Quote from the article.

[He may concede that the Judaeo/Christian tradition has been the basis of our civilization and he may applaud that, but it is not for him.]

I like that idea. I think the alternative of a serious Christian who can look at the world and say "not for me," regarding something in the world would be a positive outlook.

As for this kind of nonchalant attitude. I've had it pointed out to me once that atheism isn't about what a person believes. But instead that they identify themselves based on what they don't believe. (This observation from an atheist who doesn't call himself an atheist, because it doesn't tell anything about him or what he does believe). it's an intresting point, and I think most who identify themselves as atheists do so because they have a bone to pick with religion, or religous people. Those who don't might acknowledge that they are atheist (because the term identifies a lack of belief), but they don't label themselves as atheists.

The best way to reach them I think would be kindness and good service.

There are those who profess fo be Christian, but who also lack kindness. That is an oxymoron if I ever heard one. My late partner's sister falls into that category. So does Billy Graham's son Franklin. After the massacre in the club frequented by gays, his comments were that his only regret was that the shooter didn't kill all of them.

There are those on this forum who also come under the same heading.

David

Not so competent in the art of thinking, are you, AJ?
Atheism is part of many philosophies, and is a philosophy per se. It is much more than a reaction to a claim, if it can be described as such.
Which god do you identify , in addressing me, as “your god”, and what is the basis of your “identification”.
God is not a fact to be proved by evidence. God is a belief, to be developed and sustained by faith. God supports Life, and is opposed to detriments to life, such as perversion, cruelty, oppression, and the like. He exists in the belief systems of his adherents

Leo Lane,

Atheism may be a part of of many philosophies, but it is not a philosophy itself.

http://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/atheism
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atheism

<<Which god do you identify , in addressing me, as “your god” ...>>

No specific god, necessarily (although I think it's safe to assume you believe in the Christian god).

Why do I need to identify a specific god? They're all equally implausible.

<<God is a belief, to be developed and sustained by faith.>>

Well, I think we're pretty much in total agreement there. Which is why atheism is the more rational position to hold. Faith is the excuse people give when they don't have a good reason to believe something.

<<[God] exists in the belief systems of his adherents>>

Only there? So, are you saying that you don't think He's real? If so, how can He do all those things which you attribute to Him?

AJP, you say:” Why do I need to identify a specific god?”
You don’t. I asked you about a baseless statement you made, and you responded with this pointless question. Why did you purport to identify a god, particularly by a baseless statement?
Why do you think it is safe to assume anything about my beliefs? You know nothing about them.
You say:” , how can He do all those things which you attribute to Him?”
What things did I attribute to him, and where did you find my attribution?
You ask:” are you saying that you don't think He's real?”
I did not say that. I have not asserted the existence or non-existence of a god. The relevant factor is belief.Adherents are satisfied, and gain their results from the beliefs they hold. Faith is not an excuse to believe, it enables the building and development of beliefs. The perverts have come out in front for the moment, but there is a long way to go.

Good question, Leo Lane.

<<Why do you think it is safe to assume anything about my beliefs?>>

Because you ridicule atheism, which means you must be a theist. I think it’s safe to assume you’re not a Muslim, and given your praise for Christianity in the past, I doubt you’re a Jew. So, it looks like you're a theist of the Christian variety.

Or are you one of these atheists who calls himself an agnostic because he doesn’t know what atheism is, nor realise that atheism and agnosticism are not mutually exclusive? Given that you once referred to an article using creationist arguments as “a good article” (http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=18201#323261), I can only conclude that it’s the former, as only a creationist could be stupid enough to think that any of the arguments used in that article were “good”.

Please correct me if I’m wrong about your beliefs.

<<What things did I attribute to [a god], and where did you find my attribution?>>

Right here:

“God supports Life, and is opposed to detriments to life, such as perversion, cruelty, oppression, and the like.” (http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=19410#345175)

<<Faith is not an excuse to believe …>>

I didn’t say it was. I said that faith is the excuse people give when they don’t have a good reason to believe something.

Anyway, none of this explains how atheism is a philosophy or a worldview. Clearly you have no idea what atheism is.

<<... [faith] enables the building and development of beliefs.>>

I guess so. And evidence destroys it or renders it no longer a faith.

<<The perverts have come out in front for the moment, but there is a long way to go.>>

You are yet to demonstrate that gay people are perverts. Remember?