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
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    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
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      3 months ago

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

      • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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        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
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          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
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            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.

      • FuglyDuck@lemmy.world
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        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?