atheist
atheist by Pro Janitor October 17, 2006
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atheist
A person who either:
a. Does not have any theistic beliefs of any nature ("weak" atheism)
b. Actively believes that there is no God, or indeed any matter of supernatural entity ("strong" atheism"
There are two noteworthy things about the concept of atheism:
a. "Atheism", or a- in front of theism, simply means "not theistic". Therefore, the literal definition of the word atheism is what was referred to before as weak atheism. The differentiation between "weak" and strong atheism, however, is now necessary, due to the proliferation in use of labeling strong atheism as simply atheism.
b. "Belief" that there is no God is still the important point here for strong atheism. No reasonable atheist would assert that they KNOW there is no God, just as no reasonable theist would assert that they KNOW there IS a God - there is no proof for either preposition, and thus certainty is impossible either way. However, strong atheism relies on the fact that logically proving something does NOT exist is far harder than proving something does exist (and in fact is generally impossible), and thus tends not to perceive a lack of absolute proof that there is no God as a weakness in their arguments.
a. Does not have any theistic beliefs of any nature ("weak" atheism)
b. Actively believes that there is no God, or indeed any matter of supernatural entity ("strong" atheism"
There are two noteworthy things about the concept of atheism:
a. "Atheism", or a- in front of theism, simply means "not theistic". Therefore, the literal definition of the word atheism is what was referred to before as weak atheism. The differentiation between "weak" and strong atheism, however, is now necessary, due to the proliferation in use of labeling strong atheism as simply atheism.
b. "Belief" that there is no God is still the important point here for strong atheism. No reasonable atheist would assert that they KNOW there is no God, just as no reasonable theist would assert that they KNOW there IS a God - there is no proof for either preposition, and thus certainty is impossible either way. However, strong atheism relies on the fact that logically proving something does NOT exist is far harder than proving something does exist (and in fact is generally impossible), and thus tends not to perceive a lack of absolute proof that there is no God as a weakness in their arguments.
I am an atheist. This tells you nothing about my personality, character, or intelligence. All it tells you is that I do not have particular belief in God. That is all that atheists have in common.
Related Words
atheist
Person who does not feel they need a spiritual handrail; person more inclined to believe the findings of science than the writings of religion.
atheist
a person who does not believe in a supreme being or beings. known to include some of the sexiest people alive.
opposite of theist.
opposite of theist.
atheist
Someone who refuses to bow to the alleged power of any alleged supernatural entity, however great that power is alleged to be. One of a group of people far wiser and more common than they are usually given credit for. Someone who thinks in terms of reason rather than fear. In particular, someone who refuses to let their perfectly natural fear of death overwhelm their reason. Someone who accepts that even if there were a god worth worshipping, which cannot be proved, the divinity would be worth worshipping precisely because it supports or represents such things as justice, truth, love and compassion, which are universal human ideals and are not, contrary to the propaganda, derived from any religion. Someone who accepts that, as guides to the good life, such ideals therefore come before all else. A humanist. Atheists are often accused, by religionists who have found support in postmodernist relativism, that atheism is a religion like any other. If anorexia could be considered a favourite food, these postmodernist types might have a point ... but I'm doubting it.
atheist
A person intelligent enough to know that not one being created all that surrounds us. A person who doesn't pray to some unfathomable creature, in hopes that everything will be made better. Atheists do not have religion because it seems that it is only a CRUTCH for those who are weak minded.
Atheist
No belief or disbelief is required. Atheist is certainly not a belief system. There are many valid reasons for rejecting the theist claim. The lack of evidence to support their claim is only one of them.
Atheist by ResidentAtheist May 24, 2011