Atheist: Someone that doesn't believe in God/Gods.
This is from Buddhist's site

Do Buddhist believe in god?


No, we do not. There are several
reasons for this. The Buddha, like
modern sociologists and
psychologists, believed that
religious ideas and especially the
god idea have their origin in fear.
The Buddha says:
"Gripped by fear men go to the
sacred mountains,
sacred groves, sacred trees and
shrines".
Dp 188

Primitive man found himself in a
dangerous and hostile world, the
fear of wild animals, of not being
able to find enough food, of injury
or disease, and of natural
phenomena like thunder, lightning
and volcanoes was constantly with
him. Finding no security, he
created the idea of gods in order
to give him comfort in good times,
courage in times of danger and
consolation when things went
wrong.

To this day, you will
notice that people become more
religious at times of crises, you
will hear them say that the belief
in a god or gods gives them the
strength they need to deal with
life. You will hear them explain
that they believe in a particular
god because they prayed in time
of need and their prayer was
answered. All this seems to
support the Buddha’s teaching
that the god-idea is a response to
fear and frustration. The Buddha
taught us to try to understand
our fears, to lessen our desires
and to calmly and courageously
accept the things we cannot
change. He replaced fear, not with
irrational belief but with rational
understanding.

The second reason the Buddha did
not believe in a god is because
there does not seem to be any
evidence to support this idea.
There are numerous religions, all
claiming that they alone have
god’s words preserved in their
holy book, that they alone
understand god’s nature, that
their god exists and that the gods
of other religions do not.
Some claim that god is masculine, some
that she is feminine and others
that it is neuter. They are all
satisfied that there is ample
evidence to prove the existence of
their god but they laugh in
disbelief at the evidence other
religions use to prove the
existence of another god.

It is not
surprising that with so many
different religions spending so
many centuries trying to prove
the existence of their gods that
still no real, concrete, substantial
or irrefutable evidence has been
found. Buddhists suspend
judgement until such evidence is
forthcoming.

The third reason the Buddha did
not believe in a god is that the
belief is not necessary. Some
claim that the belief in a god is
necessary in order to explain the
origin on the universe. But this is
not so. Science has very
convincingly explained how the
universe came into being without
having to introduce the god-idea.

Some claim that belief in god is
necessary to have a happy,
meaningful life. Again we can see
that this is not so. There are
millions of atheists and free-
thinkers, not to mention many
Buddhists, who live useful, happy
and meaningful lives without
belief in a god.
Some claim that
belief in god’s power is necessary
because humans, being weak, do
not have the strength to help
themselves. Once again, the
evidence indicates the opposite.
One often hears of people who
have overcome great disabilities
and handicaps, enormous odds
and difficulties, through their own
inner resources, through their
own efforts and without belief in
a god.
Some claim that god is
necessary in order to give man
salvation. But this argument only
holds good if you accept the
theological concept of salvation
and Buddhists do not accept such
a concept. Based on his own
experience, the Buddha saw that
each human being had the
capacity to purify the mind,
develop infinite love and
compassion and perfect
understanding.
He shifted attention
from the heavens to the heart and
encouraged us to find solutions to
our problems through self-
understanding.

source: www.buddhanet.net/ans73.htm

So, what is your own perspective in all this?

what do they believe? what makes you a buddhist?

Buddha was most likely a Pantheist or Gnostic
Stages of enlightenment sounds pantheistic

Nice one, #Buddhabless.

Anas09:
So, what is your own perspective in all this?

I 100% agree with the article though am not a Buddhist.

Seun:
what do they believe? what makes you a buddhist?

Am not a Buddhist

CeoMYN:
Nice one, #Buddhabless.

#Buddhafan

4kings:
Buddha was most likely a Pantheis or Gnostic

Stages of enlightenment sounds pantheistic

How??

justlove91:

How??

Pantheism has to do with identifying the universe and its components with God.
Buddhism concept of Supreme Knowledge has to do with reaching the God-self.

The concept of Buddhism is complex, so it is not easy to just place a label on it.
But it identifies a higher reality which atheist don't.

4kings:

Pantheism has to do with identifying the universe and its components with God.
Buddhism concept of Supreme Knowledge has to do with reaching the God-self.

The concept of Buddhism is complex, so it is not easy to just place a label on it.
But it identifies a higher reality which atheist don't.

This "higher reality" is more or less a product of wishful thinking and exists only in the imagination of those who believe in it

hahn:


This "higher reality" is more or less a product of wishful thinking and exists only in the imagination of those who believe in it

This has not been disproved objectively like religion.
Ever heard of Chi, placebo effect, Quantum Mechanics of the human brain, kundalini and the likes?

The "higher reality" i'm referring to here, does not necessarily mean Spiritual or Supernatural in a religious sense, but has to do with Knowledge and reaction of certain events just like Gnosticism.

4kings:

Pantheism has to do with identifying the universe and its components with God.
Buddhism concept of Supreme Knowledge has to do with reaching the God-self.

The concept of Buddhism is complex, so it is not easy to just place a label on it.
But it identifies a higher reality which atheist don't.

To me the message of Buddha is very simple which is simply how to end humans psychological suffering. To be able to maintain an inner peace or stillness irrespective of what is happening outside is what enlightenment is.
And I don't understand all this connecting with a higher self of a thing.
I don't believe Buddha is a kind of supernatural being because he is enlightened.

justlove91:

#Buddhafan

ThumbsUp

4kings:

This has not been disproved objectively like religion.
Ever heard of Chi, placebo effect, Quantum Mechanics of the human brain, kundalini and the likes?

The "higher reality" i'm referring to here, does not necessarily mean Spiritual or Supernatural in a religious sense, but has to do with Knowledge and reaction of certain events just like Gnosticism.

The concept of "higher" is a religious one.

Everything can be proven by natural laws. It just depends on how many natural laws you are aware of

justlove91:

I 100% agree with the article though am not a Buddhist.

But u r an atheist at heart?

Anas09:

But u r an atheist at heart?

If you like that label, but am sure you know an atheist is not necessarily a materialist.

justlove91:

To me the message of Buddha is very simple which is simply how to end humans psychological suffering. To be able to maintain an inner peace or stillness irrespective of what is happening outside is what enlightenment is.
And I don't understand all this connecting with a higher self of a thing.
I don't believe Buddha is a kind of supernatural being because he is enlightened.

I did not say Buddha is a supernatural being.
Buddhist and Pantheist don't believe in God, but are of the idea that a "pervasive energy" is what structures this universe, and tapping into it in the right way result in happiness, basically "the Mystic Logic" or "Mother Nature".
But there differ in some ways, like incorporating samsara, lesser angelic beings(Devas), karma and so on

hahn:


The concept of "higher" is a religious one.

Everything can be proven by natural laws. It just depends on how many natural laws you are aware of

sure, everything can be proven by laws.
but "higher" here just means, "not perceived by mainstream norms".

4kings:

sure, everything can be proven by laws.
but "higher" here just means, "not perceived by mainstream norms".

"Higher" here means "something we don't understand"

hahn:


"Higher" here means "something we don't understand"

Exactly.

4kings:

Exactly.

So, if I equate "higher" with my poop then I would be right, right?

hahn:


So, if I equate "higher" with my poop then I would be right, right?

I'm sure you aren't getting the context, or you just intend to ridicule it no matter what.

4kings:

I'm sure you aren't getting the context, or you just intend to ridicule it no matter what.

I am only telling you how I feel about the concept.

Anything can fit into the concept of "higher" power. Some people see owls and say they are witches. Their "assumptions" are so real to them and if one says otherwise you will be asked to "disprove" it.

Just like when I say my poop is proof of higher power. Can you prove it is not?

Do you now understand?

hahn:


I am only telling you how I feel about the concept.

Anything can fit into the concept of "higher" power. Some people see owls and say they are witches. Their "assumptions" are so real to them and if one says otherwise you will be asked to "disprove" it.

Just like when I say my poop is proof of higher power. Can you prove it is not?

Do you now understand?

Ok, now you are not even getting it.


Why not do research on Chi energy, before you come again to engage me.

.

i love Buddhism. the fastest growing way of life.

4kings:

Ok, now you are not even getting it.


Why not do research on Chi energy, before you come again to engage me.

Hmm. Chi energy

Immorttal:
i love Buddhism. the fastest growing way of life.

You're on point

Does anyone here know what Buddhism is about? I understand Christianity and even Islam, but Buddhism seems to be difficult to understand.

Seun:
Does anyone here know what Buddhism is about? I understand Christianity and even Islam, but Buddhism seems to be difficult to understand.

Ask Uncle Google