Talk:Atheism

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Revision as of 10:59, 19 March 2007 by Lixluke (Talk | contribs)

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Theres some stuff over on Atheist that might be merged. Nickelodeon 11:42, 18 March 2007 (EST)

Felt it was unneccesarily difficult to read attempted to make it more concise. You said many things several times in different places




Please understand that you are not editing this article as if there was only one definition for atheism. There are 2 conflicting views on what the definition of Atheism is, and this article is made to accomodate bothe perspectives.

1. The traditional perspecitve is that atheism is not the lack of belief in God, but a belief there is no God.

2. The contemporary persoective is that atheism is the lack of belief in God. (The absense of belief in God.)

Your edits are mixing views with one another without seeming to understand that there are 2 defining atheism in 2 completely different ways. Please avoid editing the "traditional" section using contemporary definitions for Atheism. Please avoid editing the "contemporary" sectoion using tradition definitions for atheism. You do not have to agree with either definition. Just to be aware that there are 2 completely different definitions for atheism, and that one of them may not be the one you agree with. Please be aware of this when editing. Thank you. --Lixluke 20:05, 18 March 2007 (EST)




There was some confusion by lixluke about the classification of agnosticism. I have changed the article to correct that confusion. --James R 21:45, 18 March 2007 (EST)




REMOVED

I moved this to the talk section not because it is necessarily wrong. It is not appropriate for an article about atheism. The whole description about agnostics belongs in another article.

“This does not necessarily include agnostics, nor does it include people who are unaware of the concept of God. Agnostics believe that the question of the existence of God is unresolvable, even in principle, and so cannot be said to lack a belief in God.


COMMENTS ON DEFINING ATHEISM

The contemporary definition of atheism is anything that is not the position that God definitely exists. Anybody that does not have an outright belief that God definitely exists lacks the belief that God definitely exists. That is clear. Anybody that lacks the outright belief that God definitely exists has the absence of the belief that God definitely exists. This is how atheism is defined contemporarily. One misconception is that Strong Atheism is not a lack of belief in God. Strong atheism is a lack of belief in God as well as a belief that there is no God.


This example shows how anybody that lacks the belief that ‘God definitely exists’ falls under Atheism:

  • Anybody that believes that God definitely does not exist, lacks the belief that God definitely exists, and therefore falls under atheism. (strong atheism)
  • Anybody that claims that they do not know whether or not God exists, lacks the belief that God definitely exists, and therefore falls under atheism.
  • Anybody that abstains from the question of whether or not God exists, lacks the belief that God definitely exists, and therefore falls under atheism.
  • Anybody that holds no opinion of whether or not God exists, lacks the belief that God definitely exists, and therefore falls under atheism.
  • Anybody that believes that the question of the existence of God is unsolvable, lacks the belief that God definitely exists, and therefore falls under atheism. (agnostics)


DEBATE BETWEEN CONTEMPORARIES

There is one case that some argue about. This is those that have never heard of God. Contemporaries debate this as atheism.

  • Fact: Anybody that has never heard of God, lacks the belief that God definitely exists.

While many would say this falls under atheism because of they lack the belief that God definitely exists, other contemporaries believe they should not be included under atheism.


WEAK ATHEISM

In regards to “weak atheism”, not all weak atheists acknowledge the possibility that God exists. Weak atheism is nothing more than a passive position in the question of God’s existence. There are two and only two active positions in any logical argument. In regards to God, there is Theism and Strong Atheism. These are the only 2 active positions: 1. God definitely exists. 2. God definitely does not exist.

Anybody that does not abide by either of the 2 active positions represents a passive position in the question of God’s existence. Anybody that does not abide by one of the 2 definite active positions, falls under weak atheism. Anybody that that is not a Theist or a Strong Atheist is a Weak Atheist.

According to Wakopedia: “The suggested definition of weak atheists are all non-theists who are not strong atheists.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strong_atheism

Not all people who lack the belief do not take either position necessarily acknowledge the possibility that God exists. Those who refuse to acknowledge anything in regards to any God do not acknowledge the possibility that God exists or does not exist. They are weak atheists according to the contemporary definition.


AGNOSTICISM

Contemporaries consider agnosticism to fall under atheism because they lack the belief that 'God definitely exists'. Agnosticism specifically falls under weak atheism because they also lack the belief that 'God definitely does not exist'.


INFEDELS QUOTE

I used a quote from infedels which is an extremely unofficial source about atheism. (So is wikipedia). If anybody can find some real encycopdia article about atheism, and change the quote about weak atheism, please do so.


--Lixluke 09:52, 19 March 2007 (EST)