Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Thoughts on Atheism

More from an email exchange today, this time on the question of whether atheism has a "belief system":
My view is that atheism is a rejection of a belief system rather than a belief system in and of itself.

Theism is defined as "The doctrine or belief in the existence of a God or gods".

Atheism is defined as "A lack of belief in the existence of God or gods"

I prefer the term Antitheism as it applies to me: "Active opposition to the belief in the existence of a God." (or, in the words of the always amusing Urban Dictionary: "Militantly opposed to religious bulls**t(ers) and their prolongation of human conflict and lack of moral concern.")

My status as an Antitheist doesn't carry any beliefs along with it, per se. I am just fundamentally opposed to systematized irrational magical thinking that causes untold suffering (i.e. religion).

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