Atheists and Fantasy

Gwaimir Windgem · 06-05-2003, 09:37 PM

I would have put this in the Fantasy forum, but it's really more about the atheists than the fantasy. Of course, I won't be surprised at all if ye olde mods disagree.

I've been thinking a bit about this lately, and decided I'd ask some of the people on here, particularly the atheists, what they thought about it. Fantasy is a genre type which is centered on belief and faith, acceptance of that which we cannot see, and very often, laying our faith, and sometimes straightout our lives in the hands of a Higher Power. Faith or belief, trust in that which is greater than us is a central theme to the genre. I'm just wondering, why are some atheists quite fond of fantasy, as well? Generally, they place little to no value in such things as faith, being able to believe without seeing; in less-than-rare cases, they consider it to be foolishness, ridiculous, or negative traits. It would seem to me that science fiction would be a much better genre for those who do not believe without proof. So, if you are an atheist, and you like fantasy (not like crazy, but even just like it), what is it about fantasy that attracts you?

06-05-2003, 09:37 PM	#1
Gwaimir Windgem Dread Mothy Lord and Halfwitted Apprentice Loremaster Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Thomas Aquinas College, Santa Paula, CA Posts: 10,820	Atheists and Fantasy I would have put this in the Fantasy forum, but it's really more about the atheists than the fantasy. Of course, I won't be surprised at all if ye olde mods disagree. I've been thinking a bit about this lately, and decided I'd ask some of the people on here, particularly the atheists, what they thought about it. Fantasy is a genre type which is centered on belief and faith, acceptance of that which we cannot see, and very often, laying our faith, and sometimes straightout our lives in the hands of a Higher Power. Faith or belief, trust in that which is greater than us is a central theme to the genre. I'm just wondering, why are some atheists quite fond of fantasy, as well? Generally, they place little to no value in such things as faith, being able to believe without seeing; in less-than-rare cases, they consider it to be foolishness, ridiculous, or negative traits. It would seem to me that science fiction would be a much better genre for those who do not believe without proof. So, if you are an atheist, and you like fantasy (not like crazy, but even just like it), what is it about fantasy that attracts you? __________________ Crux fidelis, inter omnes arbor una nobilis. Nulla talem silva profert, fronde, flore, germine. Dulce lignum, dulce clavo, dulce pondus sustinens. 'With a melon?' - Eric Idle