Basics About Atheism & Agnosticism: What They Are and Are Not
By Austin Cline, About.com Guide
- What is Atheism?
- What is Agnosticism?
- What Do Atheists Believe?
- Myths About Atheism & Atheists
- Why Do Atheists Debate Theists?
- What if You Are Wrong? Aren't You Afraid of Hell?
- Bigotry Against Atheists
- Fundamentalist & Militant Atheism
- Revealing Your Atheism
- Advice for Atheists
What is Atheism?
It is strange that atheism would be so difficult to understand, but it must be - otherwise, there wouldn't be so many arguments over what it means, what it entails, and what significance it has for society. Atheism is just the absence of belief in gods.
- What is the Definition of Atheism?
- What's the Difference Between Atheism & Theism?
- What's the Difference Between Atheism & Agnosticism?
- What's the Difference Between Strong Atheism & Weak Atheism?
- What's the Difference Between Godlessness & Atheism?
- What's the Difference Between Belief & Disbelief?
- Is Atheism a Religion, a Philosophy, an Ideology, or a Belief System?
- What Does it Take to Be an Atheist?
- Is Atheism Morally & Intellectually Significant?
- Does Godless Atheism Have Implications for One's Philosophy or Ideology?
- Myths About the Definition of Atheism
What is Agnosticism?
The term agnosticism is used primarily for a single issue: do any gods exist or not? Those who disclaim knowledge of gods or even that such knowledge is possible are labeled agnostics.
- What is Agnosticism?
- What’s the Difference Between Atheism & Agnosticism?
- What is Philosophical Agnosticism?
- Strong Agnosticism vs. Weak Agnosticism
- Are Agnostics Just Sitting On the Fence?
- What is Agnostic Theism?
- Philosophic Origins of Agnosticism
- Agnosticism & Thomas Henry Huxley
- Agnosticism & Robert Green Ingersoll
- Defining Agnosticism: Standard Dictionaries
What Do Atheists Believe?
People become atheists for many 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, they aren't in denial about gods, and they aren't atheists to avoid taking responsibility for their acts.
- Do People Choose To Be Atheists?
- Why Do People Become Atheists?
- Why Are You An Atheist?
- Are Atheists All Freethinkers?
- Do Any Atheists Go to Church? If so, Why?
- Is Atheism Just a Phase You are Going Through?
- Are Atheists Anti-Religion, Anti-Christian, Anti-Theistic, and Anti-God?
- Are Atheists all Materialistic, Hedonistic, Nihilistic, or Cynical?
- Who are Practical Atheists? What is Practical Atheism?
Myths About Atheism & Atheists
There are many myths and misconceptions about what atheism entails and who atheists are - not surprising, since even the basic definition of atheism is so misunderstood.
- Atheism is a Denial of God That Requires Faith
- Atheists Choose to Disbelieve in God
- There Are No Real Atheists or Atheists in Foxholes
- More People Have Been Killed in the Name of Atheism & Secularism than Religion
- Atheists Haven't Experienced the True God or True Religion
- Atheists Have No Reason to be Moral
- Atheists Lead Meaningless Lives of Despair Without Love or Beauty
- Atheists Worship Satan, Themselves, Money, or Some Other God
- Atheism is a Product of Rebellion & Pride
- Atheists Want to Impose their Secular Religion on America
- Is Atheism a Religion, a Philosophy, an Ideology, or a Belief System?
- Myths About the Definition of Atheism
Why Do Atheists Debate Theists?
People might legitimately wonder why atheists debate religious theists over the validity of both theism and religion. Why do they care? Atheists care because religion and theism affect them as well.
- Why Do Atheists Debate Theists?
- Why Do Atheists Ask for Proof of God?
- Why Do Atheists Promote Atheism?
- Atheists, Anti-Theism, and God
- How to Talk to, Debate Atheists
- How to Talk to, Debate Theists
- Conversation Killers for Atheists
- Which is Better, Atheism or Theism? Why Be an Atheist?
- Are Atheist Critiques of Religion too Simplistic?
What if You Are Wrong? Aren't You Afraid of Hell?
One common logical fallacy is argumentum ad baculum, which literally translated means "argument to the stick" and which is commonly translated to mean "appeal to force." With this fallacy, an argument is accompanied by the threat of violence if the conclusions are not accepted. Many religions are based upon just such an tactic: if you don't accept this religion, you will be punished either by adherents now or in some afterlife. If this is how a religion treats its own adherents, it's not a surprise that arguments employing this tactic or fallacy are offered to nonbelievers as a reason to convert.
- Aren't Atheists Afraid of Hell?
- Isn't Atheism Too Much of a Risk? Isn't it Safer to Bet on God & Christianity?
- Are Christians & Religious Theists are No Worse Off if They Are Wrong?
- Haven't Scientists, Philosophers & Theologians Proven that God Exists?
- Smarter People Than You have Believed in God
- How Can Atheists Be Certain that God Doesn't Exist?
- Being Irreligious is Risky, Short-Sighted Behavior Like Crime
Bigotry Against Atheists
Godless atheists are the most despised and discriminated against minority in America. They face bigotry in a wide variety of ways and when it's known that they are godless or secular, their views on various political and social views may be immediately dismissed.
- American Prejudice & Bigotry Towards Atheism, Atheists
- Why Are Atheists Disliked, Distrusted, and Discriminated Against?
- How Are Atheists Discriminated Against?
- University of Minnesota Study on American Attitudes Towards Atheists
- Gallup Polls & Other Surveys on American Attitudes Towards Atheists
- Christian Right Attacks on Godless Liberalism
- Liberal & Progressive Attacks on Atheists, Atheism
- Godless Atheists as Scapegoats
- Adversaries of America's Godless & Skeptics
- Is There a Conspiracy of Godless Atheists Against America?
- How Are Atheists Discriminated Against?
- Anti-Atheist Bigotry & Anti-Communism in America
- Justifying & Excusing Anti-Atheist Bigotry
- 10 Steps for Responding to Anti-Atheist Bigotry in the Media
- How Can I Change Things? Fighting Anti-Atheist Bigotry, Discrimination
Fundamentalist & Militant Atheism
More and more people are responding to atheist critiques of religion or theism by labeling the person a 'fundamentalist' atheist. Atheists are told that they are 'intolerant' when they criticize religion and that they should show more respect to religious believers. In reality, these complaints are more about how atheists are ceasing to be deferential and obsequious towards religion and religious beliefs.
- What is Fundamentalist Atheism? Who are Fundamentalist Atheists?
- Fundamentalist Atheists are Elitist, Privileged, Look Down on Others
- Fundamentalist Atheism is Authoritarian, Give Science too much Authority
- Fundamentalist Atheists are Dogmatic, Dismissive of Research into Religion
- Fundamentalist Atheists Lack a Sense of the Mysterious and Beautiful
- Atheists Are Becoming More Rude by Criticizing Religious Believers
- Atheists are Making a Tactical Mistake by Insulting Religious Theists
- Intolerant & Disrespectful Atheists: Should Atheists Respect Religion, Theism?
- Should Atheists Respect Religion and Theism?
- Disagreement is Not Intolerance
- What is Respect?
- What is Intolerance?
Revealing Your Atheism
Many atheists hide their atheism from friends, neighbors, coworkers, and family because they are afraid of the reactions of others if they find out. So many religious theists, especially Christians, are intolerant of atheism and atheists that atheists are forced to hide their true feelings. It would be better if more atheists could and did come out of the closet, but they need to be prepared.
- Why Do Atheists Hide Atheism from Their Families?
- Should You Come Out as an Atheist?
- Coming Out to Your Family
- Coming Out to Friends & Neighbors
- Coming Out to Coworkers & Employers
Advice for Atheists
People have a lot of questions about atheism and atheists, but such questions don't just come from theists. Atheists also have questions - not only about the nature of atheism and what other atheists think, but about how they should deal with theists, how to deal with telling others about their atheism, marriages, funerals, children, etc.