Does Atheism = No beliefs?

Phat asks about Peter Boghossian:

Here's PZ Myers opinion of him:

Two white dudes spend an hour talking about how racist and sexist it is to criticize other white dudes

An epistemological battering

He's a bit of a sexist prick at best.

Ringo writes: So yes, religion is dangerous. Like some other diseases, we may not be able to eradicate it but it seems reasonable that we should do our best to minimize its ill effects.

You paint with a broad brush sir.
The soviet union thought the same thing about religion in that they wanted to eradicate it and minimize it's ill effects.

I do agree that religion CAN be dangerous so can any intolerant group to include atheistic regimes.

~1.6 writes: You paint with a broad brush sir. The soviet union thought the same thing about religion in that they wanted to eradicate it and minimize it's ill effects.

My brush is much narrower than theirs.

Atheists believe that there is a force beyond humans that governs the nature but they disapprove the theory of naming the force and dividing it into different religions.

This is an interesting theory, Kyle. Can you elaborate a bit?

KyleConno writes: Atheists believe that there is a force beyond humans that governs the nature but they disapprove the theory of naming the force and dividing it into different religions.

Just for Phat's benefit - I can feel him getting all excited - this is not language atheists would use.

Atheists don't believe in forces beyond humans. If they talk about 'forces' at all, it's in the physics sense, not the mystical.

All that an atheist is is someone who doesn't believe in god(s). End.

Atheists do believe that they, wretched things on a tiny planet hopelessly lost in the multiverse, to die forever very soon, are nevertheless absolutely the greatest ones!

AC writes: Atheists do believe that they, wretched things on a tiny planet hopelessly lost in the multiverse, to die forever very soon, are nevertheless absolutely the greatest ones!

Don't be silly.

AlexCaledin writes: ... on a tiny planet hopelessly lost in the multiverse....

Why would we need to know where we are in the multiverse? It isn't like we can't get everything we need right here. In fact, we know a lot more than we need to know about the neighbourhood.

Alex is just pointing out how arrogant people are being so small and claiming to have no need for a Creator. God is like oxygen...you wont even miss Him until you need Him.

There are no atheists in locked school classrooms during crazy shootings.

Phat writes: Alex is just pointing out how arrogant people are being so small and claiming to have no need for a Creator. God is like oxygen...you wont even miss Him until you need Him.

What's arrogant is thinking you know anything about God.

Phat writes: There are no atheists in locked school classrooms during crazy shootings.

How does God help the victims?

Phat writes: Alex is just pointing out how arrogant people are being so small and claiming to have no need for a Creator.

Yeh, well Alex is just saying dumb things.

God is like oxygen...you wont even miss Him until you need Him.

You do spout some utter crap sometimes Phat. How can anyone miss something that doesn't exist?

There are no atheists in locked school classrooms during crazy shootings.

Of course there are. You just default to these religious tropes without even thinking don't you?

ringo writes: How does God help the victims?

We won't know that answer until we ourselves die. To hear Tangle tell it, we will simply cease to exist at that point.

Believing otherwise is not that irrational...just unknown.

Phat writes: We won't know that answer until we ourselves die.

But you said, "There are no atheists in locked school classrooms during crazy shootings." Why would they not be atheists? Are they hoping God will save them? It seems to me that in a bad situation people are more likely to realize that there is no external help - i.e. no God.

Why would they not be atheists?

Because they chose at some point in their lives to be believers. They dont expect evidence to explain everything.

Are they hoping God will save them?

Yes. Critics may point at the bodies and suggest that evidence proves otherwise, but it is insufficient to prove anything apart from physical death.

It seems to me that in a bad situation people are more likely to realize that there is no external help - i.e. no God.

Only if they place too much "faith" in science and evidence. Believers dont simply switch boats in the middle of the stream when the rapids approach. Again, this is why many never fully become believers. They never bought the product to begin with.

Add: My claim is that in a situation where one might lose their life, many at that moment will buy the product. The risk makes it worthwhile.

Edited by Phat, : No reason given.