Bacteriologist:


God you people are hopeless.

Obviously you didn't even read your own screenshot. In the picture it said DISBELIEF. How is disbelief a belief?

Maximus69:


That's why i told you from the start that you knew nothing about true Christians!

Jehovah's Witnesses study the Bible with an interested person for a lengthy period of time, he will need to meditate thoroughly on what he's studying and see how it benefits adherents PRACTICALLY before he vow to live in harmony with what he has learnt!

So each person VOW to live by the principles he fully himself understood NOT just what he see others worshipers do without scrutiny!

That's the difference between true Christians and misinformed churchgoers!

Note how easy you think you could defend your so called "Golden Rule" until i began scrutinizing it by asking thought provoking questions!

Normally any lay man will easily agree that you've set a PERFECT standard, but when you meet Jehovah's Witnesses (true Christians) having the uncommon sense, your so called Golden Rules will be flawed!

So far so good you've not been able to prove your so called Golden Rule to be PERFECT as you initially presumed!

The first Rule
BELIEVE IN YOURSELF finally turned to
BELIEVE IN COLLECTIVE IDEAS GATHERED BEFORE MAKING THE FINAL DECISION


And the second RULE
WORSHIP NO GOD has been left unattended to!

Now can we now move to your last Rule?

DO GOOD TO HUMANITY!

paxonel:
we already know that atheism is disbelief that's not what i meant.

Look at the encircled word in the other definition of atheism below: it means a set of beliefs or ideas that are thought.

That second definition suggest that there are beliefs and doctrines in atheism, i didn't write that dictionary i saw it and uploaded it.

What do you think?

OtemAtum:
None of the religions unite people, sports do that better. Science also unite people better than religion, take the case study of COVID-19 for example. Everybody has thrown his or her weight on science to help us.

OtemAtum:
You just conclude and run to next argument as if you have already won the one on ground
When does BELIEVING IN ONESELF AMOUNT TO SELF-ISOLATION AND QUARANTINING? You will really need to be well schooled on the phrase "Use your Brain". When we talk about using ones brain, it doesn't mean that you should not seek advice. It doesn't m an that u should not acquire knowledge. As a matter of fact, what it means is that you should ACQUIRE AVLOT OF KNOWLEDGE BEFORE MAKING A DECISION. Can you tell me what you are doing while reading and learning? Are you not putting the brain to use in that way? But majority of religionists like you do whatever your pastors or religious institutions teach you without thinking thoroughly about it. Now do you understand the meaning of brain-using?

paxonel:
I'm not doubting that it lack of belief, I already know.
But does lack of belief implies lack of the mind?
Because by default, every minds must have beliefs.

for the military to have doctrines, it means the military must have beliefs or philosophy. They cannot possibly lack beliefs, and the extent to which they believe is the extent to which they know.

these sets of characteristics of religion lacking in atheism does not exclude atheism from the idea of what the word RELIGION implies in English dictionary.

The word RELIGION also encompasses beliefs order than beliefs that has to do with a god. For instance, one meaning of the word RELIGION encircled below.

paxonel:
I'm not doubting that it lack of belief, I already know.
But does lack of belief implies lack of the mind?
Because by default, every minds must have beliefs.
for the military to have doctrines, it means the military must have beliefs or philosophy. They cannot possibly lack beliefs, and the extent to which they believe is the extent to which they know.
these sets of characteristics of religion lacking in atheism does not exclude atheism from the idea of what the word RELIGION implies in English dictionary.

The word RELIGION also encompasses beliefs order than beliefs that has to do with a god. For instance, one meaning of the word RELIGION encircled below.

Bacteriologist:
I don't have much to celebrate. Than to just be thankful that I was able to rise above all the indoctrination and brainwashing and to come to the valid conclusion, that religion is a lie after 20 solid years.


I want to specially celebrate the people who have fought for the freedom of people like me. Because a few years ago, when world politics was massively controlled by religion and theologians, I would have been dead/burnt at stake or at the very least, rejected from society simply for having this sort of skeptic mindset.

I own my freedom of speech to those great people who fought for the normalisation of secularism. I very much understand that there a lot of religious people who would want us to return back to the age where doubt is criminalized.

And I have made it my point of duty to fight for the rights of fellow atheists, both now and in the future, for their right to freedom of speech and to go about their normal lives regardless of their belief or lack of it.


To the commiseration of atheists who have lost their lives, in the hands of religious people, both completely and partially, I personally dedicate this day.

Bacteriologist:


I think that you're dishonestly ignoring one definition because it does not suit your narrative.

@the bolded, Point to me where the dictionary said there are beliefs in atheism. If you cannot then you're dishonest.

Maximus69:


I've told them several times without number that RELIGION is not just about the belief in God alone but whatever you have absolute confidence in even without seeing it!

For instance a doctor will prescribe a medication and ask you to use it RELIGIOUSLY!

That means you should believe in such prescription even without seeing it working at the moment!

That's why the Bible defines Faith as the assured expectation of things hoped for, the evident demonstration of realities though NOT seen! Hebrew 11:1

This definition is clear enough that anyone trusting in any arrangement and working diligently with such an arrangement before seeing the fulfilment is a RELIGIONIST!

So far you come on social media spending your time to type words meant to reach the heart of other humans like you, there is no doubt about that. You surely BELIEVE in what you're doing, which makes you RELIGIOUS!

LordReed:

It very well does exclude it. This meaning you have brought will only lead to the conclusion that anything of interest to a group of humans is religion which you very well know that that is not how we view things.

We don't call stamp collecting a religion, we don't call going to work a religion. There is a meaning to religion that everyone understands when you mention it, there is no need to begin to equivocate just to make a point.

paxonel:
obviously, just like every other religion they criticize, these guys are living in huge delusion too, they are not aware

paxonel:
no!
All definitions inclusive as they are applied to different situations yet one word ATHEISM.
I'm not here to cherry pick anything, ofcourse i have already agree that atheism is disbelief, no doubt.
But how about the second definition which says
the doctrine that there is no deity?
So long that definition is there in the dictionary you can't dispute that atheism also involves doctrine
check the meaning of the word DOCTRINE used in the definition of atheism you will see the word beliefs.
No doubt, there are beliefs and doctrines in atheism too.

In summary, no one living in this life that does not have beliefs or even personal philosophy. This has thrown your concept of atheism as lack of belief into a jeopardy

paxonel:
unfortunately, that is what it seems.
I mean, as much as other activities other than religion may be of interest to people, so is religion of interest to those who are into it

you have to equivocate in order to avoid bias judgement.
Because if you are looking at it only from your own stand point of view especially when your view is science oriented or originated and is advanced, you may end up apply your idea about religion where it does not call for and find yourself trying to suppress religions you now consider primitive forms of religion like Christianity and Islam .

One thing i no for sure is, the human mind is very dynamic and full of imaginations and at the same time frigid and lacking imaginations at some point. So to be realistic, it is not possible that after interaction with the outer environment using the five senses that the mind will not evolve ideas, concepts and doctrines which is actually where conventional religion originated.

Scientific theories and laws are not excluded from the same process : the five senses are used for observation and whatever conclusion is arrived can be believed by the mind religiously thereby consistuting RELIGION.

Maximus69:


I've told LordReed times without number that the only way to prove he has totally broken free from the shackles of religion is by ignoring everything having to do with religion, otherwise he is still under bondage of religion!

But my friend thought it's a means to silence him, so i continue disturbing him to see how truthful he is about his stand yet in everything he says it's obvious he is still under the influence of religion!

My father once took me to a gathering of politicians, AWO (Chief Obafemi Awolowo) was the celebrant. Both King Sunny Ade and Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey were the performing musicians that very day. To make himself more familiar to AWO KSA followed his friend Oluwole Awolowo (baba's son) to greet AWO, but to my shocking surprise AWO don't even know KSA! I asked my dad "Sunny Ade is popular, how come baba didn't know him?" My dad answered "AWO only knows the face of Politicians"

So this means the only thing that's of utmost importance to Awolowo is Politics, surely he will quickly recognize the face of any Politician of his time but KSA is of no importance to him, so he can't even recognize the most popular musician of his time!

Please if LordReed is always here on the religious section of Nairaland, reading, meditating and COMMENTING. How can he prove that he's not into RELIGION?

LordReed:


Mr Storyteller, show me one place other than here where you've told me such a thing. Quote the place let everyone see.

Yes so after living for decades as a Christian you think it will be a one day affair to throw off the things I have spent decades thinking, preaching, praying, meditating and talking about?

We live in a society largely under the influence of religion so what so wonderful about your claim that we are under its influence? Is it not because of religion you and your ilk will not give rest to homosexuals and treat them as productive members of the public?

Also it is funny how you guys always seek to silence atheists in society. Always looking for ways to tell us to shut up while you go about preaching and claiming freedom of speech. Well then here is my own claim to freedom of speech, I will be free to talk about religion until I'm satisfied. You or anyone else will not dictate when and how I engage or disengage, as a thinking man that judgement is reserved for me.

Maximus69:


As long as you still wake up each day to talk about religion, and that's exactly what every religionists do.

YOU ARE A RELIGIONIST!

blessedlibra:


Thankful to whom?

paxonel:
obviously, just like every other religion they criticize, these guys are living in huge delusion too, they are not aware

blessedlibra:


Thankful to whom?

LordReed:


Then do you accept that everything is a religion including commenting on Nairaland?

No you don't, equivocation is a terrible position to take because it used to avoid being pinned down on a point.

Which is what you are attempting to do here. You desperately want to paint atheism as a religion so you can dismiss it as being equally bad as religion.

Suppress religion? Nope, instead we'll show the bad ideas entrenched in religion so that people can see for themselves. There is no need to suppress religion, just shine the light of reality on it, just like Covid 19 is doing right now. Where are the miracle workers and the great prayer warriors or the prophets? Are they not all equally waiting like the rest of us unbelievers on the fruits of scientific inquiry to cure this disease? This is all that needs to happen.

If everything is religion then why is there a special category for religion? This equivocation continues to be unnecessary and needless. You don't go about calling everything a religion. This desperate attempt to just paint atheism as a religion is so transparently obvious. Even if we grant you that atheism is a religion then you also will have to concede everything of interest is religion leading to a nonsense position.

LordReed:


As long as you acknowledge the days of the week you are a pagan.

paxonel:
No!
But if anyone picks so much interest in any religious issue or topic on Nairaland, watch it, that person is already into religion.
because you want to pin down an idea on a point so you shouldn't be objective?
I don't think the consensus to see atheism as consisting of doctrine in an English dictionary was deliberate, ofcourse I couldn't possibly be the one who made the consensus or wrote that dictionary that you should say i want deliberately paint atheism, what's my own
let's look at again :

an interest, a belief, or an activity that is very important to a person or group

This definition is quite specific, it does not apply to everything.
So everything can't possibly be religion.

Maximus69:


Equation balance!

That's what the earth need to maintain sanity in our society!

CHECKS and BALANCES

There should be religionists and pagans!

Hi five!

Bacteriologist:


So your dictionary that said atheism is a disbelief, now twisted it as a "doctrine" which also means belief. So atheism is a belief and disbelief at the same time?

That's a very intelligent dictionary isn't it lol....

Smh at least you accept that there are TWO definitions of Atheism. Actually, there are many of them.

But it mainly boils down to two.

1. Weak Atheism
2. Strong Atheism


Weak atheism is not a knowledge claim. It is a "disbelief" claim. (Or more correctly a rejection of a belief claim)

Q: Do you believe in a god?
A: No I don't.

Simple.

1. Weak atheists don't necessarily "believe" there is no god. They are in a position where belief is not warranted. Mainly because theists do a ridiculous job of providing evidence for any of their gods. And also because it's illogical to disprove what has not been proven in the first place.


2. Strong Atheists: This one is what you have been trying to put all other atheists under because of your lovely dictionary. Lmao
Strong atheists are usually tagged explicit atheists mainly because they actively profess a belief that no gods exist. These ones would argue even with weak atheists that gods can be proven to not exist.



Sure. When speaking, I could say "Your god does not exist" what matters now is the CONFIDENCE level of that claim. Weak atheists have a lower confidence level when they assert that gods do not exist. They only disbelieve because there's no evidence from theists. They are also called Pragmatic atheists or Agnostic Atheists.

Strong atheists have a higher confidence level when they assert the same (they believe and can argue so). They're also called Explicit atheists or Gnostic Atheists.

So there I fixed it for you.

LordReed:


Yeah pagan, hi five!

[img]https://media./images/ed48ce8ab4b19c185d848b5939cc32cc/tenor.gif[/img]

Maximus69:


I've told LordReed times without number that the only way to prove he has totally broken free from the shackles of religion is by ignoring everything having to do with religion, otherwise he is still under bondage of religion!

But my friend thought it's a means to silence him, so i continue disturbing him to see how truthful he is about his stand yet in everything he says it's obvious he is still under the influence of religion!

My father once took me to a gathering of politicians, AWO (Chief Obafemi Awolowo) was the celebrant. Both King Sunny Ade and Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey were the performing musicians that very day. To make himself more familiar to AWO KSA followed his friend Oluwole Awolowo (baba's son) to greet AWO, but to my shocking surprise AWO don't even know KSA! I asked my dad "Sunny Ade is popular, how come baba didn't know him?" My dad answered "AWO only knows the face of Politicians"

So this means the only thing that's of utmost importance to Awolowo is Politics, surely he will quickly recognize the face of any Politician of his time but KSA is of no importance to him, so he can't even recognize the most popular musician of his time!

Please if LordReed is always here on the religious section of Nairaland, reading, meditating and COMMENTING. How can he prove that he's not into RELIGION?

LordReed:


Then very simply Atheism is not a religion.

LordReed:


You seem to use words you freely interpret their meaning. Define delusion.

paxonel:
you made a valid observation.
LordReed and his likes will always come to religious section on Nairaland to defend their religion just like Christians and Muslims do come in to defend their religion.

Very interesting!

paxonel:
i go for the first definition.

You have believed falsely all the while that religion only involves beliefs that has to do with a god but today you are seeing something different, that you may not necessarily have a belief in a god for you to be into religion.

paxonel:
i go for the first definition.

You have believed falsely all the while that religion only involves beliefs that has to do with a god but today you are seeing something different, that you may not necessarily have a belief in a god for you to be into religion.