Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

To: daniel1212
Atheism isn’t a religious faith any more than not playing basketball is a sport.

That is indeed a false analogy.

Atheism is an active belief system, unlike agnosticism.

Agnosticism is understandable, but atheism is unintelligible because it is a belief system based on a universal negative (God does not exist). It is impossible to prove such a profound negative.

Here's what ChatGPT had to say about this:

Atheism, as an active belief system asserting that God does not exist, faces significant philosophical and epistemological challenges. Unlike agnosticism, which reflects uncertainty, atheism must grapple with the difficulty of proving a negative—a virtually impossible task requiring exhaustive knowledge of all reality. Atheists often attempt to address this by arguing probabilistically, citing the absence of empirical evidence for God and naturalistic explanations for phenomena.

However, the old lawyer’s axiom, “The absence of evidence is not evidence of absence,” highlights that the lack of evidence for God may merely reflect the limitations of human perception and empirical methods, particularly if God exists as a transcendent being beyond material detection.

Theists counter that the absence of evidence does not invalidate their claims, especially when supported by philosophical arguments, historical claims, and personal experiences. They also argue that certain phenomena, such as the fine-tuning of the universe or the existence of objective morality, are better explained by a divine creator than by atheistic alternatives.

In comparing probabilities, theism, as articulated in traditions like Christianity and Judaism, offers a comprehensive explanatory framework for the universe, morality, and human purpose, while atheism struggles to provide equivalent depth. Ultimately, atheism’s reliance on negative assertions and limited explanatory power underscores its challenges, making theistic worldviews more compelling and philosophically grounded.


36 posted on 01/08/2025 8:37:15 AM PST by RoosterRedux (Emerson paraphrased, "If you strike at the king, don't fail." The Democrats failed. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies ]


To: RoosterRedux

Does your non belief in Zeus, or any other god you reject, make you part of a religious faith by itself?

No.

You’re an atheist too, atheists merely reject one more god than you do and for the same reasons. No proof.


37 posted on 01/08/2025 9:07:21 AM PST by Fuzz
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson