About Atheism

Atheism is a very broad term, even though it is basically interpreted as the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. The term is contrasted with theism, which suggests that there exists at least one deity. The word atheism dates back to the 5th Century BCE Greek word atheos, which means “without gods.” Over the years, the application of the word has been narrowed down significantly, thanks to the spread of freethought, skeptical inquiry and an increase in the criticism of religion.

Today, there are very few people who understand the concept completely and that is why atheism is often misunderstood and even vilified to a large extent. Different people perceive atheism differently, and hence, it is difficult to determine the total number of atheists in the world. Questions related to atheism can stem from philosophical, social or even historical perspectives. While some rationalize their lack of belief in a supernatural deity as insufficient empirical evidence, others rationalize their stance with the problem of evil that theism fails to resolve at many levels.

Whatever the reason may be for one to turn to atheism, Atheist Republic is one of the few organizations that try to highlight how okay it is to raise questions and seek answers, an idea that is often denounced by many religious people. The team at Atheist Republic strives to educate those interested in atheism, because they unanimously believe that understanding the subject will help one see how most of the attacks made upon atheism and atheists are based on mistaken assumptions and a general lack of knowledge.

Here is hoping you, too, find Atheist Republic to be a resourceful website that not only answers the questions you may have, but also enriches your mind.

In his 1986 book "The Blind Watchmaker" Richard Dawkins recalls expressing his position that he couldn't imagine being an atheist before Darwin. As it happens, there WERE atheists before Darwin, and theories of evolution go back to ancient Greece. It's curious, because he also believes God is in itself a bad explanation (would it still be if evolution were false?). It's a shame if Mr. Dawkins (who I have recently met) is unaware of it, but there is a great legacy of atheist pioneers that helped forge the modern world and cut through the fog and terror of religious faith.

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I hope that we can learn from Narendra Dabholkar that being an atheist is more than just not believing in gods, it’s also an implicit belief in the value of truth. That is a noble pursuit, and touches upon all that is worthy of emulation in humanity.

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Christopher Hitchens once said, “Of all the supposed virtues, faith must be the most overrated.

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Atheism: a term that is exasperatingly complex in its simplicity. Many people say, “If you don’t believe in a divine being/god, then you are an atheist.” Others employ a small variation; saying, “If you believe there is no divine being/god, then you are an atheist.” (employing a positive belief statement) While others argue atheist isn’t a term that should exist at all because it’s basically a label for something that is nothing – arguing that the negative should be the baseline or default and shouldn’t require a label. Even famous scientists, who many say are clearly atheists, refuse to use the term and even deride it because of its implicit baggage in the social context.

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"Can an atheist be moral?  That depends on what you mean by 'moral.'

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Why the women transfer faith and faithfuls from one generation to another, even after knowing that the same religion oppresses them?

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The dusty pages/ Of my past remind me that/ Church is for the deaf.

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It is not very rare to observe Muslims getting offended with even the most rational and valid criticism of Islam.

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It is difficult to understand Hinduism; it is also difficult to explain. The following questions are meant to produce more questions, not fewer.

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Kosher- and halal-certified products are a scam because they cost more without raising the quality of the product. And, there is no reason for it except that God said so.

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