I am an atheist.

[original PM]

How would they go about doing them over? Many people will rip off and exploit others if they can, regardless of religion or lack of. Doing people over in an illegal way is a bad idea as the police will come after you. There are various safe guards to the parameters of society against this and people are generally(!) raised to observe these parameters.

If is in my own interests to be pleasant and helpful to others as it makes them better disposed to me which will help me in the long run. Also, I like being pleasant and helpful to others, my beliefs in supernatural creatures, aliens etc is irrelevant.

why?

[MyUserName]

why?

To gain more resources for themselves - e.g. suppliers will rip off customers, politicians fiddle their expenses, muppets use tax avoidance schemes, guys will lie through their teeth to get a hot girl into bed etc.

[DaveB]

Indeed not. Religious people think it’s OK to do harm as long as they confess their sins before they die, then they go to heaven. You can only go to heaven if you are a catholic.

Atheists believe the only life is the one we have on Earth therefore we should make the best of it and cooperate with our fellow human beings.

Actually thats closer to Humanist. Atheists do not believe in the existance of God or other supernatural supreme being, spiritual or otherwise. Doesn't mean they all want to get on with each other and be happy.

Humansts are Atheists who also believe that the best thing for the Human race is for everyone to cooperate for the greater good of humanity as a whole. (roughly paraphrased).

[d000hg]

Does that mean any atheist who isn't a jerk is automatically a humanist?

[MyUserName]

Does that mean any atheist who isn't a jerk is automatically a humanist?

Hmmm ... maybe I suppose. The trouble is that someone who is a jerk to you might seem a nice fellow to someone else.

It looks like humanism is concerned with humans on a global scale (I might be wrong, I just scanned the wiki article!) so an atheist might well have localised humanistic beliefs but the fact they are localised would mean that they are not a humanist ... or something ....

[DaveB]

Does that mean any atheist who isn't a jerk is automatically a humanist?

Quoting Wikipedia cos it's quicker.


Humanism is a democratic and ethical life stance, which affirms that human beings have the right and responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives. It stands for the building of a more humane society through an ethic based on human and other natural values in the spirit of reason and free inquiry through human capabilities. It is not theistic, and it does not accept supernatural views of reality.

So not, not automatically. If you regard yourself as an atheist and agree with the above then yes, you could be called a Humanist. But you don't have to be, it's up to you, hence the bit about giving meaning and shape to your own life. It's your decision as to how you describe yourself without having to accept labels from others.

[formant]

Does that mean any atheist who isn't a jerk is automatically a humanist?

Probably.

I'm an atheist. I see little point in humanism. But of course, on paper, there's not really anything to dislike about their objectives. Somehow, I just have no interest in being part of a community on the basis of the faith I don't have.

[d000hg]

Quoting Wikipedia cos it's quicker.


Humanism is a democratic and ethical life stance

I could say I have an ethical life stance based on ethics of "take what you can get"

[amcdonald]

The only common thing that atheists believe is that religion has not satisfied it's burden of proof.

Shouldn't that be for agnostics

As you can't prove the non existence of something that doesn't exist. Athiests are surely a faith based religion!

[MyUserName]

Shouldn't that be for agnostics

As you can't prove the non existence of something that doesn't exist. Athiests are surely a faith based religion!

No, nostic or agnostic deals with knowledge. Theism and Atheism deal with believe.

It depends how far you want to push the definitions. I am as agnostic about the Christian God as I am about any other god as I am about the tooth fairy.

Atheism is a religion in the same way as not playing golf is a hobby.