Views that are compatible w/ Atheism

[free_thinker_at_last]

I'm just wondering, do you all think it's compatible to be an atheist but also believe in the supernatural (ghosts, spirits)?  I don't believe in anything outside the physical realm but an atheist friend, who I consider an intelligent person, shared a pretty creepy story with me recently and bear in mind, he's not sympathetic to religion or anything related to the supernatural.  

The problem is, if one subscribes to the supernatural, then that would be the category where a god could possibly exist.  

What are your thoughts?

[wiploc]

I'm just wondering, do you all think it's compatible to be an atheist but also believe in the supernatural (ghosts, spirits)? 

Sure.  Anyone who isn't a theist is an atheist.  That includes many people who believe in ghosts.  

I don't believe in anything outside the physical realm but an atheist friend, who I consider an intelligent person, shared a pretty creepy story with me recently and bear in mind, he's not sympathetic to religion or anything related to the supernatural.  

The problem is, if one subscribes to the supernatural, then that would be the category where a god could possibly exist.  

What are your thoughts?

Atheism consists entirely of not believing in gods.  It does not consist of not believing in anything compatible with gods.  

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[Whateverist]

I find the idea of a "supernatural" category very perplexing, to the point that I dismiss it as incoherent. For my money, to say that something is other than "natural" is to say it doesn't exist at all. Mental phenomenon are natural. Products of the imagination are mental phenomenon and so natural. There is only that which can be explained now, that which may become understood later and that which may forever be beyond our powers of comprehension. Everything in each one of those categories would be natural so far as I can tell.

To say that anything is apart from natural would mean .. what?

[Minimalist]

The short answer to your question is "no."

[chimp3]

Atheism is in an intimately entwined relationship with skepticism. They are bedfellows. The same demand for evidence should be applied to all claims to the supernatural. Lest we become typical New Age Ninnies.

[bennyboy]

I'm just wondering, do you all think it's compatible to be an atheist but also believe in the supernatural (ghosts, spirits)?  I don't believe in anything outside the physical realm but an atheist friend, who I consider an intelligent person, shared a pretty creepy story with me recently and bear in mind, he's not sympathetic to religion or anything related to the supernatural.  

The problem is, if one subscribes to the supernatural, then that would be the category where a god could possibly exist.  

What are your thoughts?

It's totally compatible, since "theos" means "god" not "spooky strange stuff."

However, most atheists are atheists because they've decided to base their views on evidence, and discard those views of mystery which lack evidence.  So not many are going to share your position.

You could call yourself a "spiritual atheist" I think, and it would be a coherent label.

[Edwardo Piet]

Absolutely any view whatsoever is compatible with atheism besides belief in gods.

[Alex K]

The definition of god is just too fuzzy to say anything definite. Some of those supernatural entities might have similar powers as some gods of old.

[robvalue]

Absolutely any view whatsoever is compatible with atheism besides belief in gods.

I agree with this.

If you come to atheism through scepticism, which many people do, then scepticism is not compatible with other forms of made-up bullshit. But plenty of atheists aren't sceptics. We don't get to tell them they aren't "real atheists".