Religion

Silent3

(15,909 posts)

15. How is that not atheism?

Wed Oct 24, 2012, 03:52 PM

Oct 2012

The author over-personalizes a connection to the universe in a way that most atheists I know would avoid, given their generally skeptical nature about all forms of mysticism, not just about deities. Atheism, however, is not defined by a "stark... nothingness of stardust and gravity". Atheism is defined by a lack of belief in deities.

The author started out as a mystically-inclined atheist, then confronted the death of her parents as a mystically-inclined atheist. She did not suddenly embrace a belief in a deity. A universe that "breathed" with her for a time is not a God. She simply didn't remain as narrowly-defined an atheist as she seemed to think one would have to be to remain an atheist.

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Atheists and Foxholes [View all] rug Oct 2012 OP

Oh brother. beam me up scottie Oct 2012 #1

Arakan anyone? dmallind Oct 2012 #32

Exactly. beam me up scottie Oct 2012 #35

Excellent article, imo. I think she expresses what many feel. cbayer Oct 2012 #2

That's only true if skepticscott Oct 2012 #3

"There may be atheists in foxholes, but apparently I am not one of them." writes Ms Nichols. stopbush Oct 2012 #4

It's not always about groveling, you know. cbayer Oct 2012 #5

In a foxhole it is. beam me up scottie Oct 2012 #7

I disagree. Sometimes in a crises, it's about trying to find some internal strength. cbayer Oct 2012 #9

The author misused the term "atheist in a foxhole". beam me up scottie Oct 2012 #10

What she describes is nothing like begging for her (or her mother's life), so I agree cbayer Oct 2012 #11

The foxhole reference usually sets me off. beam me up scottie Oct 2012 #13

I am - and it's my death not someone else's to boot. dmallind Oct 2012 #33

Hmm edhopper Oct 2012 #6

Is there a reason? rug Oct 2012 #8

A reason for what? edhopper Oct 2012 #43

"But the universe and reality don't exist for your comfort." rug Oct 2012 #44

If you mean an anthropromorphic reason edhopper Oct 2012 #47

No, I'm not asking for physical ausation. rug Oct 2012 #48

Are we in edhopper Oct 2012 #51

No, never mind. rug Oct 2012 #52

You know rug, you really ought to post all this anti-atheist crap in Atheists & Agnostics mr blur Oct 2012 #12

How is this anti-atheist? cbayer Oct 2012 #14

Edit, replied to wrong post. rug Oct 2012 #17

If anything, I found this to be very supportive of atheism and a very personal story. cbayer Oct 2012 #18

He is under the delusion that if I posted it it must be anti-atheist. rug Oct 2012 #19

I can't speak for Mr. Blur but if I had to guess beam me up scottie Oct 2012 #20

I can see how the "There are no atheists in foxholes" meme would be offensive, cbayer Oct 2012 #22

You asked how this thread could be construed as 'anti-atheist'. beam me up scottie Oct 2012 #23

That would be true only if one didn't read past the headline. cbayer Oct 2012 #24

If the headline read 'Catholics and the Buggering of Little Boys' would you read past it? beam me up scottie Oct 2012 #25

Yes, I would, because headlines are often used to incite interest. cbayer Oct 2012 #26

They are also used to sow discord. beam me up scottie Oct 2012 #27

I don't think there is a need to make this personal. cbayer Oct 2012 #28

Ok, first, the author is no longer an atheist (if she ever was one). beam me up scottie Oct 2012 #29

What does she say that makes you think she is no longer an atheist? cbayer Oct 2012 #30

"I believed there was something greater than our little lives." beam me up scottie Oct 2012 #31

OK, but you make assumptions about "my god", which I would ask you not to do. cbayer Oct 2012 #34

Okay, comparing anybody's god to Santa Claus is offensive. beam me up scottie Oct 2012 #36

Agree. cbayer Oct 2012 #37

You think an article written by an woman sifting through belief systems is flamebait? rug Oct 2012 #38

At least I don't play coy. beam me up scottie Oct 2012 #39

No, you just indirectly accuse people of posting flamebait. rug Oct 2012 #40

Oh it's a playground... beam me up scottie Oct 2012 #41

Really? And what game are you playing? rug Oct 2012 #42

We really do need that hypocrisy smilie. beam me up scottie Oct 2012 #45

One of us does, desperately. rug Oct 2012 #46

It would behoove you to re-read your posts to atheists in this forum before throwing stones at me. beam me up scottie Oct 2012 #49

Simple minds find things to be simple. rug Oct 2012 #50

You have a peculiar view of what is anti-atheism. rug Oct 2012 #21

How is that not atheism? Silent3 Oct 2012 #15

I think that a very accurate description of what she describes. cbayer Oct 2012 #16

"To kati allo" - Embracing Something Else tama Oct 2012 #53

To Kati Allo - I like that very much. cbayer Oct 2012 #54

Silly nothereforyou Oct 2013 #55

Welcome to DU gopiscrap Oct 2013 #56

Welcome to DU and to the Religion group, nothereforyou. cbayer Oct 2013 #57