Do atheists not have beliefs?

[historia]

I've said on a number of occasions that I don't have beliefs.

This is an assertion that has been made by a few atheists on this forum.

Is it coherent for atheists to claim they don't have beliefs?

[Guy Threepwood]

I've said on a number of occasions that I don't have beliefs.

This is an assertion that has been made by a few atheists on this forum.

Is it coherent for atheists to claim they don't have beliefs?

For most of my life I believed whole heatedly, that the universe, life, consciousness, could all be explained by purely naturalistic/ materialistic mechanisms.

Based on these beliefs, I certainly considered myself an atheist- and seemed to pretty much agree with everyone else who did likewise.

But apparently I wasn't a real atheist, because I acknowledged my beliefs as such?

[Don McIntosh]

I've said on a number of occasions that I don't have beliefs.

This is an assertion that has been made by a few atheists on this forum.

Is it coherent for atheists to claim they don't have beliefs?

For most of my life I believed whole heatedly, that the universe, life, consciousness, could all be explained by purely naturalistic/ materialistic mechanisms.

Based on these beliefs, I certainly considered myself an atheist- and seemed to pretty much agree with everyone else who did likewise.

But apparently I wasn't a real atheist, because I acknowledged my beliefs as such?

I see it like this: the most effective way for naturalists to debunk someone else's beliefs without risking any of their own beliefs being debunked is to simply claim to not have any such "beliefs."

That way they can sit back, criticize, question, and ridicule Christianity all they want, while their own beliefs are locked away somewhere for safekeeping.

Otherwise they might have to find a way to reconcile, for instance, a belief that the natural universe "just is" or "always has been," with the belief that somehow the universe is still fully explicable in scientific terms.

[Guy Threepwood]

[Replying to post 42 by Don McIntosh]

That pretty much sums it up I think

I think atheists are as logical, rationale, capable of critical thought as anyone else, but you have to be able to question your own beliefs, and you can't question a belief you refuse to recognize as such.

[rikuoamero]

[Replying to post 43 by Guy Threepwood]

I think atheists are as logical, rationale, capable of critical thought as anyone else, but you have to be able to question your own beliefs, and you can't question a belief you refuse to recognize as such.

Which is what happened with yours truly! I questioned the beliefs I had as a Christian. I then became an atheist (well, after several years, it wasn't a straight one-to-one change).
What you imply here makes no sense. If us atheists are or were incapable of questioning our beliefs, we'd still be Christians, as we wouldn't have questioned that belief.

It's like you're saying "You're a poor mechanic, if you were a properly trained mechanic, you'd be able to take an engine out and put it back together lickety split" and I'm responding with "Dude...I did all that years ago. I'm at the point now where I can do it with my eyes closed. What you say makes no sense."

[Bust Nak]

But apparently I wasn't a real atheist, because I acknowledged my beliefs as such?

No, the only thing that is apparent is that you guys are using different definitions and are talking past each other as if it wasn't clear from the get go that this is a semantic argument.

[historia]

[Replying to post 63 by historia]

Do you believe rape should be illegal?

Still waiting, Stuart. Also:

Do you believe that first-term abortions should be legal?

Do you believe that marijuana should be legal?

Do you believe that homosexuals should be allowed to marry?

So ...

These are what is important to you in a forum that debates Christianity ...

The questions illustrate a point. Are you unable, or just unwilling, to answer them?

They were WAY OFF-TOPIC where you posted them.

Not at all. They directly address the topic of the thread, which concerns holding beliefs.

And frankly ...

Where and how you presented them would be distasteful and insulting to certain atheists.

If "certain atheists" find a simple query regarding their political beliefs insulting, perhaps a debate forum is not the best place for them to participate.

[Bust Nak]

I see it like this: the most effective way for naturalists to debunk someone else's beliefs without risking any of their own beliefs being debunked is to simply claim to not have any such "beliefs."

That way they can sit back, criticize, question, and ridicule Christianity all they want, while their own beliefs are locked away somewhere for safekeeping.

That explaination doesn't make sense, since one does not need to claim to not have any such "beliefs" to do that. Take me as an example: pretty much all I do here is "sit back, criticize, question, and ridicule Christianity" all I want, while my own beliefs are locked away somewhere for safekeeping. All I need to do, is keep my beliefs to myself not make them avaliable for scrutiny.

To make the claim of not having any beliefs, he is actually opening himself to be challenged.

The questions illustrate a point...

A point well made too, I don't know why StuartJ doesn't just reply along the lines of "I don't believe homosexuals should be allowed to marry, I know they should be allowed."

[StuartJ]

[Replying to post 46 by historia]

YOU ...

Brought up the subjects of ...

Rape

Abortion

Drugs

Homosexuality

In a topic concerning atheist beliefs ...

In a forum that debates Christianity.

[historia]

[Replying to post 48 by StuartJ]

Yes, I did. But if those questions are somehow too difficult for you to answer, perhaps you can answer this one:

Do you believe that immigrants to Australia should be allowed to hold dual citizenship status?

It's a simple yes or no question.

[StuartJ]

[Replying to post 48 by StuartJ]

Yes, I did. But if those questions are somehow too difficult for you to answer, perhaps you can answer this one:

Do you believe that immigrants to Australia should be allowed to hold dual citizenship status?

It's a simple yes or no question.

As I've said before ...

I don't have beliefs.

But please feel free to start this off-topic question elsewhere.

What it has to do with Jesus or Yahweh or the Holy Ghost in a Christian debating site I don't know ...?

But maybe check out my happy new signature ...!