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The term atheism (French athéisme, from athée, meaning atheist, from Greek 'Αθεος, atheos, meaning godless  : a-, without; + Θεός, theos, meaning god; it has Indo-European Roots) is formed of the Greek prefix α- (a-), meaning "without" or "not", and the Greek-derived theism (from Θεϊσμός, theismos), meaning a belief in God or gods. The literal meaning of the term is therefore without God [1].

Definition

In modern usage as reflected in most dictionaries, atheism is the disbeleif in, or denial of, God or gods [2]. Atheism is not synonymous with irreligion; some members of god-embracing religious organisations secretly hold atheist beliefs.

Some [3] distinguish between a narrow, strict category "strong atheism" (the explicit rejection of the existence of gods) and "weak atheism" (a lack of belief in gods but no explicit rejection). They also use these two terms in describing whether one believes in the existence of gods as an impossibility (strong atheism), or that the existence of gods is possible but no evidence indicates one does exist (weak atheism). In the freethought tradition, terms such as "positive" and "negative" atheism are used.

The term agnosticism is distinct from atheism in that it holds the existence of God to be unknown [4].

The term has also been used to refer to someone who does not believe in any particular god, even if they do believe in another. An example would be its use an an accusation of the pagan Romans against the early Christians, and vice versa.

Number of adherents

Atheism is more common in Europe than in the United States, and more common among scientists, particularly natural scientists, than among the general population (see scientists' belief in God). However, due to some societies strongly promoting atheism, and some strongly condemning it, atheism may both be overreported and underreported in different countries.

Atheists who openly express their views have been mistreated, ostracized, discriminated against or killed. In communist countries, people have been forced to feign atheism, due to severe repression of religion.

Atheism in history and society

Those who hold theistic views often consider those without a belief in gods to be amoral or untrustworthy—unfit as members of society. The scriptures of most religions contain denunciations of non-believers; see, for example, the story of Amalek.

In Europe's Middle Ages, atheism was regarded as amoral, often criminal; atheists could be sentenced to death by burning, especially in countries where the Inquisition was active. While Protestantism suffered from discrimination and persecution by the then dominant Roman Catholic Church, Calvin was also in favor of burning atheists and heretics.

On the other hand, atheism has been the official stance of most communist countries, including the now defunct Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China. Karl Marx, an atheist and son of a Jewish rabbi, wrote that religion is "the opiate of the masses", meaning that it exists in order to blind people to the true state of affairs in a society, and thus make them more amenable to social control and exploitation.

In the Soviet Union and in the People's Republic of China, some churches that submitted to strict state control were tolerated. Because of the communist goal to eradicate religion as an irrational belief system, powerful religious groups such as the Catholic Church were among the strongest enemies of communism since its very inception. Communist doctrine aside, many dictatorships have regulated or forbidden religious groups which were viewed as possible centers of opposition against their totalitarian rule. On the other hand, western intelligence agencies have often cooperated with local religious groups in order to build up opposition in hostile countries (the most extreme example pehaps being the training and funding of the radical fundamentalist Mujaheddin in Afghanistan by the CIA in the 1980s).

Every military buildup in the United States since World War II has been accompanied by frequent use of the saying "There are no atheists in foxholes." During the Cold War, the fact that the communist enemies of the United States were officially atheists ("godless communists") added to the view that atheists were unreliable and unpatriotic. As recently as the 1987 presidential campaign in the (officially secular) United States, George H. W. Bush said [5], "I don't know that atheists should be regarded as citizens, nor should they be regarded as patriotic. This is one nation under God." Similar statements were made during the controversy surrounding the inclusion of the phrase "under God" in the American Pledge of Allegiance, words which were added to the pledge early in the Cold War period.

Notwithstanding Cold War attitudes, atheists are legally protected from discrimination in the United States and they have been among the strongest advocates of the legal separation of church and state. American courts have regularly, if controversially, interpreted the constitutional requirement for separation of church and state as protecting the freedoms of non-believers, as well as prohibiting the establishment of any state religion. Atheists often sum up the legal situation with the phrase: "Freedom of religion also means freedom from religion." [6]

See also

Atheism in communist countries

Thursday, January 21, 1999

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