re: Who here is actually atheist?

I never understood the point of being an atheist.

It's a proven fact that atheists have more common sense than non atheists.

A billion non-atheists are Muslims. Checkmate bish.

Here.

Checking in

I don't even believe in this thread.

Life long atheist here. My parents had major issues with organized religion and I obviously didn't grow up following a faith though, nor any facet of a religion influenced my life on a personal level beyond friends and community. It's never been a debate or "issue" for me. I was taught to respect anyone's belief as long as they aren't harmful. Worship the rocks in your back yard. It's cool with me. Whatever gets you by.

That said, I do admit to have always looked down on people as being close minded. Even as a kid I did. Ive only let that be shared to a few jackasses, though.

quote:

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I never understood the point of being an atheist.

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If you are atheist, you get to feel better about yourself because you don't believe in fairies.

I'm a free thinker.

No, really. The OP implied he'd like for posters to apply labels to themselves. If I get to choose my label when in the realm of theism/atheism, I choose free thinker.

The accurate definition of atheism is a lack of religion. I have a lack of religion.

However, theists have largely succeeded in applying their own definition to the word atheist. Namely, atheists are anti-theists to them. That's why I don't apply that label to myself, even though I have a lack of religion.

I am not anti-theism except when science or government are threatened. I also don't think humans have evolved to a point wherein societies can remain stable without most individuals subscribing to a "higher power."

The need to engage in calming ritualism is a modern-human phenomenon. The vast majority of humans can't cope effectively with the knowledge that they will someday die. Other realities of the human condition can be just as stressful.

Religion offers an alternative to these stresses. There's an "afterlife" in which no stress is allowed.

At present, I think social chaos would ensue if religion, or a substitute for it, is not allowed in a society. We have seen several societies in the 20th century ban religion, only to offer up a demigod (almost always a living man) to be followed or worshiped. The obvious worst case we see in the early 21st century is North Korea.