Why Do So Many Have Such a Poor Understanding of What Atheism Actually Is?

Question

Since there seem to be many here who don't actually know what it is, I'll spell it out. Atheism is simply a lack of belief in the existence of God, or the gods. That's it, that's all there is to it. It is, therefore, not "a religion", nor is it a belief system of any kind, because it's an absence of belief. As someone once put it, "Atheism is a religion in the same way that being bald is a hairstyle, or being naked is a fashion statement".
It is, in fact, the automatic default option, what everyone is when they are born. Atheists also do not "hate god" as some theists disingenuously claim; that's absurd, because you can't truly hate something you don't even believe is real to begin with. I don't hate the Joker, Darth Vader, Lex Luthor or Satan, because they're nothing more than fictional characters. Same with "God".

Updates

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I'm willing to consider the possibility that there is far more to reality than we can observe; that's actually likely. I don't believe in the so-called simulation hypothesis, but on the surface at least it is plausible, and if we are in some kind of simulation then there has to be some kind of "divine programmer" who created and runs it all.
All of the old gods however, like Jehovah, Allah, Baal and so on, are, I am 100% certain, not real.

Lliam · Accepted Answer

From the beginning of human self awareness, primitive people invented gods in order to make sense of natural phenomena - rain, wind, thunder, lightning, illness, the seasons, the sun, moon and stars. Everything was a mystery. They also needed a way to deal with death and loss. People still do.

Each culture on the planet invented their own mythologies.

It cracks me up that the creation myth of one barbaric tribe of goat herders from the backwaters of nowhere became the state religion of the Roman Empire and was hence acclaimed as the one "true" religion of the known world at the time.

For over 1450 years, people were tortured and slaughtered if they questioned one single aspect of the dogma.

People who firmly believe in one or another version of the folk religion of the ancient Hebrews that was adopted by Rome try in vane to rationalize the authority of their "Holy Book". The book is their proof of God, the "blue blanky" that soothes their emotional attachment to a belief.

Rational disbelieve or skepticism is met by all forms of defensiveness. Geology, cosmology, paleontology, anthropology, genetics and other sciences completely disprove the 6 day creation myth in Genesis. However it's true that science doesn't disprove the existence of God because proving non-existence is demanding that one proves the non-existence of something in place of providing adequate evidence for the existence of that something. It's a logical fallacy. "Science" never did try to disprove the existence of God. Theists are just defensive about anything that refutes Biblical claims because that makes the book seem fallible. And they think the book is "the word of God".

I'll believe that gnomes exist if someone provides proof. Until then, they can get as angry as they want about my lack of belief.

It's funny that the pervasive belief in God required the invention the words "atheist" and "agnostic" that designate non-belief in the preexisting paradigm. That's like inventing a word to describe those who came to realize that the sun didn't revolve around the Earth. They used to be called heretics and burned at the stake.

Theists argue over the semantics and definitions of words that mean non-belief, as if there is any point in arguing. They are the ones who need to prove that their mythologies are based in fact.

They try to use the fact that science doesn't know everything as proof that science is an atheist plot to discredit the Bible. How absurd. Science seeks to learn, discover, and expand human knowledge. Religion does not. It wants to keep humanity in a state of stasis/non progress. Religious institutions profit from control.
Theists already know all they want to know. Everything else is "fake news". They live their lives for the purpose of serving their imaginary master (and religious institution), dying, and gaining eternal reward.

I don't care what people believe. I was raised religious and have delved deep into world religions, mythologies and spiritual beliefs. I have my own, personal, spiritual concepts. If I'm not religious, call me a pagan for all I care. I'm just grateful to live in a country where I have religious freedom.

If someone wants to open up to me about their beliefs, they need to be prepared to hear what I think. I love a respectful, open minded discussion. But the problem with a lot of theists is, they get butt hurt when that happens. They think if you don't agree with them you are calling them stupid. Well I don't care. They can can get as butt hurt as they like.

I don't know why they can't just be cool with the fact that there are lots of religions and spiritual beliefs.

TenkRealist · Accepted Answer

Yeah. No. Athiesm is not a lack of belief. The most prominent Athiestic scholar Dr. Graham Oppy speaks explicitly against this dumb "Lack Thiesm". Athiesm is the belief that God/Gods do not exist. It is a belief. Lacktheism is used by New Athiests so they don't have to back up their position. Because it crumbles when you question it. Precisely why I left Athiesm :)

Smashingdoozy · Accepted Answer

There's actually two types of atheists, you have agnostic and gnostic, agnostic meaning you lack beliefs but aren't 100% certain and gnostic meaning you are 100% there is no god (s).

Same for theists an agnostic theist believes in god (s) but doesn't claim there are any with 100% certainty whereas a gnostic theist believes with 100% certainty that there is a god (s)

ShaTTeredMasterpeace · Accepted Answer

Except for every atheist I've encountered HAS had a hatred towards what they're supposed to not even believe. I couldn't care less what someone chooses to believe or not believe. My issue comes when people feel the need to attack others for what they believe. So you can say that atheists don't hate God, but that has not been my experience with them at all.

Guy13 · Answer

The whole argument is full of holes BUT I will let RICHARD DAWKINS speak on my behalf as it relates to Point #1. To follow your thought process on point #1. One can not claim an absence of or a disbelief in Something without acknowledging that Something Is such as God Is as Dawkins admits:

Oh God,’ atheist Richard Dawkins says when stumped in debate with Church of England priest
Author of the article:
Scott Maniquet
Publishing date:
Feb 17, 2012 • February 17, 2012 • 1 minute read • Join the conversation
Article content
In case you missed it earlier this week, “the high pope of Darwinism” Richard Dawkins had a very spirited and interesting encounter on BBC Radio 4 with Reverend Giles Fraser, former Canon Chancellor of St Paul’s Cathedral (and the creator of the “high pope” epithet for Dawkins). The two were together to discuss a new poll, conducted for the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science, which found that at least half of U. K. people who identify themselves as Christians don’t actually go to church or read the Bible. Read more about the poll here and here.

Things became rather heated between Dawkins and the Reverend, as is usually the case with any decent debate involving religion. The highlight for most listeners came when Fraser, in his defence of those claiming Christian-identity, challenged evolutionist Dawkins on his lack of Charles Darwin trivia knowledge.

Here is a brief transcript of the exchange, courtesy of Huffington Post. The video below has a longer audio portion or you can listen to the entire exchange at the BBC.

Andres77 · Answer

Hence... the problem.
I've never met nor dealt with an "atheist" that did not have a vehement hatred for God. They say they don't believe in Him but then attack you for doing so.
They say they're "atheists" but in their heart they know God exists and they resent the FACT that He will judge them so they rebel and cause as much damage as they possibly can before they die.
Bitter and violent and vindictive.
Disingenuous at the very heart of who they are.
Militant and combative.

bamesjond0069 · Answer

Because atheists believe the same thing just as much as Christians believe the same thing.

Why are almost all atheists militant global warming pro abortion big government people? Of course there's some difference but so are there differences among Catholics and Baptists for example. If they truly just "didn't believe in God" why do they conform all their beliefs with each other? Without God there is no objective truth and so it would make sense if they all believed completely different things. Instead in a round about way they mostly all believe in sacrificing babies (abortion) to the sun monster (global warming)? Just seems weird and very similar to what the Bible says evil people will do... idolatry, blood sacrifice. So just lends more credence to Christianity than to support of atheism. Just how I see it. And fyi i was raised atheist and only became Christian about 5 years ago. Im 35. I even was a militant atheist reading things like Charles Darwin and such for some of the time. So its not like i was raised in the church, far from it.

NathanDavis · Answer

Atheism might be one thing or two...
the thing here is, atheists... there is a lot of different types of Atheists, just because there's a lot of different kind people

the same happens with Christians, there is a lot of Christians in here that are great GREAT kind and wonderful people, but there's also the many Christians in here that are so full of HATRED in their twisted minds that they just cannot help themselves but to spread it all over and against many

would I say that Christianity is a religion of hatred? no...
just like I would not say Atheism is this or that... based on the many different atheists that you see around

these things are always complicated, complex and convoluted... never a good idea to just try to minimize and reduce them to a simple concept everyone should abide for

Levin · Answer

Wouldn't it be more accurate to say atheism is a belief system or at least a belief, but not a religion? You can't say it's not a belief, because you the subjective person are having that view on the basis of your own subjective experience; which includes your inclinations, temperament, assessment of so called objective evidence.

Then again, you could argue that science has become a religion, hence the idea of 'scientism'.

An example of this is much of what we saw during the 'pandemic' was distinctly unscientific. People put their faith in nonsense, not by virtue of good data and interpretation of, but by virtue of 'faith' in science and authority (and laziness and a lack of desire to question). What we saw during the past two years was a grotesque perversion of science, where it become a wider all encompassing philosophy. Scientific materialism or scientific reductionism.

HighValue · Answer

Atheists don't hate God? Then why do they frequently harass Christians? Why do they attack churches?

Modern atheists are hateful people. They specifically hate Christians and target them. Anyone that denies this is a liar.

Are you saying that burning churches and vandalizing them, or running through churches naked to harass Christians is just a form of not believing and isn't bad?
If that is the case, then it wouldn't be hate if Christians started killing atheists right?

Seriously, there are so many dishonest people here.

normalice · Answer

Imagine believing in a god. What is your motivation for doing so? What do you get out of it? I would suggest a sense of belonging and a sense of security. But it's "faith based." You are protected from the idea of catastrophe as long as actual catastrophe doesn't actually occur. And the idea of catastrophe can, indeed, be crippling to a person if left unchecked.

So someone comes along and says they don't believe it. Do you consider the possibility that it isn't true or do you just take another step in the same direction you've been moving all your life and believe it is just another challenge in the same framework as all other challenges to your religion (namely, other religions)?

TheMajesticKing777 · Answer

Because from experience all atheists I have talked too have tried trashing my beliefs and believe other things that I can easily trash like they trash my beliefs, I actually ran into one that believed everything formed from germs, so it's very hard to properly inform myself when they behave a certain way, I asked him what created the germs and he said they were always there, please let me know how that makes sense, I know the definition of an atheist but when I think of atheists I think of these annoying human beings that like to trash peoples believes because they simply don't have any, that's only because it's what I experience from them, I know there's some that don't trash believes but they are hard to find.

Anonymous · Answer

Atheists are almost as annoying as vegans. You all just can’t shut the fuck up about religion and peoples’ faith. Many of you ridicule and mock them at every fucking chance you get.

Oddly your scorn for organized religion ONLY ever seems to be leveled at Christians. I mean you don’t want to an Islamophobic anti-Semite, right? Because that’s not cool lol.

The vast majority of you all are just hypocrites and edge lords trying to gain cool points by shitting on others for their beliefs.

I’m not even religious. I just loathe your hypocrisy.

CountessSarah · Answer

Sadly the theists who most need to hear this are usually the ones guilty of trying to tell other people what they believe. They don't care if you tell them atheism is simply the lack of belief in a god, because they think they know your position better than you do, anyways.

genericname85 · Answer

they intentionally missunderstand. it's part of religious delusion. if you accept something that makes more sense than the thing you believe, you gotta let go of that believe. though since letting go isn't an opinion for many deluded religious people, they try their best to make everything else not make sense.

NamerOfStars · Answer

Because they own dictionaries, silly: Atheism isn't lack of belief it a god; that's agnosticism. Atheism is belief in the lack of a god, and since it's based on evidence, but not proof, it's a matter of faith, not reason, and just as much a religion as any other.

It's a pity how many Atheists don't understand their own faith, but a lack of undetanding doest't change reality.

SimpleGuy95 · Answer

Because most terms that end with ism describe a world view. Just because atheism defines itself as saying their is no god it's still a view to look at the world.
Atheism just says their is no god, if the word meant no belief the word needs to be apistism rom epistemological stand because theos the last syllable in A-Theis-m just means god while pistis is the Greek word for belief/ faith.

jshm2 · Answer

Seems you're as ignorant as you believe others to be.

Atheism is an assertion, and not a valid view, thus your sophistry rises and falls at the first step.

You can only be a theist or agnostic. To claim to be "atheist" means you claim to have some super magical knowledge beyond religion and science, or are a bullshitting denier. Neither of which is a valid argument.

LindsayR07 · Answer

They misunderstand what atheism is because churches teach them to hate atheists, not to try to have a reasonable discussion with them. They believe they know what you believe better than you do because their preacherman (who hasn't ever had a real conversation with an atheist) told them what they say you believe.

KostasKouvalis · Answer

Very well put. I enjoy reading your posts, even if I don't always agree with you, because you have very good critical thinking skills👍🏼

CloudMassacre · Answer

Because churches tell people what atheists are so they don’t really try to interact with them. And it’s something that they feel directly challenges their beliefs since they center their lives around religion

This_Is_My_Opinion8 · Answer

Do you know of a YouTuber called Aron Ra? He is firm athiest and looks like a satanist on his way to a heavy metal concert, but his knowledge on both theology and evolutionary biology is amazing to say the least. His discourse is also one of the more eloquent I have ever seen. He has many videos on this topic and if you also find it interesting you should check him out.

OlderAndWiser · Answer

Atheism "is, in fact, the automatic default option, what everyone is when they are born." Are you serious? Let me explain.

Messing in your diaper is what everyone does when they are born. It is the default option for your ass. That doesn't mean that we should all crap in our pants when we are adults.

If you want to be an atheist, that is your right and I won't interfere, but if you're gonna try to justify it, come up with something better than this!

sage2021 · Answer

The poor understanding of what an atheist is is simple. I don't care to invest my time on those people. That's their choice, but not mine.

Sixgunsound · Answer

Atheism, taking the prefix and the word theist together means opposed to theism. This implies belief in the existence of something to be opposed to. Nontheist is what you are looking for. It’s kind of like saying feminists want equality instead of female superiority, when egalitarian is the word for people who want equality.

Adronicus · Answer

Question I've always wanted to ask an atheist is if the uni/multiverse natural state is chaos what's imposing order over it? I've also thought what do they seek in their lives? Oblivion?

AviatorTom · Answer

Many people get confused between agnostic and atheist. An agnostic isn't sure if a god exists, while an atheist is certain there is no god.

AsheHex · Answer

Ignorance and fear, I believe. People often are afraid of trying to grasp a concept that they are afraid of, or they just don't care to try and understand at all. Quite sad, really.

EyeKnowMeNahYou · Answer

You said it is not a a belief but in the definition it says atheism is a simple lack of belief and God or God.., confusing to someone.

Telekinetic-Potato · Answer

Because you guys finished making it up like 20 years ago

behnam1999 · Answer

And what is the difference between Atheism and Agnosticism?

zagor · Answer

No, atheism is the belief that there is no god. If you just don't believe in any particular religion and profess to not know if there is a god or not, that is agnosticism.

Juxtapose · Answer

They're stupid enough to believe in something completely fantastical and improbable with absolutely no evidence, what do you expect? They're not really running on a lot of brain power here!

lofii · Answer

Atheism is the belief that you're better than everyone because you don't believe in the flying spaghetti monster. At least that's what I've noticed from my encounters my atheists

Anonymous · Answer

The only people who have a poor understanding of what atheism is are religious people. This should not come as a surprise to normal people.

DavidRaul · Answer

Lol i didn't know, people didn't know what an atheist is. Feel bad for them

Anonymous · Answer

Why are you singling out men? I still think it's a belief system, because you believe in something, even though you don't know.

Anonymous · Answer

Because different dictionaries define it differently. In some it's a lack of belief, in others it's the belief that there is no God. In some agnostic is basically lack of belief.

Erron_Black · Answer

It's as absurd as someone who doesn't believe in God saying why we can't go to heaven, why do we go to heaven?

Anonymous · Answer

The only people with the lack of understanding are theists, and they're some of the dumbest people on the planet. So do you really expect them to understand anything?

Cubus · Answer

Unpopular opinion There are very few Atheists in the world. People who say they are Atheists are just non-religious, which is not the same.

msc545 · Answer

People hate Atheists. They also insist on conflating atheism and agnosticism.

CuriousMufuxka · Answer

Because it's the people throwing it out. Really they sound religious..

WhiteBoyChill · Answer

I’m just confused how you can be so sure that God does not exist

Kelly6 · Answer

It’s a belief that there is no god. belief means religion! so it’s a religion that believes there is no god.

Anonymous · Answer

atheism is a false religion full of fairy tales

KelleyNice · Answer

That is a good explaination of atheism.

WhitneySnow · Answer

I’m not an atheist but I get what you’re saying

Fromdusktilldawn · Answer

Good someone sees that too.

wiltonaimes · Answer

Dumb and uneducated people

Why Do So Many Have Such a Poor Understanding of What Atheism Actually Is?

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