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[[Weak Atheism|Weak atheism]] sometimes referred to as "negative atheism") describes a belief system and philosophical stance whereby a person lacks a belief in God/gods.  

[[Weak Atheism|Weak atheism]] (sometimes referred to as "negative atheism") describes a belief system and philosophical stance whereby a person lacks a belief in God/gods.  

[[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 denial of the existence of [[God]].<ref>Multiple references:

*[http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/cri/cri-jrnl/web/crj0131a.html Putting the Atheist on the Defensive] by Kenneth R. Samples, Christian Research Institute Journal, Fall 1991, and Winter 1992, page 7.

*[http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/cri/cri-jrnl/web/crj0131a.html Putting the Atheist on the Defensive] by Kenneth R. Samples, Christian Research Institute Journal, Fall 1991, and Winter 1992, page 7.

</ref>  Beginning in the latter portion of the 20th century and continuing beyond, many [[agnosticism|agnostics]]/atheists have argued that the [[definition of atheism]] should be defined as a lack of belief in God or gods.

</ref>  Beginning in the latter portion of the 20th century and continuing beyond, many [[agnosticism|agnostics]]/atheists have argued that the [[definition of atheism]] should be defined as a lack of belief in God or gods.

<ref name="Divine">Day, Donn R. (2007).  [http://www.thedivineconspiracy.org/athart3.htm "Atheism - etymology"].</ref><ref name="Definition of atheism">[http://www.reasonablefaith.org/definition-of-atheism Definition of atheism] by [[William Lane Craig]]</ref>  

<ref name="Divine">Day, Donn R. (2007).  [http://www.thedivineconspiracy.org/athart3.htm "Atheism - etymology"].</ref><ref name="Definition of atheism">[http://www.reasonablefaith.org/definition-of-atheism Definition of atheism] by William Lane Craig</ref>  

<ref name="CRI">[http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/cri/cri-jrnl/web/crj0131a.html Putting the Atheist on the Defensive] by Kenneth R. Samples, Christian Research Institute Journal, Fall 1991, and Winter 1992, page 7.</ref><ref>Britain is a less religious country than the United States and the online Oxford Dictionaries offers both the narrow/broad definitions of atheism (As noted in a previous footnote the Merriam-Webster dictionary, which is a traditional American dictionary, offers a more narrow definition of atheism similar to the definition that major encyclopedias of philosophy use). Oxford Dictionaries: Disbelief or lack of belief in the existence of God or gods.[http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/atheism]</ref>  

<ref name="CRI">[http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/cri/cri-jrnl/web/crj0131a.html Putting the Atheist on the Defensive] by Kenneth R. Samples, Christian Research Institute Journal, Fall 1991, and Winter 1992, page 7.</ref><ref>Britain is a less religious country than the United States and the online Oxford Dictionaries offers both the narrow/broad definitions of atheism (As noted in a previous footnote the Merriam-Webster dictionary, which is a traditional American dictionary, offers a more narrow definition of atheism similar to the definition that major encyclopedias of philosophy use). Oxford Dictionaries: Disbelief or lack of belief in the existence of God or gods.[http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/atheism]</ref>  

One would still require justification in order to know either that God exists or that He does not exist, which is the question we’re really interested in.

One would still require justification in order to know either that God exists or that He does not exist, which is the question we’re really interested in.

So why, you might wonder, would atheists be anxious to so trivialize their position?  Here I agree with you that a [[Atheism and deception|deceptive game]] is being played by many atheists.  If atheism is taken to be a view, namely the view that there is no God, then atheists must shoulder their share of the burden of proof to support this view.<ref name="Definition of atheism">[http://www.reasonablefaith.org/definition-of-atheism Definition of atheism] by [[William Lane Craig]]</ref>}}

So why, you might wonder, would atheists be anxious to so trivialize their position?  Here I agree with you that a [[Atheism and deception|deceptive game]] is being played by many atheists.  If atheism is taken to be a view, namely the view that there is no God, then atheists must shoulder their share of the burden of proof to support this view.<ref name="Definition of atheism">[http://www.reasonablefaith.org/definition-of-atheism Definition of atheism] by William Lane Craig</ref>}}

== Additional problems with the concept of weak atheism ==

== Additional problems with the concept of weak atheism ==

One of the most popular arguments for God's existence is the [[teleological argument]]. Derived from the Greek word ''telos'', which refers to purpose or end, this argument hinges on the idea that the world gives evidence of being designed, and concludes that a divine designer must be posited to account for the orderly world we encounter. See also: [[Evolution]] and [[Intelligent design]] and [[Creation science]]

One of the most popular arguments for God's existence is the [[teleological argument]]. Derived from the Greek word ''telos'', which refers to purpose or end, this argument hinges on the idea that the world gives evidence of being designed, and concludes that a divine designer must be posited to account for the orderly world we encounter. See also: [[Evolution]] and [[Intelligent design]] and [[Creation science]]

[[Image:Evolution.jpg|alt=evolution darwin theory|right|thumb|200px|Late in [[Charles Darwin|Charles Darwin's]] life, Darwin told the Duke of Argyll that he frequently had overwhelming thoughts that the natural world was the [[Intelligent design|result of design]].<ref>http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/teleological-arguments/notes.html</ref> In a letter to [[Asa Gray]], Darwin confided: "...I am quite conscious that my speculations run quite beyond the bounds of true [[science]]."<ref>http://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/entry-2109</ref>]]  

[[Image:Evolution.jpg|alt=evolution darwin theory|right|thumb|200px|Late in [[Charles Darwin|Charles Darwin's]] life, Darwin told the Duke of Argyll that he frequently had overwhelming thoughts that the natural world was the result of design.<ref>http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/teleological-arguments/notes.html</ref> In a letter to [[Asa Gray]], Darwin confided: "...I am quite conscious that my speculations run quite beyond the bounds of true [[science]]."<ref>http://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/entry-2109</ref>]]  

The evolutionist [[Charles Darwin]] wrote in his private notebooks that he was a [[materialism|materialist]], which is a type of atheist.  In his autobiography Charles Darwin wrote about the diminishment of his religious faith and Darwin stated that he was an agnostic.<ref>http://www.update.uu.se/~fbendz/library/cd_relig.htm</ref>  Darwin's worldview is best described as [[agnosticism]]/[[weak atheism]] (see: [http://www.conservapedia.com/Charles_Darwin#Religious_Views_of_Charles_Darwin religious views of Charles Darwin) ]<ref>[http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/1877 Darwin’s real message: have you missed it?]</ref><ref>American Scientist May 1977:323</ref>

The evolutionist [[Charles Darwin]] wrote in his private notebooks that he was a [[materialism|materialist]], which is a type of atheist.  In his autobiography Charles Darwin wrote about the diminishment of his religious faith and Darwin stated that he was an agnostic.<ref>http://www.update.uu.se/~fbendz/library/cd_relig.htm</ref>  Darwin's worldview is best described as [[agnosticism]]/[[weak atheism]] (see: [http://www.conservapedia.com/Charles_Darwin#Religious_Views_of_Charles_Darwin religious views of Charles Darwin) ]<ref>[http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/1877 Darwin’s real message: have you missed it?]</ref><ref>American Scientist May 1977:323</ref>

In 2012, a [[Georgetown University]] study was published indicating that in the United States only about 30 percent of those who grow up in an [[Atheism|atheist]] household remain atheists as adults.<ref name="christianpost.com">[http://www.christianpost.com/news/study-atheists-have-lowest-retention-rate-compared-to-religious-groups-78029/ Study: Atheists Have Lowest 'Retention Rate' Compared to Religious Groups]</ref> According to Dr. Mark Gray, "of those raised as atheists, 30% are now affiliated with a [[Protestantism|Protestant]] denomination, 10% are Catholic, 2% are Jewish, 1% are Mormon, and 1% are Pagan."<ref name="christianpost.com"/>  

In 2012, a [[Georgetown University]] study was published indicating that in the United States only about 30 percent of those who grow up in an [[Atheism|atheist]] household remain atheists as adults.<ref name="christianpost.com">[http://www.christianpost.com/news/study-atheists-have-lowest-retention-rate-compared-to-religious-groups-78029/ Study: Atheists Have Lowest 'Retention Rate' Compared to Religious Groups]</ref> According to Dr. Mark Gray, "of those raised as atheists, 30% are now affiliated with a [[Protestantism|Protestant]] denomination, 10% are Catholic, 2% are Jewish, 1% are Mormon, and 1% are Pagan."<ref name="christianpost.com"/>  

Similarly, according to recent research by the Pew Research Forum on Religion and Public Life, in the United States, a majority of those surveyed who were raised in atheist or [[agnosticism|agnostic]] households, or where there was [[Nones|no specific religious attachment]], later chose to join a religious faith.<ref>http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/defectors-to-faith-mark-a-growing-trend/story-e6frg7ko-1225710667095</ref><ref>http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1204/religion-changes-affiliations-survey</ref>

Similarly, according to recent research by the Pew Research Forum on Religion and Public Life, in the United States, a majority of those surveyed who were raised in atheist or agnostic households, or where there was [[Nones|no specific religious attachment]], later chose to join a religious faith.<ref>http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/defectors-to-faith-mark-a-growing-trend/story-e6frg7ko-1225710667095</ref><ref>http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1204/religion-changes-affiliations-survey</ref>

Furthermore, a tremendous amount of people in atheistic [[Communism|communist]] countries or former communist countries have become Christians and this is still occurring.

Furthermore, a tremendous amount of people in atheistic [[Communism|communist]] countries or former communist countries have become Christians and this is still occurring.

On July 24, 2013, ''CNS News'' reported about [[global atheism]]:

On July 24, 2013, ''CNS News'' reported about [[global atheism]]:

{{cquote|[[Atheism]] is in [[Global atheism|decline worldwide]], with the number of atheists falling from 4.5% of the world’s population in 1970 to 2.0% in 2010 and projected to drop to 1.8% by 2020, according to a new report by the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Mass."<ref>[http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/global-study-atheists-decline-only-18-world-population-2020 Global Study: Atheists in Decline, Only 1.8% of World Population by 2020]</ref>}}

{{cquote|Atheism is in [[Global atheism|decline worldwide]], with the number of atheists falling from 4.5% of the world’s population in 1970 to 2.0% in 2010 and projected to drop to 1.8% by 2020, according to a new report by the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Mass."<ref>[http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/global-study-atheists-decline-only-18-world-population-2020 Global Study: Atheists in Decline, Only 1.8% of World Population by 2020]</ref>}}

Douglas S. Winnail wrote:  

Douglas S. Winnail wrote: