Imagine a world without organised religion, where it doesn’t affect people’s lives, but atheism still exists. What purpose would atheism fill in this scenario?

  • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    4
    ·
    3 months ago

    That makes no sense. You wouldn’t even know goblins existed if someone hadn’t told you stories about goblins.

    Are you so easily swayed that your outlook on reality would have been altered just knowing about the existence of goblins in stories?

    • 5714@lemmy.dbzer0.comOP
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      3 months ago

      Yes, my sense of reality would be altered if one could just write magical beings into interactable existence.

      • FuglyDuck@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        4
        ·
        3 months ago

        Isn’t that what religion is?

        I mean, really. You dismiss the existence of goblins because they’re myths, but not of an all-powerful, all-knowing god… which is also just a myth?

      • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        3 months ago

        Not something that I suggested.

        You claimed that merely knowing that goblins are a concept would alter your perception of reality. That’s ludicrous. I do not believe your perception of reality was altered when you learned that goblins are a concept unless you uncritically believed they existed, in which case, you need to work on your critical thinking skills.

        But you seem to be stuck on ‘goblins.’ So let’s change it while still using the same basic metaphor:

        The lack of believing in gods serves as much purpose as the lack of believing in snxxzxz.

        What purpose does the lack of believing in snxxzxz serve?

        • 5714@lemmy.dbzer0.comOP
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          3 months ago

          snxxzxz or any other gibberish isn’t yet associated with meaning. Once some gibberish would get meaning AND become embodied (ie observable existence), yes my sense of reality would be altered. Are you sure this is a critical thinking failure?

          Are you saying atheism is a form of disassociation or gibberish-making of theist beliefs? If yes, I would consider that tool a purpose/function of atheism.

          • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            5
            ·
            3 months ago

            Why do you think the concept of a god automatically has meaning beyond a fiction?

            That is all the meaning it has ever held for me.

            Not believing in gods is the default. You must be taught about them first and convinced.