Atheism in a nutshell?

[theInquirer]

Hi everyone, this is my first post on this forum.

I’ve recently become interested in the subject of atheism. I’ve been gathering up information on the internet, to really grasp what atheism is exactly, and what the common beliefs of atheists are, but so far I’ve been met with quite contradictory results. It seems that some sources indicate something quite contrary to others, as well as some people who claim to be atheist exhibit beliefs opposite to those of others, who claim to be the same thing.

I’m posting here in the hope that someone might be gracious enough to answer some of my questions, or direct me to some resources, that might do that. I’m really looking for answers that represent the “true” beliefs between atheists â€" I’m sure there must be extremes deviating in any and all directions, by people who claim to be atheist but actually believe something else entirely. I’m looking for the “atheism in a nutshell” list of principles that, if asked to a random selection of people who consider themselves truly atheist, would get positive responses and general agreement. Also, if I’m asking the wrong questions in the first place, please, correct me, I would love to hear your input as to what the core of atheism beliefs is.

So, here’s a list of questions that I was interested in, but have gotten mixed results in my searches so far:
1)   Do atheists believe that there definitely is no God, or however you call the supposed creator and master of the world, or other deities, or do they simply not care if there are?
2)   Do atheists believe that there definitely are no souls (spirits, or whatever you wish to call them â€" that which is our conscience, if it were not just a result of the physical processes in our heads), or do they simply not care if there are?
3)   While on the subject, do atheists believe that all existence, all life, and specifically humans also, are just subatomic particles playing out a grand show ever since some starting event and state, according to a set of laws of physics?
4)   Are there any branches of atheism that deviate from the main ideas of atheism? If so, what are they called and how do they differ?
5)   Are there branches of atheism that are actually not opposed to the existence of a God, other deities, souls, etc, but are simply opposed to following any main stream religion, which they deem obviously wrong and unacceptable in its practices?
6)   And finally, if you consider yourself a true atheist, what is at the core of your beliefs? I am asking specifically regarding beliefs of the makings of the universe, the human essence, life, and so on.

But, please, only answer if you consider yourself truly atheist, to the best of your understanding of the word in its original sense, as opposed to modifying its meaning under your beliefs, and then labeling yourself atheist anyway, for whatever reason. I’m saying this because I’ve found some extreme deviations in beliefs expressed by people who claim to be atheist, which obviously means that someone is changing the meaning of the word.

Thanks a lot!

[Whitney]

Anyone who isn't a theist is an atheist....that's it in a nutshell.  

1) They don't believe in a god...some people may take it a step further and say a god definitely doesn't or can't exist.  There is a word for those who simply don't care:  apatheist.
2) There is no hard reason why someone who doesn't believe in dieties would have to not beleive in souls, spirits etc.  
3) That isn't a requirement to classify as atheist...but most who self identify as atheist probably think something along those lines.
4) There are no branches of atheist...you either believe in god or you don't.  (there are however terms such as gnostic and agnostic...but that's defines knowledge and what someone thinks can be known rather than what they believe to be true)
5) see 4.
6) I don't think it really matters given you goal is to understand what atheist means and what I think about life etc has very little to do with me being an atheist rather than a theist.  I could just as easily think a deist god exists and have the same basic worldview.

[theInquirer]

Thanks for your reply, but may I ask you to elaborate on the sixth question, though? Of course, if you feel like talking of such things, I wouldn't want to pressure you to do it if it makes you uncomfortable.

Maybe I should clarify, that what I meant to ask was more along the lines "do you think the world was created by the deity X, and is inhabited by supernatural creatures Y, who manifest themselves as Z in the physical work, etc, etc, etc," or "do you think that the world is simply the result of the laws of physics and the interaction of physical matter, and nothing exists beyond that", or any mixture of the two, which, I believe is tied closely with being or not being atheist. I did not mean to ask about what you believe to be good or bad, or correct or incorrect actions, given your understaning of the world.

[Whitney]

Maybe I should clarify, that what I meant to ask was more along the lines "do you think the world was created by the deity X, and is inhabited by supernatural creatures Y, who manifest themselves as Z in the physical work, etc, etc, etc," or "do you think that the world is simply the result of the laws of physics and the interaction of physical matter, and nothing exists beyond that", or any mixture of the two, which, I believe is tied closely with being or not being atheist. I did not mean to ask about what you believe to be good or bad, or correct or incorrect actions, given your understaning of the world.

If I thought the world was created by a deity I wouldn't classify as atheist.

I see no reason to think there is a supernatural cause for the universe but don't pretend to know how it all started....so this defaults me to assuming (unless demonstrated otherwise) that all that exists is the result of the natural laws playing themselves out over time.

[Tank]

Copy Pasta, also here http://debate.atheist.net/showthread.php?t=3523

[Tank]

Hi everyone, this is my first post on this forum.

I’ve recently become interested in the subject of atheism. I’ve been gathering up information on the internet, to really grasp what atheism is exactly, and what the common beliefs of atheists are,

Hi and welcome aboard. There is only one shared idea (and it's not a belief in the religious sense of the word) among atheists, if you want to read about it read here http://forum.richarddawkins.net/viewtopic.php?t=47382 the debate went on for yours  

Do you know what a sympathy troll is and why I may, at this point, consider you to be one?

Useful links for new members
Mission Statement Why this place is here.
Forum Rules More of a set of guidelines really, upset Whitney (She who must be obeyed) and you'll find the exit door very quickly!
How do I use the quote feature? If you are new to forums this is an important feature to understand. The maximum number of nested quotes is 3.
Help desk. Any problems this is where to ask them.
What's on your mind today? The general chit chat thread.
Somewhere to discuss the fear of dying. Many ex-theists have to come to terms with death, this is a place to discuss this issue.
How to tell your family you are an atheist. Some suggestions about how to deal with this thorny issue.
Parenting Beyond Belief. The forum for discussing how to raise your children 'Faith Free'.
Just a little advice for new Atheists Some thoughts for those new to reality.
.

[theInquirer]

If I thought the world was created by a deity I wouldn't classify as atheist.

Sure, the examples I gave were more as guides to help understand my question, in case I had not been sufficiently clear the first time around, of course I did not expect you to believe in a diety I just wanted as much input as I could get my hands on.

Do you know what a sympathy troll is and why I may, at this point, consider you to be one?

Nope, no idea. Mind enlightening me?

[Tank]

Copy Pasta, also here http://debate.atheist.net/showthread.php?t=3523

Yup, thats me, is that a crime?

I could be wrong, I hope I am, only time will tell. Enjoy the debate, don't let me derail the thread any more.

[Martin TK]

So, here’s a list of questions that I was interested in, but have gotten mixed results in my searches so far:
1)   Do atheists believe that there definitely is no God, or however you call the supposed creator and master of the world, or other deities, or do they simply not care if there are?  Atheists are an ecclectic group for sure, and there are many levels of thought on gods, but the ONE thing all atheists agree on is that there is no personal god/creator.
2)   Do atheists believe that there definitely are no souls (spirits, or whatever you wish to call them â€" that which is our conscience, if it were not just a result of the physical processes in our heads), or do they simply not care if there are?I think I see what you are after here, the whole soul/conscience thing.  What is it that gives us the "spark of life", well that is a good question, for which a lot of research has been ongoing.  I think that life is precious without the need for a creator/god and I do not believe that there are spirits or souls.
3)   While on the subject, do atheists believe that all existence, all life, and specifically humans also, are just subatomic particles playing out a grand show ever since some starting event and state, according to a set of laws of physics?I believe that there is enough evidence in science to answer this question, so yes, I believe that we are nothing more than a random coincidence of nature.
4)   Are there any branches of atheism that deviate from the main ideas of atheism? If so, what are they called and how do they differ?This is a typical error made by theists, atheists by definition simply do not believe in any god, period.
5)   Are there branches of atheism that are actually not opposed to the existence of a God, other deities, souls, etc, but are simply opposed to following any main stream religion, which they deem obviously wrong and unacceptable in its practices?NO
6)   And finally, if you consider yourself a true atheist, what is at the core of your beliefs? I am asking specifically regarding beliefs of the makings of the universe, the human essence, life, and so on.Atheists, unlike theists, do not have a core of beliefs, we do not have a belief system.  We don't have a "belief" in science, we simply accept science as the logical reason for our existence.  The universe came from a singularity, the human existence is no more "special" than that of any other species of animal on the planet, life happens, and so on.
Thanks a lot!

I'm one of those Atheists who truly dislike religion, not just one that doesn't believe in gods, so I will try and answer your questions as best I can.

[theInquirer]

Having been on atheist forums of one sort or another since Feb 2006 I have seen quite a few types of members. A Sympathy Troll is a person who wants to influence others to think their way.

I see what you mean. You needn't worry, I've no intentions of doing that, I really am here just to see the opinions of people who consider themselves atheist, and I must tell you, that it was worth it - getting actual responses from real people on all the forums I posted on proved to be a lot more educating than all the online definitions I could find

Even your user name smells a little fishy 'theInquirer' = 'nice and harmless' = 'no need to be worry about me' = 'I'm your friend

Well, I just tried to indicate that my intention is to not actually become a long lasting member of the forum, but rather to get some answers for the questions at hand, although I must say, that I did find some interesting discussions of not only these, but many other atheists forums, and might come around eavesdropping every once in a while.

You completely ignored my link to the Richard Dawkins forum and a set of threads that would have given you hours of thoughtful reading on the subject.

I wouldn't say that. Yeah, I did not bring it up in conversation, but that is only because I haven't nowere near sifted through all of it - it was pretty late for me yesterday. And when I do, I might not even need to ask anyone anything else - it really does provide a good insight into the different approaches that people have to atheism.

Anyway, thanks for your responses, HAF!

[Tank]

Reasonable answers, if you post again I'll have a go at answering your questions.  

[theInquirer]

Then I'll post again, just to get one more answer

[pinkocommie]

1)   Do atheists believe that there definitely is no God, or however you call the supposed creator and master of the world, or other deities, or do they simply not care if there are?

I think there's a range of people who could be considered atheists, from people who are taking the null position of 'there's no reason to believe there is a god' to those who positively assert that God does not exist.

2)   Do atheists believe that there definitely are no souls (spirits, or whatever you wish to call them â€" that which is our conscience, if it were not just a result of the physical processes in our heads), or do they simply not care if there are?

I'm not sure.  Beyond the lack of belief in god, atheists are all over the place.  I would say that atheists often are also skeptics and a skeptic would certainly question the validity of a claim that a soul in the supernatural sense exists, but I don't think it's correct to try to paint all atheists as skeptics.  There is a chance that an atheist would believe in the soul, spirits, or ghosts, etc.

3)   While on the subject, do atheists believe that all existence, all life, and specifically humans also, are just subatomic particles playing out a grand show ever since some starting event and state, according to a set of laws of physics?

Again, blanket statements about atheists get kind of difficult to address the further away you get from "It is unlikely there is a god, and I have no reason to believe in one."

4)   Are there any branches of atheism that deviate from the main ideas of atheism? If so, what are they called and how do they differ?

It would be a mistake to regard atheism as if it were a religion with branches and the like.

5)   Are there branches of atheism that are actually not opposed to the existence of a God, other deities, souls, etc, but are simply opposed to following any main stream religion, which they deem obviously wrong and unacceptable in its practices?

I'm not opposed to the existence of god, I don't think god exists.  I think that's an important distinction.

6)   And finally, if you consider yourself a true atheist, what is at the core of your beliefs? I am asking specifically regarding beliefs of the makings of the universe, the human essence, life, and so on.

I don't have a discernible core to my beliefs that I know of.  I don't know what you mean by "human essence".  I guess I feel like this is a really strangely worded, broad question.

[Thumpalumpacus]

But, please, only answer if you consider yourself truly atheist, to the best of your understanding of the word in its original sense, as opposed to modifying its meaning under your beliefs, and then labeling yourself atheist anyway, for whatever reason. I’m saying this because I’ve found some extreme deviations in beliefs expressed by people who claim to be atheist, which obviously means that someone is changing the meaning of the word.

I would've answered, but this passage screams No True Scotsman to me.

Atheists come in many different shadings, and if you wish to boil it down, go to the quintessence of the word:  "without god(s)".  Anything else is, in my mind, pontification.

[Tank]

Hi everyone, this is my first post on this forum.

I’ve recently become interested in the subject of atheism. I’ve been gathering up information on the internet, to really grasp what atheism is exactly, and what the common beliefs of atheists are, but so far I’ve been met with quite contradictory results. It seems that some sources indicate something quite contrary to others, as well as some people who claim to be atheist exhibit beliefs opposite to those of others, who claim to be the same thing.

I’m posting here in the hope that someone might be gracious enough to answer some of my questions, or direct me to some resources, that might do that. I’m really looking for answers that represent the “true” beliefs between atheists â€" I’m sure there must be extremes deviating in any and all directions, by people who claim to be atheist but actually believe something else entirely. I’m looking for the “atheism in a nutshell” list of principles that, if asked to a random selection of people who consider themselves truly atheist, would get positive responses and general agreement. Also, if I’m asking the wrong questions in the first place, please, correct me, I would love to hear your input as to what the core of atheism beliefs is.

So, here’s a list of questions that I was interested in, but have gotten mixed results in my searches so far:
1)   Do atheists believe that there definitely is no God, or however you call the supposed creator and master of the world, or other deities, or do they simply not care if there are?

The vast majority (3/4) of atheists define themselves as what is know as a 'weak' or defacto atheist. This is a condition where the view is that there is insufficient evidence in quality and/or quantity for the existance of a God, any God and thus there is no need to behave as if God exists or interacts with us. As one can not prove a negative, the non-existance of God, one has to accept that logically God could exist. I fall into that category. The remaining fall into the category of 'strong' atheist where they see this lack of evidence as being so lacking that there really can be no God, or base their view on some other foundation which allows them to assert 'There is no God.'  

2)   Do atheists believe that there definitely are no souls (spirits, or whatever you wish to call them â€" that which is our conscience, if it were not just a result of the physical processes in our heads), or do they simply not care if there are?

A soul, should it exist, would be evidence of the existance of a soul and nothing more. It would not be evidence for the existance of God. So an atheist could accept the existance of a soul and still be an atheist. However I have found no atheist that considers the possibility of a soul existing. That doesn't mean there aren't any just that I haven't bumped into one yet. I strongly doubt the existance of a soul as I know of no mechanism by which the memories in the human mind, encoded as they are in the chemicals and biological connections, could make the leap to a purely energy based existance with no corporeal support structure.

3)   While on the subject, do atheists believe that all existence, all life, and specifically humans also, are just subatomic particles playing out a grand show ever since some starting event and state, according to a set of laws of physics?

Having studied cosmology and evolution I have no doubt that what we see around us is most likely a result of the interaction of matter and the observed behaviour of matter (erroneously referred to as 'Laws'). An atheist world view would preclude any other explanation as God is not in the equation.

4)   Are there any branches of atheism that deviate from the main ideas of atheism? If so, what are they called and how do they differ?

No.

5)   Are there branches of atheism that are actually not opposed to the existence of a God, other deities, souls, etc, but are simply opposed to following any main stream religion, which they deem obviously wrong and unacceptable in its practices?

The very statement 'branches of atheism' is an oxymoron as atheism is not an all encompassing world view or dogma, it is simply the recognition within an individual that God does not exist. After that every other view is down to the Genes, Memes and experiences of the individual moderated by their intelligence.

6)   And finally, if you consider yourself a true atheist, what is at the core of your beliefs? I am asking specifically regarding beliefs of the makings of the universe, the human essence, life, and so on.

My world view is founded on the scientific method being the least worst method of discovering how the universe really works, as opposed to relying on ancient mythologies. As we learn more my world view may change in light of any new information. However, as most discoveries now being made are tending to confirm or refine our existing understanding of the world at the macro material level I think our existing understanding is close to reality. The one area where we really are flummoxed though is the true nature of matter, this is causing extreme head scratching among scientists and why the CERN facility is currently heating up to try and find the Higgs Boson. Quantum entanglement is another issue as it runs counter to special relativity. There is still a bit of grit in the watch, but I doubt that bit of grit is God!