30 DEC 2013 by ideonexus
Lord Bacon's Apology for Atheism
Atheism leaves a man to sense, to philosophy, to natural piety, to laws, to reputation: all which may be guides to an outward moral virtue, though religion were not; but superstition dismounts all these, and createth an absolute monarchy in the minds of men: therefore Atheism did never perturb states; for it makes men wary of themselves, as looking no farther, and we see the times inclined to Atheism (as the time of Augustus Cæsar) were civil times: but superstition hath been the confusion o...Folksonomies: atheism spirituality
Folksonomies: atheism spirituality
1 
notes
notesHe makes the case that the source of Atheists' inspiration informs their virtues and moral conduct.
08 JAN 2013 by ideonexus
The Problem with the "Atheist"
As I've said, I've never believed in God, which technically makes me an atheist (since the prefix "a" means "not" or "without"). But I have problems with the word "atheism." It defines what someone is not rather than what someone is. It would be like calling me an a-instrumentalist for Bad Religion rather than the band's singer. Defining yourself as against something says very little about what you are for.
That's my biggest objection to the wave of atheist book^ks and Web sites that have c...
1 Not only does it define someone by what they aren't, it also suffers from an incredible vagueness that tells people nothing about what a person thinks.
28 APR 2012 by ideonexus
Religion that Fears Science Dishonours God
The Religion that is afraid of science dishonours God and commits suicide. It acknowledges that it is not equal to the whole of truth, that it legislates, tyrannizes over a village of God's empires but is not the immutable universal law. Every influx of atheism, of skepticism is thus made useful as a mercury pill assaulting and removing a diseased religion and making way for truth. 1 notes
notesIt tyrannizes, but atheism is a cure.
28 MAR 2012 by ideonexus
Religion is a Solution to a Non-Problem
At the 2005 World Religions Conference, I was asked to represent atheism, sitting on the stage with a Buddhist, Muslim, Christian, Jew, Sikh, Hindu, and Native American spiritualist. (I accepted the invitation only after making it clear that atheism is not a religion, and they agreed to include it as a “world philosophy.”) The theme of the conference was “salvation,” and each of us was asked to summarize our respective positions on that topic. After pointing out that “sin” is a re...Folksonomies: atheism
Folksonomies: atheism
1 notes
notesIt's like a doctor going around cutting people in order to heal them.
02 JAN 2012 by ideonexus
Shelley's Obituary
This obituary was immediately followed in the same issue of the Gentleman’s Magazine by a short notice of the death of one Percy Bysshe Shelley, son of the Whig MP for Horsham. ‘Supposed to have perished at sea, in a storm, somewhere off Via Reggio, on the coast of Italy … Mr Shelley is unfortunately too well-known for his infamous novels and poems. He openly professed himself an atheist. His works bear the following titles: Prometheus Chained [sic] … etc.’69 For good measure a Lond... 1 notes
notesCalled him "infamous" and condemned his atheism.
02 JAN 2012 by ideonexus
Byron Charged With Atheism
Over the next decade Herschel’s work began to be widely known by the younger generation of Romantic writers. Byron visited him at Slough in 1811, and viewed the stars through his telescope, which gave him an alarmingly religious experience: ‘The Night is also a religious concern; and even more so, when I viewed the Moon and Stars through Herschel’s telescope, and saw that they were worlds.’124 Later Byron defended himself against accusations of atheism. ‘I did not expect that, becau... 1 notes
notesFor extrapolating on the insights about the Universe brought on by looking through Herschel's telescope.
12 SEP 2011 by ideonexus
Coming Out as an Atheist
I am an atheist, out and out. It took me a long time to say it. I've been an atheist for years and years, but somehow I felt it was intellectually unrespectable to say one was an atheist, because it assumed knowledge that one didn't have. Somehow, it was better to say one was a humanist or an agnostic. I finally decided that I'm a creature of emotion as well as of reason. Emotionally, I am an atheist. I don't have the evidence to prove that God doesn't exist, but I so strongly suspect he does...Folksonomies: atheism
Folksonomies: atheism
1 notes
notesAsimov admits that atheism is not a rational viewpoint, but humans are emotional animals as well, and his emotional stance is one of atheism.
29 MAY 2011 by ideonexus
Why "Spiritual Naturalism"?
Our response to the natural world is one of reverence and humility in the face of a mystery that transcends empirical knowing-now, certainly, and perhaps forever. "Agnostic" does not do justice to the celebratory aspect of our position. Nor does "pantheist" adequately express our sense of what nature hides. "Creation-based spirituality" has a respectable pedigree, although "creation" hints at an anthropomorphic Creator. "Religious naturalism" gets close to the mark.Because atheism and agnosticism don't convey they joy we take in the natural world.
30 MAR 2011 by ideonexus
Definition of Secular Humanism
Secular humanism begins with atheism (absence of belief in a deity) and agnosticism or skepticism (epistemological caution that rejects the transcendent as such due to a lack of evidence). Because no transcendent power will save us, secular humanists maintain that humans must take responsibility for themselves. While atheism is a necessary condition for secular humanism, it is not a sufficient one. Far from living in a moral vacuum, secular humanists “wish to encourage wherever possible the... 1 notes
notesA concise definition of secular humanism.
30 MAR 2011 by ideonexus
Where Secular Humanism Falls Between Atheism and Religiou...
Secular humanism occupies one point on a spectrum of reformist orientations, between atheism on the “left” and religious humanism on the “right.” Drawing from all across this spectrum, it is a vigorous hybrid whose debt to its source traditions should never be forgotten.
Atheism lends a valuable critique of outmoded, regressive religious systems. We welcome its vision of a universe upon which meaning was never imposed from above. But secular humanism goes further, calling on humans t... 1 notes
notesSecular Humanism plots on a line with atheism on the left and religious humanism on the right.
