Any mutual understanding should be among atheists other than atheism?

Started by SoldierofFortune, August 11, 2017, 02:20:57 PM

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SoldierofFortune

Atheism claims that there is no God.

Other than rejecting the existence of any God, atheists may not have the same ideas on anything.

Because atheism is not a religion or doctrine... The atheists may have  very different ideas on politics, on world view etc...

So, there cant be a -united atheist organisation- :D

Mike Cl

Quote from: SoldierofFortune on August 11, 2017, 02:20:57 PM
Atheism claims that there is no God.

Other than rejecting the existence of any God, atheists may not have the same ideas on anything.

Because atheism is not a religion or doctrine... The atheists may have  very different ideas on politics, on world view etc...

So, there cant be a -united atheist organisation- :D
All atheists have one thing and one thing only, in common.  They do not believe in any god(s).  Other than that, there is no common thought based on atheism.  That's why it is often said that trying to get atheists to agree on anything (other than nonbelief) is like trying to herd cats. 

But I'm sure there are atheist organisations and I'm sure those organizations have common goals in mind for why they organized.  I just don't really know of any myself--because I'm not fond of organizations.  Well, except for baseball teams. 
Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?<br />Then he is not omnipotent,<br />Is he able but not willing?<br />Then whence cometh evil?<br />Is he neither able or willing?<br />Then why call him god?

Hydra009

Quote from: SoldierofFortune on August 11, 2017, 02:20:57 PM
Atheism claims that there is no God.

Other than rejecting the existence of any God, atheists may not have the same ideas on anything.

Because atheism is not a religion or doctrine... The atheists may have  very different ideas on politics, on world view etc...

So, there cant be a -united atheist organisation- :D
Correct.  There's no common ideology, just the absence of theism.

That said, there are positions that atheists often gravitate towards, like secularism, naturalism, and scientific skepticism.  But that isn't necessarily the case all the time.  Instead of secularism, one could support state atheism.  Instead of naturalism, one could believe in non-deity supernatural beings.  And instead of scientific skepticism, one could hold a less robust skeptical position or it could be lacking entirely and one's religious doubt could come from some other reason.

Atheist is an extremely broad category, so there are bound to be plenty of differences between individuals.

Unbeliever

God Not Found
"There is a sucker born-again every minute." - C. Spellman

Baruch

Quote from: Unbeliever on August 11, 2017, 03:53:28 PM
Big-tent atheism is all the rage these days...

Implying Democrats? ;-)  With identity politics, it is more like a large cluster of small tents.
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

SGOS

I think it's only fair that all atheists should have one global atheist organization, just like the organization that represents everyone who doesn't collect stamps.

Cavebear

Quote from: SGOS on August 11, 2017, 08:53:26 PM
I think it's only fair that all atheists should have one global atheist organization, just like the organization that represents everyone who doesn't collect stamps.

There is still the atheist groups.  I have one in my Will.   Life member American Atheists, Inc.
Atheist born, atheist bred.  And when I die, atheist dead!

Atheon

Atheists can't even claim rationalism as a common thread. There are many atheists who believe in pseudoscience, the supernatural, and other woo.

Politics? Forget it. there are atheists who run the gamut from right-wingers, left-wingers, alt-right, SJW, authoritarians, libertarians, Commies, Nazis, feudalists, anarcho-syndicalists, monarchists, peaceniks, warmongers, to centrists.

Behavior? Atheists can be saintly good or unspeakably evil, they can be quiet, contemplative types or crazy party dudes.

The only thing we have in common is a lack of belief in gods.
"Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful." - Seneca

Munch

I like to think atheism lets people reach a level of shared logic and reasoning on certain matters that let them have mutual discussion on topics.

Not all gay men and women share the same outlook on things but they form groups and communities based on their sexuality, so in the same way atheism shares that kind of outlook.
'Political correctness is fascism pretending to be manners' - George Carlin

Cavebear

Quote from: Munch on August 12, 2017, 06:13:45 AM
I like to think atheism lets people reach a level of shared logic and reasoning on certain matters that let them have mutual discussion on topics.

Not all gay men and women share the same outlook on things but they form groups and communities based on their sexuality, so in the same way atheism shares that kind of outlook.

And not all straight men and women agree either on atheism.
Atheist born, atheist bred.  And when I die, atheist dead!

Baruch

Quote from: Munch on August 12, 2017, 06:13:45 AM
I like to think atheism lets people reach a level of shared logic and reasoning on certain matters that let them have mutual discussion on topics.

Not all gay men and women share the same outlook on things but they form groups and communities based on their sexuality, so in the same way atheism shares that kind of outlook.

Most of you agree on the same definition of "Atheist" ... which is part of, but not inclusive of, the dictionary definitions or scholarship.  And minimalist philosophical rationalism, because most of you don't like philosophy.  Logic and reasoning mostly work with logicians and mathematicians, not with regular human language.
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

SGOS

Quote from: Baruch on August 12, 2017, 09:06:13 AM
Logic and reasoning mostly work with logicians and mathematicians, not with regular human language.
That's kind of the point of logic, to help cut through the incoherence of human language, and the mental traps thereby created.

Baruch

Quote from: SGOS on August 12, 2017, 09:24:57 AM
That's kind of the point of logic, to help cut through the incoherence of human language, and the mental traps thereby created.

Real logic is abstract.  The logic of speech is polemic and apologetic, strictly rationalizing bullshit.  Human language is like Washington DC, swamp all the way down.
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Cavebear

Quote from: SGOS on August 12, 2017, 09:24:57 AM
That's kind of the point of logic, to help cut through the incoherence of human language, and the mental traps thereby created.

Yeah, I used to know a crazed gun nut who was atheist.  Still have never understood that.  But there he was...
Atheist born, atheist bred.  And when I die, atheist dead!

Baruch

Quote from: Cavebear on August 12, 2017, 03:24:48 PM
Yeah, I used to know a crazed gun nut who was atheist.  Still have never understood that.  But there he was...

One actual counter-example destroys anyone's rationalizing.
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.