Atheism it is the denial of the existence of deities or any transcendental experience.
Likewise, atheism only believes what can be proven by science and thus rejects phenomena based on subjective belief.
meaning of atheism
Atheism is a word that derives from atheist.
This, in turn, has its origin from the Greek atheos, that is, “without god” (prefix “a” indicating negation + “theos”, meaning God).
It was used from the V century; C., to designate those who did not believe in the gods or who disrespected their sacred places.
be an atheist
It is difficult to specify what an atheist would be, because this depends on the definition of the terms "God" and "Deities", which have different connotations according to the cultures in which they arise.
If placed in opposition to its antonym -Theism - considered the belief in one or more deities, an atheist is the one who does not believe in a transcendental Being.
However, there are people who believe in the forces of nature, such as pantheists. Likewise, there are religions like the
Buddhism it's the Taoism who follow the teachings of an enlightened being, but who is not considered a deity.Furthermore, the atheist can be someone who is skeptical about supernatural phenomena and has no religious motivations.
It can also be indifferent to paranormal forces (beyond normal) and death would be the end of human existence on earth.
history of atheism
Since ancient times, there have been people who do not believe in the gods that their community does.
The best known example is that of Socrates, who was sentenced to death, among other charges, for not believing in the gods.
With the gradual Christianization of European society, the simple fact of doubting the existence of God, was no longer well regarded by the Catholic Church. Later, after the Protestant Reformation, atheism was rejected by these new currents.
It was the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment that effectively raised the idea that the Bible and religious tradition did not have all the answers to human questions.
From then on, ideologies such as communism and anarchism will be openly atheists.
Types of Atheism
Since there is no atheistic doctrine to determine exactly what not to believe, we find a wide range of unbelieving positions.
Spiritualist
Spiritualistic atheists are characterized more by skepticism than denial. Some may identify with “atheistic” religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, etc.
At the same time, spiritualist atheism seeks a causal explanation for natural phenomena, but there is no obligatory rejection of the existence of gods.
Materialistic
There is a current of atheism that aligns with more materialistic conceptions, in which the inexistence of any deity or paranormal being is affirmed.
Some materialistic atheists even seek the end of religion and campaign against the existence of temples, churches and religious teaching.
Philosophical
Philosophical atheism would be almost a redundancy, as the question of the existence of a Superior Being occupies the study of several philosophers.
After all, the empirical proof of the existence of God is itself a debate that uses figures of speech and philosophy.
Just because you don't believe in God doesn't mean he doesn't exist. Absence of evidence does not mean evidence of absence. However, as long as God does not appear in person, I cannot claim that He exists. Darin McNabb, philosopher, professor at the Institute of Philosophy of the University of Vera Cruz, Mexico
Atheism vs. Agnosticism
Atheism is often confused with agnosticism. While the atheist declares that there is no deity, the agnostic asserts that he does not have enough knowledge to prove that he exists or not.
In this way, agnosticism neither strives to prove the existence of God, nor does it bother to refute the contrary thesis.
Main Arguments of Atheism
The main atheistic arguments will clash with concepts of a supernatural and transcendental nature.
His criticism falls, above all, to conceptions that do not have any proof proven by scientific methods, thus constituting rational arguments to prove the divine existence.
Thus, claims that prove the existence of god through personal experience, tradition, or in a book will not be valid proof for an atheist.
symbol of atheism
Strictly speaking, atheism could not have a symbol, as this is a prerogative of religions. However, in a society that is surrounded by company logos from all segments, atheists have also created their visual brand.
Curiosities
- More than 2.5% of the world population consider themselves an atheist, while 11.9% claim to have no religion.
- The Eskimos are examples of a people who never believed in gods.
Phrases about Atheism
- "It was fear that first brought the Gods into the world." (Gallus Petronius, first century Roman courtier)
- "Religion is an excellent thing to keep the common people quiet." (Napoleon Bonaparte, French Emperor)
- “Believing is easier than thinking. Hence there are many more believers than thinkers.” (Bruce Calvert)
- "The way to see by faith is to close the eyes of reason." (Benjamin Franklin, author and inventor)
- "Religion is comparable to a childhood neurosis." (Sigmund Freud, Austrian psychoanalyst)
- "Faith is often the vanity of the man who is too lazy to investigate." (F. M. Knowles, Canadian painter)
read more:
- Enlightenment
- Laic State
- Protestant Reformation
- Communism
- Anarchism
- Socialism
- Science