[x]

Browse More Like This

more ▶

More from *Kezzi-Rose

View Gallery · View Prints

Featured in Groups:

#Stamp-Heaven
All stamps go to heaven

#dAtheist

#Stamp-Exposure
Get more views with us!

#StampsUnlimited
Viva La Stamps!

#Dreaming-Of-Stamps
little pieces of compacted life

#Positive-Stamps
Keep your hate away from me! D:

#Secular-Human
A Secular Humanist Community

#CollectEveryStamp

Show all (14)

Details

Submitted: January 18
Image Size: 6.1 KB
Resolution: 99×56

Link

Thumb

Statistics

Comments: 197
Favourites: 444 [who?]
Views: 3,268 (14 today)

[x]

Atheist Stampby *Kezzi-Rose

deviantART Related / Deviant Stamps

_{Atheism: the absence of belief in deities.
Respectfulness: Recognising that freedom of speech isn't a reason to dictate what others should/shouldn't believe.

It's with a sort of irony that I make this stamp, because to me "atheist" isn't a necessary title - no more so than referring to yourself as a "non-architect" if your profession is not architecture, for example. The name is only really there to distinguish us in religious society, as an adjective rather than a noun, and I'd generally hope that atheists try to be as respectful as possible to those of religion (and vice versa, of course). I feel atheism can be quite misunderstood sometimes, so I created this to explain some things - and I don't mind if there is discussion in the comments!

There are often negative connotations surrounding atheism, and I readily agree that some can be rude and offensive when asserting their thoughts. As with all strong viewpoints it can be the rudest who are the loudest, and perfectly well-meaning religions are also often misrepresented by rudely outspoken individuals. Just like many Christians may be ashamed of the extremists who do/say things which give their faith a bad name, please excuse atheists who also employ rudeness with their opinions. In most cases it's down to the kind of person they are, rather than what they do or don't believe. Atheism ≠ "anti-religion"; even if some atheists are against religion, it is not that which defines us.
The most common form of atheism is agnostic atheism, whereby a person does not believe in god(s) but acknowledges they cannot be entirely disproven because of the supernatural nature of their assertion. Without meaning to sound rude at all, it is just as difficult to prove there isn't a giant, invisible, polkadot space octopus floating around that controls our dreams; if the universe is infinite, which some think, literally anything is theoretically possible.
You can also be an agnostic theist; which is to believe in god(s), but also acknowledge they can't truly be proven.
Gnostic theists/atheists, on the other hand, assert that they know there is/isn't a god.
There is another term that many non-religious people use: apatheism, which is the state of not caring about the god conundrum because the answer doesn't affect their life as they live it.
I'd say I'm an apatheitic agnostic atheist, personally! c:
Atheists often come up against the "Burden of Proof" problem - if a belief is held it is logically the believer's job to do the justification, yet despite this atheists are often asked for their "non-proof" as it were. However, I personally don't condone or take part in asking believers for "proof", because I know their faith is enough for them and they don't need to justify it any other way for the sake of others!

Some points about atheism:
• Atheism is no more an ideology than "not skiing" is a hobby. It isn't a set of beliefs, there is no doctrine to follow, and it doesn't define a way of life or thinking. This is also why "atheist" is not capitalised as a proper noun, and we're not even intending to be a "group" of people; only the lack of belief in god(s) unites us.
• You don't have to be atheist to be a keen scientist or agree with scientific theories, and doing so doesn't make you atheist. Many people happily accept scientific ideas into a religious world-view, and many scientists are religious. Science and atheism just tend to go hand-in-hand because it provides the alternative explanations which sit better with a secular, critical way of thinking.
• Atheism is the most common standpoint among my generation in the UK, so I probably feel more free to speak about it than somebody living in a more religious society. Always bear in mind how different "social norms" can be!
• If you are angered or concerned about people who don't believe in god(s), please do not express pity. We do not believe we'll be "punished in Hell", praying for us to change will not have any effect, and we do not lose any sleep over the notion we are not "good people" for rejecting the existence of deities. We don't think being a "good person" has that disclaimer, and therefore it's also not reasonable (or polite) to assume we are somehow immoral, unhappy or unfulfilled because we don't have religion in our lives (I've had this said to me a lot). Separate factors govern those things.
• Many of faith find it hard to imagine not believing in their god(s), so empathising with atheism is difficult. It is a little easier if you consider deities from other religions or ancient societies - chances are that you find it easy to dismiss them without much thought, and it is the same way for atheists - it just applies to all deities. We only believe in one fewer god than Christians do, for example! This is why accusations from many that atheists are "angry with/hiding from God" are lost on us: you don't feel that way about the deities you don't believe in, I'm sure.

As anyone who knows me here and elsewhere knows, I'm a kind and respectful person. I don't mind what set of beliefs anyone else holds; it doesn't define what we're like as people, and when I talk to someone their religion is one of the last things I think about (unless it's the topic of discussion, of course). Atheists wouldn't feel like they need a voice at all if it weren't for the fact extremists sometimes stand in the way of progress and cause discrimination in "the name of God", or if we weren't daubed with the "sin" brush for not believing. People aren't driven to do negative things in "the name of atheism"; bad deeds are bad deeds regardless of belief or lack thereof. In the broadest sense, all secular-thinking atheists really care about is improved knowledge, free-thinking and fairness in the world; you can be religious and want the same, of course!

Thanks if you read all of this, and please feel free to ask questions!
Click here for a more comprehensive explanation of atheism

Credit
Nebula image

Add it to your page! Just copy the Thumb Code (found under 'Details' down the right-hand side) and paste it into your Journal, ID Description, Custom Module, etc. You don't have to be subscribed. Thanks to everyone who shares it!

Psst.. remember to check out the rest of my stamp collection; there's guaranteed to be more you like! ♥}

love 3 3

joy 1 1

~~wow 0 0~~

~~mad 0 0~~

~~sad 0 0~~

~~fear 0 0~~

~~neutral 0 0~~

~El3ctro-Mess May 7, 2013 Traditional Artist

Very pretty stamp.
UvU
I shall use it on my page!

*Kezzi-Rose May 7, 2013 Hobbyist General Artist

_{Thanks very much!}

~El3ctro-Mess May 7, 2013 Traditional Artist

You're welcome!

~martakaiala May 3, 2013

I am atheist and budhist, not sure if it is possible xD
Either ways, I used this stamp :3

*Kezzi-Rose May 4, 2013 Hobbyist General Artist

_{It sure is possible! Quite a lot of Buddhists are atheists - all it means is that you don't believe in deities, that doesn't have to expand to other beliefs. c:
Thanks for using! ♥}

~martakaiala May 4, 2013

^^ hihi welcome

Flagged as Spam

*Kezzi-Rose May 1, 2013 Hobbyist General Artist

_{Sure! Atheists may tend in general not to have other spiritual beliefs or affinities, but it's not a requirement. All atheism means is a lack of belief in deities, which sometimes extends to all supernatural phenomena, but doesn't have to. c:}

Flagged as Spam

~Russettip Apr 22, 2013 Hobbyist Digital Artist

_{I'm an atheist as well, though whenever I tell people (if it comes up), they just dismiss me for 'not knowing/not having learned any better' because I'm young. I personally find it offensive because I DO know. *sigh* I wonder how old I'll have to be to be considered an actual atheist seriously.}

More from *Kezzi-Rose

Featured in Groups:

Details

Statistics

Atheist Stampby *Kezzi-Rose

Atheism: the absence of belief in deities.

Add it to your page! Just copy the Thumb Code (found under 'Details' down the right-hand side) and paste it into your Journal, ID Description, Custom Module, etc. You don't have to be subscribed. Thanks to everyone who shares it!

The Journal Portal

Polls

What is your preferred drawing software?

deviantART [dee·vee·un'nt·ART]

Keep in Touch!

Deviousness

Add Media

Style