(November 2, 2021 at 11:37 am)brewer Wrote:

Quote:The correct answer for the dictionary definition of an atheist is : “I don’t know” regarding the existence of the afterlife and souls.

Assertion only.

I would dearly love to see a citation for that dictionary definition.

Boru

(November 1, 2021 at 8:31 pm)Ten Wrote:

(November 1, 2021 at 8:25 pm)Spongebob Wrote: I just love it when a strident Christian shows up on an atheist forum and pretends to want to understand some things, knowing full well he's heard it all before and just wants to rant and argue.  No thanks.  Been there, done that.  Waste of time.

This is my take on it too. They want to play "let me bully you into a predetermined response so I can gotcha" and I'm not into it. They've already admitted that they have an agenda, that there's a "correct answer" to these questions and they have many more threads planned, so, it's a script. It's a dumb game. Don't wanna play.

Exactly.  I guess I used to have the energy for that, but after going through the same thing a few dozen times it just gets old.  It's not an honest conversation; I'm okay with that.

(November 2, 2021 at 10:28 am)GaryAnderson Wrote: The correct answer for the dictionary definition of an atheist is : “I don’t know” regarding the existence of the afterlife and souls. A few of you have said that, in different words. 

This is not the correct answer.

There are more than several sects of Buddhism, that are atheistic, in that they do not believe in the existence of gods, yet they have plenty of beliefs in souls and the afterlife.

Oh, and by the way, you do know that dictionaries do not define words in absolute terms. They define word usage.

But let me add, that, no definition of atheist I have ever seen, has anything to do with souls and an afterlife. Atheism only concerns the position of whether one disbelieves in gods. There are plenty of atheists that believe in souls and an afterlife.

(November 2, 2021 at 11:30 am)Neo-Scholastic Wrote:

Quote:This is a group or community where you share ideas which align with your “way of life” so you as a group represent these ideas.

Since you are new, so I'm cutting you some slack. You just joined so it seems a bit presumptious to make general statements about a discussion forum you just joined. The only thing AF represents is Tib's intent to create and maintain a place for open discussion around, but not limited to, various aspects of atheism. The topics are wide-ranging and vary greatly in tone.

This may be somewhat true and I see that you have many sections here in the forum ranging from political, casual or humor but the overall tone is that this is an atheist site with presumably more atheist members.

(November 2, 2021 at 11:33 am)no one Wrote: This guy:
Don't know how to tell you this, but, the afterlife is pay to play.

Thank you very much, have a nice day.

GaryAnderson:
I don’t understand your answer.

That's because you don't want to understand!

Are you mad at understanding?

Show me on the doll where understanding hurt you.

I literally don’t understand this.

(November 2, 2021 at 11:37 am)brewer Wrote:

Quote:The correct answer for the dictionary definition of an atheist is : “I don’t know” regarding the existence of the afterlife and souls.

Assertion only.

Well think about it. If the dictionary definition of atheism is “lack of belief in Gods” then you shouldn’t have an answer on the existence of souls and afterlife and you didn’t.

(November 2, 2021 at 11:33 am)Simon Moon Wrote:

(November 2, 2021 at 10:42 am)GaryAnderson Wrote: Why are you so upset of words on a screen? How do you deal with opposing views in real life? Do you fight or do you take shelter?

It's not the words on the screen that bother us.

It is your lack of intellectual integrity and honesty.

We are willing, and enjoy the interchange with intellectually honest interlocutors. You are quickly proving yourself not to be one.

But this is true for your side because based on some quick browsing I don’t see any good-faith or honest discussions regarding God or religion here which is your “mortal enemy”
Which is why is better to leave assumptions out the door and just try to focus on one thing for now. Like your beliefs or lack thereof and your thoughts on the afterlife and souls.

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(November 2, 2021 at 11:43 am)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote:

(November 2, 2021 at 11:37 am)brewer Wrote: Assertion only.

I would dearly love to see a citation for that dictionary definition.

Boru

Do a quick google search man, it says : “ disbelief or lack of belief in the existence of God or gods.”

(November 2, 2021 at 11:48 am)Simon Moon Wrote:

(November 2, 2021 at 10:28 am)GaryAnderson Wrote: The correct answer for the dictionary definition of an atheist is : “I don’t know” regarding the existence of the afterlife and souls. A few of you have said that, in different words. 

This is not the correct answer.

There are more than several sects of Buddhism, that are atheistic, in that they do not believe in the existence of gods, yet they have plenty of beliefs in soulds and the afterlife.

Oh, and by the way, you do know that dictionaries do not define words in absolute terms. They define word usage.

It is the correct answer in terms of one sect which is Atheists. This sect is allowed to say “I don’t know” to existential god-linked questions and their position/definition doesn’t allow for anything else. Another sect like Agnostic Atheists can philosophize at least because their definition allows that.
There’s also the Meat Machine sect which are basically HARD on denying anything spiritual. These folks could also be described as Materialists.

(November 2, 2021 at 11:00 am)GaryAnderson Wrote: You seem to be under the impression that Atheism is a loosely defined word and so far I’ve discovered 3 sects here which I will explain in the end with some more sects that made the news in an official church.

There aren't even different sects of theism. Add whatever religion you like, theism doesn't change. Anyone who believes at least one God or god is really real is a theist, and whether you're a modern Christian or a 13th Century Aztec priest, you're the same kind of theist. Sects are divisions within the same religion, or more broadly, a philosophical or political group. Theism is just one opinion on one topic. Atheism is the other opinion.

(November 2, 2021 at 11:00 am)GaryAnderson Wrote: Do you guys even know what you stand for and what you oppose?

As atheists, nothing. One opinion isn't enough to unite us, just like you don't have that much in common with the Aztec priest I mentioned above, who was just as much a theist as you are.

(November 2, 2021 at 11:00 am)GaryAnderson Wrote:

(November 2, 2021 at 10:53 am)Mister Agenda Wrote: Just as a note: an atheist CAN believe in souls and/or an afterlife, it's unusual among Western atheists, but I have met Buddhists who don't believe in any gods but do believe in reincarnation. I've met atheists who believe in ghosts as well. There just as much an atheist as I am, since they don't believe any deific beings are actually real.

If an “atheist” believes this than they’re not atheists.

Atheist: a person who disbelieves or lacks belief in the existence of God or gods.

Doesn't say anything about not believing in afterlives, ghosts, reincarnation, or souls; just gods.

(November 2, 2021 at 11:50 am)GaryAnderson Wrote:

(November 2, 2021 at 11:37 am)brewer Wrote: Assertion only.

Well think about it. If the dictionary definition of atheism is “lack of belief in Gods” then you shouldn’t have an answer on the existence of souls and afterlife and you didn’t.

My answer was lack of credible evidence for souls and afterlife. Until you (or anyone) can provide some credible evidence souls and afterlife they remain a man made concepts.

 It appears that you're willing to alter peoples responses to fit your agenda and motives.

(November 2, 2021 at 12:05 pm)Mister Agenda Wrote:

(November 2, 2021 at 11:00 am)GaryAnderson Wrote: You seem to be under the impression that Atheism is a loosely defined word and so far I’ve discovered 3 sects here which I will explain in the end with some more sects that made the news in an official church.

There aren't even different sects of theism. Add whatever religion you like, theism doesn't change. Anyone who believes at least one God or god is really real is a theist, and whether you're a modern Christian or a 13th Century Aztec priest, you're the same kind of theist. Sects are divisions within the same religion, or more broadly, a philosophical or political group. Theism is just one opinion on one topic. Athiesm is the other opinion.

(November 2, 2021 at 11:00 am)GaryAnderson Wrote: Do you guys even know what you stand for and what you oppose?

As atheists, nothing. One opinion isn't enough to unite us, just like you don't have that much in common with the Aztec priest I mentioned above, who was just as much a theist as you are.

(November 2, 2021 at 11:00 am)GaryAnderson Wrote: If an “atheist” believes this than they’re not atheists.

Atheist: a person who disbelieves or lacks belief in the existence of God or gods.

Doesn't say anything about not believing in afterlives, ghosts, reincarnation, or souls; just gods.

Yes I agree with your definition of sects.

Your second point is incorrect because what links you all to each-other is your “lack of belief in Gods” and what links me to an Aztec priest in 500BC is our beliefs in Gods.

Third point : You can’t have an opinion on souls or afterlife which are god-related topics and then claim the definition of an atheist which is “lack of belief in Gods”.

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(November 2, 2021 at 12:09 pm)brewer Wrote:

(November 2, 2021 at 11:50 am)GaryAnderson Wrote: Well think about it. If the dictionary definition of atheism is “lack of belief in Gods” then you shouldn’t have an answer on the existence of souls and afterlife and you didn’t.

My answer was lack of credible evidence for souls and afterlife. Until you (or anyone) can provide some credible evidence souls and afterlife they remain a man made concepts.

 It appears that you're willing to alter peoples responses to fit your agenda and motives.

Lol. Yes my agenda is world domination and it begins in this forum. 😂
Your answer seems like a synonym for “I don’t know” to me and in another topic we can discuss consciousness and how different wiring can make two people interpret objective and non objective reality in different way.

(November 2, 2021 at 11:50 am)GaryAnderson Wrote: Well think about it. If the dictionary definition of atheism is “lack of belief in Gods” then you shouldn’t have an answer on the existence of souls and afterlife and you didn’t.

Let me get this straight: You actually think being an atheist means you can't have an opinion on any topics not included in the definition of atheist? I'm going to be charitable and assume you just didn't think this statement through before you typed it.

(November 2, 2021 at 12:14 pm)Mister Agenda Wrote:

(November 2, 2021 at 11:50 am)GaryAnderson Wrote: Well think about it. If the dictionary definition of atheism is “lack of belief in Gods” then you shouldn’t have an answer on the existence of souls and afterlife and you didn’t.

Let me get this straight: You actually think being an atheist means you can't have an opinion on any topics not included in the definition of atheist? I'm going to be charitable and assume you just didn't think this statement through before you typed it.

Only ONE sect of atheists can’t have an opinion of the souls or afterlife, the sect with aligns with the dictionary definition of an atheist. The other sects can. Like agnostic atheists or the meat machines group.

(November 2, 2021 at 11:50 am)GaryAnderson Wrote: Do a quick google search man, it says : “ disbelief or lack of belief in the existence of God or gods.”

Right. Are ghosts and souls gods?

(November 2, 2021 at 11:50 am)GaryAnderson Wrote: It is the correct answer in terms of one sect which is Atheists. This sect is allowed to say “I don’t know” to existential god-linked questions and their position/definition doesn’t allow for anything else. Another sect like Agnostic Atheists can philosophize at least because their definition  allows that.

An atheist can literally have any opinion except that some sort of deity really exists. A theist can literally have any opinion except that no sort of deity really exists.