Is atheism a belief?

[Amarok]

No there isn't 

You don't see much 

Then they are wrong 

Cultist 


-
Which means nothing 

Wearing a T shirt is not converting people 


Pointing out the flaws of religion isn't preaching 

False 


Irrelevant 


All baseless opinion 



Irrelevant 


Nope 
All baseless opinion 


So along rant filled with nothing

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It's not what i believe and it's not a true Scotsman sorry Huggy your grasping at straws

Thanks for demonstrating.

What all the errors in you comment . Yes i did .

[Alan V]

Some atheists believe there is no god, some atheists just don’t believe in any gods. I don’t think atheism is a belief. But I don’t really care if other people say it is. I don’t really care if it’s a belief just like I don’t care if there’s a god.

The only thing all atheists have in common is a lack of belief in any God or gods.  Atheists often define atheism by this more inclusive definition.

Further, atheism is only an answer to that one question, "Do you believe there is any God or gods?"  "No, I'm an atheist."

Atheism is similar to theism in that sense, because theism in its simplest form is a belief in some God or gods.  Theism only becomes Protestantism or Catholicism or Islam when you add a lot more to it.

However, theism also has a second definition which is narrower: "belief in the existence of a god or gods, especially belief in one god as creator of the universe, intervening in it and sustaining a personal relation to his creatures."  (Google)  Atheism has a similar secondary definition, that atheism is the knowledge claim that there is no God or gods.  Just as the secondary definition of theism excludes some theists of the primary definition, the secondary definition of atheism excludes some atheists as well, perhaps the majority.  So you can't say that having several somewhat confusing definitions for atheism is a fault of atheists themselves.  That's just the way language works.

As an atheist, I am also an emergent materialist, but many atheists are reductionists instead, and not all are even materialists.  I believe in free will and objective morality, and many atheists do not.  You can add and subtract a lot from atheism, because atheism is not a worldview like the various forms of Christianity, for instance.  It is just one aspect of a worldview.

So if people argue against atheism, as many Christians like to do, they have to keep this in mind.  They can't indict atheism or atheists for whatever ideas certain particular atheists believe.  Such ideas track to different causes other than that basic lack of belief in any God or gods.

[T0 Th3 M4X]

Some atheists believe there is no god, some atheists just don’t believe in any gods. I don’t think atheism is a belief. But I don’t really care if other people say it is. I don’t really care if it’s a belief just like I don’t care if there’s a god.

The only thing all atheists have in common is a lack of belief in any God or gods.  Atheists often define atheism by this more inclusive definition.

Further, atheism is only an answer to that one question, "Do you believe there is any God or gods?"  "No, I'm an atheist."

Atheism is similar to theism in that sense, because theism in its simplest form is a belief in some God or gods.  Theism only becomes Protestantism or Catholicism or Islam when you add a lot more to it.

However, theism also has a second definition which is narrower: "belief in the existence of a god or gods, especially belief in one god as creator of the universe, intervening in it and sustaining a personal relation to his creatures."  (Google)  Atheism has a similar secondary definition, that atheism is the knowledge claim that there is no God or gods.  Just as the secondary definition of theism excludes some theists of the primary definition, the secondary definition of atheism excludes some atheists as well, perhaps the majority.  So you can't say that having several somewhat confusing definitions for atheism is a fault of atheists themselves.  That's just the way language works.

As an atheist, I am also an emergent materialist, but many atheists are reductionists instead, and not all are even materialists.  I believe in free will and objective morality, and many atheists do not.  You can add and subtract a lot from atheism, because atheism is not a worldview like the various forms of Christianity, for instance.  It is just one aspect of a worldview.

So If you argue against atheism, as many Christians like to do, you have to keep this in mind.  You can't indict atheism or atheists for whatever ideas certain particular atheists believe.  Such ideas track to different causes other than that basic lack of belief in any God or gods.

Your version, their version.  That's why I don't put a special value on any of the claims because it has evolved into a new category with multiple "atheisms"  A NY Times Best Selling author.  Wonder who's buying.  Probably a mix of people with different beliefs.

[Alan V]

Your version, their version.  That's why I don't put a special value on any of the claims because it has evolved into a new category with multiple "atheisms"  A NY Times Best Selling author.  Wonder who's buying.  Probably a mix of people with different beliefs.

The author is likely equivocating. Some atheists believe that "God" is a useful concept socially. I doubt they believe in an actually existing God, and if they do they are not atheists by definition.

This is not about my version or their version. It's about parsing dictionary definitions.

[Amarok]

Your version, their version.  That's why I don't put a special value on any of the claims because it has evolved into a new category with multiple "atheisms"  A NY Times Best Selling author.  Wonder who's buying.  Probably a mix of people with different beliefs.

No there is not and this guy isn't an atheist if he's claiming to believe in a god

[T0 Th3 M4X]

Your version, their version.  That's why I don't put a special value on any of the claims because it has evolved into a new category with multiple "atheisms"  A NY Times Best Selling author.  Wonder who's buying.  Probably a mix of people with different beliefs.

No there is not and this guy isn't an atheist if he's claiming to believe in a god

He can choose to be an atheist if he wants.  How is that your choice?

[Amarok]

No there is not and this guy isn't an atheist if he's claiming to believe in a god

He can choose to be an atheist if he wants.  How is that your choice?

Nope if he believes in god he can't be an atheist . He free to call himself a muffin if he likes but doesn't change the fact he's not an atheist .

[T0 Th3 M4X]

From PRC

Although the literal definition of “atheist” is “a person who does not believe in the existence of a god or any gods,” according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, 8% of those who call themselves atheists also say they believe in God or a universal spirit. Indeed, 2% say they are “absolutely certain” about the existence of God or a universal spirit. Alternatively, there are many people who fit the dictionary definition of “atheist” but do not call themselves atheists. About three times as many Americans say they do not believe in God or a universal spirit (9%) as say they are atheists (3%).

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He can choose to be an atheist if he wants.  How is that your choice?

Nope if he believes in god he can't be an atheist . He free to call himself a muffin if he likes but doesn't change the fact he's not an atheist .

Your version, their version.  Two different versions, so you can both be right.

[Amarok]

Although the literal definition of “atheist” is “a person who does not believe in the existence of a god or any gods,” according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, 8% of those who call themselves atheists also say they believe in God or a universal spirit. Indeed, 2% say they are “absolutely certain” about the existence of God or a universal spirit. Alternatively, there are many people who fit the dictionary definition of “atheist” but do not call themselves atheists. About three times as many Americans say they do not believe in God or a universal spirit (9%) as say they are atheists (3%).

Then they aren't atheists they can call themselves whatever they please they simply aren't

Your version, their version.  Two different versions, so you can both be right.

There are no versions and no only one of us is right the one using the actual definition 

I suppose now we can define a cow as a two legged creature with wings and feathers .

[T0 Th3 M4X]

Amarok

Although the literal definition of “atheist” is “a person who does not believe in the existence of a god or any gods,” according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, 8% of those who call themselves atheists also say they believe in God or a universal spirit. Indeed, 2% say they are “absolutely certain” about the existence of God or a universal spirit. Alternatively, there are many people who fit the dictionary definition of “atheist” but do not call themselves atheists. About three times as many Americans say they do not believe in God or a universal spirit (9%) as say they are atheists (3%).

Then they aren't atheists they can call themselves whatever they please they simply aren't  

Your version, their version.  Two different versions, so you can both be right.

This is what has happened with all belief systems as they've diversified.  It starts out as one thing, then people want to modify it to fit their alternative belief that incorporates the same thing with a slight twist.  Society doesn't have time to try to explain each one, so they all get lumped together under one definition.  If not it would require us to discriminate, but that would violate the religious freedom applied to atheism that was granted to them in Dec 2016.  Now we're even seeing the atheist churches splitting into what one side feels is more "correct" for them.  Throw in that it's being monetized and it will happen all the more.  T-shirts, offerings, membership fees.  "Why go to their church when I can make my own and charge a fee?"  They do it, then someone else wants a piece of the pie, so they put their own spin on it.  Same thing that has happened to Christianity.  You get late night shysters with their own TV shows making "false claims" but they have religious protections so they can get away with it.  When you realize that atheists are already making channels and selling merchandise and what not, you'll see it's just going to follow the same path everything else has.  As soon as someone starts saying "they aren't atheists" and it challenges the $$$ coming in, then someone is going to end up getting sued, then you'll see even more protections provided and broader definitions of the law as to protect everybody.