Susan

> I'm wondering if you could tell me the difference between an atheist
> and a non-theist?

I'm not Meredith, but from Wikipedia:

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

[...] it is often separate from atheism in that atheism does not
believe in any god while nontheism holds that whether or not god
exists is irrelevant. Nontheism differs from agnosticism in that
agnosticism holds that the existence or non-existence of god is
unknown or, depending on the form of agnosticism, inherently
unknowable, while nontheism holds that the existence or non-existence
of god might well be knowable but is simply irrelevant either way.

~ Susan

[email protected]

Here's my dad's definition, from a philosophy of religion pov:

_________________________________________________


Whew....

A "non-theist" denies the existence of all deities in all forms colors
tastes and configurations.

An "atheist" is historically associated with the denial of the existence of
the Western God -- YHWH, Allah, or whatever [Jews Christians and Muslims all
claim to be the foremost reps of this particular Middle Eastern deity.]

Both of the above can still acknowledge the reality of another, spiritual or
mystical dimension to reality. No deity is required for that....

An empiricist [all truth derives from sense data -- directly or indirectly]
would deny the existence of all gods as well as a "mystical dimension..."
[e.go., moi....] ;-)

__________________________________________________

That said...I misused the word myself in describing my parents. My mother is
not a nontheist. Just to clarify, lol!

Karen




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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Christy Mahoney

Atheism does not necessarily mean denial of anything. Nonbelief is
not the same thing as denial.

-Christy

--- In [email protected], Kidgie@... wrote:
>
> Here's my dad's definition, from a philosophy of religion pov:
>
> _________________________________________________
>
>
> Whew....
>
> A "non-theist" denies the existence of all deities in all forms
colors
> tastes and configurations.
>
> An "atheist" is historically associated with the denial of the
existence of
> the Western God -- YHWH, Allah, or whatever [Jews Christians and
Muslims all
> claim to be the foremost reps of this particular Middle Eastern
deity.]
>
> Both of the above can still acknowledge the reality of another,
spiritual or
> mystical dimension to reality. No deity is required for that....
>
> An empiricist [all truth derives from sense data -- directly or
indirectly]
> would deny the existence of all gods as well as a "mystical
dimension..."
> [e.go., moi....] ;-)
>
> __________________________________________________
>
> That said...I misused the word myself in describing my parents.
My mother is
> not a nontheist. Just to clarify, lol!
>
> Karen
>
>
>
>
> ************************************** Get a sneak peek of the all-
new AOL at
> http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

Meredith

--- In [email protected], Kidgie@... wrote:
>
> Here's my dad's definition, from a philosophy of religion pov:
> A "non-theist" denies the existence of all deities in all forms
colors
> tastes and configurations.

Its possible this is a bit of jargon particular to religious
philosophers, but the common usage is as described in the Wikipedia
definition and the above is the common usage of "atheist".

Some non-theists believe there probably *are* gods, but it doesn't
matter. Others go straight to the "doesn't matter" without forming an
opinion on whether or not deities exist.

---Meredith (Mo 5.5, Ray 13)

[email protected]

In a message dated 7/24/2007 11:20:37 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,
meredith@... writes:

Its possible this is a bit of jargon particular to religious
philosophers, but the common usage is as described in the Wikipedia
definition and the above is the common usage of "atheist".



true that! ;)

though my dad isn't a religious philosopher, he does teach philosophy of
religion, lol ;)+6

Karen



************************************** Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL at
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]