Posts: 2009
Threads: 2
Joined: October 8, 2012
Reputation:
26
RE: Could you still be an Atheist and believe in a "Soul"?
September 11, 2015 at 12:33 pm
(September 11, 2015 at 2:23 am)CristW Wrote: (September 11, 2015 at 2:20 am)Whateverist the White Wrote: You got me. I was about to say yes I do know how to be an atheist and make sense of a soul - and I can show you how to do it too. But no, no immortal soul. Sorry, fresh out.
Hello, Epicurus of Samos actually suggested that the soul dies when the physical body dies. Which is all good and fine, but before we start debating if the soul dies or is immortal, if the soul "derives" virtues or not, first we need to demonstrate that we have a soul to begin with.
Otherwise this is like NASA debating about what the aliens on Pluto look like before New Horizons got there to tell us that there even were aliens on Pluto.
Posts: 7318
Threads: 75
Joined: April 18, 2015
Reputation:
73
RE: Could you still be an Atheist and believe in a "Soul"?
September 11, 2015 at 1:33 pm
I'm more of an RnB person, but I don't see why not
Posts: 28384
Threads: 226
Joined: March 24, 2014
Reputation:
185
RE: Could you still be an Atheist and believe in a "Soul"?
September 11, 2015 at 1:41 pm
(September 11, 2015 at 1:34 am)Nestor Wrote: This poll is stupid. Yes, one can be an atheist and believe in a soul.
Next.
The poll is especially stupid because the only yes option requires that the person personally believes. The question should have just been do you believe in a soul instead.
(August 21, 2017 at 11:31 pm)KevinM1 Wrote: "I'm not a troll"
Religious Views: He gay
0/10
Hammy Wrote:and we also have a sheep on our bed underneath as well
Posts: 5436
Threads: 138
Joined: September 6, 2012
Reputation:
58
RE: Could you still be an Atheist and believe in a "Soul"?
September 11, 2015 at 1:47 pm
In a weird technical way, as long as you don't believe in God you are an Atheist, despite your other stupid beliefs. However in the modern sense where most people mean they are Naturalists when they say Atheists, no.
Posts: 3628
Threads: 20
Joined: July 20, 2011
Reputation:
47
RE: Could you still be an Atheist and believe in a "Soul"?
September 11, 2015 at 2:07 pm
Yes you could still be an atheist and believe in a soul.
You would not be a critical thinker, but you could still be an atheist.
Atheism is a position on a single claim, the existence of a god or gods. Anything beyond that one position is outside the purview of atheism.
Not all atheists are critical thinkers. I know atheists that believe in: alien visitations, ancient aliens, homeopathy, all sorts of conspiracy theories, etc.
You'd believe if you just opened your heart" is a terrible argument for religion. It's basically saying, "If you bias yourself enough, you can convince yourself that this is true." If religion were true, people wouldn't need faith to believe it -- it would be supported by good evidence.
Posts: 7318
Threads: 75
Joined: April 18, 2015
Reputation:
73
RE: Could you still be an Atheist and believe in a "Soul"?
September 11, 2015 at 2:25 pm
Ah yes, the ancient alien homeopathy visitation conspiracy theory
Posts: 3101
Threads: 10
Joined: September 7, 2015
Reputation:
49
RE: Could you still be an Atheist and believe in a "Soul"?
September 11, 2015 at 2:35 pm
I think it is about time to post the relevant quotation that, to me, sums up atheism in a nutshell:
"I contend we are both atheists, I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours." - Stephen F. Roberts
A Christian told me: if you were saved you cant lose your salvation. you're sealed with the Holy Ghost
I replied: Can I refuse? Because I find the entire concept of vicarious blood sacrifice atonement to be morally abhorrent, the concept of holding flawed creatures permanently accountable for social misbehaviors and thought crimes to be morally abhorrent, and the concept of calling something "free" when it comes with the strings of subjugation and obedience perhaps the most morally abhorrent of all... and that's without even going into the history of justifying genocide, slavery, rape, misogyny, religious intolerance, and suppression of free speech which has been attributed by your own scriptures to your deity. I want a refund. I would burn happily rather than serve the monster you profess to love.
Posts: 159
Threads: 15
Joined: July 6, 2014
Reputation:
2
RE: Could you still be an Atheist and believe in a "Soul"?
September 11, 2015 at 2:54 pm
(September 11, 2015 at 2:07 pm)Simon Moon Wrote: Yes you could still be an atheist and believe in a soul.
You would not be a critical thinker, but you could still be an atheist.
Atheism is a position on a single claim, the existence of a god or gods. Anything beyond that one position is outside the purview of atheism.
Not all atheists are critical thinkers. I know atheists that believe in: alien visitations, ancient aliens, homeopathy, all sorts of conspiracy theories, etc.
1. I will have to disagree on your first point. Yes, there maybe some individuals that claim to be "atheists" but are rather skeptics. If you believe in a soul then you also would have to agree on the transmigration of the soul to either hell or heaven/paradise. If not then either you would believe the soul dies when the physical body dies or reincarnation or something similar.
2. The declaration and belief in NO GOD(s) is Atheism.
3. Atheism is based on a single claim. There are premise(s) to the claim (conclusion).
4. Atheists who question and debate on "alien visitations, ancient aliens, homeopathy, all sorts of conspiracy theories, etc." are critically thinking on the previous subjects mentioned. That is "critical thinking". The same thing as we debate on ghosts, angels, demonology, etc.
Posts: 159
Threads: 15
Joined: July 6, 2014
Reputation:
2
RE: Could you still be an Atheist and believe in a "Soul"?
September 11, 2015 at 2:57 pm
(September 11, 2015 at 12:33 pm)LostLocke Wrote: (September 11, 2015 at 2:23 am)CristW Wrote: Hello, Epicurus of Samos actually suggested that the soul dies when the physical body dies. Which is all good and fine, but before we start debating if the soul dies or is immortal, if the soul "derives" virtues or not, first we need to demonstrate that we have a soul to begin with.
Otherwise this is like NASA debating about what the aliens on Pluto look like before New Horizons got there to tell us that there even were aliens on Pluto.
That is the whole point of the thread. I actually pointed out that the ancient Greeks should have started out with the question: Is there a Soul?
Posts: 159
Threads: 15
Joined: July 6, 2014
Reputation:
2
RE: Could you still be an Atheist and believe in a "Soul"?
September 11, 2015 at 3:01 pm
The people who followed Epicurus of Samos were ethical people despite their belief that a soul dies when a physical body dies. In other words, they had virtues despite their belief.
|
![[Image: dcep7c.jpg]](https://images.weserv.nl/?url=i46.tinypic.com%2Fdcep7c.jpg)
