Religion

Pope George Ringo II

(1,896 posts) Wed Nov 28, 2018, 09:13 PM Nov 2018

When you get right down to it, "Atheist" is a stupid word. [View all]

We actually have a specific word for people who don't believe in sky wizards, and we really don't need it.

We don't have a specific word for people who don't believe in leprechauns. Or unicorns. Or bigfoot. Or the abominable snowman. Or vampires, werewolves, the Loch Ness Monster, chemtrails, lizard people, ghosts, jackalopes, faeries, elves, goblins, winged serpents, dragons, mermaids, giants, the Jersey Devil, or Trump's integrity. We also get by without specific words for people who don't believe the moon landings were faked. Or that water fluoridation is a government plot. Or that the government is putting mind control chips in us. Or that vaccines cause autism. Or that 9/11 was an inside job. Or any of the things which have just as much basis as mythology.

Actually, we do have a specific word describing people who don't believe in any of these things: "Rational." It works better than "atheist," I think.

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When you get right down to it, "Atheist" is a stupid word. [View all] Pope George Ringo II Nov 2018 OP

Calling theists irrational? guillaumeb Nov 2018 #1

Why don't you just go ahead and alert. bitterross Nov 2018 #8

There are several safe haven groups on DU for religious people. Mariana Nov 2018 #38

You are making the case for calling us snowflakes. bitterross Nov 2018 #39

Realiy? Who is "us"? Mariana Nov 2018 #40

I willl not alert. guillaumeb Nov 2018 #64

Belief in the metaphysical requires the suspension of reason Major Nikon Nov 2018 #14

Go ahead and make the case that believing in something Eko Nov 2018 #19

You're wasting your time. TomSlick Nov 2018 #28

People have to go look in this group to find Voltaire2 Nov 2018 #41

Not really. TomSlick Nov 2018 #65

No, Guy, it is not. It is not a group attack. MineralMan Nov 2018 #43

You yourself have said many times that your beliefs are exempted from rational analysis... trotsky Nov 2018 #62

How about people who don't believe in True Dough Nov 2018 #2

The Rutles? Pope George Ringo II Nov 2018 #3

If All I Need is Cash... True Dough Nov 2018 #5

Also: Pope George Ringo II Nov 2018 #21

Fits your username rather nicely, doesn't it? True Dough Nov 2018 #22

I think "skeptic" works. marylandblue Nov 2018 #4

Possibly. Pope George Ringo II Nov 2018 #6

It simply means "without belief in a deity or deities"; it doesn't imply the reasoning behind it. LongtimeAZDem Nov 2018 #7

Why should deities be different than, say, Piltdown Man, though? Pope George Ringo II Nov 2018 #9

Because religious belief is an issue of greater import in a society where the predominant religious LongtimeAZDem Nov 2018 #10

Teenagers are even more likely to get kicked out of the house for using drugs. Pope George Ringo II Nov 2018 #11

yes we do... edhopper Nov 2018 #15

Like "rational" and "sceptic," that also has multiple uses. Pope George Ringo II Nov 2018 #17

That made me laugh Bradshaw3 Nov 2018 #33

We have several: Sober, clean, abstinent or drug-free marylandblue Nov 2018 #26

Again, too many definitions on those words to be analogous. Pope George Ringo II Nov 2018 #29

Straight... tonedevil Nov 2018 #61

Already addressed. Pope George Ringo II Nov 2018 #63

Also, to put the sheer triviality of the definition in context Pope George Ringo II Nov 2018 #23

That's still not irrationality Major Nikon Nov 2018 #16

Or zipplewrath Nov 2018 #12

And what do we call people from that era who didn't believe in Funkraum, God of Radio? Pope George Ringo II Nov 2018 #13

Well, it's sorta the point zipplewrath Nov 2018 #25

You're still not really making a point, though. Pope George Ringo II Nov 2018 #27

I prefer apatheist Major Nikon Nov 2018 #18

It definitely is how privilege works. Pope George Ringo II Nov 2018 #20

It is a great discussion topic... Ferrets are Cool Nov 2018 #24

Great topic - thank you for posting! Pendrench Nov 2018 #30

nothing wrong with the word AlexSFCA Nov 2018 #31

But what's the word for people who don't believe in Superman? Pope George Ringo II Nov 2018 #32

because religion is likely older than science AlexSFCA Nov 2018 #34

It's not about age. We don't have a word for people who don't believe in faeries. Pope George Ringo II Nov 2018 #35

it functions well because everyone instantly knows what it means AlexSFCA Nov 2018 #36

There's at least one poster here who spectacularly fails to grasp what it means. Pope George Ringo II Nov 2018 #37

Also, look at post #25 and tell me people know what it means. Pope George Ringo II Nov 2018 #42

I think "agnostic" refers to people, thucythucy Nov 2018 #56

I think there has to be a distinction made thucythucy Nov 2018 #57

The distinction between "religion" and "faith" and "belief" Mariana Nov 2018 #59

Actually, I think atheist is a very good word. MineralMan Nov 2018 #44

It's still very much an outlier. Nothing else gets this treatment besides sky wizards. Pope George Ringo II Nov 2018 #45

I like the word. MineralMan Nov 2018 #46

I won't argue with somebody's right to define themselves as they see fit. Pope George Ringo II Nov 2018 #47

Atheists are not responsible for irrational reactions to that word. MineralMan Nov 2018 #48

The definition confusing the religious is one angle Pope George Ringo II Nov 2018 #49

The word for disbelief in the Philosopher's Stone is MineralMan Nov 2018 #50

I had actually been thinking of the Philosopher's Stone as a transmuter Pope George Ringo II Nov 2018 #51

Ah, OK. MineralMan Nov 2018 #52

Careful. Pope George Ringo II Nov 2018 #53

And here's another: Disbelief in Leprechauns is MineralMan Nov 2018 #54

Name one of those examples you gave... quickesst Nov 2018 #55

You kinda missed to the point there. Act_of_Reparation Nov 2018 #58

Sorry, but I think you're wrong... quickesst Nov 2018 #66

My daughter is a true atheist violetpastille Nov 2018 #60

That's the sort of thing which gives me hope for the future. Pope George Ringo II Nov 2018 #69

Whether someone is interested in discussing the subject Mariana Nov 2018 #70

Not so stupid if one can look at the word "atheist" with a slight spelling and syllabic cornball 24 Nov 2018 #67

Their invisible friends really don't rate it. Pope George Ringo II Nov 2018 #68