Atheism

From the Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone can change

Atheism is the lack of belief in any deity (or god). A- is a Greek prefix meaning "without" and theos means "god", so when put together with the suffix -ism ("belief"), it means "without belief in gods". The opposite of atheism is theism.

[change] Two kinds of atheism

Some people describe two kinds of atheism - weak atheism and strong atheism.

• Weak atheism is the belief that there is no reason to believe a god exists. Someone who is a weak atheist does not believe in any god he or she knows about. He or she does not expect to believe in any god he or she hears about. Weak atheists may also be open to the idea that there is some driving force that keeps the universe in motion but that force is not a divine being.

• Strong atheism is the belief that there can be no such thing as a god. Some use arguments that it would not be possible for there ever to be a god. For example, some say that it is not possible for any being to know everything.

[change] Atheism in society

In many places, it is (or was) a crime to be an atheist. In Europe during the Middle Ages, atheists could be killed by burning. Many countries still have laws against atheism. Atheism is becoming more common. In some countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, the Netherlands and the United States, there are laws that protect atheists' rights not to have a religion. This means that atheists have the same rights under the law as everyone else. Freedom of religion in international law and treaties includes the freedom to not have a religion.