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→Strong atheism is the position taken by leading encyclopedias of philosophy
[[Image:Stalin-140508 27880t.jpg|right|200px|thumb|[[Joseph Stalin]] was a [[militant atheism|militant atheist]] who maintained that God did not exist.<ref>[https://www.icr.org/article/stalins-brutal-faith/ Stalin's brutal faith] by Paul G. Humber, M.S.</ref>]]
[[Image:Stalin-140508 27880t.jpg|right|200px|thumb|[[Joseph Stalin]] was a [[militant atheism|militant atheist]] who oppressed non-atheists.<ref>[https://www.icr.org/article/stalins-brutal-faith/ Stalin's brutal faith] by Paul G. Humber, M.S.</ref>]]
'''Strong atheism''' (sometimes called "positive [[atheism]]" by its adherents), is a type of [[atheism]] that asserts the absolute doctrine that there are no gods. It is different from [[Weak Atheism|weak atheism]], in which the atheist claims only that there is insufficient evidence that any god exists.
'''Strong atheism''' (sometimes called "positive [[atheism]]" by its adherents), is a type of [[atheism]] that asserts the absolute doctrine that there are no gods. It is different from [[Weak Atheism|weak atheism]], in which the atheist claims only that there is insufficient evidence that any god exists.
Strong atheists use three types of arguments:
Strong atheists use three types of arguments:
* '''Semantic apologetics''': Arguing that religious language is meaningless, and therefore beliefs based on that language are not justified;
* '''Semantic apologetics''': Arguing that religious language is meaningless, and therefore beliefs based on that language are not justified;
* '''Incoherency apologetics''': Arguing that religious concepts are self-contradictory, and therefore cannot possibly be true;
* '''Incoherency apologetics''': Arguing that religious concepts are self-contradictory, and therefore cannot possibly be true (see also: [[Atheism and incoherency]]);
* '''[[Materialist]] apologetics''': Arguing that because religion contradicts science, science must reject religion;
* '''[[Materialist]] apologetics''': Arguing that because religion contradicts science, science must reject religion;
== Strong atheism is the position taken by leading encyclopedias of philosophy ==
Atheism, as defined by the ''[[Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy]]'', the ''[[Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy]]'', and other [[philosophy]] reference works, is the denial that [[God]] exists.<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.).
*[https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/atheism "{{sc|atheism}}"] (n.d.). ''Merriam-Webster Dictionary'' [online]. "Definition of {{sc|atheism}} '''1 a''': a lack of belief or a strong disbelief in the existence of a god or any gods '''b''': a philosophical or religious position characterized by disbelief in the existence of a god or any gods [example sentences omitted] Origin and Etymology of {{sc|atheism}} Middle French ''athéisme'', from ''athée'' atheist, from Greek ''atheos'' godless, from ''a-'' + ''theos'' god"; [https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/god "{{sc|god}}"] (n.d.). ''Merriam-Webster Dictionary'' [online]. "Definition of {{sc|god}} '''1''' ''capitalized'': the supreme or ultimate reality: such as '''a''': the Being perfect in power, wisdom, and goodness who is worshipped as creator and ruler of the universe" [definitions 2 and 3 omitted.] Retrieved on April 22, 2018.
*Atheism: a + theos, denying god, (Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology-1966).
*Sarfati, Jonathan, Ph.D. (23 June 2007). [https://creation.com/atheism-is-more-rational "Atheism is more rational?"]. See [[Creation Ministries International]], [[Jonathan Sarfati]].
*Day, Donn R. (2007). [https://web.archive.org/web/20140906135211/http://www.thedivineconspiracy.org/athart3.htm "Atheism - etymology"].
*[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> [[Paul Edwards (philosopher)|Paul Edwards]], who was a prominent atheist and editor of the ''[[Encyclopedia of Philosophy]]'', defined an atheist as "a person who maintains that there is no God."<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>
== Semantic apologetics ==
== Semantic apologetics ==