Atheism is the lack of belief
Atheism is the lack of belief in the existence of gods. It is not a belief system or a religion but the denial that supernatural beings exist. There are atheists with all sorts of philosophies and beliefs.
You’re already an atheist
Even if you believe in a god, you probably don’t believe in other gods – Zeus, Osiris, Jupiter, Thor, Allah or Jesus. It’s hypocritical to be skeptical in the holy book, revealed prophets, miracle stories, or holy men of all religions but yours. You are an atheist when it comes to everyone else’s gods, so why give your god a free pass?
The burden of proof is on the theist
Can you prove that an invisible pink elephant is not floating above your head? How does one prove a negative in the absence of evidence? Theists make the exceptional claim that there is a god. That claim requires exceptional proof. The burden of proof is on the theist to prove God exists.
By using reason and science, humans have been expanding our knowledge of the world. Yet religionists continue to claim that there exists a supernatural realm immune to reason. Where is their proof? If a god is needed to create the universe, what created God? Rather than offer proof, mystics have often tried to silence and discredit those who reveal the complexity and majesty of the universe.
There are natural explanations for the universe
What keeps flowers from turning into rocks, or rocks from floating in the sky? It’s not the will of a supernatural deity, but the fact that flowers are not rocks, and gravity keeps things on the ground. The universe operates according to causal principles, without the need for any supernatural power to keep things from getting chaotic.
Morality does not need religion
Religious texts can offer moral guidance, but they are not the source of moral principles. Humans discovered long ago that following certain rules makes life more productive, peaceful, and pleasurable. Morality derives from human nature, not divine guidance. If one wishes to live a virtuous life, it is better to do so because of the earthly rewards of being virtuous than the fear of eternal punishment. Unlike a theist, an atheist knows that one life is all he has, and will try to live each day to the fullest.
Further reading
- The One Minute Case Against the Cosmological Argument
- The One Minute Case Against the Existence of God
- Internet Infidels – An Introduction to Atheism (1997)
- Wikipedia – Atheism
- David Veksler: The Case Against God
- A review of “The Purpose Driven Life” (The ethics of Christianity)
Once again, no offense, if i had caused disturbance.
I just wanted to tell you that claiming that God does not exist or that God does exist is arrogant. Everyone is an Agnostic because they/we do not know nor could we ever. I am an Agnostic Atheist meaning I don’t know if there is a creator but I still reject all forms of theism. Atheism has no content. It is simply the rejection of theism, not the disbelief in God. Hypothetically, if God did exist, He/She would exist with or without your early theistic religions, right? So you see where I am going? I reject all forms of monotheism and polytheism and therefore, I’m an Atheist. I do know if there is a creator nor can I ever know, which makes me an Agnostic. There aren’t that many arrogant Atheists who will boast such a dogmatic view of the universe as to say “there is no God”. I would appreciate a more accurate description on this page of what an Atheist is and please stop spreading bullshit, over generalized lies.
Thank you,
-Me
I’ve actually played this game in the past in which I respond to anti-Jewish statements by ridiculing the Christians. ,
love the article!
“Can you prove that an invisible pink elephant is not floating above your head?”"
Proof is sufficinat evidence to convince. Convince who? You, Me them? I have come to understand that pink elephants exist in the minds of people. So do gods and devils. I never saw a pink elephant. That does not mean it does not exist in someone else’s mind.
Yes the bricks and mortar that make up the human body is quite real. But what makes up his mind? Is it atoms or chemistry, or is it imagination. and what is imagination? You have it like we all do.
What is it and where did it come from. was it the big mac that I ate today, that is putting these thoughts into my head?
@ Paul
Somebody made the Big Mac you ate, just like somebody fed you the postmodern ideas your dishing out right now.
This is a simple falsehood, or at least a misunderstanding of how the court of law works. The theist is making the claim that, to take the Christianity example, the bible is the word of God, and everything in it is true. In the same way, a prosecutor may make the claim that Joe Bloggs committed the murder on Friday at 10PM. It is up to both these people to provide evidence for their claims. There is no contradiction here; “innocence” here is simply the position that the claim is not true, or has not yet been satisfactorily shown to be correct.
In reality, no single religion could guarantee us a place in Heaven. In the end, what matters is how we a treat other people.~’*
IT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN SAID BETTER – THE BURDEN OF PROOF IS ON THE THEIST! AS CARL SAGAN SAID “EXTRAORDINARY CLAIMS REQUIRE EXTRAORDINARY EVIDENCE” . THERE IS NO NEED TO ATTACK SOMEONE WHO CHOOSES TO BELIEVE IN SOMETHING THAT HAS NO EVIDENCE TO BACK IT UP. THEY CAN BE EASILY, AND I DO STRESS EASILY, DISMISSED.
Another great example is Bertrand Russell’s Tea Pot: if someone told you there was a small tea pot orbiting the Earth, you couldn’t disprove it, but it would be absurd to say you should believe it because it can’t be disproved.
actually it doesn’t matter what Religion you may have, as long as you treat the other person right.,`: