Am I an atheist?

[mjolnir]

Welcome!

If you believe in some sort of god, then you're not an atheist. If you don't, then you are.

Simple and to the point.

It's a simple point only if you can define "god." Is the gravitational force a "god?" What about the electromagnetic force? What causes it to exist? Where does it come from? Is the concept of "god" an abstraction used to explain the cause of unknown forces?

Let's say you hold the view that Big Bang is our best explanation of the origin of our visible universe (and I do hold this view). Then, what force(s) created the singularity of matter that existed at the moment the Big Bang occurred?

Perhaps you are a pantheist?  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantheism

I think that when anyone uses the word god they are thinking of a superior consciousness that is responsible for all of existence....which would mean that anything that is right to call god would be some kind of being and not just a natural phenomena.

Excellent link. I haven't explored Pantheism before, but it's something I can relate to - especially this part of the wiki: Einstein relates his belief to Pantheism: "If something is in me which can be called religious then it is the unbounded admiration for the structure of the world so far as our science can reveal it."

[mjolnir]

Whether or not you are an atheist is for you to answer.

Does it matter though? Do you just want a label that fits? Or to fit a label, in case I've got things reversed..?

I want a label that fits. I'm not sure if my viewpoint is considered agnostic or atheist.

You don't really need to be labeled. Just be yourself. It's not so difficult to figure "hey, I do" or "don't believe in the invisible, improbable, sky daddy."

I don't go shouting out "i'm atheist!!" to the world. I just go about my day normally.

That's good that works for you. However, I'd like to structure my thoughts and figure out if I am an atheist, agnostic, ignostic, pantheist, or something else.

[xSilverPhinx]

How about ignostic?

Does the word 'god' to you have to describe something that is intelligent and conscious? Capable of planning the creation of a universe, for instance?

Nice, I like the article about ignosticism.

I consider the world's major religions to be a low quality way of understanding the creation of the universe, and I see no reason to believe in any god proposed by any of these religions. If the concept of god is limited to the gods associated with religions, then I'm most likely an atheist.

If god is defined as a force that created the universe, then I believe it is reasonable to speculate that there may have been a force (or forces), prior to the current known forces (e.g. gravitational, electromagnetic, strong, weak), that created the universe and its laws and dimensions. This force may or may not be conscious (it doesn't have to play an architect role, but it could). If a force that created the universe (or set it into motion, or specified its rules) is considered to be a god, then I may not be an atheist.

So basically you associate whatever caused the universe to exist (assuming there was a cause) with what the religious call god, even though they add personality traits, purpose and such to their gods?

The problem with the word 'god' is that it's already as loaded word and it's in regard to the general consensus on that word's meaning, even with all the variations that I call myself an atheist.

Would you worship or pay homage to a force or forces that set the universe in motion (assuming that was the case?)

[mjolnir]

So basically you associate whatever caused the universe to exist (assuming there was a cause) with what the religious call god, even though they add personality traits, purpose and such to their gods?

I associate what religious people call god with unicorns and leprechauns.

I associate whatever force caused the universe to exist with something that can be described through mathematics and experimental data.

Would you worship or pay homage to a force or forces that set the universe in motion (assuming that was the case?)

Worship or pay homage = no.

Admire its design = yes.

[Crow]

If a force that created the universe (or set it into motion, or specified its rules) is considered to be a god, then I may not be an atheist.

Not necessarily, I mentioned the Taoist concept of Tao in an earlier post and that's exactly what it refers to; the original force that came from nothing, they do not see it as a god in any way shape or form and is not a conscious entity. For Taoists it is the basic foundations of everything, yet as a part not a whole. On the other hand if you spoke to a person that believes in a monotheistic god then they would probably consider what you said to be a god.

[mjolnir]

Not necessarily, I mentioned the Taoist concept of Tao in an earlier post and that's exactly what it refers to; the original force that came from nothing, they do not see it as a god in any way shape or form and is not a conscious entity. For Taoists it is the basic foundations of everything, yet as a part not a whole. On the other hand if you spoke to a person that believes in a monotheistic god then they would probably consider what you said to be a god.

Is this the Taoist concept of creation you're referring to?

"Heaven and Earth were once the Chaos (hun-tun) like a chicken's egg, in which
P'an-ku was born. After eighteen thousand years, this chaotic mass split apart,
what was high and clear forming Heaven, and what was dark and turbid
forming Earth. P'an-ku stood between them. His body transformed nine times
daily while his head supported the Heaven and his feet stabilized the Earth... " - http://www.questia.com/googleScholar.qst?docId=96381299

[xSilverPhinx]

It's kind of funny given that the singularity is said to be the most ordered state the universe has ever been in

So basically you associate whatever caused the universe to exist (assuming there was a cause) with what the religious call god, even though they add personality traits, purpose and such to their gods?

I associate what religious people call god with unicorns and leprechauns.

I associate whatever force caused the universe to exist with something that can be described through mathematics and experimental data.

Would you worship or pay homage to a force or forces that set the universe in motion (assuming that was the case?)

Worship or pay homage = no.

Admire its design = yes.

Sounds basically like atheism to me...

Going into the whole label thing, you even find people who describe themselves as atheistic pantheists. There are even theistic or deistic variations of pantheism in the mix.

[mjolnir]

I believe I'm getting close to answering my question.

I'm 100% Naturalistic Pantheist according this quiz - http://www.selectsmart.com/plus/select.php?url=pantheism

[Jose AR]

maybe becuase you leave the door open for the force that created the universe to be a deity, you are an agnostic.

[mjolnir]

maybe becuase you leave the door open for the force that created the universe to be a deity, you are an agnostic.

It depends on how god is defined.

If the definition of god is limited to religious gods (Yahweh, Allah, Krishna, etc), then I'm atheist.

If the definition of god is expanded to include the force(s) that created or set the universe in motion, then I'm agnostic - I have no clue what these forces are like or if they even exist.

[Tank]

maybe becuase you leave the door open for the force that created the universe to be a deity, you are an agnostic.

It depends on how god is defined.

If the definition of god is limited to religious gods (Yahweh, Allah, Krishna, etc), then I'm atheist.

If the definition of god is expanded to include the force(s) that created or set the universe in motion, then I'm agnostic - I have no clue what these forces are like or if they even exist.

Find a brick. Drop it on your foot. Report back on your findings.

[mjolnir]

Find a brick. Drop it on your foot. Report back on your findings.

Lame...

[Sweetdeath]

Tank, great answer. XDD

[Sandra Craft]

Find a brick. Drop it on your foot. Report back on your findings.

Lame...

I don't know, it did answer the question.

[Stevil]

You are either an atheist or a theist, there is no inbetween,
You either believe that there is a god or you believe that there aren't any gods or you don't have a belief in god/s

If you answer yes to "you believe that there aren't any gods" or if you answer yes to "you don't have a belief in god/s" then you are an atheist.

It seems rare to find an agnostic theist although theoretically there should be many of them, they just won't admit it.