We Are All Atheists

[trotsky]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeff-schweitzer/we-are-all-atheists_b_6890056.html

The cold hard fact is that atheists face global persecution, yet attacks are rarely reported in mainstream news. In contrast, any attack on a Christian gets plenty of attention. One piece in the New York Times pleaded, "Who Will Stand Up for the Christians?" Here is a headline you'll never see: "Who will stand up for the Atheists?" The Catholic press emphasized that ISIS is killing Christians, which is true, but ignored that fact that ISIS is killing anybody they deem unworthy of their radical Islamic beliefs, including other Muslims and Jews. Is the killing of a Christian worse than the murder of an atheist or Muslim? Apparently.

...

The word atheist derives from Greek, originally from the adjective atheos, meaning "without god." The term was later invoked by Greek writers to mean "denying the gods." All of us are without or deny the existence of at least some gods, and therefore all of us are atheists. This is undeniable: all monotheistic believers reject all gods, except one. They reject all the Greek elder gods Cronus, Gaea, Uranus, Rhea, Oceanus, Tethys, Hyperion, Mnemosyne, Themis, Iapetus, Coeus, Crius, Phoebe, Thea, Prometheus, Epimetheus, Atlas, Metis and Dione.

Muslims, Jews and Christians all deny the existence of the Greek Olympic gods Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hestia, Hera, Ares, Athena, Apollo, Aphrodite, Hermes, Artemis and Hephaestus. All major religions today dismiss as nothing but myth the Roman gods Jupiter, Juno, Neptune, Pluto, Apollo, Diana, Mars, Venus, Cupid, Mercury, Minerva, Ceres, Proserpine, Vulcan, Bacchus, Saturn, Vesta, Janus, Uranus and Maia.

Yet this roster of gods was real to multiple thousands of people for thousands of years, every bit as real as the one god worshipped by Christians, Muslims and Jews today. These Greek and Roman gods were the subject of daily pleas, prayers and sacrifice and the guiding force for much daily ritual. These mighty powers stood for millennia, ruling over their followers for a period of time that greatly exceeds all of Christianity. These gods are now demoted to nothing more glorious than a good story. What would convey upon these gods more or less legitimacy than the god of John, Matthew, Mark and Luke? Nothing.

[marym625]

1. Does anyone still believe in the Greek and Roman gods?

I know that's beside the point. Just curious.

Nice post. Thank you

[bvf]

2. I think

that's exactly the point.

Agreed, good post.

[marym625]

3. Well, I mean my curiosity on it. n/t

[bvf]

5. No disrespect intended.

Certainly having only one god makes it easier to keep track of things!

[marym625]

8. none taken

But thank you.

And none is even easier!

[bvf]

26. Wholly agreed.

But the greater part of humanity unfortunately doesn't see it that way, instead being unable to shake a belief in fairies (uh, one huge fairy) as justification for their behavior--really bad behavior.

We seem to be heading in the right direction, though it's a slow march.

[marym625]

27. seems to be a large move in both directions.

Just hope that the believers can stop the insanity in the belief. Take care of your own souls and let others take care of theirs. And I will donate mine to the highest bidder

[trotsky]

4. As a matter of fact, yes!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellenismos

Leaders of the movement claimed in 2005 that there are as many as 2,000 adherents to the Hellenic tradition in Greece, with an additional 100,000 who have "some sort of interest". No official estimates exist for devotees worldwide.

[bvf]

6. Damned heathens! n/t.

[marym625]

9. Who would have thunk it?

Really interesting. Thank you!

[AtheistCrusader]

10. Hail Eris!

[LostOne4Ever]

15. She is awesome but I prefer the goddess of war, Athena!

[center][/center]

[AtheistCrusader]

16. Even in war, Athena was more of a builder than a wrecker, so

I can see the appeal.

[Act_of_Reparation]

31. I'm pretty fond of her myself.

As my avatar might suggest.

[edhopper]

7. Another thought

though they are monotheists, many still believe in Demi-Gods in the form of angels, demons etc...

[Warren Stupidity]

12. there is some ridiculous theological bullshit about how all that is not polytheism. nt.

[edhopper]

17. You could just say

"there is some ridiculous theological bullshit"

and leave it at that.

[gcomeau]

11. While I appreciate the underlying point the author's making...

...that essentially everyone on earth rejects the existence of the majority of claimed supernatural entities and doesn't blink twice, or even once, doing it... and none of them have any good reason for excluding the one specific deity they decided to exempt from that rejection beyond some personal preference that that one exist... I absolutely hate that "we are all atheists" line.

Atheists recognize the lack of justification for that final exemption where theists live in denial of it. Which is a significant distinction that shouldn't be glossed over by simply declaring them to be the same. Even to make a rhetorical point.

[Warren Stupidity]

13. A better way to phrase it is that monotheists are one god short of atheism.

[gcomeau]

14. Yeah, that would work a lot better... -eom

[trotsky]

18. Good point.

I've heard this angle before, and I like it for the reason that it makes people think about why they reject other gods but it's true, discarding that one last "lifeline" is different.

[mr blur]

20. Hate it all you want, doesn't stop it being true.

The rest is bullshit.

[gcomeau]

21. Umm, what?

No, it really isn't true. Atheists don't believe in the existence of *any* deities. That's what the word means. So no we are not "all atheists". Even the author wasn't seriously trying to argue everyone was it was a rhetorical device.

[goldent]

25. Every day probably 1000s of people take an Onion article as straight reporting.

[FiveGoodMen]

19. Quibble about terminology...

We are all disbelievers in many, many "gods" but 'atheist' still suggests (to me) a person without any gods.

[goldent]

24. Yes, it doesn't take too much mathematical insight

to realize that 0 is much different from all other numbers. They are taking advantage of peoples fuzzy understanding of arithmetic.

[Htom Sirveaux]

22. If the author of the article wants to call me an atheist on that basis, he can go right ahead.

It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.

[okasha]

23. Nor does it pick my pocket or break my leg,

but the strained "logic" of the statement does make me laugh. It's the flip side of "No atheists in foxholes."

[trotsky]

28. Great. Then it should be easy for someone as smart as you to pick apart.

Why don't you believe in Zeus? Surely you can provide an answer. Or, if you're not up to the task, just remain silent.

[okasha]

29. I csn provide an answer, But you won't like it.

I believe in the Anihyuntikwalaski. Europeans use other names for the Thunder--Zeus, Thor, Jupiter. Same divine manifestation, different names.

By the way, your last iine is a really cheap attempt to set up someone who doesn't ordinarily respond to you. Too bad it backfired on you.

Have a nice day.

[trotsky]

30. Oh so that's how you think you get out of it.

Same god, different name.

Not quite. Zeus had distinct characteristics. You know this, but I suspect you want to pretend they aren't there in order to save your desperate argument. Talk about a backfire indeed! Better luck next time.

[okasha]

32. I'm a panentheist. They're all the same god.

Too bad it backfired on you, and you can't accept it.

Ta. You're back on my "don't bother" list. Or as your buddy Warren would say, cool story, bro.

[trotsky]

33. To you, but actual believers in Zeus would disagree with you.

That's the whole point. Sorry you can't grasp it.

Who are you to tell them they're wrong? Nice effort, but better luck next time!

[okasha]

35. Who are you to tell me I'm wrong?

Have you got anyone whom you would consider an "actual believer in Zeus" to tell me so? And.by the way, how do you know your "actual believer in Zeus" would disagree with me? I'd be happy to have a discussion with that person.

[trotsky]

37. As I noted, Zeus was defined with particular characteristics.

Those specific traits disappear when you retreat to your panentheist position. Ergo, you don't believe in Zeus. Sorry to bust your sophisticated logic so easily.

You also don't believe in Pat Robertson's god.

Perhaps you can make up another false and hurtful accusation and level it against me to help yourself feel better and convince yourself you "won"?

[Leontius]

34. There used to be a small museum in Luray called the Thunderbird Museum

when I first heard of it I thought how the hell does that name connect with a 8000 year old hunters camp archeological site and display.

[okasha]

36. You thought of the car or the flight squadron?