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Old 03-09-2009, 03:49 PM   #1 (permalink)
Baraka_Guru
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Rejecting atheism

I've noticed in other threads that when we get on the topic of atheism, we sometimes come across a problem of identity. The problem, some claim, is that it's awkward identifying with something you aren't.

Atheism comes from the Greek a- ‘without’ + theos ‘god.’ This means an atheist is "one without god." The problem? Well, an atheist is one without a heck of a lot of other things as well.

The following video addresses this problem quite well:

  • What are your thoughts on the core idea here?
  • If you consider yourself an atheist, would you consider calling yourself a P.E.A.R.L.ist (pearlist) instead?

I don't think this video necessarily presents anything new, but it's nice to see the idea of a positive identification of the non-religious packaged and presented this way. I think many of us have thought these ideas at different times, but now that they're strung together, it seems to make more sense.

It's enjoyable enough to watch. I'm not sure if I'll ever call myself a pearlist, but I'm not one to really call myself anything, really. Whenever I do, it feels awkward.

What about you?
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