Are Atheists generally close minded?

But they like to consider themselves free thinkers. :shrug:

What are your thoughts on this?

Edit: In fairness, an atheist can be honest, helpful, polite, and kind. An atheist can be willing to help the poor, care for those in need, and all that. An atheist can live by a moral code, not lie, not steal, not cheat on his wife. I guess that an atheist can be a good person.

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That does not mean that they all are.

 

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Only to the degree they have a purely political agenda ... much like any other ideological class

 

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Rather depends on what led to their atheistic position.
If they were brainwashed into accepting the view because it was the view their parents had, and have been indoctrinated in ever since, and base their entire world-view on perhaps a single book, then perhaps you might be on to something.

If however, they decided to think outside of their cultural and societal upbringing, and to ask questions of it, and to develop their own understanding through experience and reason for example, and to not limit themselves to a single book, then I would say they would not be generally closed minded.

The same could also be said of any theist, to be honest.

It also all rather depends on what you mean by close minded.

 

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I used to be a Christian. I was raised as a "born again" Christian all my life. I come from a very religious family. But, as my experience and education increased, I found my interest in religious membership decrease. I began noticing the lies and deception. I began noticing the ignorance and the blatant denial of the truth. Eventually, I just admitted to myself what was a de facto realty for about five years: I didn't believe in god, religion or serious religious tradition*.

It was open mindedness that led me to atheism. All things considered, you don't get more closed minded than religious people, and it was that quality that repulsed me away from religion.

~String

 

Athiests are not open minded to the possibility of god. Thus, they are just as "close minded" as some fundamental theists who can't seek any possibility but god.

I think athiests are just lazy. It's easy to state "god does not exist", there is no physical proof, ((the burden is on those making the assertions)), etc.

To a degree, that can be said about anything - depending on how deep you want to go. Can anyone prove to me that this existance is not just some big dream? No. Most even go out of there way to make there point "science contradicts religion" which isnt even the case. Than the argument eventually devoids in context and branches off to a whole bunch of other shit mostly exposing holes in "organized religion" and the cycle continues.

Funny thing is?
If there was physical proof that god exists or proof that god does not exist - the argument wouldent even be.... It would just be known as truths - untill than were going to speculate with certainty (athiests and theists) in the end the only person who gets my respect are the OPEN MINDED and OBJECTIVE agnostics.

 

There's an old saying: "Misery loves company"

I wonder if these atheists realize just how much they seem like raving lunatics.

Oh well, just let them get it out of their system. They're like teenagers that need to rebel before they become mature.

 

Rebelling?

Here in the UK, less that 1 million people attend church weekly. In a country of 62 million, being an atheist is hardly rebelling.

 

Joey, atheism is simply not believing in god(s).

In the same way you do not believe in the FSM, we do not believe either. Got it?

We do not make the statement that god does not exist, just that we have no belief. Simple, even somebody as brain damaged through drug abuse like yourself, _should_ be able to see this.

 

Yeah, but on the last census, half the population declared their religion as 'Christian', and just 15.5% stated 'no religion'. We have unelected religious figures, namely Bishops, in the house of Lords, getting to vote on our laws. No other religion has representation in the house of Lords.

We need to rebel until politics is secular.

 

As opposed to all you 'sane' theists who talk to someone you can't see? Who mumble prayers and rock back and forth fondling beads? Who aren't mature enough to cope with the concept of death? Who can't even fuck without guilt, and need a blessing from their god? Who are rank hypocrites, picking and choosing which parts of scripture that suits them?

 

Atheists are open to evidence and closed-minded to nonsense.

 

It's also easy to make broad generalizations and assume that all atheists come about their lack of belief due to not looking for answers. A lot of them had faith at some point, and only through questioning what they found or didn't find did they lose that faith.

Atheists are people too. They have their share of idiots and jerks as well as scholars and geniuses, and all in between.

 

No, I don't think so. Certainly no more so than anyone else.

Unconventional thinkers might be more like it. Simply by being an atheist, they are breaking with the majority opinion in many communities.

Of course, many atheists seem to emerge from religious pieties, only to fall prey to anti-religious anti-pieties.

But having said that, there's no reason to think that the aggressive slogan-spouting militant kind of atheist is any more prevalent among atheists than bible-waving fundamentalist missionaries are on the religious side.

My own guess is that it has more to do with personality type than anything else. Religious fanatics are probably going to continue in that mode, even if they lose their faith. Atheist fanatics are probably most likely to become fundies if they somehow 'find Christ'. More moderate and thoughtful individuals will continue to be moderate and thoughtful, whether they adhere to a religious tradition or not.

BTW: What does this thread have to do with 'general philosophy'. It's not a bad thread, but it's about religious psychology.

 

Okay stop with the ad hom attacks, you do that all the time, and its starting to make you look stupid. Athiesm is the belief god does not exist and athiests state that god does not exist all the time, what your saying doesent make much sense. You do understand the difference between an agnostic and an athiest?

The following statement "God does not exist" would only come from a fucking athiest, period. What is the point of your response.

 

ok..

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Wrong.

Apparently you don't.

 

About like the US census,you get the majority claiming Christian view all the while living a completely non christian lifestyle.Christianity is dying off little by little,it will take a while but it will get there.

 

Please tell me there's something more to this than simply discussing (yet another ) stereotype...

 

You seem to fail to see the difference between a god/gods and God, the big beardy Christian representation.

 

Joey, so you think you are the only stoner on the planet immune from the detrimental effects of cannabis use? Dream on kid.

No it isn't. We keep telling you this is not the case., but I guess your short term memory is shot, and your ability to learn is impaired.

THIS atheist keeps telling you you misunderstand the term.

You don't seem to grasp the difference between faith and knowledge, and you certainly don't grasp the term atheist!

Joey, learn to spell. You don't understand the word, and you can't even spell it.