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What is your religious affiliation?


  

153 members have voted

  1. 1. What is your religious affiliation?

    • Hindu
      9
    • Christian
      29
    • Buddhist
      7
    • Jewish
      2
    • Muslim/Islamic
      22
    • Sikh
      4
    • Atheist
      37
    • Agnostic
      30
    • Other
      7
    • Apatheist
      6


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'Atheist' implies that you know there is no god. '

 

Does it?  I'm no linguist, but from what I recall the prefix "a" means "not" in Greek, ie, "not a theist", ie, "I don't believe in God", not "I believe in no God".  Someone who claims to know absolutely that there is no God would be more likely to be a buddhist, given that mainstream buddhist dogma denies the existence of a deity.  That's different from just claiming that God's existence is highly unlikely/not supported by evidence.

 

 

For somebody who is no linguist, you are very enthusiastic about it! :P Atheism = "I believe there is no god" in terms of how the word is used in society and how groups use it to define themselves. You can either say that the "there is no god" part is absolute or not depending on how you interpret it. My feeling is that society tends to interpret it in a fairly absolute manner, given that they've felt the need to invent the word 'agnostic', which is for people who aren't theists but also aren't atheists, when really if atheist did mean purely that you don't think there is a god with no suggestion about certainty, it would adequately describe both groups. Whereas actually the inherent certainty of atheism means the agnostics have to have their own wibbly-wobbly not sure category. The greek etymology of agnostic aside, where I've read it, 'atheist' is associated with an absolute view on the matter of god. Richard Dawkins is a case in point of popularising atheism's 'attack all the believers' style. The image seen in the media, at least, is a very definite form of atheism. Not saying that it couldn't be interpreted the way you put it (there is no certainty clause in the concept), it's just a question of whether it's commonly used in that manner. Depends on how much emphasis you put on the word "is" when you say the phrase!

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Atheism = "I believe there is no god" in terms of how the word is used in society and how groups use it to define themselves.

 

 

That isn't a statement of belief, though.  It is a profession of the lack of a belief, and an assertion that God's existence is not rationally justified.  At least, that's how I view my own atheism, and likewise how prominent atheists, including the Richard Dawkins you referenced, view their atheism.  Someone who believes there is no God might be a Buddhist, where the nonexistence of a deity is a part of the standard faith, and not just a conclusion based on evidence.

 

I think the distinction between atheism and agnosticism is more a matter of degree of certainty ("there is almost certainly no god" vs. "there might not be a god") than any instrinsic ideology.  "Atheism" also has a negative social stigma attached to it that makes people reluctant to identify with it.

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I think the distinction between atheism and agnosticism is more a matter of degree of certainty ("there is almost certainly no god" vs. "there might not be a god") than any instrinsic ideology.  "Atheism" also has a negative social stigma attached to it that makes people reluctant to identify with it.

 

 

Okay well I'm just saying that I don't think atheism, the way many people see it, actually has the 'almost certainly' degree of certainty attached to it that you feel it does. I think the 'almost certainly' part is generally not included by people. So we can agree to disagree :P

 

In this country (I live in the UK), atheism doesn't really have a social stigma in itself, it is quite common. However I think people (atheist and non-atheist) can be a bit put off by the more militant wing - Dawkins & co - just as with the militant arm of any group.

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Thank you Sefer for finally allowing me to put a word to my view on faith. I didn't know about 'Apatheist' but having googled it I found it fits my view on faith perfectly. Faith has never been a big thing for my parents or even grandparents so I was brought up without it being a big aspect of my life. I always saw it as something other people did. My family weren't hardcore atheists either, they didn't promote or discourage believing in a God. It was something I knew existed but never took part in and was never influenced by. Those beliefs have stayed with me.

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In this country (I live in the UK), atheism doesn't really have a social stigma in itself, it is quite common.

 

 

That's cool.  For better or for worse, I live in the Bible Belt Nation of the West.  :teehee:

 

 

 However I think people (atheist and non-atheist) can be a bit put off by the more militant wing - Dawkins & co - just as with the militant arm of any group.

 

I personally don't see what is so "militant" or hostile about Dawkins.  He just says what he means very clearly and bluntly through written and spoken arguments.  He acts as a perfect gentleman and has never advocated violence or harrassment of anyone.  Being blunt and saying provocative things isn't a bad thing.  "Militant" religious organizations are the ones who blow up children with bombs; "militant" atheistic organizations are the ones who write novels calling peoples' beliefs dumb.

Edited by Andy Sebastian
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I´m sorry if its a nuisance, but could I ask if you could add another option? I´d like to see deism up there. In case you don´t know, deism is ba belief in a god, but with nothing else attatched, and is usually open to interpretation. I personally believe that whatever made this entity was a conscious being, but may have created this world unconsciously and is unable to interact with it in any way, and may or may not be dead. Yup. A little bit weird. 

 

Also, deism used to be a big thing long ago, Voltaire, and other french philosophes where adherents, as well as several of the US´s Founding Fathers, which is sadly, a little known fact.

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Also, deism used to be a big thing long ago, Voltaire, and other french philosophes where adherents, as well as several of the US´s Founding Fathers, which is sadly, a little known fact.

 

I think deism has been replaced in many intellectual circles by agonisticism/atheism.  A combination of negative social stigma and the looming unexplained questions of the complexity of life and the apparent order to the cosmos probably made scientists and philosophers reluctant to take that final leap into atheism.

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"militant" atheistic organizations are the ones who write novels calling peoples' beliefs dumb.

 

 

...did we read the same God Delusion?? :P

 

I'm sure "this is dumb" wasn't a sentence in the novel, but Dawkins did such a splendid job of implying imbecility and being patronising throughout that, conveniently, it didn't need to be. The very best that can be said for it was that the style of writing was insensitive. Of course you shouldn't have to be sensitive with stuff like this and pander to religion like some untouchable subject, and generally people who try to do so annoy me somewhat, but at the same time, you're not going to win any friends by being implicitly rude re: their present beliefs and hence how those reflect on them as a person, in order to persuade them the whole thing is a pile of rubbish. I think if I'd read the book as a religious type of any variety, I would probably have been a bit pissed off.

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SO many atheists and agnostics, so cool! :)

 

I'm...well, since I have to label myself, I'd say a Hindu generally? I most closely associate myself with Hindu philosophies of karma, reincarnation, enlightenment and the maxim of 'doing one's duty'.

 

But, it's a little more complex for me. I dunno how much I buy into the idea that there's this overarching guy in the cloud pulling all our strings and judging us for our acts and sins.

 

For me? If there is a God, it's not a person or entity, it's simply an energy that breathes life and complexity into us as humans.

 

The closest I've ever come to 'worshipping' is my parents though. To me, however much I may disagree with my parents (sometimes fight with them) and even ignore (ridicule) some of their antiquated notions of what a woman's place in society is - the way they love me and support me unconditionally, that is Godly.

 

I dunno how I'd label that tbh...Any ideas?

Edited by Erudite
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SO many atheists and agnostics, so cool! :)

 

I'm...well, since I have to label myself, I'd say a Hindu generally? I most closely associate myself with Hindu philosophies of karma, reincarnation, enlightenment and the maxim of 'doing one's duty'.

 

But, it's a little more complex for me. I dunno how much I buy into the idea that there's this overarching guy in the cloud pulling all our strings and judging us for our acts and sins.

 

For me? If there is a God, it's not a person or entity, it's simply an energy that breathes life and complexity into us as humans.

 

The closest I've ever come to 'worshipping' is my parents though. To me, however much I may disagree with my parents (sometimes fight with them) and even ignore (ridicule) some of their antiquated notions of what a woman's place in society is - the way they love me and support me unconditionally, that is Godly.

 

I dunno how I'd label that tbh...Any ideas?

 

My boyfriend always quotes a Tamil saying to me - "Matha Pitha Guru Deivam". 

 

For the rest of you, that basically means "Mother Father Teacher God" - respect is owed in that (descending) order. 

 

I think that'd be appropriate here :)

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SO many atheists and agnostics, so cool! :)

 

I'm...well, since I have to label myself, I'd say a Hindu generally? I most closely associate myself with Hindu philosophies of karma, reincarnation, enlightenment and the maxim of 'doing one's duty'.

 

But, it's a little more complex for me. I dunno how much I buy into the idea that there's this overarching guy in the cloud pulling all our strings and judging us for our acts and sins.

 

For me? If there is a God, it's not a person or entity, it's simply an energy that breathes life and complexity into us as humans.

 

The closest I've ever come to 'worshipping' is my parents though. To me, however much I may disagree with my parents (sometimes fight with them) and even ignore (ridicule) some of their antiquated notions of what a woman's place in society is - the way they love me and support me unconditionally, that is Godly.

 

I dunno how I'd label that tbh...Any ideas?

 

My boyfriend always quotes a Tamil saying to me - "Matha Pitha Guru Deivam". 

 

For the rest of you, that basically means "Mother Father Teacher God" - respect is owed in that (descending) order. 

 

I think that'd be appropriate here :)

 

What's the wisdom behind the quote? I've never heard anything like it lol

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SO many atheists and agnostics, so cool! :)

 

I'm...well, since I have to label myself, I'd say a Hindu generally? I most closely associate myself with Hindu philosophies of karma, reincarnation, enlightenment and the maxim of 'doing one's duty'.

 

But, it's a little more complex for me. I dunno how much I buy into the idea that there's this overarching guy in the cloud pulling all our strings and judging us for our acts and sins.

 

For me? If there is a God, it's not a person or entity, it's simply an energy that breathes life and complexity into us as humans.

 

The closest I've ever come to 'worshipping' is my parents though. To me, however much I may disagree with my parents (sometimes fight with them) and even ignore (ridicule) some of their antiquated notions of what a woman's place in society is - the way they love me and support me unconditionally, that is Godly.

 

I dunno how I'd label that tbh...Any ideas?

 

My boyfriend always quotes a Tamil saying to me - "Matha Pitha Guru Deivam". 

 

For the rest of you, that basically means "Mother Father Teacher God" - respect is owed in that (descending) order. 

 

I think that'd be appropriate here :)

 

What's the wisdom behind the quote? I've never heard anything like it lol

 

 

Well like all proverbs, there's a certain amount of interpretation to it. 

 

What I take from it is that the person whom you should respect, give deference to, etc, the most, is your mom followed by your dad, teacher, then god. I also get a certain sense of "don't do anything out of blind faith in religion" from it, which is far more progressive than you would expect from an old Asian proverb. 

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Sandwich: You might have a point about the pragmatic effect of Dawkin's bluntness on the subject matter, even though the "rudeness" with which he addresses religious people is actually far milder and less provocative than the hate speech frequently directed at atheists, but on principle I nonetheless think it is important that the social discourse begin to tear down the special and arbitrary "wall of respect", as Dawkins puts it, that religion enjoys.  It is antithetical to the concept of free speech that one cannot speak their mind about religion without fear of censorship or disapproval from the PC police that seems to think spiritual beliefs are beyond constructive criticism or debate.

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  • 5 months later...

'Atheist' implies that you know there is no god. '

 

Does it?  I'm no linguist, but from what I recall the prefix "a" means "not" in Greek, ie, "not a theist", ie, "I don't believe in God", not "I believe in no God".  Someone who claims to know absolutely that there is no God would be more likely to be a buddhist, given that mainstream buddhist dogma denies the existence of a deity.  That's different from just claiming that God's existence is highly unlikely/not supported by evidence.

Atheism means just lack of faith. Not that person 100% surely knows that there is no God. Person just doesn't have any evidence to support that God would exist, so as rational person he doesn't believe any fairy tales told to him/her. There isn't counterprove either, but it's not really even needed. Counterprove is needed when it's wanted to prove some evidence or even another prove wrong (if it can be proven wrong it's not very good prove from beginning even but yeah, you get the point)

But with religions there is no evidence.

Claiming to have sure knowledge and prove about God not existing is different thing.

Thing is, that sure knowledge isn't even needed since there isn't evidence to support God existing. As long as there is not evidence it doesn't exist. Theories of course are different thing, they can be formed just about everything, but then the theory should be proven or there should be evidence to support it as the most likely explanation for certain thing.

There is this paradox about religions overally. In the definition of religion it's said religion is faith to some holy beliefs without having proves for them.

... So it there was a prove it would not be a religion any more and propably not even God any more. Just some element of universe among others.

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Personally, I dont really follow a religion. i feel that your relation with God (who in my opinion is like a super power watching over us), is personal. No religion or traditional prayer or something is needed. I feel God is like my parent, and hence, I do not need to pray or something to him. I mean, how many people pray to their parents? also, i feel that religion honestly has gotten so corrupted in the last few years that even if there was something that i could have believed in earlier, there isnt now. Hence, i dont really know where I fall, but i guess i have formed my own personal religion :P

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