NationStates Jolt Archive

Why are non-religious types automatically referred to as non-believers? We do have a belief system. Its a belief that religion is wrong and there's either nothing after death or there is trans-humanism.

I don't call you a dirty fundi christian, don't call me a non-believer. After all, I do believe you're wrong. :)

Please, feel free to call me non-believer (or heathen or infidel or hellbound blasphemer or whatever else floats your boat).

But please don't bitch when I tell you to get your proselytizing, pamphlet-toting, Jehovah-witnessing, Bible- or River-Baptising, Latter-Day-canonizing, bicycle-riding ass off my porch and off my lawn.

Thank you.

Why are non-religious types automatically referred to as non-believers? We do have a belief system. Its a belief that religion is wrong and there's either nothing after death or there is trans-humanism.

I don't call you a dirty fundi christian, don't call me a non-believer. After all, I do believe you're wrong. :)
Atheism is it's own form of religion. The only true unbelievers are agnostics.

Atheism is it's own form of religion. The only true unbelievers are agnostics.

No, strictly speaking agonstics are believers too, assuming we take "believer" to mean "one who believes something". Agnostic people still believe in some things right? I think the only group who can truly be classed as non-believers are nihilists like nietzsche, who really don't believe anything.

Although isn't the belief that nothing is true a belief also?

Not exactly. I'm pretty sure Agnostics mostly believe that there is a higher power/creator/thing, but that humans don't posess the means to comprehend it. It's not a lack of belief, but an unwillingness to jump on any existing bandwagons.

Also, Heathen is a word commonly used by modern followers of Nordic/Teutonic pre-Christian faiths. Not the same as non-believer either.

Not exactly. I'm pretty sure Agnostics mostly believe that there is a higher power/creator/thing, but that humans don't posess the means to comprehend it. It's not a lack of belief, but an unwillingness to jump on any existing bandwagons.

Also, Heathen is a word commonly used by modern followers of Nordic/Teutonic pre-Christian faiths. Not the same as non-believer either.
It encompasses those people as well, but it also encompasses those who don't know if there is a god or not and don't really give a shit. They don't, however, profess belief that there absolutely is no god.

and to those I grant the title of Indifferent. :)

:p Nietzschians believe in the power of some individuals to revaluate traditional values. So they believe in something too. Everyone is a believer in their own world-view and a non-believer in all others. That's why if there were a Hell, which I doubt, and beliefs put you there (which makes no sense), then we would all go there. :sniper:

I'm a pagan, which makes me a believer in the old gods, and I dislike the negative connotations that the word "heathen" carried over from the Christians, that of "uncivilized" or "savage". I am a pagan, and proud to be one. I am civilized, in the older, pre-Christian sense of the term.

So are atheists non believers because they don't believe in god, or are they beleivers because they believe there is no god? Does it even really matter? Its semantics no matter which way you argue.

The point of certain christians calling people non believers is somewhat condescending as they usually refer to any other faith as such. They don't believe in Jesus and are therefore non believers.

One of the inherent benefits to being a Christian is that it gives you this sense of having something that others don't. It is ingrained in their belief from day one that belief in God is the only true belief and so it is natural for them to refer to atheists as nonbelievers.

I do get a little riled with an atheist refers to agnostics as nonbelievers. I have just as much belief in my principles as any atheist has in theirs, I just avoid manifesting my belief into something as ridiculous as to the existence or nonexistence of a God. There are a lot more important things to believe in then that.

I'm a pagan, which makes me a believer in the old gods, and I dislike the negative connotations that the word "heathen" carried over from the Christians, that of "uncivilized" or "savage". I am a pagan, and proud to be one. I am civilized, in the older, pre-Christian sense of the term.

*raises hand* Pagan here, too. Which is why I said what I did about the modern connotation of the word Heathen. It's not the insult it once was, in most cases at least. It's been reclaimed by Asatruars and other followers of Norse paths, much like the word Witch has been reclaimed by Wiccans and other Pagans.

Why are non-religious types automatically referred to as non-believers? We do have a belief system. Its a belief that religion is wrong and there's either nothing after death or there is trans-humanism.

I don't call you a dirty fundi christian, don't call me a non-believer. After all, I do believe you're wrong. :)
Dude. Wake up!

The world may not be black and white, but people certainly are.

whats all this hullabullu about what people call whatever you do/or do not believe in??

who cares? it doesn't matter what you call yourself or what others call you surely, but rather what you yourself believe in your own heart and mind?

Well.... whatever.

Live and let live. I don't bother other people with my atheism, so why do others bother me with their religion? Let me be.

Bit strange, isn't? People acting in the name of an all-mighty God. By doing that, they themselves deny the all-mighty-ness of God. If He/She is so omnipotent, why doesn't He/She act Him-/Herself? If I was God, I wouldn't be all to happy about that.

What am I saying? I'm not happy!! I am God!!!
oops... sorry... Prozac's kicking in.... must lay down now....

Yeah my gf's mom asked me if I went to church (they are Catholic) and I told her that I am not religious, but I am spiritual.

She didn't seem to understand because later she told me "I know you don't believe in God but bless you anyway." or some completely assenine thing like that. :rolleyes:

Not exactly. I'm pretty sure Agnostics mostly believe that there is a higher power/creator/thing, but that humans don't posess the means to comprehend it.
Did you know that there is an ass in assume? ;)
I dont know and dont care. Nothing more, nothing less.

Why are non-religious types automatically referred to as non-believers? We do have a belief system. Its a belief that religion is wrong and there's either nothing after death or there is trans-humanism.

I don't call you a dirty fundi christian, don't call me a non-believer. After all, I do believe you're wrong. :)
yeah! Similarly, don't call me a believer if it only means belief in one religion's concept of what a god is.

Atheism is it's own form of religion. The only true unbelievers are agnostics.
Well maybe soft atheism, agnostics can sometimes be classified as having a belief that it can not be proved :p