...ATHEISM: Is it the new religion? Religion is a respect for what is sacred, a reverence for God. It is a bond between man and God. What is religion? It is a collection of cultural system, belief system and those world views that establishes a kind of symbol that relates humanity to spirituality and moral values. Many religions have their own way of narratives, symbols, traditions, sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to explain the origin of life or the universe. Religion is a faith or belief and it there is a tendency that certain idea of morality, ethics, and sacredness is followed. But what stirs my mind is the idea of not believing in a God? These set of non-believers of God have been termed as Atheist. Atheism is characterized by an absence of belief in the existence of gods. This absence of belief generally comes about either through deliberate choice, or from an inherent inability to believe religious teachings which seem literally incredible. It is not a lack of belief born out of simple ignorance of religious teachings. Some atheists go beyond a mere absence of belief in gods: they actively believe that particular gods, or all gods, do not exist. Just lacking belief in Gods is often referred to as the "weak atheist" position; whereas believing that Gods do not (or cannot) exist is known as "strong atheism." It a grand debate no doubt and forces me to think if atheism is the new religion? From the primitive times, people have had speculations...
Words: 601 - Pages: 3
...Atheism and postmodernism wider reading The term atheism derives from two Greek words: 'a' meaning 'without' and 'theos' meaning God. Atheism therefore describes a person being without belief in God. Agnostisim, also has a lack of belief, however, does not actively deny Gods existence, so could be interpreted differently. Positive atheism: Like negative atheism there is an absence of God however, positive atheism goes one step further. It is the firm denial of religion, the person has thought about the possibility of religion and has consciously denied it. For example, Prof Brian Cox has suggested that religion is a 'fairy story' which shows positive atheism as he has consciously made the decision to reject religion. We can assume God does not exist. Gavin Nyman 'Definitive metaphysical claim about the non-existence of God' Negative atheism: Absence of God: does not actively deny God. An example of this would by a baby who has not had time to make a conscious decision about the existence of God. We cannot assume anything, so we must assume he does not exist. Agnosticism: From the Latin 'without knowledge.' Like Negative atheism there is an absence of belief, however, unlike Negative atheism it does not deny the existence. Postmodernism One of the key ideas of a postmodernist view of religion, unlike traditional views, is that there is no objective knowledge or absolute representation of reality. It is culture or society that dictates our concepts and the way we categorise...
Words: 619 - Pages: 3
...Atheism is the belief in the absence of God or a higher power of some sort. It is a controversial topic on whether it is considered a religion or not. Although atheism is the idea of there being no God that does not mean that it cannot be considered a religion, although in some “sub-ideas” of this belief, it is thought to be the religion of no religion, which obviously contradicts itself. But, this thought is not as ridiculous as it sounds. Atheism is a belief that there is no god at all so this could not possibly be a religion, right? World renowned theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking is a confirmed atheist who is not afraid to state his beliefs. Some say he almost oppresses people with his slightly radical beliefs. He was recently on a...
Words: 641 - Pages: 3
...What is Atheism and how does it relate to Levinas. These are questions that may arise when trying to figure out Levinas’s complex views on the world, the other and religion. Atheism is a disbelief in god or a total negation of the idea of a supreme being. This can range from strong atheism to weak atheism and a myriad of levels in between. Strong atheism is a total opposition to the very idea of a supreme entity that is all powerful and all knowing and weak atheism is more like agnosticism where one simply does not have a strong convictive belief in a god. The ultimate goal of this paper is to try and understand the views Levinas holds on atheism and what that could mean for being an ethically sound human in a world of others and god. Atheism is not a total lack of ethics or a state of hedonistic abandon rather atheism is a stage in the progression of an ethically sound individual. Levinas is a Jew but he does not dismiss atheism or condemn atheists, although he is a little critical of being in isolation from a god and at times can definitely be condescending towards them, but believes that all theists are at least a little atheistic. True atheism to Levinas is a not good thing or a bad thing. He thinks that atheism can lead to a sense of total isolation which can lead to violence against the other but he also thinks that without atheism religion can dissolve into a system of simple rule following much like it did in the work camps of Munich. Levinas can be very critical...
Words: 712 - Pages: 3
...following in the rise of atheism * Science * Evil Atheism is when someone doesn’t believe in the existence of God. There are two types of Atheism negative and positive atheism. The negative atheism is when someone have no knowledge about God and doesn’t believe in it; while on the other hand the positive atheism is when they have the knowledge but still doesn’t believe in God. Over the years things started to change, Science came and people now have better understanding of things around them. These have made a major impact on people’s faiths and believe, which has caused an increase of atheist people. Back in the old days, everything was seen as either a miracle or a punishment from God. But since Science came along, it gave an explanation for why things happen and supporting it with evidence. This had made people question the existence of God, because God became no longer ‘the explanation’. For example: At first people thought that God had created the universe, but then Science came and argued this fact with a theory called the Big Bang theory, which is the explanation for how the universe started. Stephen Hawking said: “ Before we understand science, it is natural to believe that God created the universe. But now science offers a more convincing explanation”. What he means is that there are no evidence that proves that God did create the universe, but science do. Therefore Science is much logical than believing in God. Here when the rise of atheism began. Hawking...
Words: 952 - Pages: 4
...Beliefs: Atheism and Religion Melissa Romano HUM/114 November 24, 2014 Michael Myers Beliefs: Atheism and Religion When I was presented with this assignment, I had no idea what opinion I would use to write about. While discussions in class this week about Darwinism, religion, and the creation of life, I started to question some of my beliefs. I was raised an atheist, by my father, and have been my whole life. However, I felt doing some research would benefit me, not only for critical thinking, but for my personal growth. Even though Atheists have plenty to attack religion, the debate between atheists and religious people is over a futile book, not over a so-called god. Disputes are not about a god (if any), they are about the "god" of the bible (or other religious books). Most religious people that say they believe in god are meaning they believe in the bible. One of the websites I chose to use was the Huffington Post, which is historical proclaimed as a credible source, according to my last class. In an article written by Frank Schaeffer (2014), he states that: “The whole "debate" between faith and reason misses the point. It is a debate between the track record of what religious believers have done in the name of stupid religions and what science has done in the name of stupid certainties." The quote made sense to me in a general sense. Another reference that Mr. Schaeffer (2014) made was that Christians say they believe in “god” when it is the bible they believe...
Words: 477 - Pages: 2
...Atheism vs. Catholicism For some reason or another Atheists feel they need to beat you over the head with their view of creation, laws, the Bible, God, the Constitution and more. They consistently tell Christians that they are wrong. Atheists, agnostics and other nonbelievers will always seem to quote science, scientists, NASA and others. Using scientific theory to disprove the Bible is like using gasoline to put out a fire, The reverse of that would be using the Bible to prove the existence of UFO’s, it cannot be done. The Bible is “the” source of explanatory information about all of the things that the Atheists attempt to debunk with scientific theory. Atheists seem to have a mental block about the reality of the real truth about who is responsible for even their own existence. They are more than willing to put their trust in Charles Darwin who wrote a book 150 years ago titled “On the Origin of Species” and is now commonly known as the Theory of Evolution. Atheists have no problem putting their full trust in the fact that we all descended from a common ancestor, which is what Darwin’s book was really about. Even though there is no proof to this date that Darwin was correct 150 years ago, when labs and science were in their infancy; Atheists believe he was right but they just cannot believe the Bible. The Bible is filled with witnesses to the events describe in it. Additionally, it is filled with witnesses to prophecy; both to prophecy as it was being fulfilled...
Words: 1338 - Pages: 6
...Mackenzie Wade Nielsen. Atheism. Waechtler. Encyclopedia Britannica: Atheism. Jan. 2013. Web. 6 Sept. 2014. ‹http://www.britannica.com.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/EBchecked/topic/40634/atheism› According to The Encyclopedia Britannica, predominantly written by Kai E. Nielsen, atheism, in general, is the assessment and denial of metaphysical beliefs in gods or spiritual beings. Nielsen states atheism, in its simplest form, is defined as an overall disbelief in or denial of godly or spiritual beliefs and beings, however, Nielsen clarifies that all atheists do not wholeheartedly or similarly reject the existence of said godly or spiritual beliefs and beings. Atheism branches into three major subcategories: fallibilistic atheism, aprioristic atheism, and dogmatic atheism. Fallibilistic atheists believe their knowledge and beliefs concerning godly or spiritual beings could be mistaken. Fallibilistic atheists are usually deemed as agnostics, however, they are distinguished by the fact they presently do not believe in any godly or spiritual being. They remain conscious they may, at some point in the future, be presented with evidence which may alter their beliefs. Fallibilistic atheists are often considered empiricists—those whom believe that knowledge comes only or primarily from sensory experience—for they need to be presented with clear evidence in order to believe in any godly or spiritual beings. Aprioristic atheists do not believe in any godly or spiritual being due to their logical...
Words: 3271 - Pages: 14
...existence of intelligent, interactive life. That is to say, in order for intelligent, interactive life to exist, the fundamental constants and quantities of nature must fall into an incomprehensibly narrow life-permitting range. There are three competing explanations of this remarkable fine-tuning: physical necessity, chance, or design. The first two are highly implausible, given the independence of the fundamental constants and quantities from nature’s laws and the desperate maneuvers needed to save the hypothesis of chance. That leaves design as the best explanation. 3. God provides the best explanation of objective moral values and duties. Even atheists recognize that some things, for example, the Holocaust, are objectively evil. But if atheism is true, what basis is there for the objectivity of the moral values we affirm? Evolution? Social conditioning? These factors may at best produce in us the subjective feeling that there are objective moral values and duties, but they do nothing to provide a basis for them. If human evolution had taken a different path, a very different set of moral feelings might have evolved. By contrast, God Himself serves as the paradigm of goodness, and His commandments constitute our moral duties. Thus, theism provides a better explanation of objective moral values and duties. 4. God provides the best explanation of the historical facts concerning Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Historians have reached something of consensus that the historical...
Words: 660 - Pages: 3
...Atheism and agnostic has become the new trend that has gone rampant across Canada and the United States. Even people that say that they are Christian do not actually believe in God, but cling to their Christian foundation more for cultural reasons than religious ones. Although there are many reasons as to why people chose to either leave their faith, or refuse to believe in a higher power, the most commonly heard objection to God’s existence is the problem of evil. Countless stories have been told of priests that have raped children, or corrupt men that have stolen and killed to satisfy their own greed in the name of God. Furthermore, people often blame God for inflicting pain and suffering upon them and those that they love. How can a just...
Words: 1439 - Pages: 6
...Atheism will eventually become more prominent than religious belief Atheism is a state that is characterized by absence or rejection of existence of religious beliefs. It arises where a group of people or an individual convinces one or a certain group about the inexistence of the belief they hold. The rise of atheism has come into the increased in the recent past. This is mainly due to the failure of the Bible and the religious groups to prove some current occurrences in the world. These are mainly the natural calamities like earthquakes and some occurring celestial bodies such as the meteors that have come into the earth. The failure of their religions to give them religious solutions make them to move to the world with no believes. Different understanding and interpretation of the bible among the Christians has led to the emergence of many churches. In the process of the emergence of the churches, some of the people who do not fit at any groups end up being atheists. Such people end up without any of their believes due to the failure of the bible to provide them with necessary interpretation of the same. For instance, one Kenyan has been pursuing people especially from his community to join him in the atheist world. He tells them of the kind of life one enjoys when he is in a in believe world. The has also embraced the media in his campaign for what he believes is true. It sounds absurd to some people but some people tend to think that maybe he has something to say. World...
Words: 423 - Pages: 2
...Universiteit Hasselt Katrien Faculteit BEW Leenaerts Academiejaar 2014-2015 F 1437156 Academisch Nederlands Docent: prof. dr. E. Moonen Paper trimester 2 Een morele cocktail als sleutel tot een betere wereld Religie is al eeuwenlang een cruciale factor in ons menselijk bestaan. Duizenden bevolkingsgroepen onderscheiden zich van de rest op basis van hun manier van zingeving aan ons leven hier op aarde. Inmiddels zijn er vele wegen die we kunnen nemen in de zoektocht naar betekenisvolle verbindingen waarbij meestal een hogere macht, opperwezen of god centraal staat. Moeten we echter steeds één weg volgen? Mogen we de route niet veranderen en eens op de andere wegen gaan kijken of we deze niet aangenamer vinden? En wat als men helemaal geen nood heeft aan deze zoektocht? Soms zijn de wortels van de keuzes van onze voorouders zo diep ingenesteld dat openstaan voor verandering en een andere kijk op het leven gewoon niet aan bod komen. Sociaal psycholoog en professor Jonathan Haidt heeft zich dan ook verdiept in dit thema. Hij tracht het verschil in mentaliteit tussen de liberalen en conservatieven in Amerika te verklaren en heeft daarom de morele wortels van deze groepen eens onder de loep genomen. Waarom reageren liberalen anders op Michelangelo’s naakte David dan conservatieven? (Haidt, 00:12) Haidt verklaart dit door het verschil in openheid voor ervaring. Mensen die hier hoog op scoren hebben nood aan nieuwigheid, variëteit, diversiteit...
Words: 1970 - Pages: 8
...“A rollercoaster ride to the abyss of an essence-less self”. This quote really caught my attention as I sat there in the lecture. I immediately thought of the many discussions that this course had about the essence of ones-self and the essence of God. The first thing that came to mind was Sarte’s explanation of existentialism. The idea that “existence comes before essence, man first of all exists, encounters himself, surges up in the world and defines himself afterwards”. Another topic throughout that class that this quote touches base with is from the discussions of Fuererbach. Fuererbach stated that the essence of religion into the essence of man is a result of “human nature”. Fuererbach believed that you are abstract if you speak of people as individuals. Therefore, essence can be comprehended as a generality which naturally unites many individuals. The “religious sentiment” is itself not a social product and the abstract individual whom he analyses belongs to a particular form of society. I also thought of Nietzsche when this quote was brought up during the lecture. In using the term “roller coaster ride”, the speaker is depicting the wild journey that trying to comprehend and find essence in something is. That is extremely similar to Nietzsche’s metaphor of the “open sea”. This reflects that idea that humans are on their own and can go in any direction when trying to find their own essence. There are no harbor lights in an open sea just as there are no directional points...
Words: 307 - Pages: 2
...the world that have different signs, beliefs, descriptions, ethnicity, and, sanctified accounts that explain the meaning and origin of life and the universe. Through the accounts ideas, principals, morals, sacred laws, and the way of life are generated in addition to the existence of the universe and the human nature. Examples of religions include Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Islam, and atheism. Among all the religions, atheism tends to be different from the others as it is not similar from any of the others. I watched a program on atheist and this encouraged me to conduct a research on atheism through interviewing an atheist and through books to gain a complete understanding of atheism. According Neilson (1985), atheism is said to have a great connection in the lack of beliefs of God’s existence. This situation occurs due to a purposeful choice of not believing or from a natural failure to believe the religious teachings of a certain religion, which literally seems unbelievable. For the past few years, I have had a misconception concerning atheism, whereby I believed that atheism occurs as a result of personal ignorance particularly on the religious teachings. I watched a program known as Atheist Experience on May 27 that has been on air for more than 13 years and it is located in Austin Texas, which involves two people known as Russell Glasser and Jen...
Words: 1773 - Pages: 8
...Atheism In America Glenn Watkins Park University Abstract This essay may be offensive to some of you, but that is not the intentions of the author. The author realizes that most of the audience holds deep spiritual and religious beliefs. It is not the aim to cause insult, but if the audience feels insulted, understand that it is not the objective of this paper. The author disclaims all responsibility for any harm caused by the paper. Please take this essay with an analytical and introspective approach. Atheism is one of the least understood philosophies of all time, but has been around for as long as religion has. There is always been someone to question the validity of gods or goddesses; someone who does not believe the world was created by a supreme being in 7 days. This paper outlines some of the contrasting points between religion and Atheism. It talks about deities and the history of Atheism and its migration to America. Many believe a Supreme Being, king, or lord created the Constitution of the United States, but it is clear that people wrote the constitution for the people. Many Atheists believe that a belief in God is based on irrational immature needs and wishes, but atheism or skepticism is derived from a rational, no-nonsense appraisal of the way things really are. "I don't know that Atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered patriots. This is one nation under God." -President George Bush Whether god exists is a question...
Words: 3419 - Pages: 14
