Sir Anthony Hopkins: I couldn’t be an atheist

I don't care. An impression is not enough to evaluate a concept. Therefore, the idea of god is meaningless.

No it doesn't. It doesn't matter how advanced they are, they are still natural. If the supernatural is just a form of the natural, then the concept is meaningless.

No, by definition it is not natural, it's a way to avoid the limitations of known physics by suggesting something that does not and can not exist. Why? Because of one's desire to believe something, and that isn't valid way to achieve knowledge.

 

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Epic fail... No - atheism is the lack of belief in God(s) - which may or may not include the belief that there is(are) no God(s).

http://www.sciforums.com/showpost.php?p=2335175&postcount=1

 

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What????

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Reading comprehension is not your forte' is it...

 

Top of my class in reading and spelling. In fact i won may spelling contests in spite of being dyslexic.

 

Then what doesn't make sense to you?

 

Lets see:

That whole statement makes no sense to me.

You lack belief in god but that does (may or may not) not include that you lack belief there are no god(s). ???

 

Let's please not argue semantics. God is the idea that something made the universe, something which was not made, and which has personality and a plan. That's like saying the cause of the universe is something which is at once similar to a human king, and beyond investigation. This isn't an idea anyone should take seriously.

 

No.

Lack of belief in God(s) != belief there are no God(s).

One is a lack of belief, one is a belief.

 

In other words, recognizing subtle (but important) distinctions isn't his forte.

 

Not really, in modern popular use, and atheist is someone who believes there is no god or gods and nothing supernatural whatsoever. Please stop being a pedantic bore.

 

The problem is that most atheists (at least the ones that I know), when pressed, don't actually characterize their position that way. They will typically say things like "I don't believe in God" rather than "I believe that the existence of God is an absolute impossibility". They call themselves atheists but are in fact agnostic atheists, which is a term I have indirectly advocated for around here.

Being pedantic is important sometimes, if we want to be accurate.

 

It's not so important, since even the most ardent atheist doesn't say that it's an absolute impossibility.

 

There are those who believe that God is a logical impossibility.

The main problem is that theists often claim that atheism is just as much faith based as theism, because atheists are making the "claim" that there is no God. In response to this atheists are perpetually having to clarify their position, usually by stating that they aren't making any "claims" at all. It would be useful then, for any atheist who is not actually claiming that God is an impossibility, to characterize themselves as agnostic atheists, which would go some way towards solving the problem.

 

I think it's impossible to say whether it's possible or impossible because it's not a coherent concept. I have a high degree of certainty that there is no truth to it, and refuse to call myself an agnostic.

 

People have the false idea that we have a 3 way switch with Theist on one end, Atheist on the other and Agnostic in the middle. But this is not true, the middle setting is also Atheist.

And it amazes me how so many people have a hard time wrapping their little brains around this concept.

BTW - I will agree with you that the idea that the cause of the universe is something which is at once similar to a human king, and beyond investigation is ludicrous and not worth any serious thought. But that is not everyone's concept of "god".

 

A theist has no need to impress with theism unless he has revelations from God i.e. he's a prophet.

 

This was best covered by Russell in his 1947 essay Am I An Atheist Or An Agnostic?

http://www.positiveatheism.org/hist/russell8.htm

Theists are constantly trying to bait atheists into making positive claims so they can then portray us as being dogmatic.

 

Some wise theists know this.

And the idea that the one who caused the universe is not at once similar to a human king and beyond investigation is not ludicrous and worth serious thought.

 

Do atheists realize that beliefs seem to kill because theists and athiests must share the world otherwise there would only be people killing?