Atheism Essay - 1443 Words

Atheism People in our society today who have the atheist point of view on religion, which is the belief that there is no god, are going against the so-called norms of society, and therefor are seen as deviant. Deviance is just an idea. Society determines what is deviant by the ideas they hold of what should be the norm. Atheism is seen as a negative deviance, or below the norm. They have a status that is placed on them in society. It doesn’t necessarily mean that they believe in evil, although that is how it is sometimes viewed from people in society who have a specific religion or faith. Atheism, which is not a new idea, has been evolving in our society, and is the reason for problems leading to debate and court cases, and for†¦show more content†¦But as god beliefs have grown more absurd because of increasing knowledge, some have felt compelled to point out difficulties with these beliefs. And, as religion has grown more tyrannical, atheists have seen the need to organize i n defense of freedom. Atheism has a long and colorful history, but that history has been largely hidden from the publics view due to religious suppression. It is therefore, with great effort, that modern atheists are re-discovering their heritage. Some early Greek philosophers were among the first to write down atheistic ideas. Great thinkers such as Heraclitus, Democritus, Protagorus, and Lucretius expressed views that questioned the existence of gods. Atheism gained a permanent foothold in western culture during the Renaissance and through the Enlightenment. But atheism truly began to thrive around the beginning of the 20th century in what is called the Freethought movement. Current trends indicate that the popularity of atheism should continue to increase into the next century. Sir Thomas Huxley coined the term â€Å"agnostic† in 1869. Popularly the word agnostic is felt to mean that the nature of god cannot be known but that there is a god. Therefore the agnostic is accepted in the community and he is accepted by the church, unlike those labeled or known as â€Å"atheists†. Agnosticism is very closely related to the religious doctrine that the ways of god are incomprehensible, that human reason is deceptive and that man requires aShow MoreRelatedEssay on Atheism1218 Words   |  5 PagesInformative Speech Atheism Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about Atheism, why it important as well as the fundamental elements of being a part of it. I will discuss what Atheism is, how it originated, and the number of people who practice this religion. Central Idea: What is Atheism? Who? When? Where? And Why!? 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Religion is the belief in a god or gods, while atheism is the disbelief in the same. Does this view of atheism limit our understanding of what itRead MoreAtheism And The Existence Of God Essay129 4 Words   |  6 Pagesrecurring terms during the discussion on the existence of God. Traditionally the three attitudes one could hold towards the existence of God are theism, atheism and agnosticism. The belief in the existence of God or Gods, in specific of one that intervenes in the matters of the universe is defined as theism (Oxford Dictionaries, English, 2016). Atheism as defined in the Stanford Encyclopaedia of Philosophy (Spring 2013 Edition) refers to the negation of theism or in other words, the denial of the existenceRead MoreThe Problem Of Evil And Atheism1187 Words   |  5 Pagesowe to prove his thesis about the problems of evil and atheism, Rowe asks three fundamental questions. 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