Why do we still need the word “Atheist”? (143)
bodleing2: But I did hear it said, if you want to truly find God you have to go beyond religion and observe. You could say that god is love, the energy that drives compassion, the feeling that binds two people together, the will to serve others as you would serve yourself. It doesn't need a label, a name tag, it doesn't ask anything, not sit in judgement, but you could call it god and you could be thankful for it's presence.
Yes, you could say all that, but you don't have to. You could say something completely different.If I said I believed in God, and that I believed he created the Earth and everything on it, and then just left it to take care of itself, and had no further interest in it, whose to prove me wrong?
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BB_snickers: A theist is actually one that believes that there is a god that runs the universe but isn't of any religion. When it got mashed into one word isn't exactly clear.
I assume that religion (most likely roman-christian) in their clamoring for more power alienated theists because they refused the christian biblical god, not necessarily the existence of a god.
The accusation of being a theist went from not religious to not believing in god; but more appropriately not believing in the christian god that the romans were using to control others. Roman and or religious black listing. Then it just evolves the same as the lore of unicorns did.
Let's keep it simple, BB. We can just assume that a "theist" is someone who believes there is a God or gods. An "atheist" is someone who doesn't believe there is a God or gods. That is the understanding that most people have, I think.I assume that religion (most likely roman-christian) in their clamoring for more power alienated theists because they refused the christian biblical god, not necessarily the existence of a god.
The accusation of being a theist went from not religious to not believing in god; but more appropriately not believing in the christian god that the romans were using to control others. Roman and or religious black listing. Then it just evolves the same as the lore of unicorns did.
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Circlip: Okay, my fault, forget the unicorn.
Okay, I'll try.Circlip: Yes, but wouldn't it be strange if they didn't. They were all examples of possible concepts of God, so why wouldn't you expect them all to include the word "God"?
They were all one concept of 'god', that is an entity (a thing with distinct and independent existence) that/who behaves.Circlip: Okay, let's split it into two concepts. The concept of God, and the concept of the nature of God. It's my fault, I didn't define it properly in the first place. When I first mentioned the "concept of God", what I should have said was, "concept of the nature of God".
I think we're still talking about 'god' as an entity which I think is using the word 'god' as a noun.------ This thread is Archived ------
jac_the_gripper:
I think we're still talking about 'god' as an entity which I think is using the word 'god' as a noun.
What is your objection to the word "God" as a noun?I think we're still talking about 'god' as an entity which I think is using the word 'god' as a noun.
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Circlip: Let's keep it simple, BB. We can just assume that a "theist" is someone who believes there is a God or gods. An "atheist" is someone who doesn't believe there is a God or gods. That is the understanding that most people have, I think.
So no religious humour then? I was trying to get rid of the word atheist for you.
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Circlip: Yes, you could say all that, but you don't have to. You could say something completely different.
If I said I believed in God, and that I believed he created the Earth and everything on it, and then just left it to take care of itself, and had no further interest in it, whose to prove me wrong?
What, and became one of us....like a stranger on the bus?If I said I believed in God, and that I believed he created the Earth and everything on it, and then just left it to take care of itself, and had no further interest in it, whose to prove me wrong?
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Circlip: What is your objection to the word "God" as a noun?
Much the same as yours, I imagine.------ This thread is Archived ------
Is a Buddhist an athiest?
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If believing in unicorns was a commonplace there would likely be a word for not believing in them. As most people living or likely have ever lived express some sort of belief in gods and some still do not there is a need for the word. 
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It varies. The philosophical Buddhism that has been exported to the west has no god, but many in the east still observe deities centuries after the introduction of Buddhism. There are western atheists that do not reject entirely supernaturalism, so are they Buddhists?
I would think not.
I would think not.
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bodleing2: Is a Buddhist an athiest?
Not according to the greeks.This reminds me of trish and all the old religion, god no god threads way back in the day.
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Circlip: There isn’t a word for people who don’t believe that unicorns exist, or for those who don’t believe that goblins exist. I mean if for everything it were possible to deny the existence of, there were a word to describe those who didn’t believe in it, can you imagine how thick a dictionary would have to be? It might once have been useful to have a word for those who didn’t believe in God when nobody was allowed to not believe in him, but we can believe or not believe whatever we like now, at least in the enlightened parts of the World, so do we any longer have a use for the word?
Did you produce this, dude?------ This thread is Archived ------
galrads: Did you produce this, dude?
Funny you should say that, in my next thread I was going to set out my argument for abolishing the word "dude".------ This thread is Archived ------
jac_the_gripper: Much the same as yours, I imagine.
But I don't object to the word "God" at all, it's only "atheist" that I am suggesting is unnecessary.------ This thread is Archived ------
I don’t think a single entity can create this Universe.
I believe in Nature and the Cosmic powers. Following religion or god is like a Tribal affair, like following a political party.
But have to respect others for their views and beliefs.
I believe in Nature and the Cosmic powers. Following religion or god is like a Tribal affair, like following a political party.
But have to respect others for their views and beliefs.
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W15hf00L: I don’t think a single entity can create this Universe.
I believe in Nature and the Cosmic powers. Following religion or god is like a Tribal affair, like following a political party.
But have to respect others for their views and beliefs.
That's fair enough, but I'm not concerned with the validity of any particular set of beliefs, I just don't see the need to have a specific name for someone who doesn't hold to that particular set of beliefs. I believe in Nature and the Cosmic powers. Following religion or god is like a Tribal affair, like following a political party.
But have to respect others for their views and beliefs.
I'm afraid public opinion seems to be against me though.
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BB_snickers: Not according to the greeks.
This reminds me of trish and all the old religion, god no god threads way back in the day.
Yes trish the Christian slayer, she was proud to be called an athiest....This reminds me of trish and all the old religion, god no god threads way back in the day.
Not seen her for a couple of years though, think I'm overdue a visit.
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Circlip: Funny you should say that, in my next thread I was going to set out my argument for abolishing the word "dude".
Ohhh, do you see yourself as a dudette?------ This thread is Archived ------
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I'm not very good at the technicalities of language, but don't all these concepts above use the word 'god' as a noun?
In which case isn't the concept much the same, even though the behaviour of 'god' is imagined differently?