Teacher Fired: Said Bible Is Not Literal

[monster]

Originally Posted by rkzenrage

Does that mean you believe in every god that has ever been described?

Why would it mean that?

[Happy Monkey]

Originally Posted by monster

Lack of belief is more like agnosticism. Atheism is the belief there is no god.

No, agnosticism is the belief that it is impossible to know for sure. Atheism is the lack of a belief in gods. You can be both atheist and agnostic.

[Happy Monkey]

Originally Posted by monster

ummm....if you believe there is not god, then you do deny that it is a possibility.

Incorrect. I do not deny the possibility of everything that I don't believe in. In fact, if I define something in such a way that it is impossible to disprove it, then it cannot be denied as a possibility. But it can still be discounted as silly.

[monster]

Originally Posted by Happy Monkey

No, agnosticism is the belief that it is impossible to know for sure. Atheism is the lack of a belief in gods. You can be both atheist and agnostic.

I agree it's not agnosticism -I said it's "more like" it.

I believe that you are wrong in your definitions, and that this argument has once again come full circle without any productivity. I also believe I don't really care enough to argue any further.

Originally Posted by monster

Why would it mean that?

Because of this statement.

if you believe there is not god, then you do deny that it is a possibility. Have you no logic?

If it is illogical to call yourself an atheist because of any possibility then one must assume that any god ever concieved is real because there is a "possibility" that they are.
Again, atheist just means one does not believe in a god. Agnostics are atheists, non-theists are atheists.
The term is not only applicable to hard atheists who make a definitive statement of belief in the non-existence, but a lack of belief is plenty to qualify.
The current popular slang application of "atheist" is meaningless.

[queequeger]

And a religion for those who can't bring themselves to give two shits? Apathism.

[monster]

Originally Posted by rkzenrage

Because of this statement.

If it is illogical to call yourself an atheist because of any possibility then one must assume that any god ever concieved is real because there is a "possibility" that they are..

Where does that staement address my personal belief?

You are interpreting it incorrectly anyway:

It is illogical to call yourself an atheist if you believe it is possible there could be a god. big difference. Your statment assumes that possibility.

[Happy Monkey]

Originally Posted by monster

It is illogical to call yourself an atheist if you believe it is possible there could be a god.

Incorrect. That definition is seldom used by actual atheists. It is usually only used by religious people trying to claim that atheism requires just as much faith as religion.

[Stormieweather]

Atheism is the absence of belief in gods, not belief in the absence of gods. Sort of like, I don't believe there are...but I don't believe there aren't, either.


That's my understanding of it, anyway.

[Cicero]

I think this is a good explanation of atheism...

http://www.infidels.org/library/mode...hew/intro.html

I used to be on this forum a lot....they seem to have it pretty together as far as philosophy and religious topics are concerned. A good resource to just kick around in for awhile.