Many of my readers/followers consider themselves to be atheists … yet some define the designation by a variety of terms and/or contexts. Still others “modify” their non-religious stance with qualifiers (“I don’t believe a god exists, but if one were to actually be revealed …”).
This variety of meanings often results in some confusion and even accusations when discussing one’s position in various blog posts. So for clarity purposes, listed below are some various definitions of atheism.
- The doctrine or belief that there is no God
- A lack of belief in the existence of God or gods
- According to Wikipedia:
- In its broadest sense an absence of belief in the existence of deities.
- Less broadly, a rejection of the belief that any deities exist
- In the narrower sense, specifically the position that there are no deities
- A denial of God or of “the gods”
- Lack of belief in a “divine being”
And further, to make sure there’s no misunderstanding, the opposite of atheism is theism, which affirms the reality of the divine (and often seeks to demonstrate its existence).
So where do you stand? Are you hardcore? Or are you a bit of an agnostic, clinging to the idea a God might exist? Or perhaps your perspective is … “unless proven otherwise”?
Oh and one more thing. As most atheists know, atheism is NOT a “religion.” But just in case you’re ever in doubt or are in need of defending your POV, here is information to prove your point.
Nan's Notebook 