1 definition by SpankyMuffin
A highly disputed term that can have any number of meanings.
The following are three colloquial definitions as understood and used by the average American:
1) Someone who believes that there is no God/Gods
2) That asshole who spends all of his time arguing with or scoffing at Christians about their beliefs.
3) A socially-depraved menace to society bent on burning our churches and brainwashing our children into joining their cult which is really based on worshiping Satan and may be headed by the Jews in their attempt to control the world's money and media in order to enslave us all... (I can go on)
But it's only fair to explain atheism as defined by atheists. After all, they are the ones who identify with the term. So what do THEY believe?
Generally, there are two strains of atheism, as used by atheists:
1. "Strong" atheism- The belief that there are no Gods
2. "Weak" atheism- The lack of belief in Gods
The vast majority of atheists fall into category 2. You're hard-pressed to find an atheist who is absolutely certain that there is no God.
There is a confusion about the terms "agnosticism" and "atheism" and it's important to make the distinction clear.
Agnosticism is a position concerning knowledge of Gods. Agnostics either:
1) believe that there is no way to know for certain whether or not there are Gods
2) are undecided on the issue because they currently lack sufficient evidence
Meanwhile, atheism/theism are positions concerning what you do and do not believe regardless of any claims to knowledge. Thus, fusions between the two are likely:
Agnostic atheist- I do not believe in any Gods because 1) or 2)
Agnostic theist- I believe despite 1) or 2) for any number of reasons (fear of hell, hope, comfort, feeling that there must be some great power/first cause, etc.)
Most self-proclaimed "agnostics" are also atheists. It's very common to hear someone who calls him/herself an agnostic say,
"I don't know whether or not there is a God, so I am neither a theist nor an atheist". But like the second strain of atheism, they do NOT have belief in any Gods. If they did believe, then they wouldn't be undecided! Thus, they are undecided and without belief (agnostic atheist). In much the same way, you can say that all infants and animals are also agnostic atheists!
Now, I say this is true for MOST self-proclaimed agnostics because I have yet to hear someone call him/herself an agnostic AND claim to believe in a God. This is because most self-proclaimed agnostics think of agnosticism as a third-choice between atheism and theism. I'm of the personal opinion that this is largely due to the many negative connotations surrounding the term "atheist" (see colloquial definitions above)
I apologize for the obscene length of this definition (inb4 tl;dr!), so I won't go into detail concerning this next point:
Atheism is NOT a religion. For the same reason, theism is also not a religion. You need more than mere belief/disbelief in a God(s) to be aptly identified as a religion.
The following are three colloquial definitions as understood and used by the average American:
1) Someone who believes that there is no God/Gods
2) That asshole who spends all of his time arguing with or scoffing at Christians about their beliefs.
3) A socially-depraved menace to society bent on burning our churches and brainwashing our children into joining their cult which is really based on worshiping Satan and may be headed by the Jews in their attempt to control the world's money and media in order to enslave us all... (I can go on)
But it's only fair to explain atheism as defined by atheists. After all, they are the ones who identify with the term. So what do THEY believe?
Generally, there are two strains of atheism, as used by atheists:
1. "Strong" atheism- The belief that there are no Gods
2. "Weak" atheism- The lack of belief in Gods
The vast majority of atheists fall into category 2. You're hard-pressed to find an atheist who is absolutely certain that there is no God.
There is a confusion about the terms "agnosticism" and "atheism" and it's important to make the distinction clear.
Agnosticism is a position concerning knowledge of Gods. Agnostics either:
1) believe that there is no way to know for certain whether or not there are Gods
2) are undecided on the issue because they currently lack sufficient evidence
Meanwhile, atheism/theism are positions concerning what you do and do not believe regardless of any claims to knowledge. Thus, fusions between the two are likely:
Agnostic atheist- I do not believe in any Gods because 1) or 2)
Agnostic theist- I believe despite 1) or 2) for any number of reasons (fear of hell, hope, comfort, feeling that there must be some great power/first cause, etc.)
Most self-proclaimed "agnostics" are also atheists. It's very common to hear someone who calls him/herself an agnostic say,
"I don't know whether or not there is a God, so I am neither a theist nor an atheist". But like the second strain of atheism, they do NOT have belief in any Gods. If they did believe, then they wouldn't be undecided! Thus, they are undecided and without belief (agnostic atheist). In much the same way, you can say that all infants and animals are also agnostic atheists!
Now, I say this is true for MOST self-proclaimed agnostics because I have yet to hear someone call him/herself an agnostic AND claim to believe in a God. This is because most self-proclaimed agnostics think of agnosticism as a third-choice between atheism and theism. I'm of the personal opinion that this is largely due to the many negative connotations surrounding the term "atheist" (see colloquial definitions above)
I apologize for the obscene length of this definition (inb4 tl;dr!), so I won't go into detail concerning this next point:
Atheism is NOT a religion. For the same reason, theism is also not a religion. You need more than mere belief/disbelief in a God(s) to be aptly identified as a religion.
Bob: Hey Fred!
Fred: Hey Bob!
Bob: You know, in all our many years of friendship, I've never asked you a simple question. Do you believe in God?
Fred: I'm an atheist-
*violence*
Bob: WRYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!
Fred: Hey Bob!
Bob: You know, in all our many years of friendship, I've never asked you a simple question. Do you believe in God?
Fred: I'm an atheist-
*violence*
Bob: WRYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!
by SpankyMuffin October 20, 2008