Are atheists born or made?

[Donray]

[Replying to post 30 by Athetotheist]

So your parents did not baptize you? They never took you to church? They never prayed at a meal?

What religion were/are your parents and what religion are you?

What religions did you study before selecting the one you selected?

Answer me why the vast majority of children wind up with there parents religious ideas. I think you were unusual. Most Christian families I know (all) took there children to church and made them pray.

[brunumb]

[Replying to post 30 by Athetotheist]

I said the claim that religious people are *simply* brainwashed is a fallacy.

What explanation do you offer for the majority of people who end up in the religion of their family, their community and even their country? There will always be outliers for whatever reason, but the geographical distribution of religious beliefs is very strong evidence for the effects of childhood and peer group indoctrination.

[Athetotheist]

[Replying to Donray]

My family was informally Christian, not really churched. I've been through numerous religious phases and the belief I now hold is athetotheism [my own term]. I coined it from the Greek words "atheto theo", meaning "ineffable God". I believe that there is some manner of creator whose full and exact nature is beyond human comprehension. It's somewhat like Deism, but doesn't hold as closely to Deism's traditional "watchmaker" concept of God; it's a more eclectic approach.

[Athetotheist]

[Replying to post 30 by Athetotheist]

I said the claim that religious people are *simply* brainwashed is a fallacy.

What explanation do you offer for the majority of people who end up in the religion of their family, their community and even their country? There will always be outliers for whatever reason, but the geographical distribution of religious beliefs is very strong evidence for the effects of childhood and peer group indoctrination.

Children are first exposed to the beliefs of their families, but it's a jump from there to an assumption of "brainwashing". Children tend to mirror their elders' political sentiments as well. Is that brainwashing? If someone retains the religious beliefs of their childhood as an adult, you can't automatically assume that they haven't formulated their own reasons for doing so.

[brunumb]

[Replying to post 30 by Athetotheist]

I said the claim that religious people are *simply* brainwashed is a fallacy.

What explanation do you offer for the majority of people who end up in the religion of their family, their community and even their country? There will always be outliers for whatever reason, but the geographical distribution of religious beliefs is very strong evidence for the effects of childhood and peer group indoctrination.

Children are first exposed to the beliefs of their families, but it's a jump from there to an assumption of "brainwashing". Children tend to mirror their elders' political sentiments as well. Is that brainwashing? If someone retains the religious beliefs of their childhood as an adult, you can't automatically assume that they haven't formulated their own reasons for doing so.

Let me try again. What explanation do you offer for the majority of people who end up in the religion of their family, their community and even their country?

[Athetotheist]

[Replying to brunumb]

I offer tradition. I don't offer "brainwashing" or "indoctrination".

Now, theocratic teaching in public schools.....that would be indoctrination, like the atheocratic teaching in the schools of the old Soviet Union.

[brunumb]

[Replying to post 36 by Athetotheist]

Now, theocratic teaching in public schools.....that would be indoctrination, like the atheocratic teaching in the schools of the old Soviet Union.

I would argue that what you call tradition is equivalent to theocratic teaching within the home. The outcome is more consistent with indoctrination than merely following tradition.

[Aetixintro]

[Replying to post 1 by harvey1]

I think "Atheists" are made and it has the following reasoning.

Children have a natural tendency to be kind and "Atheism" rejects this natural kindness, that is, the Humanism side of it. As children grow older, they develop intellects and with these intellects come a tendency toward (white-list) religion and deep conviction.

Therefore, I think that (white-list) religion is also more natural than "Atheism" and the (theoretical) Humanism.

See also The Fantastic Phenomena and Freak Nature as Accounts of Reality, on Facebook and elsewhere: https://www.facebook.com/notes/lukas-f- ... 606236984/.

[Tcg]

Children have a natural tendency to be kind and "Atheism" rejects this natural kindness, that is, the Humanism side of it.

Atheism is the lack of belief in god/gods. In what way can atheism reject kindness?


Tcg

[benchwarmer]

[Replying to post 1 by harvey1]

I think "Atheists" are made and it has the following reasoning.

You're right, atheists are made. It's called procreation. Everyone is born without beliefs in gods (or anything for that matter).

Children have a natural tendency to be kind and "Atheism" rejects this natural kindness, that is, the Humanism side of it. As children grow older, they develop intellects and with these intellects come a tendency toward (white-list) religion and deep conviction.

Baloney. Please link us to the edicts of atheism that require rejecting kindness. You have this backwards. It is many theisms - including Christianity - which actually ask people to reject others.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?s ... ersion=NIV

Luke 14:26 New International Version (NIV)
26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.