Roots boosting: We are all born as atheists..

This past year I've had many conversations with people where it turns out they just accept what they are told without question, be it religious views, political views, gossip, fashion trends, news etc.

At the beginning of our existence we are a clean slate;

-We have no belief in any of the many gods or deities

-We have no affiliation with any of the political parties

-We have no racist hatred (or ANY hatred of ANYTHING)

-We have no national language

-We have no suspicions of unlikely conspiracies

-Etc, etc...

All the above and more, we are usually programmed with (or at least influenced) by outside sources as we develop, ie. family, friends, schools, the internet, etc..

I realised at a young age that the things my parents taught/told me weren't always correct and that their attitudes were quite negative (also a tad racist).

When my headteacher avoided answering any questions about the bible (he liked to preach in assembly) I noticed this and it seemed odd.

I've grown up with many people who favour a political party just because their parents always voted for them. Also people who seem to echo their parents' racist comments and opinions.

In the conversations I've got into about all these topics, most don't seem to have an answer as to why they have these beliefs, or indeed don't really care. Some shrug and concur that yes, it's probably just because they were "brought up that way", still without really caring.

I see it between my wife's family and friends on Facebook too, in social networking. Girl #1 will say "Have you heard about Girl #2 ?" then some big shock-horror gossip goes around like a virus, but NOBODY seems to ever question the source or validity.

I've lived my adult life keeping it simple and it seems to work for me. I like to strip away the layers and get to the source, the root, and work my way up from there. I get on well with others, I have a fairly good life (I've had my fair share of the bad) and I have very few worries. It seems to be the opposite for people who complicate their lives with dogmas and unfounded beliefs, they seem to get frustrated easily and worry more.

I really don't understand why SOME people go through their lives without questioning what they are taught and exploring the benefits of any alternative thinking, do you?

We're not all born as atheists as we are born without any beliefs and atheism involves a set of beliefs. I'm an atheist and only became one aged about 10 when I realised a god couldn't possibly exist. It was taking on that belief that made me an atheist.

This past year I've had many conversations with people where it turns out they just accept what they are told without question, be it religious views, political views, gossip, fashion trends, news etc.

 

At the beginning of our existence we are a clean slate;

 

-We have no belief in any of the many gods or deities

-We have no affiliation with any of the political parties

-We have no racist hatred (or ANY hatred of ANYTHING)

-We have no national language

-We have no suspicions of unlikely conspiracies

-Etc, etc...

 

All the above and more, we are usually programmed with (or at least influenced) by outside sources as we develop, ie. family, friends, schools, the internet, etc..

 

I realised at a young age that the things my parents taught/told me weren't always correct and that their attitudes were quite negative (also a tad racist).

 

When my headteacher avoided answering any questions about the bible (he liked to preach in assembly) I noticed this and it seemed odd.

 

I've grown up with many people who favour a political party just because their parents always voted for them. Also people who seem to echo their parents' racist comments and opinions.

 

 

In the conversations I've got into about all these topics, most don't seem to have an answer as to why they have these beliefs, or indeed don't really care. Some shrug and concur that yes, it's probably just because they were "brought up that way", still without really caring.

 

I see it between my wife's family and friends on Facebook too, in social networking. Girl #1 will say "Have you heard about Girl #2 ?" then some big shock-horror gossip goes around like a virus, but NOBODY seems to ever question the source or validity.

 

I've lived my adult life keeping it simple and it seems to work for me. I like to strip away the layers and get to the source, the root, and work my way up from there. I get on well with others, I have a fairly good life (I've had my fair share of the bad) and I have very few worries. It seems to be the opposite for people who complicate their lives with dogmas and unfounded beliefs, they seem to get frustrated easily and worry more.

 

I really don't understand why SOME people go through their lives without questioning what they are taught and exploring the benefits of any alternative thinking, do you?

All I can say is that some people are just sheeple.

We're not all born as atheists as we are born without any beliefs and atheism involves a set of beliefs. I'm an atheist and only became one aged about 10 when I realised a god couldn't possibly exist. It was taking on that belief that made me an atheist.

What are these beliefs that atheists share with other atheists.

We're not all born as atheists as we are born without any beliefs and atheism involves a set of beliefs.

Lack of belief in gods does not involve a set of beliefs.

We are born with a mother tongue though. Lots of research shows that babies are comforted by someone speaking the language that they could hear whilst in the womb more than by someone speaking another language, even if that person is not someone that they would have heard during gestation.

Lack of belief in gods does not involve a set of beliefs.

It involves a belief that god does not exist and further beliefs - about religion, science, politics, etc - that stem from that.

What are these beliefs that atheists share with other atheists.

I believe no god exists and that all religion is superstition for the gullible. I suppose all atheists must believe something similar but there is no atheism doctrine like there are doctrines in religions. My atheism is about being anti-religion, not necessarily being pro-something else. Others may think differently but I don't know as I'm not part of an atheism collective.

It involves a belief that god does not exist and further beliefs - about religion, science, politics, etc - that stem from that.

 

 

 

I believe no god exists and that all religion is superstition for the gullible. I suppose all atheists must believe something similar but there is no atheism doctrine like there are doctrines in religions. My atheism is about being anti-religion, not necessarily being pro-something else. Others may think differently but I don't know as I'm not part of an atheism collective.

Good post for me to demonstrate my OP, there are several slightly varying definitions of the term "atheist", the most commonly accepted one being simply "a lack of belief in the existence of gods" (which is how we are born) none include a set of beliefs as part of their criteria.

You believe otherwise, what is the source/root of your mindset on this?

We are born with a mother tongue though. Lots of research shows that babies are comforted by someone speaking the language that they could hear whilst in the womb more than by someone speaking another language, even if that person is not someone that they would have heard during gestation.

I never said after we are born

(In the full OP)

What you say is already stated in the OP anyway: "All the above and more, we are usually programmed with (or at least influenced) by outside sources as we develop, ie. family, friends, schools, the internet, etc.."

We are born with a mother tongue though. Lots of research shows that babies are comforted by someone speaking the language that they could hear whilst in the womb more than by someone speaking another language, even if that person is not someone that they would have heard during gestation.

I heard that on QI

Amazing isn't it?

Good post for me to demonstrate my OP, there are several slightly varying definitions of the term "atheist", the most commonly accepted one being simply "a lack of belief in the existence of gods" (which is how we are born) none include a set of beliefs as part of their criteria.

 

You believe otherwise, what is the source/root of your mindset on this?

I believe that if people want to be religious they should have the right to be but that religion shouldn't affect the state. Religion tends to be right-wing as well as oppressive. It limits freedoms and people's judgements although I accept it's not alone in that.

Religion comes from a non-factual basis - the existece of a god - and therefore just about everything that flows from it will be factually askew. If you try to organise society along principles whose basis is factually incorrect then society will be fundamentally flawed. Just look at the USA and the Guns and God lobby or anti-abortionists who kill because life is sacred.

I'm not religious but I can see that in many circumstances people get great comfort from their beliefs so maybe it isn't such a bad thing.