Reply #253: Where do you get the delusion that Atheism = being "against" belief in God? [View All]

[Warren DeMontague]

Atheism means not believing in "God". Not any God, or Gods. That's the generally accepted definition. You can not believe in something without being somehow opposed to anyone believing in it.

Oh, I know, it's so much more fun to have the steroeotypical image of the "angry atheist", particularly when buying into the conceit of the poor, put upon, religiously persecuted Christian Majority that we hear about on FOX News during the "War on Christmas" Season. :eyes:

Personally, I'm an Atheist (at least, that's one of many labels I self-apply in certain circumstances), and I could give a fuck what you believe or don't believe. Not because I'm
"angry", but because as long as you keep your belief away from my kid's public school science and biology textbook, and don't try to use your belief as an excuse to outlaw my wife's birth control pills, really, why should I care what you cart around in between your ears?

But your argument, here, is that Atheism- again, which, if it could be summed up in one simple declarative sentence would loosely translate to "I don't believe in God" is "based on a position of anger". You don't believe in Zeus, right? How about Thor? Vishnu? You're an Atheist, at least as far as certain Gods are concerned. Is this because you're angry at Zeus, Thor, or Vishnu believers or angry because some people might believe or might have believed in them at one point?