when faced with death (truly believes they are about to die) cries out for their mommy to help them instead of God?
> 
> Frank


Aha!

Never was a truer word spoken, Frank!

I believe it may account for something like 80% of the world population - in the situation you describe.

About 18% cry out ".....oooooh! ....sh**!" (Check out the "black box" from any aircraft disaster ...) - and the other two per cent never know what hits them ...!

W

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## donny

By definition, an atheist is a person that doesn't believe in a greater power that can't be fully explained. Atheists are pragmatic people that like to keep their sense of reality.

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## Mycernius

Could you please check dates on threads before answering. If you notice this thread started and ended in 2005, along with this particular troll being banned.

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