The World's Largest Coalition of Nontheists and Nontheist Communities!

What is Exactly An "Atheist"

I have had this discussion on other threads and I wanted to get your opinions on what most fellow Atheists consider an "Atheist".

I have always considered an "Atheist" as someone who does not believe in even the possibility of a God/Gods, an afterlife, reincarnation of any kind, energies "living on" or being "transferred to other forms" after death, ghosts/souls, and/or superstitious beliefs.

I have not considered Buddhists atheists as they still believe in "energies" and the sorts; and believe that people who say that they believe in the "possibility" of an afterlife as agnostics or the sorts - I have been an atheist for example since I was 15-16 and maybe an agnostic for a couple of years before then.

For example, I am sure that Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins, Ayaan Hirsi Ali and the likes all fit into the aforementioned definition of an "Atheist". So, what do you think?

Tags: Afterlife, Agnostic, Atheist, Atheists, God, Gods, Religion, Superstitions

1 member likes this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Richard on August 9, 2011 at 6:06pm

The technical definition of atheism doesn't include the supernatural, but if you're an atheist who believes in the supernatural then you are not exercising critical thinking skills and skepticism or the scientific method.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Matt VDB on August 10, 2011 at 3:52am

In other words, you'd be an non-skeptical atheist.

Still an atheist.

Exactly.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Richard on August 10, 2011 at 4:25pm

No, in other words if your an atheist and and you still believe in the supernatural your a fucking idiot.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Matt VDB on August 10, 2011 at 4:48pm

Still an atheist.

Glad we have that settled.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by MolotovDerp on August 10, 2011 at 10:47am

Simply one that doesn't have a positive belief of a deity or deities. agnostic/gnostic (as often as the term is misused as a noun) refers to knowledge-and practically speaking everyone is agnostic, meaning no one knows for sure on the existence of such beings. You can be an agnostic atheist or an agnostic theist. Everyone can believe in the supernatural or not. atheism just refers to the god question, nothing else. I can tell you from personal experience that aspects such as skepticism, intelligence and the such are not exclusive to this group, it's just in this one area, the god question, we may display more skepticism (yet be still completely obtuse in other areas or hell even in the very area that defines an atheist). Most atheists do not believe in the supernvtural, but that shouldn't be part of the definition-not only does it not apply to every atheist but also it has a tinge of arrogance in the implication.

after that, it's all up to you, and i think i pretty much restated several responses already :P derp.