Atheists, agnostics, rationalists, what do you think?
913496
Your proposal was getting interesting until you introduced a gratuitous element into it - "God". I've seen this argument before and it actually works against the concept of a god, or gods. Rupert Sheldrake has proposed a less ambitious, but interesting, theory wherein human mentation is necessarily projective - a bit like a classical field in ordinary physics. The point is that if it were true, then humanity can be seen as more intimately integrated to some essential character of the universe - but this essence needs no supernatural characteristics. Indeed the concept would be diminished by it.\nFor example, in his proposals there are empirical parameters for detection of this characteristic or its manifestations - again, just as if you were talking about, say, electromagnetism.\n\nI'm not saying I buy the theory. I am saying that the substance of the theses points away from the supernatural. Of course if the theory has any success, it may provide a basis for talking about what humans have disguised, or abstracted, as god or gods.
525096
I dont really know their names, but there are a couple agnostic/atheists who I respect. I dont agree but at least they answer intelligently and in a respectful manner. No one has to agree with me but Ill show the same respect to anyone that they show me regardless of their faith.
814362
Hard to accept? Nonsense. I'm a believer with quite a few atheist friends. I believe; they don't. Simple as that.
235137
Most Christians don’t have the problem that you say they do. What Christians may find difficult to understand is not the atheist’s disbelieve in the Christian God, but the atheist’s disbelief in any sort of Divine Creator at all. I think pwacher’s answer is in line with the most typical Christian response. She wants to know how there can be existence of any sort without some divine source, or as many philosophers are more likely to say: some sort of metaphysical “ground of all Being” that must, in some way account for the origins of the physical universe as well as consciousness. Given some basic elements and natural laws, science can explain (in principle) the evolution of the physical universe. What science cannot explain is where these primordial elements and natural laws came from in the first place. Nor can science explain how physical matter gives rise to conscious experience (although a few die-hard materialists are still optimistic that science can, at least in principle, do this someday).\n\nMy own belief/faith: The metaphysical foundation of all Being is “Mindful” in some fundamental way, and we all share this same ground as the source of our own sense of Being - which each of us individually and without much serious thought interprets as our “self” or “soul”, but which is not really unique to us as individuals, but is actually shared by all of us. Spiritually intuitive people may sense the unitary and primordial nature of this metaphysical ground and project their own “sense of self” onto it in such a way that it appears to be “other” - aka, a personified God who is a CREATOR distinct from creation when in fact (in my view) the creation simply is the form of the creator (and thus not a collection of ontologically distinct essences insofar as the ultimate metaphysical roots are concerned).\n\nAnd by the way, “athesist” literally means “not theist” (just as “asymmetrical” means “not symmetrical”) and a “theist” is one who believes in a god of some sort. Thus the person above who says that “atheist” means “no belief” is not quite right. An atheist believes that there is no god. And I might as well add that an agnostic believes something too. The “a” in agnostic is “not” and the “gnostic” is “knowledge”, so the agnostic believes that he or she does not know whether or not there is a god, although agnosticism does not strictly have to apply only to religious questions. If someone asked me: “Do you believe that the Vikings will ever win a Superbowl?” I could say that I am agnostic on that matter. I simply don’t have a belief one way or the other. I simply don’t know.
136484
I'm not, but I do appreciate having people in this section besides all the christians.  they kind of dominate it.  i consider myself a pantheist - god is all of existence, and nothing more - no divine conscious.  "god is the universe"  Additionally I do zen meditation.  neither of these practices do i really consider to be religious.  Christians would probably call me an atheist, because i don't believe in what they call God or really in anything supernatural.
785018
what do you believe in?
1173756
Yeah.  So what's your belief system...got my curiousity up.
60284
I wrote the following in a blog on God's coherence (source below):\n------------\nBefore I begin, I’m going to define some terms for the purpose of this discussion. These are by no means concrete and we can define them further if need be.\n\nAtheist: Someone without the belief in God. It is not necessarily a position where the person says affirmatively that God does not exist. Atheist is a general statement about a non belief in any God concept.\n\nHard Atheist: This is the person who says that God does not exist, affirmatively.\n\nWeak Atheist: This is a person who does not feel that there is any quality evidence for the existence of God. They do not rule the concept of God out definitely, but they see no reason to believe in any of the Gods they know of.\n\nAgnostic: Agnosticism is not a position on whether one believes in God or not, it is a position on whether one believes that it is possible to know positively whether God exists or not. Additionally it’s a position on whether God can be known through experience.
1035495
This is very true.  I know quite a few atheists and agnostics who are very good people.  Those who judge them otherwise are ignorant and should not be payed attention to.
900238
i think Muslim ladies look beautiful in their dress\ni think Christians ooze love for others\ni think Buddhists are serene and calm and we could learn much from them\ni think agnostics are wise to be open to things and wait for proof\ni think atheists are strong in their choice not to believe in a God \n\ni think there are good and bad in every walk of life and we should not generalise people as a whole\n\nand i think i am wonderful also lol\n\n\noh yessss food ... i love the food from other cultures lol
706504
I agree... what is it they believe and what possible good reason could they have for believing?  And why would they stick with it for so long?   Good question... no answer.
121827
I think Atheists have a right to believe as they do, and I do not think they are stupid for their beliefs.  The lifestyles of different Atheists vary, so it is hard to comment on an Atheist "Lifestyle."  In my opinion, Atheists could benefit from certain practices that are usually associated with religion, but do not necessarily have to be.  For example, daily affirmations of what is good in life, and daily reflections on how to live the best life, and meditation to strengthen one's qualities and so on.  \n\nYes, they have a place in heaven, if there is a heaven.
1022083
Are they atheists if their God is money?\nFood for thought!!
229237
To the other posters:  a person who only acknowledges the physical/material world, excluding the supernatural and holding a scientific-worldview is considered a "rational" person.  This is a definition.  \n\nIf you believe in anything supernatural, ghosts, elves, Santa, etc... (basically anything without physical evidence or proven through logic & rational thought) then those beliefs are "irrational" because they cannot be proven.\n\nIt is not an insult.  Irrational beliefs could be absolutely correct.  Example:  before experimentation and microscopes proved the existence of bacteria, to believe in them would be an irrational belief.\n\nAs to the initial question, I've heard from 7-8% although it depends on the survey.
58719
Be sure you understand the meaning of the term Atheist.  Atheists generally denouonce the existance of any type of superior diety.  I myself am Agnostic, I am comfortable with the idea that I'm not sure what happened, what will happen, why things are.  I tend to follow the current scientific theories (note the term theory).  Science is continually improving upon itself, realizing that very few things can be proven as fact.  Science often corrects previous assumptions of many things, a few hundred years ago, the world was flat, and the Earth was the center of the universe...tell someone that now and youll get looked at like you didnt make it through Kindergarten.  My opinion on the beginning of time, the "first" human and what not tends to follow the theroy of evolution as it can be demonstrated in everday life, however through out my travels toplaces that i would rather not have gone, I have fouond little evidence for an all powerful and caring god as I watched my friend burn alive while his wife, daughter, and future son were waiting his return home in less than one month.  Sorry.....those are some of my thoughts, I am not a violent man, and I live a very moral life, however, I don't believe in God....but on the same hand, I would be open to believe if I had ever seen any evidence of him/her, I firmly accept the fact that I don't know.
1042924
An atheist does not believe in God.\nAn agnostic assumes that there is not enough evidence in either direction to make a clear decision on believing or not.\n\nAgnosticism can also be defined in these ways:\n\nThe view that the existence of any god is unknown at present. \nThe view that any god's existence is unknowable. \nThe view that theism is incoherent (see ignosticism.)
627471
I like to THINK that I am rational, at least sometimes ;-)\n\nQuestioning faith is essential, it's only by doing so that you can keep a track on what you believe and to ensure that it can stand up to scrutiny.  To quote Richard Feynman: "The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool".  Later Feynman goes on to say how a scientist should be seen to be almost bending over backwards to be proven wrong, and in doing so their work will stand with a special type of integrity.  I think that this is the yardstick which Christians should use for their apologetics.\n\nSadly this standard is not lived up to (and I hold up my hands here as being as guilty as anyone) by some of the Christians on this forum.  \n\nEqually sadly, I get the impression that most of those with questions about Christianity aren't really interested in any answers, apart from those which confirm their prejudices.  Also it can get a bit wearing to have your intelligence and rationality questioned by someone who can't string a sentence together.