Atheism is a term that implies, simply, a theism. From the Greek, A (without) and theos (gods). The term atheism itself, from the French athéisme originated probably in the 16th Century C.E. and it's use peaked during the 1800's, diminished substantially in the 1900's but continues today.
The definition, however, in it's modern use, is often given as simply "disbelief or lack of belief in the existence of gods," a nonsensical application since the word god, in the ancient Hebrew, Common Greek, Latin and English, simply means anyone or anything that is considered mighty or that is venerated.
Dictionary Definition Of Gods
1. (in Christianity and other monotheistic religions) the creator and ruler of the universe and source of all moral authority; the supreme being.
2. (in certain other religions) a superhuman being or spirit worshiped as having power over nature or human fortunes; a deity.
3. an adored, admired, or influential person.
4. the gallery in a theater.
So, there are many gods, making the term atheism, by definition, a misnomer.
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Semantics, Semantics, semantics.
You can put any dressing on a word salad that trickles your fancy. The fact of the matter is that a lot of us in this world, don't concern ourselves with religion or believe in deities that show up nowhere but in ancient story books.
I have a theory. Since I started discussing the subject online in 1996 I have noticed that it is the atheists, not the Christians, who concern themselves with religion. Most of the Christians left the online community sometime in the early 2000's. Atheists are still at it quite enthusiastically.
"Since I started discussing the subject online in 1996 I have noticed that it is the atheists, not the Christians, who concern themselves with religion. "
And like AJ777 you felt obliged to seek out atheists to tell them this, how ironic.
When theists stop arrogantly telling people what to believe and how to live I'll stop pointing out their beliefs are woo woo superstition champ. If you and AJ777 don't like it the ball's in your court, pick it up and leave, I know how you girls love a tantrum and a flounce.
We do discuss religion here. It's impacts on this world and it's negative impacts on human psychology and behavior. That seems to cover the topics of history, social science and psychology so this does not prove your point at all.
Also, there are a ton of Christian forums. You can't be serious...There are so many. They even have their own online dating site as if its so hard to walk outside and find a Christian.
They discuss absolutes, They discuss the need to be "saved", they discuss ways to "circumvent" Athiest logic.
By the way I never targeted Christians in my response. You seem to have cherry picked that religion to prove a point and it's not working.
Where is that 1000 agree button? I left it here somewhere.
Empedocles: "Most of the Christians left the online community sometime in the early 2000's."
You might want to do some actual research before making a baseless and fallacious assertion. Numbers show that Christian forum sites actually receive more traffic than atheist sites.
Do you actually know how to research? Do you even know about Google? They have tools that allow you to research this stuff. I have mine own proprietary software I use on my Network Sniffer portable computer. After only about five minutes of research, I found your assertion to be baseless and fallacious.
I am guessing (fallaciously and baseless of course) you are one of those yungun Religious Absolutist Apologist in training. Typical.
rmfr
Basically every religious building in the West has its own website. I'd find it difficult to even find an offline group of atheists who rent out a building once a week except maybe in a city or large town.
@Empedocles' "theory" is rather like one of those people who think "the Jews" run everything.
Empedocles,
How many worshipers do you have? It seems that most people on this forum are atheists regarding you, a self-styled god. Prove yourself and do something godly in scope.
@Diotrephes
What?! I'm most certainly no god. I'm a simple and humble man of sin. I'm like the tax collector, not the Pharisee. (Luke 18:9-14) A sinner undeserving of my God, Jehovah's consideration. I am more your servant than your master I assure you.
Empedocles,
"What?! I'm most certainly no god."
In real life the original Empedocles considered himself to have been a god.
"According to legend only, Empedocles was a self-styled god who brought about his own death, as dramatized by the English poet Matthew Arnold in “Empedocles on Etna,” by flinging himself into the volcanic crater atop Mount Etna to convince followers of his divinity."
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Empedocles
Since you took his name I thought you might want to jump into a volcano to prove your divinity.
(Hint: don't take everything you read on forums personally. 99% of it is just joking around and people developing their writing skills. Ignore the other 1%).
@Empedocles
"I have a theory. Since I started discussing the subject online in 1996 I have noticed that it is the atheists, not the Christians, who concern themselves with religion. Most of the Christians left the online community sometime in the early 2000's. Atheists are still at it quite enthusiastically."
And yet you are here.
@David Killens
Yes, I'm here, and I really like your Basil avatar. I'm a great admirer of British Comedy. Fawlty Towers, Father Ted, Absolutely Fabulous, Black Adder, The Young Ones, Monty Python, Keeping Up Appearances, The Vicar Of Dibly.
Another dishonest theists with a chip on their shoulder, who thinks repetition will validate their duplicity.
Atheism is the lack or absence of belief in a deity or deities. Beyond the lack of belief in a deity you have no idea what any atheist believes or doesn't until they tell you, that is axiomatic. If you start here with this tedious lying BS it will define you on here, and rightly so. It's nothing new either.
This is a debate forum, demonstrate objective evidence for your deity, and then I'll be not just impressed, but a theist. All you're doing at the moment is repeating the worst arrogant and dishonest behaviour I've come to expect from religious apologists who know their beliefs are biased and involve fallacious arguments like argumentum ad ignorantiam, and special pleading.
⇑ ⇑ ⇑ ⇑ ⇑ ⇑ ⇑ ⇑ ⇑ and what he said ⇑ ⇑ ⇑ ⇑ ⇑ ⇑ ⇑ ⇑ ⇑
rmfr
Actually, you slightly missed.
θεος (theos) = god, lord, creator; [NOT gods]
ενα- [usually shortened to α-] (ena- [usually shortened to a-]) = to be without;
thus αθεος (atheos) atheist = to be without god.
And again, slightly wrong.
The definition, however, in it's modern use, is often given as simply "disbelief or lack of belief in the existence of ANY gods."
And ultimately wrong.
So, there are many gods, making the term atheism, by definition, a misnomer.
No misnomer.
rmfr
PS — now to read other replies
@ Arakish
Standing ovation to you sir...
@ Empedocles
Want to know where the ultimate misnomer lies?
True Believer.
This is the ultimate misnomer since any religious believer is believing in something that cannot be proven. Thus, more aptly, all religious believers should be more correctly named: False Believers.
rmfr
@arakish
I agree. How could I be a true believer and a sinner at the same time? With the exception of Christ no one has ever been a true believer. And even Christ had his difficult moments.
Let me ask you a question, though . . . do you think there is such a thing as a true unbeliever?
Empedocles
Define unbeliever.
Empedocles: "Let me ask you a question, though . . . do you think there is such a thing as a true unbeliever?"
With irrefutable objective hard empirical evidence to back the belief, Yes! Example: Theory of Evolution. There is just too much irrefutable objective hard empirical evidence not to believe it is true. Thus, yes, I can be a true believer in anything that does have the irrefutable objective hard empirical evidence to back up such a claim.
For a False Believer, best example is for deities. There is absolutely no irrefutable objective hard empirical evidence that ANY deity actually exists.
rmfr
@arakish
The image attachment below is a photograph of a deity, the Salafi Sky God. Eric Clapton is a god. He exists.
Attachments
Attach Image/Video?:
That's just dishonest semantics.
@Sheldon
Explain the logic underlying that conclusion, please?
Sheldon "That's just dishonest semantics."
Empedocles "Explain the logic underlying that conclusion, please?"
It's self explanatory, the logic is that your post used semantics in a dishonest or duplicitous way, by extending the definition of what represents a "god" to include things like a rock star and sculpture, in order to dishonestly claim this was evidence gods exist.
@ Empedocles
Completely wrong. It is carving of a human artist's depiction of what they wish for their sky faerie to look like. Not evidence of a deity existing. Even I could carve a depiction of what I would think a deity would look like. That does not mean my carving is evidence of any deity.
Do you not understand the principle of irrefutable OBJECTIVE HARD EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE? Even if a deity came to me in person to prove itself, and it may very well prove to me beyond shadow of doubt to be a deity, that would NOT mean it would be worthy of worship.
rmfr
@xenoview
A person who doesn't believe, in this case, the Bible.
Empedocles, do you, then, consider there’s a difference between believing and knowing? Do you think one can be, for instance, an agnostic atheist?
@CyberLN
There is a difference between believing and knowing, yes. You can know in your heart without really being absolutely positive. This manifests itself in many aspects of life, however. Not just with matters of religion and faith. I tend to avoid terms like agnostic atheist etc. They can be such an unnecessary distraction. I prefer the terms believers and unbelievers. I did prefer Hitchen's term anti-theist over atheist, though. It was more accurate and to the point. In my opinion most atheists are more irreligious than atheist, but not all of them.
Empedocles: "I tend to avoid terms like agnostic atheist etc."
Why? I am admittedly both. I am an atheist when comes to believing any deity exists. I am an agnostic when it comes to whether there is life on other plants. We have no proof life exists anywhere other than on this planet. Thus, I do not know (agnostic) whether there is life on other plants.
Logically, with 20,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 (20 trillion billions) other stars out there in the universe, there SHOULD be another planet with life. However, we still do NOT know (agnostic).
Agnostic, from the Greek:
γνοσι (gnosi) = knowledge;
ενα- [usually shortened to α-] (ena- [usually shortened to a-]) = to be without;
thus αγνοσι (agnosi) agnostic = to be without knowledge.
Thus, yes, I am an agnostic atheist by definition. Some things I have no knowledge of, yet I do not believe any claims that any deity exists.
rmfr
Your heart plays no part in the acquirement of knowledge, and what you're talking about is an emotional response anyway, not knowledge. The phrase "know it in your heart" is meaningless rhetoric, something can either be objectively evidenced or it can't.
"I did prefer Hitchen's term anti-theist over atheist, though. It was more accurate and to the point. "
They're two different positions entirely, and it's not more accurate unless it applies. An atheist is someone who does not believe in any deity or deities, an anti-theist is actually opposed to belief in the existence of a god or gods. They're not the same thing, but they're not mutually exclusive either.
" In my opinion most atheists are more irreligious than atheist, but not all of them."
Well then your opinion is absurd, as religion is the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods. That definition is almost the antithesis of atheism.
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