Many atheists might be closet Deists!

[oldbadger]

I must be thick.
It's taken far too long for me to arrive at this proposal.
And on enquiry I discover that the question has been shouted for yonks and yonks and I never saw it.

Quite simply, if you believe that there is a reason for the existence of everything, then how can you be a fundamental atheist? It just cannot be good science!


Here's a small selection of other ideas on the question.......



There is no such thing as a true atheist - Heaven Net

www.heavennet.net/writings/atheist.htm
Here is why you are not really an atheist. ... If I were to say that there was no such thing as gold in China, then to prove my statement, I would have to search ...
Are There Really No Atheists? - Secular Web

infidels.org/library/modern/michael_martin/no_atheists.html
Some Christians maintain that there are no atheists. They believe, of course, that some people profess to be atheists. But according to them these people suffer ...

Scientists discover that atheists might not exist, and that's ...
www.science20.com/.../scientists_discov ... _not_exist...
6 Jul 2014 - This line of thought has led to some scientists claiming that “atheism is .... While there is certainly growth in the number of bleak narratives being ...

[Danmark]

Why would they have to agree on a single definition? Who would enforce it?

They don't agree on a single def! They DON'T HAVE TO AGREE ON A SINGLE DEF!
There is not single definition of atheism!

This is simply incorrect. Repeating this false claim will not transform it into truth.
You've been given the standard definition many times. That each person may have his own slant on it, does not matter. I'll accept the definition in any, current, competent dictionary. Why is this such a problem?

[Danmark]

[Replying to post 1 by oldbadger]


I don't know but based on my personal expériences of knowing people that have found themselves in crisis and told me "I don't believe in God but I found myself praying", I suspect that there are a few atheists, if waiting for their child to come through a life threatening operation would utter some kind of prayer to a higher power.

Richard Dawkins refered reluctantly to what seems to be a universal tendancy to believe in God, some arguably refer to this phenonomen as the "god gene" so that may well be a factor to consider when looking at this question. In the end I don't think anyone but god* could give the definitive answer to that question.

I've been in many crises and I never turn to god or other superstition. I try to figure out a solution. I don't know why there is a reluctance on the part of many theists to accept that an atheist simply does not believe in god. I was a believer, I had a 'relationship' with Jesus Christ. I was a lay missionary. I prayed. I wanted to believe. I studied. I became more skeptical. I no longer believe. Simple as that.

It gets a bit tiresome to hear 'believers' claim we don't REALLY disbelieve. Tho' I admit I find it very difficult to accept Christians actually believe all that stuff in the Bible. Do you REALLY believe in God?

[H.sapiens]

[Replying to post 1 by oldbadger]


I don't know but based on my personal expériences of knowing people that have found themselves in crisis and told me "I don't believe in God but I found myself praying", I suspect that there are a few atheists, if waiting for their child to come through a life threatening operation would utter some kind of prayer to a higher power.

Richard Dawkins refered reluctantly to what seems to be a universal tendancy to believe in God, some arguably refer to this phenonomen as the "god gene" so that may well be a factor to consider when looking at this question. In the end I don't think anyone but god* could give the definitive answer to that question.

I've been in many crises and I never turn to god or other superstition. I try to figure out a solution. I don't know why there is a reluctance on the part of many theists to accept that an atheist simply does not believe in god. I was a believer, I had a 'relationship' with Jesus Christ. I was a lay missionary. I prayed. I wanted to believe. I studied. I became more skeptical. I no longer believe. Simple as that.

It gets a bit tiresome to hear 'believers' claim we don't REALLY disbelieve. Tho' I admit I find it very difficult to accept Christians actually believe all that stuff in the Bible. Do you REALLY believe in God?

Same here. I've too have been in many crises and I never turn to god or other superstition, face it ... that rabbit's foot did not do its original owner much good, and he had four of them.