Atheism 101: Introduction to Atheism & Atheists; Answers to Questions & Mistakes
Atheism & Atheists
What is Atheism?:
The more common understanding of atheism among atheists is “not believing in any gods.†No claims or denials are made — an atheist is a person who is not a theist. Sometimes this broader understanding is called “weak†or “implicit†atheism. There is also a narrower sort of atheism, sometimes called “strong†or “explicit†atheism. Here, the atheist explicitly denies the existence of any gods — making a strong claim which will deserve support at some point. Read More...
Who Are Atheists? What Do Atheists Believe?:
There are a lot of misunderstandings about who atheists are, what they believe, and what they don’t believe. People become atheists for different reasons. Being an atheist isn’t a choice or act of will — like theism, it’s a consequence of what one knows and how one reasons. Atheists are not all angry, aren’t in denial about gods, and aren’t atheists to avoid taking responsibility for their acts. It’s not necessary to be afraid of hell and there are advantages to being an atheist.
What is the Definition of Atheism?:
Atheism, broadly defined, it is the absence of belief in the existence of any gods. Christians insist that atheism means the denial of the existence of any gods; the absence of belief in any gods is, for some strange reason, often ignored. At best it might be mistakenly referred to as agnosticism, which is actually the position that knowledge of gods is not possible. Dictionaries and specialized references make it clear, though, that atheism can have a much broader definition.
Atheism vs. Agnosticism: What’s the Difference?:
Once it is understood that atheism is merely the absence of belief in any gods, it becomes evident that agnosticism is not, as many assume, a “third way†between atheism and theism. The presence of a belief in a god and the absence of a belief in a god exhaust all of the possibilities. Agnosticism is not about belief in god but about knowledge — it was coined originally to describe the position of a person who could not claim to know for sure if any gods exist or not.
Is Atheism a Religion?:
Mere atheism is no more a religion than mere theism is. Atheism is the absence of belief in gods and lacks any of the defining characteristics of religion — like belief in sacred objects or space, a moral code, a social group based upon a philosophy or worldview, rituals, etc. Atheism can be part of a religion, just like theism can be part of a religion. All by themselves, though, they are individual data points and not belief systems that could possibly qualify as religions.
Does Atheism Require Faith? Are Atheists as Dogmatic as Theists?:
Often theists will try to place atheism and theism on the same plane by arguing that while theists cannot prove that god exists, atheists also cannot prove that god does not exist. This claim often relies upon the erroneous assumption that all propositions are created equal and mistaken ideas about the definition of atheism. Disbelief in gods does not require faith and disbelieving in the existence of gods does not make a person dogmatic.
There Are No Real Atheists - Atheism Requires Knowing Everything!:
For some reason, some theists seem to need to believe that atheists can’t really exist. It isn’t uncommon for some theists to say that atheism requires such extensive knowledge that an atheist would have to actually be God in order to deny God. This argument makes the mistake of assuming that an atheist, to be an atheist, must have certain knowledge that no God or gods exist. It also makes the mistake of assuming that universal negatives cannot be proven.
Are Atheists Just in Denial About God’s Existence?:
Some people are so sure of the existence of their god that they have trouble imagining that someone else could honestly not feel the same way. Because honest disagreement is not possible, the cause of disbelief must be denial. Such an attitude has a venerable pedigree, going right back to Paul, but it’s not a fair, logical, or even very honest argument to make. Atheists are no more in denial than theists are — atheists simply disagree with theists, and for good reasons.
There Are No Atheists in Foxholes:
Some say that, during times of great crisis, it is not possible to “hold out†and maintain disbelief in a higher, saving power like God. During such experiences, the “natural†and automatic reaction is to start believing in God and hope for some form of salvation. Is this true? No — not only are there many cases of atheists remaining atheists in “foxholes,†there are also many cases of people losing their theism and religion due to such experiences.
Why Do Atheists Promote Atheism?:
Unlike religious web sites that “spread the word†of someone’s religious faith, I don’t “spread the word of atheism†— there is no “word of atheism†to spread, at least not in any sense that is analogous to spreading the “message of Christianity.†I explain what atheism is. I explain what atheism is not, refuting many common myths and misconceptions. I explore the nature of religion, theism, and other types of beliefs.
If I can be said to be trying to spread anything, it would be skepticism and critical thinking from an atheistic perspective. For some, that leads them to atheism. For others, it leads them to a less dogmatic theism. The point, however, is to get people thinking more skeptically and critically in general. Religion and theism are obvious subjects for more skeptical thinking, but they are certainly not the only ones. If I am on a “soapbox,†it is to call out to people to stop being gullible and to use their own minds to think about things more.
It’s always amusing when someone says that the “sole purpose†of this site is to “bash Christians†or “attack Christianity.†Such people have invariably read perhaps a dozen pages... out of over twenty thousand! They think that gives them good grounds for judging the site as a while. All the while, they are ignoring the extensive information on atheism, philosophy, skepticism, the paranormal, Islam, etc
source: http://atheism.about.com/od/aboutatheis ... ism101.htm
