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How to counter the claim that atheism is also a "faith system"

I have only had one debate on this topic, so I am rather new to the idea. It was really pretty easy. However, since I've never debated something like this I started the discussion for people to add on to helpful hints on smashing theists who try to claim this.

Here is the conversation thus far online:

Gaurav, only non arrogant faith is agnostic
Yesterday at 6:42pm · Delete

Johnny: well... yes and no. I was agnostic until I read many of the logical philosophy writings against religion and many forms of god are logical fallacys. Atheists/agnostics are the same thing. No atheist will say that they can absolutely prove god doesnt exist. However, I like to call myself a non-theist when clarification is needed. The terms atheist and agnostic are so tainted by society's view of what they mean.

Gaurav: atheism is the "belief" that there is no god, theres no way to disprove just like theres no way to prove it, agnostic is like saying "i dont know if there is a god or not", arrogance plays a role in anything ending with theism because theism in itself is defined as the "belief" in at least one deity
11 hours ago · Delete

Johnny: difference is the context of the belief. I believe there is no god. I do not however claim that my belief is absolute truth. Based on logic, most forms of god do not make sense, therefore I don't believe in them. If someone was to make a fail-proof, logical argument about why god did make sense, then i would become more neutral.
The difference... is that theists claim to have absolute, god-given proof and no chance they are wrong. You will never find an atheist say there is no chance that they are wrong.
11 hours ago · Delete

Gaurav: let me just stop you right there, theres something your not realizing...logic plays no role in theism, you cant use it when your talking about a faith....so logically nothing, doesnt matter, god is decided by the heart, logic by the brain...get what im saying?
about an hour ago · Delete

Johnny: ... um... ok well let me stop you right there. have you ever met an atheist? In the many organizations I have dealt with never once have met one with the "blind faith" that you are trying to blame us for... what is your experience? Have you dealt only with theists trying to smear atheists by calling us just as bad?

HAHAHA you really want to make the "atheist is a religion" argument? This is probably the most annoying one there is.

a-, an- +... Read More
(Greek: a prefix meaning: no, absence of, without, lack of, not)
A-sexual: without sex
a-theist: without belief in a higher

Funny that you take one part of the word and ignore the most important part.

Read this before arguing further. This is an argument that frequently comes up an is rather pointless anyway.

http://www.atheists.org/atheism/About_Atheism

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by AcesLucky on October 27, 2009 at 2:03pm

Simply agree with then and explain: Atheism is a faith and a religion in exactly the same way that not worshiping the tooth fairy is a faith and a religion. And then proceed to tell them that if they do not believe in the tooth fairy then that is their religion. And also "Leprechaun." In fact everything they DON'T believe in, according to their definition of the terms, is a religion. Keep accusing them of having multiple religions until its absurd (they belong to the religion of Candy Man because they don't believe in the Candy Man, etc..). Because it takes faith to not believe in the Leprechaun ... and so forth until they get it.

Permalink Reply by Johnny on October 27, 2009 at 2:28pm

I like it =)

After the convo I posted I started arguing with the guy how "Are Republicans and Democrats religions too just because they believe that their system of government is better than the other's? Belief itself does not constitute religion."

Your approach takes MUCH less logic and appeals to the stupid and the emotional too. I'll do that next time. =p

Permalink Reply by Michael on October 27, 2009 at 3:22pm

Good one.

I've used the Tooth Fairy example before, but I like your idea of listing mythical characters, one after the other until even the dumbest theist gets the message.

Permalink Reply by Richard Lawrence on November 5, 2009 at 12:40pm

Along the lines of what AcesLucky wrote I usually let the theist answer that question by pointing it right back at them: if atheism is just another belief system and I am dealing with, let's say, a Christian, I ask them is their nonbelief in Allah just another belief system? Is their non-belief in Vishnu just another belief system? The fact is that when you get into a debate with a theist, they reject (just like you) most of the deities that are worshipped all over the world. The issue has to do with the one specific deity that the theist believes in. Your unbelief and theirs vis-a-vis all the other gods are exactly the same. So, does their unbelief in the over 900 gods mean they hold 900 belief systems? I think this example shows what a tired old canard that claim really is.

Rich