The Sects of Atheism

[Ahriman]

What makes some atheists say, "souls and reincarnation are real" but then also say, "but gods? no there are definitely not any gods"

[GaryAnderson]

Ladies and gentlemen, please don’t devolve this thread into “unicorns “ again. It’s a tired cliche so stick to definitions for now.


You kidding? I discovered 4 sects so far! 4! One guy says Atheism is a belief in Gods. 😂

OMFG. How about Leprechauns? Superman? Aliens? Fairys? Zeus?

Glad you're enjoying it though surprised that intellectually it takes so little.

But those are different topics. I asked about 2 things. Souls and afterlife.

Can you translate it for me? How do you interpret it?

See, when someone says something is about something, it's not the same as sayting that something IS the thing it's about. A book about Paris isn't Paris. Atheism is about gods, because it's the position of not believing in any.

Okay if it’s about NOT believing any Gods that would make sense but that’s not what I read in there. Lol

[Ranjr]

This OP is like the Halloween Peyton, Eli and Cooper all went trick-or-treating as the Scarecrow.

[The Grand Nudger]

OMFG. How about Leprechauns? Superman? Aliens? Fairys? Zeus?

Glad you're enjoying it though surprised that intellectually it takes so little.

But those are different topics. I asked about 2 things. Souls and afterlife.

Exactly...different topics...mull it over......

See, when someone says something is about something, it's not the same as sayting that something IS the thing it's about. A book about Paris isn't Paris. Atheism is about gods, because it's the position of not believing in any.

Okay if it’s about NOT believing any Gods that would make sense but that’s not what I read in there. Lol

That's what atheism is about.  That's what it means, and all that it means.  I'm glad that you grant it makes sense? Now that you realize that, what's next?

[GaryAnderson]

But those are different topics. I asked about 2 things. Souls and afterlife.

Exactly...different topics...mull it over......

Okay if it’s about NOT believing any Gods that would make sense but that’s not what I read in there. Lol

That's what atheism is about.  That's what it means, and all that it means.  I'm glad hat you grant it makes sense?

All right if you’re saying that atheism is lack of belief in Gods, I also take back my comment that you’re a special case.

[The Architect Of Fate]

What makes some atheists say, "souls and reincarnation are real" but then also say, "but gods? no there are definitely not any gods"

The idea you can't reject one supernatural entity but can accept another is just silly 

[Simon Moon]

What are these sects of atheism?

Which person said an atheist believes in gods?

Okay so basically here’s what we have so far in this topic:

1. We have atheists - the dictionary definition of the word. Some of them are a bit confused as to what their definition allows them to say in regards to existential questions linked to God(s).
2. We have agonist atheist - the dictionary definition of the words. These folks are open minded.
3. We have meat machines - these are atheists who are also known as materialists and deny VERY HARD the existence of anything immaterial or spiritual.
4. We also have one guy who says “Atheism is a belief in Gods” 😂

First of all, those aren't different sects.

By your use of the work sect, someone who is not convinced bigfoot exists, and those that say bigfoot definitely does not exist are different sects of
"a-bifootism".

All of the first 3 of your 'sects' are all people who are unconvinced gods exist. They have slightly differing epistemologies, they don't belong to different 'sects'.

Number 4 on your list was either, someone pulling your leg, or a theist, or you completely misunderstood some point they were making.

[Angrboda]

That wooshing sound you hear is the point going over your head.  There is no legitimate reason I would need to act as you seem to think that I must.  Why would I?

In general understanding, there is nothing about the concepts of a soul and an afterlife that requires that they be linked to a god; so the fact that for some god-believers they are linked is a red herring.

And for your information, a few years ago I was a Shakta Hindu who believed in the goddess Kali, but did not have a belief in souls or an afterlife.  So, no, they aren't "always" linked.

Okay so if the Goddess Kali doesn’t have an answer on this but other beliefs which include a God, do.
You’ve defined yourself as an atheist if I remember correctly, so your position doesn’t allow for any speculation on my questions which derives from a belief system (in Gods).

What I said was that I am religiously unaffiliated. But no matter, your conclusion involves an example of the genetic fallacy, and so is invalid. Even if the concept of souls and an afterlife were originally tied to beliefs in a god, that wouldn't mean that those concepts are still invariably tied to gods. The concepts of soul and an afterlife are not strictly and necessarily tied to gods in the present.

The genetic fallacy (also known as the fallacy of origins or fallacy of virtue) is a fallacy of irrelevance that is based solely on someone's or something's history, origin, or source rather than its current meaning or context. This overlooks any difference to be found in the present situation, typically transferring the positive or negative esteem from the earlier context. In other words, a claim is ignored in favor of attacking or championing its source.

The fallacy therefore fails to assess the claim on its merit. The first criterion of a good argument is that the premises must have bearing on the truth or falsity of the claim in question. Genetic accounts of an issue may be true, and they may help illuminate the reasons why the issue has assumed its present form, but they are not conclusive in determining its merits.

Wikipedia || Genetic fallacy

[Neo-Scholastic]

Ladies and gentlemen, please don’t devolve this thread into “unicorns “ again. It’s a tired cliche so stick to definitions for now.


You kidding? I discovered 4 sects so far! 4! One guy says Atheism is a belief in Gods. 😂

OMFG. How about Leprechauns? Superman? Aliens? Fairys? Zeus?

Glad you're enjoying it though surprised that intellectually it takes so little.

You know of course, that you are making a category error between various beings and Being-Itself.

[The Grand Nudger]

Exactly...different topics...mull it over......

That's what atheism is about.  That's what it means, and all that it means.  I'm glad hat you grant it makes sense?

All right if you’re saying that atheism is lack of belief in Gods, I also take back my comment that you’re a special case.

Welllll...ish?   That is all that it means, and I am an atheist - but I'm far more religious than most of these other atheists here on the board..a fact(about me) that they've always recognized and have gone to length to register. A fact that I once argued against, but..since, have accepted as a component of intellectual honesty in mere reality.