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| | [[File:Atheism.jpg|thumb|alt=atheism|right|226px|[[Portrait]] of [[Paul-Henri Thiry]], Baron d'Holbach (1723 - 1789) was an early advocate of atheism in [[Europe]].]] | | [[File:Atheism.jpg|thumb|alt=atheism|right|226px|[[Portrait]] of [[Paul-Henri Thiry]], Baron d'Holbach (1723 - 1789) was an early advocate of atheism in [[Europe]].]] |
| − | '''Atheism''', as defined by the ''Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy'', the ''[[Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy]]'', and other [[philosophy]] reference works, is the denial of the existence of [[God]].<ref>Multiple references: | + | '''Atheism''', as defined by the ''Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy'', the ''[[Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy]]'', and other [[philosophy]] reference works, is the lack of belief in the existence of [[God]].<ref>Multiple references: |
| | *Smart, J. J. C. (August 8, 2011). [http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/atheism-agnosticism "Atheism and agnosticism"]. ''The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' (Spring 2013 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.). Retrieved July 17, 2014. | | *Smart, J. J. C. (August 8, 2011). [http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/atheism-agnosticism "Atheism and agnosticism"]. ''The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' (Spring 2013 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.). Retrieved July 17, 2014. |
| | *Sarfati, Jonathan, Ph.D. (23 June 2007). [http://creation.com/atheism-is-more-rational "Atheism is more rational?"]. Retrieved July 17, 2014. See [[Creation Ministries International]], [[Jonathan Sarfati]]. | | *Sarfati, Jonathan, Ph.D. (23 June 2007). [http://creation.com/atheism-is-more-rational "Atheism is more rational?"]. Retrieved July 17, 2014. See [[Creation Ministries International]], [[Jonathan Sarfati]]. |
| − | *Day, Donn R. (2007). [http://www.thedivineconspiracy.org/athart3.htm "Atheism - etymology"]. Retrieved July 15, 2014.</ref> | + | *Day, Donn R. (2007). [http://www.thedivineconspiracy.org/athart3.htm "Atheism - etymology"]. Retrieved July 15, 2014.</ref> See also: [[Definition of atheism]] |
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| − | In the late 19th century and more broadly in the latter portion of the 20th century, the proposition that the [[definition of atheism]] also include a mere lack of belief in God or gods began.<ref>Day, Donn R. (2007). [http://www.thedivineconspiracy.org/athart3.htm "Atheism - etymology"].</ref> It is now common for atheists/[[agnosticism|agnostics]] and [[theism|theists]] to debate the meaning of the word atheism.<ref>
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| − | *[http://www.apatheticagnostic.com/articles/meds2/med40/med796.html The Atheism Vs. Agnosticism “Debate”]
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| − | *[http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/atheism Oxford Dictionaries]. Oxford Dictionaries, due to their British influence (Atheism is more popular in Britain than in the United States and many other countries where English is spoken, see: [[Atheist Population|Atheist population]] and [[Secular Europe]] and [[Atheism statistics]]), now offers the definition of atheism to be "Disbelief or lack of belief in the existence of God or gods." which is a departure from its historical meaning before a broader definition of atheism began to be more widely advocated in the latter portion of the 20th century (see: [http://www.thedivineconspiracy.org/athart3.htm "Atheism - etymology"])</ref> Critics of a broader definition of atheism to be a mere lack of belief indicate that such a definition is contrary to the traditional/historical meaning of the word and that such a definition makes atheism indistinguishable from [[agnosticism]].<ref>Day, Donn R. (2007). [http://www.thedivineconspiracy.org/athart3.htm "Atheism - etymology"].</ref> It is now common for atheists/[[agnosticism|agnostics]] and [[theism|theists]] to debate the meaning of the word atheism.
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| − | *[http://www.apatheticagnostic.com/articles/meds2/med40/med796.html The Atheism Vs. Agnosticism “Debate”]</ref> See also: [[Definition of atheism]]
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| | Atheism has been examined by many disciplines in terms [[Atheism statistics|of its effects]] on individuals and society and these effects will be covered shortly. | | Atheism has been examined by many disciplines in terms [[Atheism statistics|of its effects]] on individuals and society and these effects will be covered shortly. |
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| | === Attempts to broaden the definition of atheism === | | === Attempts to broaden the definition of atheism === |
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| | + | In the late 19th century and more broadly in the latter portion of the 20th century, the proposition that the [[definition of atheism]] also include a mere lack of belief in God or gods began.<ref>Day, Donn R. (2007). [http://www.thedivineconspiracy.org/athart3.htm "Atheism - etymology"].</ref> It is now common for atheists/[[agnosticism|agnostics]] and [[theism|theists]] to debate the meaning of the word atheism.<ref> |
| | + | *[http://www.apatheticagnostic.com/articles/meds2/med40/med796.html The Atheism Vs. Agnosticism “Debate”] |
| | + | *Day, Donn R. (2007). [http://www.thedivineconspiracy.org/athart3.htm "Atheism - etymology"]. Retrieved July 15, 2014. |
| | + | *[http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/atheism Oxford Dictionaries]. Oxford Dictionaries, due to their British influence (Atheism is more popular in Britain than in the United States and many other countries where English is spoken, see: [[Atheist Population|Atheist population]] and [[Secular Europe]] and [[Atheism statistics]]), now offers the definition of atheism to be "Disbelief or lack of belief in the existence of God or gods." which is a departure from its historical meaning before a broader definition of atheism began to be more widely advocated in the latter portion of the 20th century (see: [http://www.thedivineconspiracy.org/athart3.htm "Atheism - etymology"])</ref> |
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| | + | For more information, please see: |
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| | *[[Attempts to dilute the definition of atheism|Attempts to broaden the definition of atheism]] | | *[[Attempts to dilute the definition of atheism|Attempts to broaden the definition of atheism]] |
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| | + | *[[Definition of atheism]] |
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| | *[[Definitions of Atheist and Agnostic|Definitions of atheist and agnostic]] | | *[[Definitions of Atheist and Agnostic|Definitions of atheist and agnostic]] |