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July 15th, 2013
02:50 PM ET
Behold, the six types of atheistsBy Dan Merica, CNN (CNN) - How many ways are there to disbelieve in God? At least six, according to a new study. Two researchers at University of Tennessee at Chattanooga found that atheists and agnostics run the range from vocally anti-religious activists to nonbelievers who still observe some religious traditions. “The main observation is that nonbelief is an ontologically diverse community,” write doctoral student Christopher Silver and undergraduate student Thomas Coleman. “These categories are a first stab at this," Silver told the website Raw Story. "In 30 years, we may be looking at a typology of 32 types.” Silver and Coleman derived their six types of nonbelievers from 59 interviews. We're pretty sure we've spotted all six in our comments section. 1) Intellectual atheist/agnostic This type of nonbeliever seeks information and intellectual stimulation about atheism. They like debating and arguing, particularly on popular Internet sites. (Ahem.) They're also well-versed in books and articles about religion and atheism, and prone to citing those works frequently. 2) Activist These kinds of atheists and agnostics are not content with just disbelieving in God; they want to tell others why they reject religion and why society would be better off if we all did likewise. They tend to be vocal about political causes like gay rights, feminism, the environment and the care of animals. 3) Seeker-agnostic This group is made up of people who are unsure about the existence of a God but keep an open mind and recognize the limits of human knowledge and experience. Silver and Coleman describe this group as people who regularly question their own beliefs and “do not hold a firm ideological position.” That doesn't mean this group is confused, the researchers say. They just embrace uncertainty. 4) Anti-theist This group regularly speaks out against religion and religious beliefs, usually by positioning themselves as “diametrically opposed to religious ideology,” Silver and Coleman wrote. “Anti-theists view religion as ignorance and see any individual or institution associated with it as backward and socially detrimental,” the researchers wrote. “The Anti-Theist has a clear and – in their view, superior – understanding of the limitations and danger of religions.” Anti-theists are outspoken, devoted and – at times – confrontational about their disbelief. They believe that "obvious fallacies in religion and belief should be aggressively addressed in some form or another.” 5) Non-theist The smallest group among the six are the non-theists, people who do not involve themselves with either religion or anti-religion. In many cases, this comes across as apathy or disinterest. “A Non-Theist simply does not concern him or herself with religion,” Silver and Coleman wrote. “Religion plays no role or issue in one’s consciousness or worldview; nor does a Non- Theist have concern for the atheist or agnostic movement.” They continue: “They simply do not believe, and in the same right, their absence of faith means the absence of anything religion in any form from their mental space.” 6) Ritual atheist They don't believe in God, they don’t associate with religion, and they tend to believe there is no afterlife, but the sixth type of nonbeliever still finds useful the teachings of some religious traditions. “They see these as more or less philosophical teachings of how to live life and achieve happiness than a path to transcendental liberation,” Silver and Coleman wrote. “For example, these individuals may participate in specific rituals, ceremonies, musical opportunities, meditation, yoga classes, or holiday traditions.” For many of these nonbelievers, their adherence to ritual may stem from family traditions. For others, its a personal connection to, or respect for, the "profound symbolism" inherent within religious rituals, beliefs and ceremonies, according the researchers. - The authors of this study have graciously agreed to field questions from our commenters. If you're interested, please post your question below or tweet it to us at @CNNBelief. We'll take the best questions to the authors and the Q&A will be posted in a follow-up article. Please try to keep your questions related to the study itself. Thanks, soundoff (9,518 Responses)« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 Next »
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The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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Atheist = Random Existence
Believer = Purposed Existence
Question Does you heart keep u alive or does the energy that makes the heart pump?
Question2 Where does that energy come from?
If you can answer those question you will be one step further away from the atheist agenda. To me there are far more dangers of non-believe than believe. If there is no God with is the point of morality because then we are just beast with no higher purpose. Than little voice inside of you... listen to it and make the right decision
Question2 Where does that energy come from?
Ummm, food and oxygen?
You are familiar with metabolism right?
GOPer,,
What then is the exchange rate ratio between one's flesh and bones upon the foods and drinks consumed? Does one eat to fulfill a psychiatric need or psychological necessity? Is an emotional fixation to be fulfilled or is it a physical need? Where then within the atomized kingdom domains does such food issues become translucently apparent in the sciences of civilization?
" If there is no God with is the point of morality because then we are just beast with no higher purpose. Than little voice inside of you... listen to it and make the right decision"
Religious people find it very annoying that people don't need God to be good, as science has now incontestably proved.
For millennia, we've been brainwashed into believing that we needed the Almighty to redeem us from an essentially corrupt nature. Left to our own devices, people would quickly devolve into beasts, more violent, tactless, aggressive, and selfish, than we already are.
Today, we know that this isn't true. With the discovery of mirror neurons by Italian neuroscientist Giaccomo Rizzolatti in the 1990s, we now have physiological proof of why - and how - our species became hard-wired for goodness. Mirror neurons are miraculous cells in the brain whose sole purpose is to harmonize us with our environments. By reflecting the outside world inward, we actually become each other - a little bit; neurologically changed by what is happening around us. Mirror neurons are the reason that we have empathy and can feel each other's pain. It is because of mirror neurons that you blush when you see someone else humiliated, flinch when someone else is struck, and can't resist the urge to laugh when seeing a group struck with the giggles. (Indeed, people who test for "contagious yawning" tend to be more empathic.) These tiny mirrors are the key to most things noble and good inside us.
It is through mirror neurons - not God - that we redeem ourselves, achieve salvation, and are "reborn" in virtuous ways once co-opted by religions. Evolution knew what she was doing. A group of successful cooperators has a much higher chance of thriving than a population of selfish liars. In spite of what we read in the headlines, the ratio of bad to good deeds done on any given day across our planet holds at close to zero any day of the year. Although we are ethical works-in-progress, the vast majority of us are naturally positive creatures - meaning not harmful to our environments - most of the time in most of the ways that matter. And God has nothing to do with it.
Spirituality does but God doesn't. Evolutionary psychologists tell us that our brains are hard-wired with a five-toned moral organ that focuses on a quintet of ethical values - one of which is purity, or sacredness. In a world that can sometimes be disgusting, we evolved an upper tier of emotional longing - the aspiration for purity - to keep us balanced in this satyricon of carnal delights (where animality beckons and frequently wins). Our need for sacredness is part of our ancient survival apparatus, and manifests in what we call faith, the need to connect with that sacred dimension. This has been the primary purpose of religion, of course - to congregate people for the Greater Good - but God has been, in fact, the divine carrot. The important part was communion, a context in which to transcend ourselves, if only for an hour on Sundays. Without this ability "to turn off the Me and turn on the We," moral psychologist Jonathan Haidt tells us, our
species would still be wandering around as groups of nomads, unable to create a civilization.
Aside from mirror neurons, there's oxytocin, the molecule of connection (also known as the molecule of love). It's fascinating to learn that the vagus nerve produces more oxytocin when we witness virtuous behavior in others that makes us want to be better people ourselves. We are wired by nature to be elevated at the sight of other people's goodness, mirror neurons and oxytocin conspiring to improve the species. Miraculous though it is, this natural human phenomenon has nothing to do with theology.
The energy to make your heart pump comes from the energy that is released as the body breaks down the oxygen and nutrients you take in. Does that make me an atheist? No. Does it make me devoutly religious? No. Society organizes itself based on several philosophical rules, mainly to treat each other as we would want to be treated. These philosophies are based on religious teaching, but it doesn't mean that God exists, or doesn't exist. It's simply the justification for how we choose to live our lives.
" If there is no God with is the point of morality
Grammatical niceties aside, morality helps us function as a society so that we can have enjoyable productive lives.
It seems like a good idea to me.
Morality is a human idea and can be influenced by many things including enviroment.
Did someone skip a few classes in school?
Make sure you do skip the most important one
Nope.
Imposed "purpose" with an imaginary fairy-tale outcome is no "purpose".
Atheist have as much "meaning" in their lives as believers.
Just more projected nonsense by a believer who NEEDS his/her belief system, or he/she will have to think for themself.
There is not a shred of evidence that atheists are more immoral than believers.
Morality does not come from gods.
You need an Anthropology course, and an Evolutionary Biology course.
Why is it atheists deem it needful to antagonize others whose Word does bind them? Those verbally inebriated atheists seek their own kinds and they parlor their verbalized séances toward vile witnessing and add not one inch to their consummate statures.
Their broached senilities are lavished with the most vile of propaganda these atheists of high self-acclaims do so do. They would rather die and become as nothingness then bow to a grand Creator of all material matters and even of His Word which many still do harken towards. The bitter fruits of lamenting wisdoms will forever linger upon religious values and in repentances of the solitary souls can justice rightly prevail! God is the author of Life and Grand Wizard of all languages enflamed and so given to all civilizations. Our globe is God's chessboard and all Life is God's pieces to be so moved or taken from the game.
God does not exist. Your rambling, incoherent diatribe is dismissed.
The existence of a Godly Creator has become the séances of the witnessing varieties whose beneficiaries are the Godly chosen likes. For one such as your stature to embolden yourself in thoughts of godly deniability shows much regards as to your un-mounted stamina which by the ways are a fulcrums follies. Stay the way in which you conjure your mindset to find illuminating for free will and freely spirited is God's law and He will no more break this vow for all freedom lovers' sakes. We are found free to be imaginative within all our semantic values that freely is found pleasing to one's spirited soul...
Please stop plagiarizing.
Your rambling, incoherent diatribe is left unread.
Me either. Even if you get through the flaccid ridiculous childish egotistical writing style, the content is just idiotic, so why bother?
It took me months of trying to comprehend your inane babble to even figure out you are a christian. I believe that I called you a pompous ass long before I had any comprehension of your beliefs.
Wow if you change atheist with theist and it still hold true. Neither side is any different then the other in how they go about talking about what they believe. Both sides have their loud mouths just as much as their side sitters.
Is it truly necessary to have as many as 6 different descriptors for a state of mind that rejects the supernatural tenets of organized religion? It seems to me that religion once again gets the automatic free pass into the realm of reason, where it cannot possibly belong. Are there 6 different names for someone who doesn't believe in Santa Claus? You've got your non-Santas, and the agnosticlaus......
great word "agnosticlaus"
Psalm 53:1: The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.
Howard,
A quite old and sometimes effective tactic – declaring that those who do not believe your story are 'fools'. Nobody wants to be considered 'dumb' for not seeing the Emperor's new clothes, or a 'bas.tard' for not seeing the Sultan's new turban, or a 'cuckold' for not being able to see the Miller's gold thumb.
Even Joseph Smith used it when he gathered his 'witnesses' to his golden plates. He told them that only those with 'true faith' would be able to 'see' them.
The ancient, primitive Hebrews who originated those Bible stories were quite adept at manipulative mind-games.
They seem pretty wily for a bunch of iron age sheepherders don't they 'fraid?
Not really, but they still hold power over the sheep. Do yoou know the difference between "frayed" and "'fraid"?
Yes, I also know the difference between a sheep and a goat.
Uh, where does the thousand years of peace come in??
After the rapture and the seven-year tribulation.
Knock it of with the html. My reply was to the guy that claimed that Jesus is coming back soon because of the war in Syria. It got posted twice.
We're just like theists. We can be classified. However, I think it really breaks down into the same three camps as theists:
1) Live and let live – I don't believe in god, but I'm okay with it if you do. As long as you keep your beliefs to yourself, I'll do the same.
2) Evangelists – I'm right, you're wrong. I'm going to change you (at least atheists don't resort to burning non believers at the stake).
3) Self-rightgeous – I don't care about the idiots who believe in god, it's the other atheists who have it wrong that I'm trying to fix.
I try to stay in camp # 1.
I can live with that.
Non-theist
As an Atheist, I find myself falling in at least 3 of these categories. It is almost insulting to read these articles, where we are categorized like an item. I do not categorize people of faith, and expect the same respect. I am not a shoe, type of angus beef, or medicine; and I do not expect to be placed on a shelf as such.
So we can categorize you in the group that doesn't like to be categorized.
Yeah, but one of the authors was is a doctoral student. How else is he to write a dissertation?
Someone said it's like trying to herd cats...
With the race's fascination with tattoos serial numbers must be getting close again. This time they won't get the wrong Israel like they did the first time around. Socies can learn.
This is the second article cnn has done on atheism in the last couple months. The last one was called something like '22 famous atheists' and now we have this article. As someone already mentioned, some people believe in a higher power per se but not just a God or one which meets the traditional definition thrown out by religions for the last 2000 years. This article is written by someone who thinks all atheists are wrong and is really just an exercise in the author trying to make himself seem smarter than people who don't agree with his own beliefs.
For the theists (invariably Christians) who have insisted in praying for us atheists, I will send an email to Santa Claus (cc Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy) and ask that they bring you some reason.
You're welcome.
This will invariably make them mad, but funny nonetheless. I don't think they realize that's how we equate the concept of Sky People.
Mad? Not at all. Understand it for the childish silliness that it is? Of course.
As a beliver it does not bother me at all. If was an athiest I would be upset because it does not fit the image we wish to project of being critical thinkers.
I've never understood how a group of people who demand such total logic in order to accept God, allow themselves such broad room for illogical thought.
6 kinds of atheists
1. holding no belief in a God or Gods.
2. holding no belief in a God or Gods.
3. holding no belief in a God or Gods.
4. holding no belief in a God or Gods.
5. holding no belief in a God or Gods.
6. holding no belief in a God or Gods.
I'm a number 4, with a little of number 2.
That's because atheism is total stupidity. Therefore there's only one type of atheist and one type of atheism.
And belief in the 40th son of El Elyon, from the Babylonian family of gods, who was chosen the Hebrew war god, (Yahweh), is NOT stupidity ?
Wow, that was truly a profound comment, Salero. How do you manage to come up with such gems? You're a true intellect for sure. You must have several doctorate degrees.
You will not be laughing when the hom.os give you all butt flu.
There's a lot of overlap in these types, but I don't see what the difference is between Activist and Anti-theist.
At first glance they are very similar. There is a subtle distinction.
The anti-theist is focused on the dangers of religion. They would like to see the end of religion.
The activist is focused on promoting atheism as alternative.
What about Spiritual atheist – one who believes in God but not in any form preached by beliefs or religion?
If you believe in a god then you're not an atheist.
Uhh, then you are not an atheist.
I think you're covered under #3.
Those would be the theists... just theists. People who do not identify themselves with any particular religion, they just believe in the existence of a God and that's all.
non-theist....the only true way to be.
Non theist... the only true way to be wrong. There, fixed it for you 🙂
I am incapable of having a religious experience.
Is that written in stone??
Not yet apparently
We were at a friends house for dinner Saturday night. He made a chocolate pate for dessert. I don't believe in god, but I certainly transcended this plane when I ate it.
Sad for the ones who have passed without knowledge of truth. Pray for the ones who still live and have a chance to find the light of truth, Jesus Christ!
What truth is that exactly? That a 2000 year old book written by sheepherders who thought the earth was flat holds the answers to all existence?
Seems odd that these sheepherders survived so long since they were so ignorant... the sheepherders live today. Maybe they know something that the world needs
Some people may need religion to help control their behavior, but some don't.
Even amoeba can figure out that they need to eat. Even children and animals can figure out they need shelter. But there is no way an amoeba is going to have the answers to the universe. Sorry.
Nope. The only reason we even know about the sheepherder's cult is because Constantine decided to unify his empire, just like the Persians and Egyptians by using religion. He picked the Christian cult to do that. (The sheepherders are dead BTW. If yu have some proof they are still alive let's see it. ) Humans are mortal beings. Religionists simply cannot accept that fact, so ALL the hundreds of thousands of religious cults cook up fairy stories to deny human mortality.
J & K found the light of Zartha. It didn't seem to make them happy.
Why should you even care enough about atheists to hunt them down? Clean up your own house before speculating on another's.
You're probably a troll, but I'll play along for now. You can't have "knowledge of truth" if you've never heard of the details by which you define "truth". Christianity is not a universally shared concept, there are many people who've never heard of it.
What I find very sad is willful ignorance.
What I find sad is willful intolerance.
Enter Atheist Hunter,
Neither you, nor anyone else, knows what happens after death (if anything). I don't know where you get the verified evidence that any "judgment" occurs at that moment, or ever.
Glad you admit that you don't know and could be wrong.
It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to....Isaiah 40:22
The earth is not a circle, it's a sphere. Nobody sits on it. Grasshoppers are a terrible analogue to humans. Lemme guess, you believe that an big invisible sky wizard chanted magic spells to make the universe?
You've known me long enough to know that I believe is Jehovah God! Not wizards and warlocks.
Enter,
Let's see now... at what alti-tude do humans look to be the size of grasshoppers? Maybe at 1,000 ft. or so - just like it would be if one looked down from one of the many hills in the Middle East, which is what "Isaiah", or whoever wrote that, could have easily done. The ancient Hebrews wrote that stuff from simple observation, and a generous dollop of fantasy.
And a smidgeon of poetry to help sell it.
And a huge measure of "Drama Queenism".
Isaiah is fairly well written and, if you set aside belief in god, contains one of the most important aspirational statements of the bible: Isaiah 2:4 and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
Yawn.
OTOH....the Bible is the infallible Word of God, and have accurately predicted the future without error up until the very moment....Damascus will be come in ruinous heap. Never in the history of man has Damascus (Syria) became a ruinous heap until now, just as predicted for the last days......
You would think this infallible god of your would have know that bats aren't birds, or that hares don't chew their cud, when he wrote his infallible bible thingie. Isn't he the one who created bats and hares? Look up Leviticus
Is Gozer the Gozerian coming as well?
Uh, where does the thousand years of peace come in??
Enter,
Infallible? How about:
– The Earth is flat – Proverbs 8:27- Isaiah 40:22- and others
– Bats are birds – Leviticus 11:13, & 19
– Pi is 3 – 1 Kings 7:23
– Unfaithful wives' thighs rot – Numbers 5
– Striped goats are bred by having the mating pair stare at striped objects – Genesis 30:35
– Hares chew their cud – Leviticus 11:5 & 6
– Plants survived without sunlight – Genesis 1
– Hail and snow are kept in 'storehouses' in the sky – Job 38:22
– Resurrected dead people ran through the streets of Jerusalem – Matthew 27:52
I checked a few the Scriptural sources you provide. Proverbs 8:27 says nothing about the earth being flat, and Isaiah 40:22 refers to the earth as a "circle," which could also mean globe. 1 Kings 7 is about Solomon building a house and does not address Pi in any way. As for Leviticus 11:5-6, and the question of hares chewing cud, you are wrong. Look up cecotrophe. It is the "reingestion method of rabbits, and, according to Wiki, "This type of reingestion to obtain more nutrients is similar to the chewing of cud in cattle."
Nice try, though.
Religions come in many forms. Some have blind faith in an Imaginary friend in the sky. Others have blind faith in their political party.
Sin is simply a construct by those who wish to control the masses. If you enjoy being manipulated and controlled by all means join a Religion.
Some people need to be manipulated and controled, whether the enjoy it or not.
True
If they are not harming anyone else, I am fine with that.
The only real problem I have with religions is that they attempt to influence politics forcing their morals on others.
You do realize there are athiests who are pro-life and against gay marriage right?
joining a movement against religion is also manipulating and controlling
I am not part of a movement. I am simply pointing out people are being manipulated.
I am not telling you what to do.
I am not asking for money.
I can only speak for myself, but I came to my own conclusions without the help of a "movement". There aren't giant gathering halls where Atheists go each week to reaffirm each other's Atheism. Atheists don't knock on your door and hand you literature.
And we don't get on our knees once a week and babble to some invisible "non-god". And we don't read 2000-year-old stories to help us feel good.
Atheists–you may think you free your mind with your non-belief, but in return for that "freedom" you shackle your soul.
I find it very interesting that CNN shows people of great accomplishment as a promo piece for the virtues of atheism. That's fine; they have their riches now-but you can't take it with you.
What is this "soul" that you speak of?
There's no proof people have souls.
lol. There is no soul. Shackle it from what? Not devoting my love to something that doesn't exist? Sounds good to me.
The Soul and SIn are imaginary constructs used to control you. Soul is a construct that makes you feel you have an afterlife and preys on your fear of death. Sin are just the laws that are attempted to control you by damaging your "soul".
If there is no religion, there is no god, there is no soul, there is no sin, and the church can not control you.
Uh.... OK.
I think the Atheists are down with the idea you can't take it with you.
Funny you should state it that way. Of all people, we atheist know best that you can't take it with you because there's no place to go.
You're wasting the only chance you get to exist.
What is the soul? If you fall and hit your head hard enough to do cause damage to your brain, who you are – everything about you can change in an instant......
Think of the tens of thousands that died being burned at the stake ..to do what was it purify their souls?
if there is an alternate form of you that is immortal – then why is its fate tied to a physical body that is over in a flash comparatively. Bronze age thinking at its finest...
The "Soul" is religions gift to people to use death anxiety as a means to control the mind that I am certain I have in some fashion. "I think, therefore I am."
I think it goes something like this:
We have a soul. This soul is eternal. The fate of our eternal soul depends upon our behaviors in this life. Therefore, Behave yourself...
To answer Mr. Merica's original question from the article, I am 1,2, and 4. If, this particular study is actually accurate. I am a bit of a skeptic also.
I'm a "seeker-agnostic" according to this scale. Although I think that our limited understanding of the world/universe prevents me from taking a stand one way or the other–I get vocal and annoyed when some Bible thumper starts yelling about "the truth" and trying to impose their views on others.
This is a fairly skimpy article. I'm sure the study was much more detailed. Still, I clearly fall in more than one category.