What do the R&E non- and anti-religious actually believe in?

[SteveH]

They spend a great deal of time and energy being sarky at believers' expense, and spouting dribs and drabs of philosophy almost as though they know what they're talking about, so we all know what they don't believe in, but what are their positive beliefs, and why do we never hear of them?

[Nearly Sane]

They spend a great deal of time and energy being sarky at believers' expense, and spouting dribs and drabs of philosophy almost as though they know what they're talking about, so we all know what they don't believe in, but what are their positive beliefs, and why do we never hear of them?

Let's taken example of a non religious poster, torridon. In his posts to Alan Burns there is a great deal about why he believes, so I suggest you owe him an apology for your lazy generalisation.


How about another , enki? When he was asked by gonnagle about being an atheist, he gave two lovely written posts; you can see them in the Best Bits. So that's another non religious poster you owe an apology to.


How about a third, Dicky Underpants, who posts interesting and informed posts on a variety of matters, and shows a great deal more knowledge of the Bible than a few of the Christians in here. Another for you to apologise to.

[Walt Zingmatilder]

Let's taken example of a non religious poster, torridon. In his posts to Alan Burns there is a great deal about why he believes, so I suggest you owe him an apology for your lazy generalisation.


How about another , enki? When he was asked by gonnagle about being an atheist, he gave two lovely written posts; you can see them in the Best Bits. So that's another non religious poster you owe an apology to.


How about a third, Dicky Underpants, who posts interesting and informed posts on a variety of matters, and shows a great deal more knowledge of the Bible than a few of the Christians in here. Another for you to apologise to.

Steve H is not the first person to raise this.
I think though you exaggerate the openness of non believers on here. Enki for instance is not the only poster here.........and of course no question seems unaccompanied by a demand for an apology from you.
How often have we seen retreat into the ''atheism is merely the disbelief in gods''schtick for instance.

Why don't you apologise on behalf of the palpable religionethics posse?

[Nearly Sane]

Steve H is not the first person to raise this.
I think though you exaggerate the openness of non believers on here. Enki for instance is not the only poster here.........and of course no question seems unaccompanied by a demand for an apology from you.
How often have we seen retreat into the ''atheism is merely the disbelief in gods''schtick for instance.

Why don't you apologise on behalf of the palpable religionethics posse?

So I cite three posters and you post something that implies I only cited one. Is lying just something you cannot help doing?

[wigginhall]

Positive beliefs about what?   Well, I like chocolate, and football.   Errm, what else would there be?  I like Egyptian cartouches, very beautiful.  Tired now.

[Nearly Sane]

Positive beliefs about what?   Well, I like chocolate, and football.   Errm, what else would there be?  I like Egyptian cartouches, very beautiful.  Tired now.

'Well, I believe in the soul, the cock, the pussy, the small of a woman's back, the hanging curve ball, high fiber, good scotch, that the novels of Susan Sontag are self-indulgent, overrated crap. I believe Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. I believe there ought to be a constitutional amendment outlawing Astroturf and the designated hitter. I believe in the sweet spot, soft-core pornography, opening your presents Christmas morning rather than Christmas Eve and I believe in long, slow, deep, soft, wet kisses that last three days.'

[Walt Zingmatilder]

Positive beliefs about what?   Well, I like chocolate, and football.   Errm, what else would there be?  I like Egyptian cartouches, very beautiful.  Tired now.

You missed off posting trite replies.

[Nearly Sane]

You missed off posting trite replies.

As opposed to lying?

[SteveH]

Let's taken example of a non religious poster, torridon. In his posts to Alan Burns there is a great deal about why he believes, so I suggest you owe him an apology for your lazy generalisation.


How about another , enki? When he was asked by gonnagle about being an atheist, he gave two lovely written posts; you can see them in the Best Bits. So that's another non religious poster you owe an apology to.


How about a third, Dicky Underpants, who posts interesting and informed posts on a variety of matters, and shows a great deal more knowledge of the Bible than a few of the Christians in here. Another for you to apologise to.

OK, ok, some of them spend a great deal of time...

[wigginhall]

You missed off posting trite replies.

Well, I am trite.  Or really, my life is trite.  What else is it supposed to be?   Some kind of grandiose vision?   Too old and too tired for that now.   

[Walt Zingmatilder]

Well, I am trite.  Or really, my life is trite.  What else is it supposed to be?   Some kind of grandiose vision?   Too old and too tired for that now.

[torridon]

They spend a great deal of time and energy being sarky at believers' expense, and spouting dribs and drabs of philosophy almost as though they know what they're talking about, so we all know what they don't believe in, but what are their positive beliefs, and why do we never hear of them?

That's a reflection of the nature of this forum, surely, people who want to discuss RE issues can come here to do it.  The only common denominator of beliefs among atheists is the lack of a belief in gods.  Outside that pretty much anything goes. I've got my tastes and preferences like everyone. I try, as a point of principle perhaps, to avoid belief systems; they fix the mind and play into tribalism imo.

[Nearly Sane]

OK, ok, some of them spend a great deal of time...

not much of an apology.

[wigginhall]

I'm not sure what Steve is after.   Some kind of view of what reality is?   I expect there would be a wide variation, and quite a lot of people saying 'don't know'.   As I said earlier, as I got older, I have believed in fewer and fewer things, they seem like unnecessary baggage.   As Camus said, football provides plenty of moral lessons.

[Owlswing]

Steve

I tried posting exactly what I believe, I am Pagan, Priest and witch, and apart from, I think, two people, all I got from the usual suspects (plus a couple who are no longer on the forum), was sarcasm, belittlement and very bad jokes.

I hold my beliefs as hard as any Christian, but I, unlike the Christians, am able to state categorically that my Pagan beliefs are FAITH NOT FACT! This is something that the Christians seem congenitally incapable of realizing applies equally to their beliefs - beliefs NOT FACTS!

You only have to look at the number of threads on this forum that turn into endless screeds of the the same "The bible is the truth, undiluted and unchallengable. 

[Walt Zingmatilder]

I'm not sure what Steve is after.   Some kind of view of what reality is?   I expect there would be a wide variation, and quite a lot of people saying 'don't know'.   As I said earlier, as I got older, I have believed in fewer and fewer things, they seem like unnecessary baggage.   As Camus said, football provides plenty of moral lessons.

Are you abandoning ''saying'' for ''being''?

or the antitheist standard belief. ''We don't know what it is but we know it isn't God?''

[Rhiannon]

I believe in love, proper love, not obsession or neediness or ownership masquerading as it, but proper love where you want the best for the other, daft woman that I am.

[Gordon]

Hard to know what to cite: my family, my friends, motorbikes, guitars (inc. banjos), good company and interesting conversations, good beer/whisky and horse racing: that will do to be going on with.

Oh yes - there is one more: that as many people as possible should be happy and safe.

[floo]

I am far from perfect, but I do my best to help others as best as I can. My family is very important to me, the help and support they have given us since my husband became brain damaged is immeasurable. I am very grateful I have my hobbies, which give me pleasure, especially my artwork which people are kind enough to say they like.

[torridon]

I'm not sure what Steve is after.   Some kind of view of what reality is?   I expect there would be a wide variation, and quite a lot of people saying 'don't know'.   As I said earlier, as I got older, I have believed in fewer and fewer things, they seem like unnecessary baggage.   As Camus said, football provides plenty of moral lessons.

For a theist, God fills an enormous explanatory space.  What's it all about, why are we here.  Subtract God, surely something else must be pulled in to fill the vacuum, I suppose.

[Rhiannon]

For a theist, God fills an enormous explanatory space.  What's it all about, why are we here.  Subtract God, surely something else must be pulled in to fill the vacuum, I suppose.

I was once a theist, and I’m ok with there being a vacuum now. I have to find my own meaning and take responsibility and it’s ok. I don’t believe stuff, just... live, I guess.

[wigginhall]

For a theist, God fills an enormous explanatory space.  What's it all about, why are we here.  Subtract God, surely something else must be pulled in to fill the vacuum, I suppose.

I used to be a Christian, I was just wondering if I feel a vacuum, not really.   I thought that religion fills an emotional space, rather than an intellectual one, but I'm not sure what the emotional space would be.   I suppose yearning, maybe, also something to do with love.

[Walt Zingmatilder]

Asked about what they believe the thread seems IMHO to be morphing into another what Christians believe.

I don't think you guys can help yourselves.

[Nearly Sane]

Asked about what they believe the thread seems IMHO to be morphing into another what Christians believe.

I don't think you guys can help yourselves.

Stop lying 

[torridon]

Asked about what they believe the thread seems IMHO to be morphing into another what Christians believe.

I don't think you guys can help yourselves.

That is because Steve asked a rather open question, so we're having to speculate what he meant. I think Wiggs and Rhiannon gave rather interesting responses anyway.