Myths About Atheism, Science, Evolution
Atheism is commonly associated with science, which should be a good thing - right? What's wrong with science? It says something about the ideology and attitudes of some religious believers when they imagine that associating atheism with either science generally or evolution in particular somehow constitutes a criticism. One problem is how often people create myths about atheism and science. Most of these myths are relatively easy to dispel with a little research and time.
Scientists Invented Atheism? Did Scientists Come Up With Atheism Recently?
I've seen many different sorts of misrepresentations of science, evolution, and atheism from religious conservatives, but Yomin Postelnik's description is in a class by itself. Postelnik is the first and only person I've ever seen claim that scientists in the past century - or indeed of any century - 'came up' with atheism. No one with even a superficial familiarity with atheism could fail to know that atheism existed before 1900 and has been defended by more than just scientists.
I've seen many different sorts of misrepresentations of science, evolution, and atheism from religious conservatives, but Yomin Postelnik's description is in a class by itself. Postelnik is the first and only person I've ever seen claim that scientists in the past century - or indeed of any century - 'came up' with atheism. No one with even a superficial familiarity with atheism could fail to know that atheism existed before 1900 and has been defended by more than just scientists.
Myth: Atheists Insist on Absolute Answers, Fail to Accept Mystery & Awe in Life
The claim that atheists are not humble enough to accept that there are limitations on human understanding, and that we may never get answers to all our questions, is basically the same as saying that atheists believe that nothing is beyond human knowledge. I've debunked that myth in detail already, but here we see the popular move to claim that religious theists demonstrate their humility - and superiority over atheists - by labeling unanswered questions 'mystery.'
The claim that atheists are not humble enough to accept that there are limitations on human understanding, and that we may never get answers to all our questions, is basically the same as saying that atheists believe that nothing is beyond human knowledge. I've debunked that myth in detail already, but here we see the popular move to claim that religious theists demonstrate their humility - and superiority over atheists - by labeling unanswered questions 'mystery.'
Atheism & Science: Do Atheists Confuse Promoting Atheism & Promoting Science?
A popular complaint about some atheists, one that is raised not just by religious theists but also by secularists and other atheists, is that atheists allow their atheism to intrude into other arguments. For example, it is alleged that atheists improperly mix up promoting science and attacking anti-scientific ideology with promoting atheism and attacking religion. Doing so, it is argued, offends religious believers who would otherwise be willing to help to fight anti-scientific ideologies.
A popular complaint about some atheists, one that is raised not just by religious theists but also by secularists and other atheists, is that atheists allow their atheism to intrude into other arguments. For example, it is alleged that atheists improperly mix up promoting science and attacking anti-scientific ideology with promoting atheism and attacking religion. Doing so, it is argued, offends religious believers who would otherwise be willing to help to fight anti-scientific ideologies.
Myth: Atheism is the Conviction that Nothing is Beyond Human Knowledge
Atheists are frequently accused of being arrogant for thinking that they know too much. Sometimes they are accused of thinking they can know God doesn't exist (but it's OK for theists to say they know God does exist). Other times they are accused of presuming to know more than intelligent theists who believe in God (but it's OK for theists to presume to know more than intelligent atheists). Here, we have the accusation that atheists think nothing is beyond human knowledge.
Atheists are frequently accused of being arrogant for thinking that they know too much. Sometimes they are accused of thinking they can know God doesn't exist (but it's OK for theists to say they know God does exist). Other times they are accused of presuming to know more than intelligent theists who believe in God (but it's OK for theists to presume to know more than intelligent atheists). Here, we have the accusation that atheists think nothing is beyond human knowledge.
Myth: Atheists Rely Too Much on Science; God Can't Be Proven Scientifically
A popular argument from religious theists involves, in some manner, the claim that their god is beyond scientific proof, evidence, testing, experimentation, or what have you. The purpose of such an argument is to somehow demonstrate that atheistic attempts to use science to criticize theism are all sorely misguided. If God is beyond the ability of science to evaluate, then efforts to do so are worthless, thus invalidating atheists' conclusion that belief in God is unreasonable or irrational.
A popular argument from religious theists involves, in some manner, the claim that their god is beyond scientific proof, evidence, testing, experimentation, or what have you. The purpose of such an argument is to somehow demonstrate that atheistic attempts to use science to criticize theism are all sorely misguided. If God is beyond the ability of science to evaluate, then efforts to do so are worthless, thus invalidating atheists' conclusion that belief in God is unreasonable or irrational.
Myth: Atheism Cannot Explain the Origin of the Universe, Nature of Existence
Technically speaking, this statement is true: atheism does not explain the origin of the universe or even the nature of existence itself. So if it's true, why is it treated here as a myth? The 'myth' part comes in because whoever is saying this is inappropriately categorizing atheism as something which should be expected to explain the universe and of all of existence. This is thus a myth because of the incorrect perception of what atheism is, what atheists believe, and what atheism should do.
Technically speaking, this statement is true: atheism does not explain the origin of the universe or even the nature of existence itself. So if it's true, why is it treated here as a myth? The 'myth' part comes in because whoever is saying this is inappropriately categorizing atheism as something which should be expected to explain the universe and of all of existence. This is thus a myth because of the incorrect perception of what atheism is, what atheists believe, and what atheism should do.
Myth: Science is a Religion for Atheists that Requires Faith
Throughout the course of modern history, science and the scientific method have contributed substantially to the reduced the scope of religious claims about the world as well as the scope of religious authority. Science has done far more to both explain the world around us and help us improve our condition than millennia of religion. It's not surprising that some religious believers resent this and among their response is to deny that science is any different from religion.
Throughout the course of modern history, science and the scientific method have contributed substantially to the reduced the scope of religious claims about the world as well as the scope of religious authority. Science has done far more to both explain the world around us and help us improve our condition than millennia of religion. It's not surprising that some religious believers resent this and among their response is to deny that science is any different from religion.
Is Evolution a Religion? Is Evolution a Religious Belief System Based on Faith?
It is common for critics of evolution to claim it is a religion being improperly supported by the government when it is taught in schools. No other facet of science is singled out for this treatment, at least not yet, but it is part of a wider effort to undermine naturalistic science. An examination of the characteristics which best define religions reveals just how wrong such claims are.
It is common for critics of evolution to claim it is a religion being improperly supported by the government when it is taught in schools. No other facet of science is singled out for this treatment, at least not yet, but it is part of a wider effort to undermine naturalistic science. An examination of the characteristics which best define religions reveals just how wrong such claims are.
Myth: Atheists Believe in a Random Universe, Not an Ordered & Orderly Universe
It's difficult to know whether to categorize this claim as a myth or not because atheists do commonly describe the universe as "random" in some sense, but that doesn't make the claim true. Where the problem lies is in how religious theists who make or believe this claim misunderstand or misrepresent what random means. When used correctly, this can be a correct description of many atheists' positions. When used in the manner that many theists seem to intend it, it's incorrect and thus a myth.
It's difficult to know whether to categorize this claim as a myth or not because atheists do commonly describe the universe as "random" in some sense, but that doesn't make the claim true. Where the problem lies is in how religious theists who make or believe this claim misunderstand or misrepresent what random means. When used correctly, this can be a correct description of many atheists' positions. When used in the manner that many theists seem to intend it, it's incorrect and thus a myth.