Atheists and Fantasy

[Gwaimir Windgem]

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?

[HOBBIT]

what does being an athiest have to do with enjoying a genre of fiction:fantasy.

it is what we think of the bible and god anyway - as ficiton.


atheists can enjoy a good book just like anyone else. Why would you think differently? I always get into a good fantasy novel as well as a science fiction book...

[Celebréiel]

hmm, Ive never really thought of fantasy as something faith based. It more of a dreaming about the impossible and the fantastic..thus calling it fantasy. And as for atheists, I think just because you have that belief doesnt mean you cant have faith in anything . Er...well I guess all the atheists ive met it wasnt ever like a stone set belief...it was more of a 'I dont believe in god but i belive that theres something out there somewhere.' *shrugs* I dont know what im trying to say.. Ill get back to you...

[Gwaimir Windgem]

But my point is that Faith is a major theme in the fantasy genre as a whole; quite often, Faith in a higher being. I have never encountered an atheist who thought highly of belief without proof, especially in a higher being.

[samwiselvr2008]

I don't see what your getting at, I looked the word atheist up in the dictionary, and it said:
One who disbelieves or denies the existence of God or gods.

Is this defanition rong? If it is, then please correct me, but if not, then you can still denie the existence of God or gods and still anjoy fiction/fantasy. But I'm really tired right now, so straten me out if I'm rong, my brian may just be dead.

[Ruinel]

no.. the definition is correct. It has nothing to do with a story. The bible is a story. Some stories are better to read than others. Do you believe in the story? That it is true? no.

[HOBBIT]

Books are just stories. If you are an atheist or not it has nothing to do with whether or not you can enjoy the book.

I also did not really get what you were trying to say.

But my point is that Faith is a major theme in the fantasy genre as a whole; quite often, Faith in a higher being. I have never encountered an atheist who thought highly of belief without proof, especially in a higher being.

Yeah, so? In many science fiction novels, there are many religions and different cultures which i enjoy reading about immensely. Does this mean that I have to believe in them? NO!

Combination Sci-fi and fantasy is the best. I like it when in fantasy and/or sci-fi novels there are unique religions and cultures - you can image whole worlds and galaxies. They are different than our own and again HOW DOES BEING AN ATHEIST PREVENT HIM FROM ENJOYING A GOOD STORY? You don't BELIEVE fiction novels - they are just entertaining and thought provoking.

[Sister Golden Hair]

I think what GW is getting at, and he can correct me if I'm wrong, is that many athiests have read the bible and see it as no more than perhaps a fantasy which is unbelievable, but enjoyable. It just seems more logical for atheists to be interested in more factual, or possible come true reading like scifi. However, I believe that reading a fantasy, especially of the calibor of JRR Tolkien, is a pleasure for any reader, atheist or not.

[Sheeana]

In most of the fiction genres it's kind of a given that you will suspend your reality, if only temporarily. Therefore, it does not matter which genre, or which religion (non-religion) you subscribe to.

[jerseydevil]

The belief in a god has nothing to do with whether or not someone can enjoy fantasy. Are you saying that god is a fantasy? You enjoy fantasy and maybe that is why you believe in a god.

I happen not to believe in god - just like I don't beleive that fantasy books are real (although there was a short time where I thought maybe the Lord of the Rings was true).

I don't completely suspend reality when I read a fantasy novel and think that when I put it down and walk out my door - I'm going to see elves running around. When religious people read the bible - they believe that there was really a noah or that the world really was created by a god. They really do belief in a mythical place called heaven and hell. I don't - just like I don't believe in many other things I read in fantasy books.

So let me ask again - when you read a fantasy novel- do you expect to see elves and dragons running around outside?

By the way - this is very interesting - this was my 4000th post. Now where is Jonathan to congratulate me on a "round" number post.

[samwiselvr2008]

Okay, I'm not an atheist, so tell me if I'm right. As far as I can understand it, atheist's do not believe in a God or gods. So when you read the Bible or any other religiose book that include God/gods, you are reading a myth, a good story, a book of morals or a book that should be pute into the fantacy genre but is not. Am a right on that?

So that is what being an atheist is, not believing in a God/gods, so lets use Lord of the Rings as an example, since we all know about it. HOBBIT, your an atheist, right? Do you actually believe in ME? I'm not playing around, I'm talking about when you are 100% in reality, do you TRULLY believe in elves and hobbits and dwarves and all of that? (If your not, then someone else please answer, I'm not sher if you are, it just sounds like it from your posts.)

[jerseydevil]

Originally posted by Sister Golden Hair
I think what GW is getting at, and he can correct me if I'm wrong, is that many athiests have read the bible and see it as no more than perhaps a fantasy which is unbelievable, but enjoyable. It just seems more logical for atheists to be interested in more factual, or possible come true reading like scifi. However, I believe that reading a fantasy, especially of the calibor of JRR Tolkien, is a pleasure for any reader, atheist or not.

I personally liek all different genres. If anyone saw my book selections - it would run from American History, English History, Russian History, computers, New Jersey, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Thriller, Horror, Espionage, etc.

[HOBBIT]

yes, of course i believe in elves and dwarves! I'm a hobbit myself, and i know many elves and dwarves. Duh!!









No, just kidding.

[HOBBIT]

I'm a whatever I want to believe-er basically. I don't really like being labelled as plain "atheist" Maybe more agnostic, but i dont like to be labelled. :P

[samwiselvr2008]

Okay, so why would someone like HOBBIT who anjoys fantasy, but not really BELIEVE in it, not anjoy anything that has to do believing in something else. As far as I can tell, being an atheist (is that suposed to be capitalized?) has nothing to do with fantasy, HOBBIT dosn't BELIEVE in whats-his-name who Tolkien made up to be the "god" of ME, but she can anjoy it, and think about it, or whatever she wants to do with it, and still be athiest, as long as HOBBIT dose not go around saying the whats-his-name (my mind isn't ticking to well right now) is real. she dosn't have to STOP being atheist to anjoy fantasy. Of course, when an atheist reads fantasy, they must imagine that it is real to anjoy it, at least for the time they spend reading it. But I'm a Christian, and I do the same thing, I PRETEND that elves DO exsist I AM a hobbit ect., but in reality, that is not what I really believe, I believe that I am alive because of God, who sent his son Jesus to die on the cross for the rong things that I have done/will do, if I am understanding this correctly (and I hope I am) then an atheist is the same, while reading Lord of the Rings, it is all true, but in reality, it is not. There was no god that created ME, or whatever, it is just fake, like anyone else that is not atheist (for the most part) would say.

Dose that make sence, or am I totally off topic and just ramballing?

[samwiselvr2008]

(Sorry HOBBIT, I just read your last post, but I don't really know what to call you now, but I geuss that's the point, sorda confusing though )

[HOBBIT]

1. we understand what you just went over sam - we already said it.
2. why use me as an example when i just said im more of an agnostic? :P

oh well

Yes, you are right about what you said...

[HOBBIT]

and it is very hard to read your posts, but do you think that im a girl? WHAT?!?!?!??!?! ok , thats gotta be a first.

[samwiselvr2008]

Your not a girl? My whole mind vew of what you looked like is now changed!!! Oh well, sorry about repeating ya'll, I really should be sleeping, but I just don't fill like it. Sorry about spelling, I AM trying- sorry. I'll try harder, and try to do more spell checking.

[HOBBIT]

Originally posted by samwiselvr2008
Your not a girl? My whole mind vew of what you looked like is now changed!!! Oh well, sorry about repeating ya'll, I really should be sleeping, but I just don't fill like it. Sorry about spelling, I AM trying- sorry. I'll try harder, and try to do more spell checking.

ay karamba!