Charles Darwin

I have seen folks here claim that atheism does not entail religious belief. I'm not sure what to make of this, aside from the fact that such a claim allows for atheism to reign free in the public square while other religious beliefs are confined to the sidelines by the CSS.

Aside from this ulterior motive, I fail to see how atheism does not entail religious belief. Atheism is the belief that God does not exist. This claim cannot be empirically verified nor can it be logically proved.

Do very many folks here say that atheism does not entail religious belief or would most agree that it does? For the former, can you justify your claim?

reprise

Religion is about more than simply believing in the existence of a deity or deities.

Charles Darwin

Your point being ... ?

Bible Humper

Atheism is not a "belief that God does not exist", it is a lack of belief in any deity(ies).



Neither can the non-existence of Santa, so why isn't Asantaism also considered a religion? What's the difference?

The only difference is that those who don't believe in any deity(ies) are far outnumbered by those who do, unlike the situation with belief in Santa.

Lacking belief in any deity(ies) does not come pre-packaged with any more dogmas, rituals, and taboos than the lack of belief in Santa Claus does. Neither lack of belief is a religion.

reprise

The only thing which atheists have in common is that they do not believe in the existence of a deity or deities. Atheism, per se has no belief system.

Individual atheists may or may not have an alternative belief system to deism.

I don't believe that little green men live in outer space either, but there's no religious aspect to my non-belief.

crazyfingers

Atheism can sometimes be the belief that no deity exists. But by far the most common position is simply a lack of belief just as you lack belief in giant creatures 1000 feet long who live under the earth. WOuld you say that your lack of belief in giant 1000 foot long underground creatures is a religious belief?

It's not my fault that people believe in invisible monsters that control everything. Please don't pin religion on my lack of belief in your invisible creature.

Charles Darwin

Well in science there is a rule called Occam's Razor which, roughly translated, means one shouldn't contrive complex and unneccesary explanations. The explanation that presents appear on Christmas morning because of Santa is one such explanation. The explanation that God is the cause of existence is not one such explanation.

The claim that God does not exist is not trivial (i.e., the claim is not immediately obvious and it depends on some supporting evidence or argument), but the claim that Santa does not exist is trivial (i.e., no justification is required). One can easily explain the appearance of presents Christmas morning without appealing to Santa; it is not so easy to explain existence without God (that's putting it lightly).

So the claim that God does not exist has a much deeper metaphysical committment than the claim that Santa does not exist. Make sense?

Charles Darwin

Please see my response to BibleHumper about his similar point involving Santa.

tribalbeeyatch

Please re-read BibleHumper's post. Pay particular attention to the first sentence. I think you'll find that to be the key to unraveling your confusion.

Charles Darwin

Again, please see my response to BibleHumper regarding disbelief in Santa. You fellows seem to be missing the point that the existence of God explains our world. You all are lightly dismissing this explanatory power as though it were of no value. And hence you seem to be missing the point that the atheist must believe that the world somehow poofed into existence. This is a heroic claim about reality requiring faith.