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

Saying Atheism is sort of like Asexuality

I always hate it when some non-atheist tries to define and explain what atheism means. They say things like, "Atheism means that you know there is no god. You can't be that certain." Or they say "Atheism means you are against theism and/or you hate god and religious people. I'm' thinking of trying this response out:

Many people think the term atheist by itself conveys a lot of hostility and presupposes unjustified certainty. To help you understand why that is not correct, consider the similarities between the terms atheist and asexual. Both labels provide information about a person by identifying a lack of preference for something many other people find worthwhile. The term atheist does not imply certainty that god does not exists any more than the term asexual denies that sex exists. Also, you can identify with these labels, while not disparaging other people who might be monotheists, pantheists, polytheists, deists, heterosexuals, homosexuals, bi-sexuals, polysexual, omnisexuals or whatever.

There is nothing inherently contradictory about atheists or asexuals recognizing that many people get pleasure and meaning from practicing their favorite theisms and sexualities and wishing them nothing but the best on their favored path. So, I'd appreciate it if you would not assume that the label atheist automatically indicates that I have some sort of grudge or harbor ill feelings towards religious people. But please feel free to assume that it does imply that I would appreciate it if you did not push your junk in my face all the time. I'm just saying.

Tags: Atheims, definition

0 members like this

Comment

You need to be a member of Atheist Nexus to add comments!

Join Atheist Nexus

Comment by Russ on January 19, 2010 at 5:52pm: Love is like a rose? To tell the truth Herman, I got it wrong I was thinking of Shakespeare who had Romeo compare Juliet to a rose. I guess it was Better Middler who thought love was like a rose.

Not everybody likes analogies, but some do. They worked well for the Bard (probably didn't hurt his sex life either).

The phrase "is like" automatically says "also is not like", otherwise you would just say "is". IE. Jim is like John but John is John.

Comment by Herman Thorbecke on January 18, 2010 at 11:09am: Stephanie,
It is my belief that there is no god and that is my choice as I was sort of brought up as a Dutch Protestant, which has nothing to do with "Going Dutch", in spite of the fact that they are not known for their generosity. Asexuals "choose" to live an asexual lifestyle because they are poorly equipped to be sexually active. And please don't come with the Catholic priesthood choosing an asexual lifestyle. Biologically, asexuality refers to reproduction without the need for sexual organs.
And while we are on the subject, it is simply a matter of time until you girls will have no further need for us, at least not for the purpose of reproduction....And then we will all be asexual and not by choice. Sorry to have strayed off the subject.

Comment by Name Here on January 18, 2010 at 9:17am: @ Russ -
I love this! Never heard it put this way, too funny.

@ Herman -
Atheism is not a belief, no matter what Dictionary.com may lead people to "believe". The "a" in atheism means not/no/without. Atheists are without a god, it is as simple as that, having nothing whatsoever to do with belief.

Also, there are people that haven't given their brand of atheism much thought, as they were raised in it, so in that regard, I don't think it is a choice. And, like Russ said previously, some people choose the asexual lifestyle.

Of course we could also get into the freewill versus determinism debate with this "choice" talk, so I think I'll leave it here...*grins*

Comment by Herman Thorbecke on January 18, 2010 at 6:32am: Atheism and asexuality may have the "a" in common, but in my view that's where it ends. One becomes atheist by choice and asexual as a result of physical inadequacies.
Also, in what ways are roses like love? Is it color, smell, thorniness, horniness....?
I admitt to being somewhat fecetious.

Comment by Russ on January 18, 2010 at 5:24am: Herman,

Far be it from me to want to suggest that atheists do not, should not or should hope not to have a strong interest is sexuality of whatever flavors they might like.

It may or may not fly. I surely didn't mean to say they were identical or that they didn't have significant differences. That's how analogies work. (Love is like a rose, yes but yet it so many ways so unlike a rose).

Belief versus conviction is a good point. I'm not really trying to talk about drives and motives for true "asexuals". Yet, many chose and have chosen a relatively asexual lifestyle for religious reasons. I'm talking about language, what does the prefix "a" mean before a word such as asexual or apolitical

Comment by Herman Thorbecke on January 17, 2010 at 5:08pm: I don't think that argument will fly. Atheism relates to a belief or conviction while Asexuality represents a physican condition. Also, I don't think we should get our Atheism in any way associated or confused with our sexuality, particularly when we are speaking with, inherently confused, christian fundamentalists....

Comment by Hekate Moon on January 17, 2010 at 11:53am: What I really hate is when they profess it is a religion, and you know they know that's incorrect, but say it just to get your goat. It's the same as calling off a TV channel.