Sorry I haven't been posting here very much. I'm juggling between this blog, Gather.com, and now my YouTube channel. All that, and I still gotta work!
Come check out my videos at youtube.com/smalltownatheist
I'm also available at my stickam.com account, so drop by and chat me up. My stickam player is now at the bottom of the blog, so now anytime I go live, you'll be able to see it here!
We'll hit a Fallacy Friday tomorrow. Hope to see you soon, somewhere!
-STA
Showing posts with label atheism 101. Show all posts
Showing posts with label atheism 101. Show all posts
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Friday, January 4, 2008
Same Shit, Different Toilet
Now that the holiday breaks are over, it's time to get back to the grindstone. I hope you all enjoyed your time off with friends and family, and I'm sure some of you have made your resolutions for the new year.
Mine is simple: be a little more open with my stance on religion. Now I'm not one to go around trying to "de-convert" anybody, or preemptively engage in theological conversation. Indeed, it's a matter of tact. But I'll shorten my threshold for tolerance when it comes to theists assuming that I or everyone else in the room (or the country) thinks like they do.
The plan for the new year as far as the blog goes is to, well, keep going. I haven't posted very much in the few months that this blog has been up to begin with, so expect to see more of the same. We'll talk about the daily grind of being a non-believer in a sea of mind-diseased theists, continue to discuss logic and reason with Fallacy Friday, study the Unholy Bible (and perhaps other works of fiction), review movies, and educate you--the reader--on the thoughts of being a Small Town Atheist. And of course I'll cover events in the media that pertain to theism or lack thereof, though I highly encourage you to read the blogs and sites listed at the bottom right of the page. Those guys always do better than I could.
All in all, I look forward to the new year. Before I go, I'd just like to say: fuck the Pope, and fuck Mitt Romney.
Oh, and pick up one of these with your extra holiday cash...they're great!
-STA
Mine is simple: be a little more open with my stance on religion. Now I'm not one to go around trying to "de-convert" anybody, or preemptively engage in theological conversation. Indeed, it's a matter of tact. But I'll shorten my threshold for tolerance when it comes to theists assuming that I or everyone else in the room (or the country) thinks like they do.
The plan for the new year as far as the blog goes is to, well, keep going. I haven't posted very much in the few months that this blog has been up to begin with, so expect to see more of the same. We'll talk about the daily grind of being a non-believer in a sea of mind-diseased theists, continue to discuss logic and reason with Fallacy Friday, study the Unholy Bible (and perhaps other works of fiction), review movies, and educate you--the reader--on the thoughts of being a Small Town Atheist. And of course I'll cover events in the media that pertain to theism or lack thereof, though I highly encourage you to read the blogs and sites listed at the bottom right of the page. Those guys always do better than I could.
All in all, I look forward to the new year. Before I go, I'd just like to say: fuck the Pope, and fuck Mitt Romney.
Oh, and pick up one of these with your extra holiday cash...they're great!
-STA
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Atheism 101: Rational Thought
Rationally Thinking Creatures
We use rational thought every day. Just take some time and think about it. Do you stop at the stop light when it's red? Do you swim in scalding hot water? Do you put your cup on the table, or just let it go? Stop and ask yourself: Why? Why don't you just let go of your cup? Do you think it's going to fall?
Of course you do. You believe that because it has been proven to you through your own reason. You have a plethora of reliable human experience (both your own and throughout the entire history of man) telling you that it will fall if you let it go. You're not hoping it won't, and you don't have faith in gravity. You know because you have a reasonable expectation.
Try going through one day - even one hour - without using your rationale. I hope you're still around to read my next post!
You can see now that human beings all think rationally (some moreso). So isn't it strange that some people will use their rationale to begin believing in something, and then try to discredit the very ability that got them there?
It's logical, rational thinking that leads some atheists to their position (or rather, away from the other position). Throughout this blog I'll show you why I think that belief in god -- and the supernatural, for that matter -- is irrational and even dangerous.
We use rational thought every day. Just take some time and think about it. Do you stop at the stop light when it's red? Do you swim in scalding hot water? Do you put your cup on the table, or just let it go? Stop and ask yourself: Why? Why don't you just let go of your cup? Do you think it's going to fall?
Of course you do. You believe that because it has been proven to you through your own reason. You have a plethora of reliable human experience (both your own and throughout the entire history of man) telling you that it will fall if you let it go. You're not hoping it won't, and you don't have faith in gravity. You know because you have a reasonable expectation.
Try going through one day - even one hour - without using your rationale. I hope you're still around to read my next post!
You can see now that human beings all think rationally (some moreso). So isn't it strange that some people will use their rationale to begin believing in something, and then try to discredit the very ability that got them there?
It's logical, rational thinking that leads some atheists to their position (or rather, away from the other position). Throughout this blog I'll show you why I think that belief in god -- and the supernatural, for that matter -- is irrational and even dangerous.
Atheism 101: Knowledge and Belief
What is Belief?
"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." -Carl Sagan
Belief is, simply put, what the mind accepts as truth. If I said to you, "I had cereal for breakfast today", you'd probably be inclined to believe me. That statement wouldn't be hard to accept as true.
However, if I were to say, "My cereal arranged itself so that it spelled out my full name!", then you'd have some trouble taking that as truth. At least, you should. I'd have to produce some extraordinary evidence to support my extraordinary claim.
It is for this reason that most atheists tend not to believe in supernatural claims of any kind.
Agnosticism - The Default Position
Not taking extraordinary claims without sufficient, serious evidence is the natural, default approach. Despite its many flaws, the court system we have established here in America operates on this very same premise: innocent until proven guilty. Why? Because it has shown itself to be the best approach.
Anyone can make claims about anything, but making the claim alone doesn't make it true. If I told you that I have an invisible pink unicorn at my house, would you believe me? Shouldn't I have to produce some sort of reason for why I could say such things?
Of course, you can't *see* the unicorn -- she's invisible. In fact, you can't touch her, smell her, taste, feel, or conduct any sort of measurement in order to detect her. But she's there! And no, I can't see her. I can't tell you how I know she's there, but I KNOW SHE'S THERE.
Again, there's no reason for any rational mind to place any confidence in the validity of this. The positive claim that something has happened begs for positive evidence. Maybe it really IS true, but we've got to back that up somehow. Until we have a reason, we take the default approach and choose not to believe.
But this very concept causes rifts in many people's minds, though it shouldn't. Atheism is the default position for every child born. They have to be taught of a God. Yes, I said it. Every child is born an atheist. If this statement strikes you the wrong way, then congratulations, you have been the victim of a campaign of misinformation and deliberate attempts to mislead and corrupt the term. You can blame religious leaders for this brainwashing. Hopefully throughout this blog, I will be able to help you separate the term 'atheist' from moral values and help you understand the true meaning of the term. "Atheist" does not equal "evil".
"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." -Carl Sagan
Belief is, simply put, what the mind accepts as truth. If I said to you, "I had cereal for breakfast today", you'd probably be inclined to believe me. That statement wouldn't be hard to accept as true.
However, if I were to say, "My cereal arranged itself so that it spelled out my full name!", then you'd have some trouble taking that as truth. At least, you should. I'd have to produce some extraordinary evidence to support my extraordinary claim.
It is for this reason that most atheists tend not to believe in supernatural claims of any kind.
Agnosticism - The Default Position
Not taking extraordinary claims without sufficient, serious evidence is the natural, default approach. Despite its many flaws, the court system we have established here in America operates on this very same premise: innocent until proven guilty. Why? Because it has shown itself to be the best approach.
Anyone can make claims about anything, but making the claim alone doesn't make it true. If I told you that I have an invisible pink unicorn at my house, would you believe me? Shouldn't I have to produce some sort of reason for why I could say such things?
Of course, you can't *see* the unicorn -- she's invisible. In fact, you can't touch her, smell her, taste, feel, or conduct any sort of measurement in order to detect her. But she's there! And no, I can't see her. I can't tell you how I know she's there, but I KNOW SHE'S THERE.
Again, there's no reason for any rational mind to place any confidence in the validity of this. The positive claim that something has happened begs for positive evidence. Maybe it really IS true, but we've got to back that up somehow. Until we have a reason, we take the default approach and choose not to believe.
But this very concept causes rifts in many people's minds, though it shouldn't. Atheism is the default position for every child born. They have to be taught of a God. Yes, I said it. Every child is born an atheist. If this statement strikes you the wrong way, then congratulations, you have been the victim of a campaign of misinformation and deliberate attempts to mislead and corrupt the term. You can blame religious leaders for this brainwashing. Hopefully throughout this blog, I will be able to help you separate the term 'atheist' from moral values and help you understand the true meaning of the term. "Atheist" does not equal "evil".
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Atheism 101: Am I an Atheist or Agnostic?
Oh My God! An Atheist?!?!
Recent polls have shown that the stigma of atheism has all but disappeared. It doesn't surprise me though, because the majority of Americans say they believe in God. And their preachers, pastors, fathers, and priests have no-doubt told them what they think an atheist is:
Atheism is the lack of a belief in a god.
That's it. It is not a religion, dogma, creed, political outlook, lifestyle, belief, belief system, or moral code. It's merely a lack of theistic belief. It doesn't tell you anything else about the person, or why they don't believe in god; it only tells you that they don't believe in god. It's a single answer to a single question.
After that, anything goes. You can find atheists who have varying opinions on all kinds of things. There are atheists who support the political left, some who support the right. There are atheists who believe in evolution, and some who don't. Some believe in abortion, and some don't.
Some Buddhists can be considered atheistic, as they don't have a belief in a god (though there are a lot of atheists who wouldn't tend to agree with the rest of the supernatural claims). The Raelians believe that we were created by a race of intelligent alien beings. No god belief=Atheist. A 'theist' is someone who has a belief in a god. The prefix 'a' means 'without', so an 'atheist' literally means 'non-theist' or 'without a belief in god'.
Most people know what it's like to be an atheist with respect to Thor or Zeus. Some just go one god further. The same reason a Catholic doesn't believe in Allah is the same reason an atheist doesn't believe in the Catholic god.
But, You're Not Sure, Are You?
Even if the average person doesn't think that an atheist barbecues babies, they may still have heard (and believed) the following 'escape clause':
"If you think there's no God, you're an Atheist. If you're just not sure, you're an Agnostic."
Again, this common misconception is untrue. In reality:
Gnosticism and Agnosticism address what you know (or claim to know).
Theism and Atheism address what you believe.
The two aren't mutually exclusive; it is possible to be a(n):
The reason that agnosticism is not a "third option" in the question, is that agnosticism addresses a different aspect of the question. Agnosticism is the lack of knowledge of something. It deals with the basis for belief; it is not itself, belief. Agnostic atheism holds that knowledge of the divine is impossible (or currently unobtainable) and thus belief in God is unjustified and illogical. It is often used to soften the blow of such a "harsh-sounding word" as atheist.
Atheists are not making a positive claim. They're not saying "There is no god." (An atheist might say that, but that's not what 'atheism' means. You're free to believe what you want.) Most atheists might say that they are as sure that there is no god as they are that there are no fairies or leprechauns.
I am an Agnostic Atheist. I do not have hard proof of the non-existence of a god or gods, and I am not 100% absolutely sure there can be nor is such a being. But I do not believe in the proposal because the evidence provided that suggests said being has proved to be lacking in substance, structure, and credibility.
So there you have it. Atheists have no charter or doctrine. They are just people who have ONE thing in common: they don't hold a belief in a god or gods. They are everywhere. They are you doctors, your teachers, your computer techs, your airline pilots...your small-town neighbors.
(see more: youtube.com/smalltownatheist)
-STA
Recent polls have shown that the stigma of atheism has all but disappeared. It doesn't surprise me though, because the majority of Americans say they believe in God. And their preachers, pastors, fathers, and priests have no-doubt told them what they think an atheist is:
- someone who hates God (or rejects God so they can be free to live in sin)
- they hate America / they're Communists
- they're bigots
- they have no morals
- they serve Satan
- they worship (and/or have faith in) science
- they don't believe in anything
- they eat babies
Atheism is the lack of a belief in a god.
That's it. It is not a religion, dogma, creed, political outlook, lifestyle, belief, belief system, or moral code. It's merely a lack of theistic belief. It doesn't tell you anything else about the person, or why they don't believe in god; it only tells you that they don't believe in god. It's a single answer to a single question.
After that, anything goes. You can find atheists who have varying opinions on all kinds of things. There are atheists who support the political left, some who support the right. There are atheists who believe in evolution, and some who don't. Some believe in abortion, and some don't.
Some Buddhists can be considered atheistic, as they don't have a belief in a god (though there are a lot of atheists who wouldn't tend to agree with the rest of the supernatural claims). The Raelians believe that we were created by a race of intelligent alien beings. No god belief=Atheist. A 'theist' is someone who has a belief in a god. The prefix 'a' means 'without', so an 'atheist' literally means 'non-theist' or 'without a belief in god'.
Most people know what it's like to be an atheist with respect to Thor or Zeus. Some just go one god further. The same reason a Catholic doesn't believe in Allah is the same reason an atheist doesn't believe in the Catholic god.
But, You're Not Sure, Are You?
Even if the average person doesn't think that an atheist barbecues babies, they may still have heard (and believed) the following 'escape clause':
"If you think there's no God, you're an Atheist. If you're just not sure, you're an Agnostic."
Again, this common misconception is untrue. In reality:
Gnosticism and Agnosticism address what you know (or claim to know).
Theism and Atheism address what you believe.
The two aren't mutually exclusive; it is possible to be a(n):
- Gnostic Theist - Someone who claims to know and believe that god exists
- Agnostic Theist - Someone who doesn't know for sure that a god exists, but believes anyway
- Gnostic Atheist - Someone who believes that no god exists and claims to know that this belief is true
- Agnostic Atheist - Someone who doesn't claim to know that no gods exist, but chooses not to blindly believe
The reason that agnosticism is not a "third option" in the question, is that agnosticism addresses a different aspect of the question. Agnosticism is the lack of knowledge of something. It deals with the basis for belief; it is not itself, belief. Agnostic atheism holds that knowledge of the divine is impossible (or currently unobtainable) and thus belief in God is unjustified and illogical. It is often used to soften the blow of such a "harsh-sounding word" as atheist.
Atheists are not making a positive claim. They're not saying "There is no god." (An atheist might say that, but that's not what 'atheism' means. You're free to believe what you want.) Most atheists might say that they are as sure that there is no god as they are that there are no fairies or leprechauns.
I am an Agnostic Atheist. I do not have hard proof of the non-existence of a god or gods, and I am not 100% absolutely sure there can be nor is such a being. But I do not believe in the proposal because the evidence provided that suggests said being has proved to be lacking in substance, structure, and credibility.
So there you have it. Atheists have no charter or doctrine. They are just people who have ONE thing in common: they don't hold a belief in a god or gods. They are everywhere. They are you doctors, your teachers, your computer techs, your airline pilots...your small-town neighbors.
(see more: youtube.com/smalltownatheist)
-STA
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