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Atheism

2015-09-20T04:11:47Z

Humanperson:

[[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''', from the Greek ἄθεος (atheos), meaning "without god(s)", is translated into English as "godless".

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:
*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]].
*Day, Donn R. (2007). [http://www.thedivineconspiracy.org/athart3.htm "Atheism - etymology"]. Retrieved July 15, 2014.</ref> See also: [[Definition of atheism]]

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.

As far as individuals adopting an [[Atheist worldview|atheistic worldview]], atheism has a number [[causes of atheism|of causal factors]] and these will be elaborated on below.

==Types of atheism==

''See also:'' [[Schools of atheist thought]] and [[Atheist factions]]
[[File:Diagoras of melos.jpg|thumbnail|150px|right|[[Diagoras of Melos]] was a 5th century BC. [[Greek]] atheist, poet and [[sophism|sophist]]. ]]
===Atheism and why do atheists state they disbelieve?===

Atheists claim there are two main reasons for their denial of the existence of God and/or disbelief in God: the conviction that there is positive evidence or argument that God does not exist ([[Strong atheism]] which is also sometimes called positive atheism), and their claim that theists bear the burden of proof to show that God exists, that they have failed to do so, and that belief is therefore unwarranted ([[Weak atheism]]).

As as alluded to above, [[theism|theists]] and others have posited a number of [[causes of atheism]] and this matter will be further addressed in this article.

=== Attempts to broaden the definition of atheism ===

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>

For more information, please see:

*[[Attempts to dilute the definition of atheism|Attempts to broaden the definition of atheism]]

*[[Definition of atheism]]

*[[Definitions of Atheist and Agnostic|Definitions of atheist and agnostic]]

=== Some common manifestations of atheism ===
Below are three common ways that atheism manifests itself:
* [[Militant atheism]] which continues to suppress and oppress religious believers today (see also: [[Atheism and communism]] and [[Atheism and intolerance]]).

* [[Philosophy|Philosophical]] atheism - Atheist philosophers assert that God does not exist. (See also: [[Naturalism (philosophy)|Naturalism]])

* [[Practical atheism]]: atheism of the life - that is, ''living'' as though God does not exist.<ref>Dr. [[Martin Luther King]] in his sermon ''Rediscovering Lost Values'' spoke of "practical atheism". King, Dr. Martin Luther (1954). [http://www.globatron.org/truth/rediscovering-lost-values-martin-luther-king-early-sermon "Rediscovering lost values"]. Retrieved from Globatron, July 16, 2014. Caution: Presumably copyrighted work in the U.S. until 2049 and in Canada until 2018. For fair educational use only.</ref>

=== Atheist factions ===

''See also:'' [[Atheist factions]] and [[Schools of atheist thought]] and [[Atheist cults]] and [[Atheism and intolerance]]

Jacques Rousseau wrote in the ''Daily Maverick'': "[[Elevatorgate]]..has resulted in three weeks of infighting in the secular community. Some might observe that we indulge in these squabbles fairly frequently."<ref>Rousseau, Jacques (July 13, 2011). [http://dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2011-07-13-sticks-and-stones-may-break-my-bones-but-words-can-rip-my-soul "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can rip my soul"]. Daily Maverick [South Africa]. Retrieved July 16, 2014.</ref> An ex-atheist wrote: "As an Atheist for 40 years, I noticed that there is not just a wide variety of [[Schools of atheist thought|Atheist positions]], but there exists an actual battle between certain [[Atheist factions]]."<ref>[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2013/04/internet-atheism-is-still-hostile.html "The atheist community and internet atheism is still a hostile wasteland"] (April 7, 2013). Question Evolution Campaign [blog].</ref>

==== Atheist infighting: Testimony of Blair Scott, former board of director of American Atheists ====

''See also:'' [[Atheist movement]] and [[Atheism and anger]]

Blair Scott served on the [[American Atheists]] board of directors.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20140701062412/http://atheists.org/about-us/board-of-directors "Board of directors"] (July 1, 2014). American Atheists. Retrieved from Internet Archive, July 16, 2014.</ref> Mr. Scott formerly served as a State Director for the [[American Atheists]] organization in the state of [[Alabama]]. On December 1, 2012 he quit his post as a director of outreach for the American Atheists due to infighting within the American [[atheist movement]].<ref name="Blair Scott">Scott, Blair (December 1, 2012). [http://news.atheists.org/2012/12/01/an-open-letter-from-blair-scott/ "An open letter from Blair Scott"]. American Atheists. Retrieved July 16, 2014.</ref>

Mr. Blair wrote:
{{cquote|I have spent the last week mulling over what I want to do at this point in the movement. I’m tired of the in-fighting: at every level. I am especially tired of allowing myself to get sucked into it and engaging in the very behavior that is irritating...me.<ref name="Blair Scott"/>}}

== Atheists have a low retention rate compared to other worldviews ==
[[File:Georgetown 2.jpg|thumbnail|right|200px|In 2012, a [[Georgetown University]] study was published indicating that only about 30 percent of those who grow up in an atheist household remain atheists as adults.<ref name="retention rate">Nazworth, Nap (July 11, 2012). [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"]. christianpost.com. Retrieved July 16, 2014.</ref>]]
''See also:'' [[Atheism has a lower retention rate compared to other worldviews]] and [[Desecularization]]

In 2012, a [[Georgetown University]] study was published indicating that only about 30 percent of those who grow up in an atheist household remain atheists as adults.<ref name="retention rate"/> Similarly, according to recent research by the Pew 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 no specific religious attachment, later chose to join a religious faith.<ref>Multiple references:
*Pearson, Christopher (May 9, 2009). [http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/defectors-to-faith-mark-a-growing-trend/story-e6frg7ko-1225710667095 "Defectors to faith mark a growing trend"]. from theaustralian.com. Retrieved July 16, 2014.
*Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life (February 2011). [http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1204/religion-changes-affiliations-survey "Faith in Flux"] from ''Faith in Flux: Changes in Religious Affiliation in the U. S.'' PewResearchCenter. Retrieved July 16, 2014.</ref> See also: [[Atheism and poor relationships with parents]]

A 2012 study by the General Social Survey of the social science research organization NORC at the University of Chicago found that belief in God rises with age, even in atheistic nations<ref>Harms, William (April 18, 2012). [http://news.uchicago.edu/article/2012/04/18/belief-god-rises-age-even-atheist-nations "Belief in God rises with age, even in atheist nations".] UChicagoNews. Retrieved July 16, 2014.</ref> See also: [[Atheism and immaturity]].

In addition, in atheistic [[Communism|Communist]] China, Christianity is experiencing rapid growth.<ref name="Geoff, Robertson">Multiple references:
*B., Geoff (August 9, 2007). [http://www.millennialstar.org/christianity-exploding-in-china/ "Christianity exploding in China"]. The Millennial Star. Retrieved July 16, 2014.
*Robertson, Laura and Thomas, George (August 15, 2008). [http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/shows/cwn/2008/August/Christianity-Growing-in-China-/ "Christianity growing in China"] from cbn.com website. Retrieved July 16, 2014.</ref> On July 3, 2005, the ''[[New York Times]]'' reported concerning many countries in the former [[Soviet Union]]: "A return to religion in [[Romania]] and the region's other formerly Communist countries has in many places outrun the speed at which the church can screen and train clergy..."<ref>Smith, Craig S. (July 3, 2005). [http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/03/international/europe/03romania.html "A casualty on Romania's road back from atheism"]. From NYTimes.com. Retrieved July 16, 2014.</ref>

See also:

*[[Desecularization]]

*[[Atheist indoctrination]]

=== Participation in the atheist community more difficult than in many communities ===

''See also:'' [[Atheism and loneliness]] and [[Internet atheism]]

In an essay entitled ''How the [[Atheist movement|Atheist Movement]] Failed Me'', an [[atheism and women|atheist woman]] noted that participation in the atheist community is often expensive due to the cost of attending [[atheist conferences]] and even local atheist meetings in restaurants and bars challenged her modest budget.<ref>Amanda (August 10, 2012). [http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2012/08/10/how-the-atheist-movement-failed-me-part-1-cost/ "How the atheist movement failed me–part 1: cost"]. Friendly Atheist blog. Retrieved on September 9, 2014.</ref> As a result of the challenges that atheists commonly have in terms of socializing in person, many atheists [[Internet atheism|turn to the internet]] in terms of communicating with other atheists.<ref>Norris, Chuck (May 21, 2007). [http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=55789 "How to outlaw Christianity (steps 2 & 3)"]. WorldNetDaily. Retrieved on September 9, 2014. See [[Chuck Norris]].</ref> Often internet communication between atheists turns acrimonious and contentious (see: [[Atheist factions]]).

For more information, please see: [[Atheism and loneliness]]

== Claims about the conditionality of atheism and atheists' attitudes towards death ==

''See also:'' [[Atheists doubting the validity of atheism]]

Hannah More wrote: "[T]he mind, which knows not where to fly, flies to God. In agony, nature is no Atheist. The soul is drawn to God by a sort of natural impulse; not always, perhaps by an emotion of piety; but from a feeling conviction, that every other refuge is 'a refuge of lies'."<ref>More, Hannah (1815). [http://archive.org/details/anessayoncharac00moregoog ''An Essay on the Character and Practical Writings of St. Paul''], 5th ed., vol. 2 (London: T. Cadell and W. Davies), p. 234. Retrieved from Internet Archive, July 16, 2014.</ref>

=== Atheism and death ===

[[File:Atheism and death.jpg|thumbnail|200px|right|According to a study performed in the United States by researchers Wink and Scott, very religious people fear death the least.<ref>Multiple references:
*[http://www.world-science.net/exclusives/050628_deathfearfrm.htm "Fear of death: Worst if you’re a little religious?"] (July 13, 2005). World Science. Retrieved on October 6, 2014.
*Wink, P. L. and Scott, J. A. (July 2005). [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15980288 "Does religiousness buffer against the fear of death and dying in late adulthood? Findings from a longitudinal study" [abstract]]. ''The Journals of Gerontology, series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences'', vol. 60, no. 4, pp. 207-14. Abstract retrieved from PubMed.gov on October 6, 2014.</ref> See: [[Atheism and death]] ]]

''See also:'' [[Atheism and death]] and [[Atheism and cryonics]] and [[Atheism and Hell]]

On April 2, 2012, ''Science Daily'' reported that ''Death anxiety increases atheists' unconscious belief in God''.<ref name="Otago">University of Otago [New Zealand] (April 2, 2012). [http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120402094322.htm "Death anxiety increases atheists' unconscious belief in God"]. ScienceDaily. Retrieved on October 3, 2014.</ref> In a 2012 ''Psychology Today'' article, Dr. Nathan A. Heflick reported similar results in other studies.<ref name="Heflick">Heflick, Nathan A. (May 25, 2012). [http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-big-questions/201205/atheists-death-and-belief-in-god "Atheists, death and belief in God: The effects of death reminders on atheists' supernatural beliefs"]. Psychology Today website. Retrieved on October 3, 2014.</ref> Under stress, the brain's processing works in a way that prefers unconscious thinking.<ref>Multiple references:
*Ruhr University Bochum (August 9, 2012). [http://aktuell.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/pm2012/pm00263.html.en "Learn to forecast the weather after stress"]. aktuell.ruhr-uni-bochum.de. Retrieved on October 3, 2014.
*Gregoire, Carolyn (July 31, 2013). [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/31/learn-under-stress-brain_n_3678222.html "How the brain learns successfully, even under stress"]. The Huffington Post. Retrieved on October 3, 2013.</ref>

A United States study and a [[Taiwan]]ese study indicated that the irreligious fear death more than the very religious.<ref>Multiple references:
*[http://www.world-science.net/exclusives/050628_deathfearfrm.htm "Fear of death: Worst if you’re a little religious?"] (July 13, 2005). World Science.
*Wink, Paul. and Scott, Julia. (July 2005). [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15980288 "Does religiousness buffer against the fear of death and dying in late adulthood? Findings from a longitudinal study"]. ''The Journals of Gerontology. Series B Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences'', vol. 60, no. 4, pp. 207-14. Retrieved from PubMed.gov.
*Wen, Ya-hui. (December 2010). [http://www.hraljournal.com/Page/4%20Ya-Hui%20Wen.pdf "Religiosity and death anxiety"]. ''The Journal of Human Resource and Adult Learning'', vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 31-37. Retrieved from The Journal of Human Resource and Adult Learning website.</ref>

For additional information, please see the article: [[Atheism and death]]
 

==== Atheism and Hell ====

''See also:'' [[Atheism and Hell]]

The journalist and [[ex-atheists|ex-atheist]] [[Peter Hitchens]], who is the brother of the late atheist [[Christopher Hitchens]], said upon seeing an art exhibit of [[Michelangelo]]'s painting ''The Last Judgment'' he came to the realization that he might be judged which startled him.<ref name="PH">[http://vimeo.com/10354237 "Peter Hitchens author interview—The rage against God"] [interview of Peter Hitchens] (March 22, 2010). Vimeo video, 8:38, posted by Gorilla Poet Productions. Retrieved on October 6, 2014.</ref> This started a train of thought within Peter Hitchens that eventually led him to become a [[Christian]].<ref name="PH"/>

For more information, please see: [[Atheism and Hell]]

==== Atheism and cryonics ====

See: [[Atheism and cryonics]] and [[Atheist cults]]

[[Cryonics]] is a [[pseudoscience]] that tries to extend life or achieve immortality in a non-theistic way after a person is legally dead (Cryonic procedures are performed shortly after a person's death).<ref name="cryogenesis">Multiple references:
*[http://dujs.dartmouth.edu/winter-2012/cryogenesis-a-review#.VDHE0RYy5l4 "Cryogenesis: A Review"] (March 11, 2012). Dartmouth Undergraduate Journal of Science website. Retrieved on October 6, 2014.
*Barbaro, Valerie (17 June 2011). [http://thehumanist.com/july-august-2011/heaven-for-atheists/ "Heaven for atheists"]. TheHumanist.com. Retrieved on October 6, 2014.</ref> Atheists [[Robert Ettinger]] and [[Isaac Asimov]] played a notable role in the founding of the cryonics movement.<ref name="Ettinger">Multiple references:
*[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/science-obituaries/8658435/Robert-Ettinger.html "Robert Ettinger"] (July 24, 2011). The Telegraph website. Retrieved October 6, 2014. "Despite his Jewish roots, he grew up a determined atheist."
*Klein, Bruce (August 13, 2004). [http://www.longecity.org/forum/topic/4112-the-father-of-cryonics-robert-c-w-ettinger/ "The Father of Cryonics, Robert C. W. Ettinger"] [Interview with Robert C. W. Ettinger]. Longecity.org. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
*Pascal, David (November/December 2005). [http://www.cryonicssociety.org/articles_mensajournal.html "A brain is a terrible thing to waste. Mensans, cryonics, and the fight to extend human life"]. Mensa Bulletin. Retrieved from The Cryonics Society website on October 6, 2014.
*[http://www.cryonicssociety.org/aboutcryonics_critics.html "Cryonics and critics"] (2012). The Cryonics Society website. Retrieved on October 6, 2014.</ref> According to The Cryonics Society, Asimov said of cryonics, "Though no one can quantify the probability of cryonics working, I estimate it is at least 90%..."<ref name="critics">[http://www.cryonicssociety.org/aboutcryonics_critics.html "Cryonics and critics"] (2012). The Cryonics Society website. Retrieved on October 6, 2014.</ref> For more information, please see: [[Atheism and cryonics]]

=== Atheism and transhumanism ===

See: [[Atheism and transhumanism]]

=== There are no atheists in foxholes ===

''See also:'' [[There Are No Atheists In Foxholes|There are no atheists in foxholes]] and [[Atheists doubting the validity of atheism]]
[[File:Foxhole.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Reverend William T. Cummings is famous for declaring ''[[There Are No Atheists In Foxholes|There are no atheists in foxholes]]''.<ref>Multiple references:
* Taylor-Blake, Bonnie (September 24, 2006). [http://web.archive.org/web/20080617035633/http://listserv.linguistlist.org/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0609D&L=ads-l&P=15696 "'There are no atheists in [the] foxholes'"]. Message posted to The American Dialect Society [Electronic] Mailing List, archived at ListServ 16.0. Retrieved from June 17, 2008 archive at Internet Archive.
*Osborn, Neale (December 15, 2012). [http://nealebooks.newsvine.com/_news/2012/12/15/15931810-there-are-no-atheists-in-foxholes "There are no atheists in foxholes..."]. Newsvine website/Neal Osborn. Retrieved April 23, 2015.</ref>]]
Reverend William T. Cummings is famous for declaring "[[There Are No Atheists In Foxholes|There are no atheists in foxholes]]."<ref>[http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,792459,00.html "Milestones [excerpt]"] (October 15, 1945). ''Time''. Retrieved from Time magazine website, July 17, 2014.</ref> Chaplain F. W. Lawson of the 302d Machine Gun Battalion, who was wounded twice in wartime, stated "I doubt if there is such a thing as an atheist. At least there isn't in a front line trench."<ref>[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9905EFD91239E13ABC4D51DFB7678383609EDE "Tells of religion in army. Chaplain Lawson says there are no atheists in front line"] (November 25, 1918). ''New York Times'', p. 13. Retrieved from nytimes.com on July 17, 2014.</ref>On the other hand, the news organization NBC featured a story in which atheist veterans claimed that there are atheists in foxholes.<ref>Breen, Tom (April 2, 2011).[http://www.nbcnews.com/id/42391558/ns/us_news-military/t/army-group-coming-out-atheist-closet/#.UbgMndihjSg "Army group 'coming out of the atheist closet'"] from NBCNews.com Retrieved July 17, 2014.</ref>

Research indicates that heavy combat has a positive correlation to the strength of the religious faith in soldiers during the battles and subsequent to the war if they indicated their experience was a negative experience (for more information please see: [[There Are No Atheists In Foxholes|There are no atheists in foxholes]]).

Also, due to research showing that death anxiety increases atheists' unconscious belief in God, Dr. Nathan Heflick declared in a ''Psychology Today'' article, "But, at a less conscious (or pre-conscious) level, this research suggests that there might be less atheism in foxholes than atheists in foxholes report."<ref name="Heflick"/> Please see: [[Atheism and death]]

== Denials that atheists exist ==

''See also:'' [[Denials that atheists exist]] and [[Atheists doubting the validity of atheism]]

It has been asserted by various theists that atheists do not exist and that atheists are actively suppressing their belief and knowledge of God and enigmatically engage in self-deception and in the deception of others (see: [[Denials that atheists exist]] and [[Atheism and deception]]). In atheistic [[Japan]], researchers found that Japanese children see the world [[Intelligent design|as designed]].<ref>Multiple references:
*Catchpoole, David (July 16, 2009 [GMT+10]). [http://creation.com/children-see-the-world-as-designed "Children see the world as designed"]. Creation.com. Retrieved on January 3, 2015. See [[Creation Ministries International]].
*Turner, Dean (1991). [http://books.google.com/books?id=BGU7LZ2bQ4cC&pg=PA109&lpg=PA109&dq=As+for+me,+I+don%E2%80%99t+see+myself+as+so+much+dust+that+has+appeared+in+the+world+but+as+a+being+that+was+expected,+prefigured,+called+forth.+In+short,+as+a+being+that+could,+it+seems,+come+only+from+a+creator;+and+this+idea+of+a+creating+hand+that+created+me+refers+me+back+to+God.&source=bl&ots=die9xMUdsB&sig=3dAJOK34aBalYieFKcJLdGpwFjY&hl=en&sa=X&ei=NXhqVMSmHMexyASUyYKIBw&ved=0CCwQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=As%20for%20me%2C%20I%20don%E2%80%99t%20see%20myself%20as%20so%20much%20dust%20that%20has%20appeared%20in%20the%20world%20but%20as%20a%20being%20that%20was%20expected%2C%20prefigured%2C%20called%20forth.%20In%20short%2C%20as%20a%20being%20that%20could%2C%20it%20seems%2C%20come%20only%20from%20a%20creator%3B%20and%20this%20idea%20of%20a%20creating%20hand%20that%20created%20me%20refers%20me%20back%20to%20God.&f=false ''Escape from God: The Use of Religion and Philosophy to Evade Responsibility''] (Pasadena, California: Hope Publishing House), p. 109. Retrieved from GoogleBooks archive on January 16, 2015.</ref>

=== Atheists/agnostics and ultimate purpose ===

''See also:'' [[Atheism and purpose]] and [[Atheism and beliefs]]

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.

Academic research and historical data indicate that a significant portion of atheists/agnostics often see their lives and the world as being the product of purposeful design (see: [[Atheism and purpose]]).<ref>Multiple references:
*Banerjee, Konika and Bloom, Paul (October 17, 2014). [http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/19/opinion/sunday/does-everything-happen-for-a-reason.html "Does everything happen for a reason?"] The New York Times website. Retrieved on January 16, 2014.
*Catchpoole, David (July 16, 2009 [GMT+10]). [http://creation.com/children-see-the-world-as-designed "Children see the world as designed"]. Creation.com. Retrieved on January 3, 2015. See [[Creation Ministries International]].
*Atheist [[Jean-Paul Sartre]] made the candid confession: "As for me, I don’t see myself as so much dust that has appeared in the world but as a being that was expected, prefigured, called forth. In short, as a being that could, it seems, come only from a creator; and this idea of a creating hand that created me refers me back to God. Naturally this is not a clear, exact idea that I set in motion every time I think of myself. It contradicts many of my other ideas; but it is there, floating vaguely. And when I think of myself I often think rather in this way, for want of being able to think otherwise." Source: Turner, Dean (1991). [http://books.google.com/books?id=BGU7LZ2bQ4cC&pg=PA109&lpg=PA109&dq=As+for+me,+I+don%E2%80%99t+see+myself+as+so+much+dust+that+has+appeared+in+the+world+but+as+a+being+that+was+expected,+prefigured,+called+forth.+In+short,+as+a+being+that+could,+it+seems,+come+only+from+a+creator;+and+this+idea+of+a+creating+hand+that+created+me+refers+me+back+to+God.&source=bl&ots=die9xMUdsB&sig=3dAJOK34aBalYieFKcJLdGpwFjY&hl=en&sa=X&ei=NXhqVMSmHMexyASUyYKIBw&ved=0CCwQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=As%20for%20me%2C%20I%20don%E2%80%99t%20see%20myself%20as%20so%20much%20dust%20that%20has%20appeared%20in%20the%20world%20but%20as%20a%20being%20that%20was%20expected%2C%20prefigured%2C%20called%20forth.%20In%20short%2C%20as%20a%20being%20that%20could%2C%20it%20seems%2C%20come%20only%20from%20a%20creator%3B%20and%20this%20idea%20of%20a%20creating%20hand%20that%20created%20me%20refers%20me%20back%20to%20God.&f=false ''Escape from God: The Use of Religion and Philosophy to Evade Responsibility''] (Pasadena, California: Hope Publishing House), p. 109. Retrieved from GoogleBooks archive on January 16, 2015.
*The ''Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' declares about the agnostic/[[weak atheism|weak atheist]] [[Charles Darwin]]: "In 1885, the Duke of Argyll recounted a conversation he had had with Charles Darwin the year before Darwin's death: 'In the course of that conversation I said to Mr. Darwin, with reference to some of his own remarkable works on the Fertilization of [[Orchid]]s, and upon The [[Earthworm]]s, and various other observations he made of the wonderful contrivances for certain purposes in nature — I said it was impossible to look at these without seeing that they were the effect and the expression of Mind. I shall never forget Mr. Darwin's answer. He looked at me very hard and said, "Well, that often comes over me with overwhelming force; but at other times," and he shook his head vaguely, adding, "it seems to go away."' (Argyll 1885, 244)"
**[http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/teleological-arguments/notes.html "Notes to 'Teleological arguments for God's existence'"] [article revised removing reference in January 2015].
**The Duke of Argyll (1885). [http://books.google.com/books?id=CskhAQAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=%22good+words%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=fs24VKGOMpDnsATg_4HYDQ&ved=0CDkQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=%22it%20seems%20to%20go%20away%22&f=false "What is science?"] ''Good Words'' [United Kingdom], vol. 26, p. 244. Retrieved from GoogleBooks archive on January 16, 2015.
</ref>
[[Image:Ncgj688.jpg|right|thumb|[[Jean Paul Sartre]]]]
[[Jean-Paul Sartre]] was one of the leading proponents of atheism of the 20th Century.

Yet Jean-Paul Sartre made this candid confession:
{{cquote|As for me, I don’t see myself as so much dust that has appeared in the world but as a being that was expected, prefigured, called forth. In short, as a being that could, it seems, come only from a creator; and this idea of a creating hand that created me refers me back to God. Naturally this is not a clear, exact idea that I set in motion every time I think of myself. It contradicts many of my other ideas; but it is there, floating vaguely. And when I think of myself I ''often'' think rather in this way, for want of ''being able to think otherwise'' [emphasis added].<ref>Ankerberg, Dr. John, et al. (2002). [http://www.jashow.org/wiki/index.php?title=Is_Jesus_Really_the_Only_Way_to_God/Part_3 "Is Jesus really the only way to God?/Part 3 - Is there an innate knowledge of God in atheists, skeptics, and other opponents of Christianity?"] The John Ankenberg Show website. Retrieved on January 16, 2015.</ref>}}

Furthermore, late in his life, the [[agnosticism|agnostic]]/[[weak atheism|weak atheist]] and evolutionist [[Charles Darwin]] often had overwhelming thoughts that the world [[Intelligent design|was designed]].<ref>Multiple references:
*[http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/teleological-arguments/notes.html "Notes to 'Teleological arguments for God's existence'"] [article revised removing reference in January 2015].
*The Duke of Argyll (1885). [http://books.google.com/books?id=CskhAQAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=%22good+words%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=fs24VKGOMpDnsATg_4HYDQ&ved=0CDkQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=%22it%20seems%20to%20go%20away%22&f=false "What is science?"] ''Good Words'' [United Kingdom], vol. 26, p. 244. Retrieved from GoogleBooks archive on January 16, 2015.</ref>

See also:

*[[Atheists doubting the validity of atheism]]

==Atheism and communism ==

''see also:'' [[Atheism and communism]] and [[Militant atheism]] and [[Atheism and economics]] and [[Atheism and Mass Murder|Atheism and mass murder]] and [[Atheist cults]] and [[Atheism and Karl Marx]]

[[Image:Khvhkgfiy.jpg|left|thumbnail|150px|[[Vladimir Lenin]]]]

=== Atheists Karl Marx and Vladmir Lenin ===

[[Karl Marx]] said "[Religion] is the opium of the people". Marx also stated: "[[Communism]] begins from the outset (Owen) with atheism; but atheism is at first far from being communism; indeed, that atheism is still mostly an abstraction.<ref>Mulligan, Martin (1959). [http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1844/manuscripts/comm.htm "Private property and communism"] translation of Marx, Karl (1932), ''Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844'' (Moscow: Progress Publishers). Retrieved on July 17, 2014. Caution: Presumably copyrighted in the United States until 2054 and in the United Kingdom until 2029. For fair educational use only.</ref>

[[Vladimir Lenin]] similarly wrote regarding atheism and communism: "A Marxist must be a [[materialism|materialist]], i.e., an enemy of religion, but a dialectical materialist, i.e., one who treats the struggle against religion not in an abstract way, not on the basis of remote, purely theoretical, never varying preaching, but in a concrete way, on the basis of the [[class struggle]] which is going on in practice and is educating the masses more and better than anything else could."<ref>Rothstein, Andrew and Issacs, Bernard (1973). [http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1909/may/13.htm "The attitude of the worker's party to religion"] translation of Lenin, Vladimir (1909), ''Proletary'', No. 45, May 13 (26), ''Collected Works'', (Moscow: Progress Publishers) vol. 15, pp. 402-13. Retrieved on July 17, 2014. Caution: Presumably copyrighted in the United States until 2068. For fair educational use only. </ref>

=== The Russian revolution caused the most notable spread of atheism ===

According to the [[University of Cambridge]], historically, the "most notable spread of atheism was achieved through the success of the 1917 Russian Revolution, which brought the [[Marxism-Leninism|Marxist-Leninists]] to power."<ref name="Marxism-Leninism">{{cite web|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20130728215151/http://www.investigatingatheism.info/marxism.html|title="Investigating atheism: Marxism"|publisher = [[University of Cambridge]]|quote=The most notable spread of atheism was achieved through the success of the 1917 Russian Revolution, which brought the Marxist-Leninists to power. For the first time in history, atheism thus became the official ideology of a state.|year=2008|accessdate=July 17, 2014|}}</ref> Vitalij Lazarʹevič Ginzburg, a Soviet physicist, wrote that the "[[Bolshevik]] communists were not merely atheists but, according to [[Lenin]]'s terminology, [[militant atheist]]s."<ref name="Lenin & militant atheism">{{cite web|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=ufC9Ar8iuDcC&pg=PA161&dq=The+Bolshevik+communists+were+not+merely+atheists+but,+according+to+Lenin%27s+terminology,+militant+atheists.&hl=en&sa=X&ei=1oFUUdj6PIiK0QGvq4CAAw&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=The%20Bolshevik%20communists%20were%20not%20merely%20atheists%20but%2C%20according%20to%20Lenin's%20terminology%2C%20militant%20atheists.&f=false|title =''On Superconductivity and Superfluidity: A Scientific Autobiography'' |author=Vitalij Lazarʹevič Ginzburg|publisher = Springer Science+Business Media|pages=p. 161|year=2009|quote=The Bolshevik communists were not merely atheists but, according to Lenin's terminology, militant atheists.|accessdate = July 17, 2014}}</ref> However, prior to this, the [[Reign of Terror]] of the [[French Revolution]] established a state which was anti-[[Roman Catholicism]]/Christian in nature <ref>Multiple references:
*Tallet, Frank and Atkin, Nicholas (1991). [http://books.google.com/books?id=aL4lsWdd-rAC&dq=&hl=en ''Religion, Society and Politics in France Since 1789''] (London: A & C Black), pp. 1-17. Retrieved from GoogleBooks archive.
*Spielvogel, Jackson J. (2006). [http://books.google.com/books?id=ni4PSpOxb6MC&dq ''Western Civilization: Combined Volume''] (Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth), p. 549. Retrieved from GoogleBooks archive.
*Latreille, A. (2002). "French Revolution", ''New Catholic Encyclopedia'' (2nd ed., Farmington Hills, MI: Thomson/Gale), vol. 5, pp. 972–973. ISBN 0-7876-4004-2</ref> (anti-clerical [[deism]] and anti-religious atheism and played a significant role in the French Revolution<ref>Multiple references:
*Hunt, Lynn and Censer, Jack (2001). [http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/chap7c.html "War, Terror and Resistence", ch. 7, p. 3]. Liberty, Equality, Fraternity: Exploring the French Revolution website. Retrieved from George Mason University website/Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media website.
*O'Leary, Margaret R. (June 1, 2012). ''Forging Freedom: The Life of Cerf Berr of M Delsheim'' (iUniverse), pp. 1-2. </ref>), with the official ideology being the [[Cult of Reason]]; during this time thousands of believers were suppressed and executed by the [[guillotine]].<ref>Multiple references:
*{{cite web|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=bf3m7IVAa9gC&pg=PA461&dq=France+atheism+guillotine++Christians+executed&hl=en&sa=X&ei=l4lUUaTRBufG0QGe0IHACA&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=France%20atheism%20guillotine%20%20Christians%20executed&f=false|title =''Christianity: The eBook''|author=James Adair|publisher = JBE Online Books|year=2007|quote=Although the Civil Constitution called for religious liberty, which was extended to Jews as well as Christians, many revolutionaries pushed for the establishment of a new state religion, either the Cult of Reason (atheists) or the Cult of the Supreme Being (Deists). Changes to the calendar eliminated references to Christian holidays, and even the ancient seven-day week, and a list of officially recognized saints included such famous thinkers such as Socrates, Jesus, Marcus Aurelius, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. A period of political persecution, often with religious overtones, broke out, known as the Reign of Terror. Thousands of people were executed by the guillotine, including many of the original leaders of the French Revolution.|pages=p. 461|accessdate = July 18, 2014}}
*{{cite web|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=9WkBAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA105&dq=Reign+of+Terror+atheism&hl=en&sa=X&ei=HoRUUcD0NeXX0gGNo4HIDQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Reign%20of%20Terror%20atheism&f=false|title =''Memoirs of the Reign of George III. to the Session of Parliament ending A.D. 1793'', Volume 5|page=105|author=William Belsham|publisher = G.G. & J. Robinson|year=1801|quote=In allusion to the monstrous transactions of this portentous period, it has been eloquently and energetically observed, 'that the reign of atheism in France was avowed the reign of terror. In the full madness of their career, in the highest climax of their horrors, they shut up the temples of God, abolished His worship, and proclaimed death to be an eternal sleep:—in the very centre of Christendom, Revelation underwent a total eclipse, while atheism, performing on a darkened theatre its strange and fearful tragedy, confounded the first elements of society, blended every age, rank, and sex, indiscriminate proscription and massacre, and convulsed all Europe to its centre, that the imperishable memorial of these events might teach the last generations of mankind to consider religion as the pillar of society, the parent of social order, and the safe-guard of nations.' "It is wonderful that, amid the horrors of this dismal period, while 'the death dance of democratic revolution' was still in rapid movement, among the tears of affliction, and the cries of despair, 'the masque, the song, the theatric scene, the buffoon laughter, went on as regularly as in the gay hour of festive peace.'|pages=pp. 105-6|accessdate = July 18, 2014}}
*{{cite web|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=Tt5rqiCP1p8C&pg=PA57&dq=Reign+of+Terror+atheism&hl=en&sa=X&ei=HoRUUcD0NeXX0gGNo4HIDQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Reign%20of%20Terror%20atheism&f=false|title =''Christianity, Islam, and Atheism: The Struggle for the Soul of the West''|author=William Kilpatrick|publisher = Ignatius Press|year=2012|quote=Actually, it's helpful to think in terms of two Enlightenments: the Enlightenment that cut itself off from God. The former led to the American Revolution, the Declaration of Independence, the abolition of slavery, and the civil rights movement. The latter led to the French Revolution, the Reign of Terror, the suppression of church by state, and the godless philosophies of Marx and Nietzsche and their offspring—National Socialism and communism. More recently the abandonment of God has led to the regime of cultural relativism that regards rights as arbitrary constructions. "It's this second Enlightenment tradition that Cardinal Ratzinger referred to when he wrote, 'The radical detachment of the Enlightenment philosophy from its roots ultimately leads it to dispense with man.' Actually this transition happened not 'ultimately' but almost immediately. The first instance occurred when Enlightenment worship of abstract 'reason' and 'liberty' degenerated quickly into the mass murders committed during the antireligious Reign of Terror in France. 'Liberty, what crimes are committed in your name', said Madam Rolande as she faced the statue of Liberty in the Place de la Revolution movements before her death at the guillotine. She was one of the early victims of a succession of secular systems based on rootless notions of 'liberty', 'equality', and 'reason'. "As many historians have pointed out, the atheist regimes of modern times are guilty of far more crimes than any committed in the name of religion. Communist governments alone were guilty of more than one hundred million murders, most of them committed against their own people.|pages=p. 57|accessdate = July 18, 2014}}</ref>

=== Communism, militant atheism, repression, mass murder and Christian persecution ===

''See also:'' [[Atheism vs. Christianity]]

The atheism in [[communism|communist]] regimes has been and continues to be [[militant atheism]] and various acts of repression including the razing of thousands of religious buildings and the killing, imprisoning, and oppression of religious leaders and believers.<ref>Multiple references:
*Kent, Jo Ling (April 28, 2011). [http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/04/28/china.church.crackdown/index.html?hpt=T2 "Underground Christians fear China crackdown"]. CNN.com. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
*Yakovlev, Alexander N. (2002). [http://books.google.com/books?visbn=0300103220&id=ChRk43tVxTwC&pg=PA165&lpg=PA165&ots=ICIxg28Jud&dq=a+century+of+violence+in+soviet+russia+the+Russian+Orthodox+clergy&ie=ISO-8859-1&sig=C9k9Hr7Vn222WCHf_1iSJOHVsgo#v=onepage&q=&f=false ''A Century of Violence in Soviet Russia''] translated by Austin, Anthony (New Haven: Yale University Press), p. 165. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
*Braga, Fr. Roman (1996). [http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/frroman1.aspx "On compromise in the hierarchy during the Communist yoke"]. Orthodox Christian Information Center. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
*Clyne, Meghan (November 16, 2005). [http://www.nysun.com/article/23082?page_no=1 "Korean reds targeting Christians"]. The New York Sun. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
*Siemon-Netto, Uwe (May 7, 2003). [http://northkoreanchristians.com/chinese-atrocities.html "North Korean and Chinese atrocities against Christians worsen"]. NewsMax. Retrieved from NorthKoreanChristians.com on July 18, 2014.
*[http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=35818 "China sends Bible owners to labor camp"] (November 26, 2003). WorldNetDaily. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
*[http://theworldnow.wordpress.com/tag/around-the-world/asia/china/ "China: Christians tortured while under arrest"] (September 27, 2006). The World Now. Retrieved July 18, 2014.</ref>

The [[persecution of Christians in the USSR|persecution of Christians in the Soviet Union]] was the result of the violently atheist [[Soviet]] government. In the first five years after the [[October Revolution]], 28 bishops and 1,200 priests were murdered, many on the orders of [[Leon Trotsky]]. When [[Joseph Stalin]] came to power in 1927, he ordered his secret police, under [[Genrikh Yagoda]] to intensify persecution of Christians. In the next few years, 50,000 clergy were murdered, many were [[torture]]d, including [[crucifixion]]. "Russia turned red with the blood of martyrs", said Father Gleb Yakunin of the [[Russian Orthodox Church]].<ref>Ostling, Richard N. (December 4, 1989). [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,150718,00.html "Cross meets Kremlin: Gorbachev and Pope John Paul II"]. ''Time''. Retrieved from Time magazine website July 18, 2014.</ref> According to Orthodox Church sources, as many as fifty million Orthodox believers may have died in the twentieth century, mainly from persecution by [[Communists]].<ref>Moore, Rev. Fr. Raphael (October 1999). [http://www.serfes.org/printerVersion2.asp?URL=/orthodox/memoryof.htm "In memory of the 50 million victims of the Orthodox Christian Holocaust"], Spiritual Nourishment for the Soul, Serfes, Rev. Archimandrite Nektarios, compiler. Retrieved July 18, 2014.</ref>

In addition, in the atheistic and communist Soviet Union, 44 anti-religious museums were opened and the largest was the 'The Museum of the History of Religion and Atheism' in [[Leningrad]]’s Kazan cathedral.<ref>Humphrey (December 16, 2008). [http://bedejournal.blogspot.com/2008/12/merry-anti-christmas.html "Merry Anti-Christmas!"] Quodlibeta. Retrieved July 18, 2014.</ref> Despite intense effort by the atheistic leaders of the Soviet Union, their efforts were not effective in converting the masses to atheism.<ref>Multiple references:
*Humphrey (December 16, 2008). [http://bedejournal.blogspot.com/2008/12/merry-anti-christmas.html "Merry Anti-Christmas!"] Quodlibeta. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
*Froese, Paul (March 2004). [http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/bpl/jssr/2004/00000043/00000001/art00003?crawler=true "Forced secularization in Soviet Russia: why an atheistic monopoly failed" [abstract]]. ''Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion'', vol. 43, 1, pp. 35-50. Abstract retrieved from Ingentaconnect on July 18, 2014.</ref>
[[File:China location.png|thumbnail|right|250px|With its large population, [[China]] has the largest population of atheists with 8 - 14% of Chinese being atheists.<ref>[http://www.thechapmans.nl/news/Atheist.pdf "The largest atheist/agnostic populations"]. Chris & Terri Chapman. Retrieved July 18, 2014. Countries with the largest atheist populations.</ref> The religious landscape of China is quickly changing, however, due to the rapid growth of Christianity. <ref name="Geoff, Robertson"/> See also: [[Global atheism]] ]]
[[China]] is a communist country. In 1999, the publication [[Christian Century]] reported that "[[China]] has persecuted religious believers by means of harassment, prolonged detention, and incarceration in prison or 'reform-through-labor' camps and police closure of places of worship." In 2003, owners of [[Bible]]s in China were sent to prison camps and 125 Chinese churches were closed.<ref>[http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=35818 "China sends Bible owners to labor camp"] (November 26, 2003). ''WorldNetDaily''. Retrieved July 18, 2014.</ref> China continues to practice religious oppression today.<ref>[http://theworldnow.wordpress.com/tag/around-the-world/asia/china/ "China: Christians tortured while under arrest"] (September 27, 2006). ''The World Now''. Retrieved July 18, 2014.</ref>

The efforts of China's atheist leaders in promoting atheism, however, is increasingly losing its effectiveness and the number of [[Christianity|Christians]] in China is rapidly growing.<ref name="Geoff, Robertson"/> China's state sponsored atheism and atheistic indoctrination has been a failure and a 2007 religious survey in China indicated that only 15% of Chinese identified themselves as atheists.<ref>Briggs, David (January 23, 2011). [http://life.nationalpost.com/2011/01/23/huffington-post-chinas-state-sponsored-atheism-a-failure/ "Huffington Post: China’s state-sponsored atheism a failure" [excerpt]]. National Post website. Excerpt retrieved July 18, 2014.</ref>

[[North Korea]] is a repressive communist state and is officially atheistic.<ref>Lee, Sunny (May 12, 2007). [http://web.archive.org/web/20130521065544/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Korea/IE12Dg01.html "God forbid, religion in North Korea?"] Asia Times Online. Archived at Internet Archive on May 21, 2013. Retrieved on July 18, 2014.</ref> The North Korean government practices brutal repression and atrocities against North Korean [[Christianity|Christians]].<ref>Multiple references:
*Clyne, Meghan (November 16, 2005). [http://www.nysun.com/article/23082?page_no=1 "Korean reds targeting Christians"]. The New York Sun. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
*Siemon-Netto, Uwe (May 7, 2003). [http://northkoreanchristians.com/chinese-atrocities.html "North Korean and Chinese atrocities against Christians worsen"]. NewsMax. Retrieved from NorthKoreanChristians.com on July 18, 2014.</ref>

==== Atheistic communism and mass murder ====

It has been estimated that in less than the past 100 years, governments under the banner of communism have caused the death of somewhere between 40,472,000 to 259,432,000 human lives.<ref>Multiple references:
*[http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~hpcws/lelivrenoir.htm "''The Black Book of Communism''"]. Harvard University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences website: Cold War Studies. Retrieved July 19, 2014.
*Rummel, R. J. (November 1993). [http://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/COM.ART.HTM "How many did communist regimes murder?"] University of Hawaii website; Freedom, Democracy, Peace; Power, Democide, and War. Retrieved July 19, 2014.
*White, Matthew (February 2011). [http://necrometrics.com/20c5m.htm "Source list and detailed death tolls for the primary megadeaths of the twentieth century"]. Necrometrics. Retrieved July 19, 2014.
*Radosh, Ronald (February 2000). [http://www.firstthings.com/article.php3?id_article=2526 "''The Black Book of Communism: Crimes, Terror, Repression''"]. First Things [journal] website. Retrieved July 19, 2014.</ref> Dr. R. J. Rummel, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Hawaii, is the scholar who first coined the term democide (death by government). Dr. R. J. Rummel's mid estimate regarding the loss of life due to communism is that communism caused the death of approximately 110,286,000 people between 1917 and 1987.<ref>Rummel, R. J. (November 1993). [http://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/COM.ART.HTM "How many did communist regimes murder?"] University of Hawaii website; Freedom, Democracy, Peace; Power, Democide, and War. Retrieved July 19, 2014.</ref> [[Richard Dawkins]] has attempted to [[Richard Dawkins, atheist atrocities, and historical revisionism|engage in historical revisionism concerning atheist atrocities and Dawkins was shown to be in gross error]].

=== Atheistic communist regimes and forced labor ===

In atheistic communist regimes forced labor has often played a significant role in their economies and this practice continues to this day (see: [[Atheism and forced labor]]).<ref>Multiple references:
*Caplan, Bryan (2010). [http://econfaculty.gmu.edu/bcaplan/museum/comfaq.htm "Museum of Communism FAQ version 1.3"]. George Mason University website/Department of Economics/Bryan Caplan/Museum of Communism.
*[http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/06/13/north-korea-economic-system-built-forced-labor "North Korea: Economic system built on forced labor: New testimonies say even children must work or face detention camps"] (June 13, 2012). Human Rights Watch website.
*Pattisson, Pete (November 7, 2014). [http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2014/nov/07/qatar-north-korean-forced-labour "Qatar’s ambitious future driven on by North Korean ‘forced labour’"]. ''The Guardian'' website/World/Global Development.
*[http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/1999/china.50/red.giant/prisons/wu.essay "Labor camps reinforce China's totalitarian rule"] (1999). Cnn.com. Retrieved on March 20, 2013.
*[http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2013-01/07/c_132086402.htm "China to reform re-education through labor system"] (January 8, 2013). Xinhua.</ref>

=== Atheism, politics and related matters ===

*[[Militant atheism]]

*[[Atheism and mass murder]]

*[[Atheism and communism]]

*[[Atheism and mockery]]

*[[History of Atheism|History of atheism]]

*[[Atheism and politics]]

*[[Decline of the secular left]]

*[[Atheism and economics]]

== Criticism of atheism and the atheist community ==

''See also:'' [[Resources for leaving atheism and becoming a Christian|Resources for leaving atheism]] and [[Christian apologetics]] and [[Rebuttals to atheist arguments]]

The word apologetics comes directly from the ancient Greek word apologia which is a derivative of a word meaning to speak in one's defence.<ref>Thayer and Smith (1999). [http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/nas/apologia.html "Greek lexicon entry for 'Apologia'"]. ''The NAS New Testament Greek Lexicon''. Retrieved from BibleStudyTools.com.</ref> [[Christian apologetics]] is a field of Christian [[theology]] which focuses on the evidence and arguments for [[Christianity]] and the evidence and arguments opposing other [[worldview]]s.

=== Biblical statements concerning atheism ===

''see also:'' [[Resources for leaving atheism and becoming a Christian]]

[[File:Psalmist David2.jpg|thumb|115px|left|The psalmist [[David]] wrote: "The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God.'"]]
The writers of the [[Bible]] considered the existence of God to be self-evident and [[Moses]] simply wrote: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." ([[Genesis]] 1:1).<ref>Harr, Ken and Lisle, Dr. Jason (August 9, 2007). [http://www.answersingenesis.org/is-god-real/is-there-really-god/ "Chapter 1: Is there really a God?"] ''The New Answers Book''. Answers in Genesis. Retrieved July 16, 2014.</ref>

Accordingly, the psalmist [[David]] declared:

"The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God.' They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good." — [[Psalms]] 14:1 ([[King James Bible|KJV]])

The psalmist David also wrote "The heavens declare the glory of God..." — Psalms 19:1

In his letter to the Romans the [[Apostle Paul]] declared:

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse..." — [[Romans]] 1:19-20 (NKJV)

===Commonly Cited Arguments Against Atheism and For Theism ===
[[Image:Anselm.jpg|thumbnail|right|150px|[[Anselm of Canterbury]]'s version of the [[ontological argument]] appeared in his work ''Proslogium''.]]

''See also:'' [[Christian apologetics]] and [[Rebuttals to atheist arguments]]

In relation to the debate between theism and atheism, theists often criticize atheism as being contrary to persuasive argument and have a number of arguments against atheism. [[Arguments for the existence of God]] include:
 
* [[Teleological argument]]: The universe exhibits overwhelming evidence of deliberate, intelligent, purposeful design, which implies an [[intelligent design]]er. See also: [[Evolution|Arguments against evolution]] and [[Origin of life]]

*Lack of objective moral standards. Not possessing a coherent basis for [[morality]], [[atheist]]s are fundamentally [[Moral_relativism|incapable]] of having a coherent system of morality.<ref>Multiple references:
*Copan, Paul (2008). [http://www.paulcopan.com/articles/pdf/God-naturalism-morality.pdf "God, naturalism, and the foundations of morality"]. ''The Future of Atheism'', ed. Robert Stewart (Minneapolis: Fortress Press), pp. 141-161. Retrieved form PaulCopan.com on October 3, 2014.
*Williams, Peter S. (2011). [http://www.bethinking.org/morality/can-moral-objectivism-do-without-god "Can moral objectivism do without God?"]. Bethinking.org Retrieved on October 3, 2014.
*Meister, Chad (2010). [http://www.equip.org/articles/atheists-and-the-quest-for-objective-morality/ "Atheists and the quest for objective morality"]. ''Christian Research Journal'', vol. 33, no. 2. Retrieved from Christian Research Institute website on October 3, 2014.
*Slick, Matt (2009). [http://carm.org/failure-of-atheism-to-account-for-morality "The failure of atheism to account for morality"]. Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry website. Retrieved on October 3, 2014.</ref> See also: [[Atheism and morality]] and [[Moral failures of the atheist population|List of the moral failures of the atheist population]] and [[Atheism and hedonism]] and [[Atheist hypocrisy]]

* [[Cosmological argument]]: Every event in our [[universe]] necessarily has a cause. However, it is impossible that there should be an unending chain of causes going back. Therefore, there necessarily must be a cause ''distinct'' from the universe as we know it which is capable of causing all things and is itself uncaused. Atheism denies that that [[First Cause|first cause]] is God. The scientific evidence demonstrates that the [http://www.creationencounter.com/space/lawsofscience.php universe is not eternal] and Christians point out that [http://creation.com/who-created-god the question "Who created God" is an illogical question.]
*[[Atheism and irrationality]] - Atheism cannot account for the laws of logic, consciousness or human reason.

* [[Bible prophecy]]

*[[Atheism and the Problem of Evil]] (see also: [[Atheism and hell]] and [[Pascal's wager]])

* Historical arguments for the existence of God. For example, arguments stemming from historical accounts such as [[Christian apologetics|Christian historical apologetics]], [[Christian Legal Apologetics|Christian legal apologetics]] and archaeological evidence such as [[Bible Archaeology|Bible archaeology]]

* Atheists lack a coherent and compelling ultimate basis for knowledge. See: [[Atheism and epistemology]]

*[[Rebuttals to atheist arguments|Common arguments against atheism]]

* [[Ontological argument]]: According to the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, "Ontological arguments are arguments, for the conclusion that God exists, from premises which are supposed to derive from some source other than observation of the world — e.g., from reason alone."<ref>Oppy, Graham (July 15, 2011). [http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ontological-arguments/ "Ontological arguments"]. ''The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' (Spring 2013 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.). Retrieved July 19, 2014.</ref>
[[File:Autumn.jpg|291px|right|thumbnail|The [[argument from beauty]] argues the existence of [[beauty]] in the natural world testifies to the existence of [[God]] who both [[intelligent design|designed]] natural beauty and who possesses a divine beauty.]]
* Experiential arguments for the existence of God: Arguments based on personal experience and human intuition. According to philosopher [[Alvin Plantinga]] belief in the existence of God exists is a "properly basic" belief and not based on inference from other beliefs but is rationally justified due to one's circumstances of immediate experience of God.<ref>Craig, William Lane (1991). [http://www.leaderu.com/truth/3truth01.html "Introduction: the resurrection of theism"]. ''Truth: A Journal of Modern Thought'', vols. 3 & 4. Retrieved from LeadershipU on July 19, 2014.</ref>

* Various social science studies, historical data and other data, demonstrate that atheism often has a harmful effect on individuals and societies. See: [[Atheism statistics]]

*[[Presuppositional Apologetics]]

*[[Atheism and love]]. Atheists cannot give a satisfactory/robust explanation for the existence of [[love]].<ref name=love>Multiple references:
*Marshall, Dr. Taylor (2013). [http://www.strangenotions.com/atheists-love/ "How do atheists define love?"] Strange Notions blog. Retrieved on January 14, 2015.
*Martin, Robert (July 9, 2014). [https://atheistforum.wordpress.com/2014/07/09/what-is-love-how-materialist-atheism-fails-to-have-a-satisfactory-answer/ "What is love? How materialist atheism fails to have a satisfactory answer"]. Atheist Forum blog. Retrieved on January 14, 2015.</ref>

*[[Argument from beauty]]<ref>Williams, Peter (Summer 2001). [http://www.quodlibet.net/articles/williams-aesthetic.shtml "Aesthetic arguments for the existence of God"]. ''Quodlibet Journal'' vol. 3:3. Retrieved from Quodlibet Journal website on July 19, 2014.</ref> See also: [[Atheism and musical–rhythmic intelligence and artistic intelligence|Atheism and art/music]] and [[Atheism and wonder]]

*[[Atheism and Miracles]]

*[[Atheists doubting the validity of atheism]]

*[http://creationwiki.org/Bible_scientific_foreknowledge Bible scientific foreknowledge]

* Lack of proof and evidence that atheism is true contrasted with the strong evidence supporting Christianity. A [[Shockofgod|popular YouTube Christian channel]] has flustered the [[Internet atheism|internet atheist community]] by asking atheists what proof and evidence they have that atheism is true.<ref>Multiple references:
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bBE1bos6JU "Shockofgod calls into atheist radio show - hilarious! Part 1"] (November 26, 2009). YouTube video, 9:37, posted by MultiArchangel. Retrieved on July 19, 2014.
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKBZoWDfQA4 "Shockofgod calls into atheist radio show. Hilarious! Part 2"] (November 26, 2009). YouTube video, 8:31, posted by theshockawards. Retrieved on July 19, 2014.
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjS__cWr0Y0 "The question that is causing atheists to abandon atheism"] (August 6, 2010). YouTube video, 14:54, posted by shockofgod. Retrieved on July 19, 2014.</ref> Atheism requires blind faith. Atheism is a [[Atheism is a religion|faith based religion]] and it is a [[worldview]] which has no evidential support.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciVL86XQlvM "There is no proof and evidence that atheism is true: thus atheism is null and void"] (January 13, 2012). YouTube video, 1:28, posted by shockofgod. Retrieved on July 19, 2014.</ref>

*Historically, the atheist population has often used mockery as a substitution for reasonable discussion/debate (see: [[Atheism and mockery]]).<ref>
*[http://www.the-american-interest.com/2015/01/13/charlie-hebdo-and-frances-irreligious-tradition/ Charlie Hebdo and France’s Irreligious Tradition] by Kenneth R. Weinstein]
*[https://shadowtolight.wordpress.com/2012/03/25/dawkins-mock-them-ridicule-them-in-public/ Dawkins: Mock them. Ridicule them! In public]
*[http://onenewsnow.com/perspectives/matt-barber/2014/05/08/mockery-the-mo-for-atheists ''Mockery - the M.O. for atheists''] by [[Matt Barber]]</ref>

*[[Atheism and the Bible]]

*[[Atheism website resources|Various Christian apologetic resources focusing on atheism]]

*[[Atheism and the suppression of science]]

*[[Argument from desire]]

*[[Atheism vs. Christianity]]

*[[Resources for leaving atheism and becoming a Christian]]

For more information, please see: [[Rebuttals to atheist arguments|Refutations of atheism]]

===Atheism and mass murder===
[[Image:Stalin-140508 27880t.jpg|right|202px|thumb|The [[militant atheism|militant atheistic]] regime of [[Joseph Stalin]] killed tens of millions of people.]]
:''See articles: [[Atheism and Mass Murder]]'' and [[Atheism and communism]] and [[Atheism and sadism]] and [[Atheism and forced labor]]
Christian apologist Gregory Koukl wrote relative to [[Atheism and Mass Murder|atheism and mass murder]] that "the assertion is that religion has caused most of the killing and bloodshed in the world.
There are people who make accusations and assertions that are empirically false. This is one of them."<ref name="Koukl">Koukl, Gregory (February 20, 2013). [http://www.str.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5527 "The real murderers: atheism or Christianity?"] Stand to Reason. Retrieved July 19, 2014.</ref>
Koukl details the number of people killed in various events involving theism and compares them to the much higher tens of millions of people killed under regimes which advocated atheism.<ref name="Koukl" /> As noted earlier, [[Richard Dawkins]] has attempted to [[Richard Dawkins, atheists atrocities, and historical revisionism|engage in historical revisionism concerning atheist atrocities and Dawkins was shown to be in gross error]].

Koukl summarized by stating:
{{cquote|It is true that it's possible that religion can produce evil, and generally when we look closer at the detail it produces evil because the individual people are actually living in a rejection of the tenets of Christianity and a rejection of the God that they are supposed to be following. So it can produce it, but the historical fact is that outright rejection of God and institutionalizing of atheism actually does produce evil on incredible levels. We're talking about tens of millions of people as a result of the rejection of God.<ref name="Koukl" />}}
[[Image:Solzhenitsyn.jpg‎|thumb|150px|left|[[Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn]]]]
[[Nobel Prize]] winner [[Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn]] was asked to account for the great tragedies that occurred under the brutal [[communism|communist]] regime he and fellow citizens suffered under.

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn wrote:
{{cquote|Over a half century ago, while I was still a child, I recall hearing a number of old people offer the following explanation for the great disasters that had befallen [[Russia]]: "Men have forgotten God; that's why all this has happened.''

Since then I have spend well-nigh 50 years working on the history of our revolution; in the process I have read hundreds of books, collected hundreds of personal testimonies, and have already contributed eight volumes of my own toward the effort of clearing away the rubble left by that upheaval. But if I were asked today to formulate as concisely as possible the main cause of the ruinous revolution that swallowed up some 60 million of our people, I could not put it more accurately than to repeat: "Men have forgotten God; that's why all this has happened."<ref>Humber, Paul G., M.S. (1987). [http://www.icr.org/article/stalins-brutal-faith/ "Stalin's brutal faith"]. ''Acts & Facts''. 16 (10). Retrieved from Institute for Creation Research on July 19, 2014.</ref>}}
[[File:Vox Day.jpg|thumbnail|right|175px|[[Vox Day|Theodore Beale]] ]]
In 2008, [[Vox Day|Theodore Beale]] notes concerning atheism and mass murder:
{{cquote|Apparently it was just an amazing coincidence that every Communist of historical note publicly declared his atheism … .there have been twenty-eight countries in world history that can be confirmed to have been ruled by regimes with avowed atheists at the helm … These twenty-eight historical regimes have been ruled by eighty-nine atheists, of whom more than half have engaged in democidal acts of the sort committed by Stalin and Mao …

The total body count for the ninety years between 1917 and 2007 is approximately 148 million dead at the bloody hands of fifty-two atheists, three times more than all the human beings killed by war, civil war, and individual crime in the entire twentieth century combined.

The historical record of collective atheism is thus 182,716 times worse on an annual basis than Christianity’s worst and most infamous misdeed, the Spanish Inquisition. It is not only Stalin and Mao who were so murderously inclined, they were merely the worst of the whole [[Atheism and Hell|Hell]]-bound lot. For every Pol Pot whose infamous name is still spoken with horror today, there was a Mengistu, a Bierut, and a Choibalsan, godless men whose names are now forgotten everywhere but in the lands they once ruled with a red hand.

Is a 58 percent chance that an atheist leader will murder a noticeable percentage of the population over which he rules sufficient evidence that atheism does, in fact, provide a systematic influence to do bad things? If that is not deemed to be conclusive, how about the fact that the average atheist crime against humanity is 18.3 million percent worse than the very worst depredation committed by Christians, even though atheists have had less than one-twentieth the number of opportunities with which to commit them. If one considers the statistically significant size of the historical atheist set and contrasts it with the fact that not one in a thousand religious leaders have committed similarly large-scale atrocities, it is impossible to conclude otherwise, even if we do not yet understand exactly why this should be the case. Once might be an accident, even twice could be coincidence, but fifty-two incidents in ninety years reeks of causation!<ref name="marry">Ammi, Ken (June 11, 2009). [http://creation.com/atheism "Atheism"]. Creation Ministries International. Retrieved on July 19, 2014.</ref>}}

See also:

*[[Militant atheism]]
*[[Atheism and communism]]
*[[Atheism and forced labor]]
*[[Soviet Union and morality]]
*[[Secular left]]
*[[Atheism and politics]]

==== Academic studies consistently challenge the link between religion and war ====

''See also:'' [[Irreligion/religion and war/peace]]

Louise Ridley (assistant news editor at the ''Huffington Post UK''), [[Vox Day]] and others point out that academic studies and other research consistently challenge the link between religion and war.<ref>Multiple references:
*Ridley, Louise [assistant news editor, ''Huffington Post'', UK] (November 18, 2014). [http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/11/14/religions-war-cause-responsible-evidence_n_6156878.html "Does religion really cause war—and do atheists have something to answer for?"] The Huffington Post, United Kingdom. Retrieved on January 15, 2015.
*Day, Vox (August 13, 2012). [http://voxday.blogspot.com/2012/08/atheists-abandon-religion-causes-war.html "Atheists abandon 'religion causes war' argument"]. Vox Populi blog. Retrieved on January 15, 2015.
*Schumacher, Robin (April 2012). [http://carm.org/religion-cause-war "The myth that religion is the #1 cause of war"]. Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry website. Edited by Matt Slick. Retrieved on January 15, 2015. See [[CARM]].
*Price, Tom (2014). [http://www.bethinking.org/is-religion-harmful/religion-causes-wars "'Religion causes wars'"]. Bethinking. Retrieved on January 15, 2015.</ref>

==== Darwinism and war ====

There is historical evidence indicating that [[Darwinism]] was a causal factor for [[WWI]] and [[WWII]] (see: [[Irreligion/religion and war/peace]] and [[World War I and Darwinism]]).

===Atheism and uncharitableness ===
:''See also: [[Atheism and charity]]'' and [[Atheist nonprofit scandals]] and [[Atheism, uncharitableness and depression]]
[[File:Beggar.jpg|thumb|right|275px|A child in [[Thailand]] where the nontheistic form of [[Buddhism]] called the Theravada school of Buddhism is prevalent. In 2010, the Pew Research Forum indicated that 93.2% of the people of Thailand were Buddhists.<ref name="pew2010">[http://www.pewforum.org/files/2012/12/globalReligion-tables.pdf Pew Research Center - Global Religious Landscape 2010 - religious composition by country].</ref>
 
A comprehensive study by [[Harvard University]] professor Robert Putnam found that religious people are more charitable than their irreligious counterparts.<ref name="Burke Campbell">Multiple references:
*Burke, Daniel, Religion News Service (May 13, 2009). [http://web.archive.org/web/20130310113024/http://www.pewforum.org/Religion-News/Religious-people-make-better-citizens-study-says.aspx "Religious people make better citizens, study says"]. Pew Research Forum. Archived on March 10, 2013 by Internet Archive. Retrieved July 19, 2014.
*Campbell, David and Putnam, Robert (November 14, 2010). [http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2010-11-15-column15_ST_N.htm "Religious people are 'better neighbors'"]. USA Today website. Retrieved on July 19, 2014.</ref> See: [[Atheism and charity|Atheism and uncharitableness]] ]]

Concerning the issue of [[Atheism and Uncharitableness|atheism and uncharitableness]], the evidence indicates that [[per capita]] charitable giving by atheists and agnostics in America is significantly less than by theists, according to a study by the [[Barna Group]]:
{{cquote|The typical no-faith American donated just $200 in 2006, which is more than seven times less than the amount contributed by the prototypical active-faith adult ($1500). Even when church-based giving is subtracted from the equation, active-faith adults donated twice as many dollars last year as did atheists and agnostics. In fact, while just 7% of active-faith adults failed to contribute any personal funds in 2006, that compares with 22% among the no-faith adults.<ref> [http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/12-faithspirituality/102-atheists-and-agnostics-take-aim-at-christians "Atheists and agnostics take aim at Christians"] (June 11, 2007). Barna Update. Retrieved July 19, 2014.</ref>}}

A comprehensive study by [[Harvard University]] professor Robert Putnam found that religious people are more charitable than their irreligious counterparts.<ref name ="Burke Campbell"/> The study revealed that forty percent of worship service attending Americans volunteer regularly to help the poor and elderly as opposed to 15% of Americans who never attend services.<ref name = "Burke Campbell"/> Moreover, religious individuals are more likely than non-religious individuals to volunteer for school and youth programs (36% vs. 15%), a neighborhood or civic group (26% vs. 13%), and for health care (21% vs. 13%).<ref name = "Burke Campbell"/>
 

See also: [[Atheism, social justice and hypocrisy]]

==== American atheist organizations focus on church/state issues and creationism - poor largely ignored ====

See also: [[Atheism and charity|Atheism and uncharitableness]] and [[Western atheism and race]] and [[Atheism and love]]

In June of 2014, the African- American atheist woman Dr. Sikivu Hutchinson wrote in the ''Washington Post'' that white atheists organizations generally focus on church/state separation and creationism issues and not the concerns the less affluent African American population faces.<ref name="Hutchinson">Hutchinson, Sikivu (June 16, 2014). [http://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2014/06/16/blacks-are-even-discriminated-against-by-atheists/ "Atheism has a big race problem that no one’s talking about"]. Washington Post website. Retrieved on October 3, 2014.</ref> Hutchinson also mentioned that church organizations do focus on helping poor African Americans.<ref name="Hutchinson"/>

Also, according to a video posted at [[Freethoughtblogs]] storefront churches provide assistance to local residents including women, and this partly explains the dearth of Hispanic and African-American women atheists in America (Atheists give less to charity than Christians. See: [[Atheism and charity|Atheism and uncharitableness]]).<ref>Myers, P. Z. (August 6, 2013). [http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2013/08/06/sikivu-ophelia-and-rebecca-who-says-atheism-lacks-women-stars/ "Sikivu, Ophelia, and Rebecca—who says atheism lacks women stars?"] Pharyngula. Retrieved on October 3, 2014.</ref>

==== Atheist nonprofit scandals ====

''See also:'' [[Atheist nonprofit scandals]] and ''[[Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science#Embezzlement allegation|Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science - Embezzlement allegation]]''

Two recent atheist nonprofit scandals which received some publicity were the organizations [[Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science]] and the We Are Atheism organization.<ref>[http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2011/07/24/richard-dawkins-drops-his-lawsuit-against-former-employee/ Richard Dawkins Drops His Lawsuit Against Former Employee]</ref><ref>[http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2010/10/24/richard-dawkins-sues-josh-timonen/ Richard Dawkins sues Josh Timonen], Posted by David Gorski on October 24, 2010</ref><ref>[http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2011/07/24/richard-dawkins-drops-his-lawsuit-against-former-employee/ Richard Dawkins Drops His Lawsuit Against Former Employee]</ref><ref>[http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2015/09/15/an-update-on-we-are-atheism/ An Update on We Are Atheism] by Hemant Mehta, September 15, 2015]</ref>

In addition, David Gorski at Scienceblogs indicated that many atheist/skeptic organizations are poorly run from a financial standpoint.<ref>[http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2010/10/24/richard-dawkins-sues-josh-timonen/ Richard Dawkins sues Josh Timonen], Posted by David Gorski on October 24, 2010</ref>

For more information, please see: [[Atheist nonprofit scandals]]

=== Irreligion and domestic violence ===

''See also:'' [[Irreligion and domestic violence]] and [[Atheism and women]] and [[Atheism and rape]]
[[Image:Cycle.gif|thumbnail|255px|left|Research suggests that irreligiousity is a causal factor for domestic violence.<ref name="vaw">Ellison, C. G., Trinitapoli, J. A., et al. (November 2007). [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17951587 "Race/ethnicity, religious involvement, and domestic violence"] [abstract with link to full article]. ''Violence Against Women'', doi: 10.1177/1077801207308259, vol. 13, no. 11, pp. 1094-1112. Abstract retrieved from PubMed.gov on October 25, 2014.</ref>]]
The abstract for the 2007 article in the journal ''Violence Against Women'' entitled ''Race/Ethnicity, Religious Involvement, and Domestic Violence'' indicated:
{{cquote|The authors explored the relationship between religious involvement and intimate partner violence by analyzing data from the first wave of the National Survey of Families and Households. They found that: (a) religious involvement is correlated with reduced levels of domestic violence; (b) levels of domestic violence vary by race/ethnicity; (c) the effects of religious involvement on domestic violence vary by race/ethnicity; and (d) religious involvement, specifically church attendance, protects against domestic violence, and this protective effect is stronger for African American men and women and for Hispanic men, groups that, for a variety of reasons, experience elevated risk for this type of violence.<ref name="vaw"/>}}

A September 9, 2012 article at ''Atlantic Wire'' wrote about the noted atheist [[John Lennon]]:
{{cquote|But people have mostly forgotten that Lennon was also physically abusive towards women. "I used to be cruel to my woman," he said, citing the lyrics to "Getting Better" in a Playboy interview near the end of his life. "Physically—any woman. I was a hitter. I couldn't express myself and I hit. I fought men and I hit women." In his biography The Lives of John Lennon, Albert Goldman also maintains that Lennon was guilty of spousal abuse.<ref>Wagner, David (September 19, 2012). [http://www.theatlanticwire.com/entertainment/2012/09/john-lennon-and-chris-brown-have-something-common/57040/ "John Lennon and Chris Brown have something in common"]. The Wire website. Retrieved on October 25, 2014.</ref>}}

For more information, please see:

*[[Irreligion and domestic violence]]

*[[Atheism and women]]

*[[Atheism and rape]]

*[[Mass rape of German women by the Soviet army]]

*[[Atheistic Sweden and rape]]

*[[Atheism and love]]

==== Secular Europe and domestic violence ====

''See also:'' [[Secular Europe and domestic violence]]

[[File:Flag of Sweden.png|thumbnail|280px|right|Sweden is one of the most atheistic countries in the world.<ref name="Top 50">[http://www.thechapmans.nl/news/Atheist.pdf "Top 50 countries with highest proportion of atheists/agnostics (Zuckerman, 2005)"]. Chris and Terri Chapman. Retrieved on September 10, 2014.</ref> In Sweden, 81 percent of women said they had been harassed at some point after the age of 15 - compared to the EU average of 55 percent.<ref name="stands">Törnkvist, Ann (March 5, 2014, 8:34). [http://www.thelocal.se/20140305/sweden-out-top-in-eu-domestic-violence-league "Sweden stands out in domestic violence study"]. The Local. Retrieved on October 25, 2014.</ref>]]

In March of 2014, the [[Sweden|Swedish]] news website ''The Local'' published an article entitled ''Sweden stands out in domestic violence study'' which declared:
{{cquote|A new EU review of violence against women has revealed that one in three European women has been assaulted, and one in twenty has been raped, with the Scandinavian countries at the top of the league tables.

In the Scandinavian countries, in contrast, around half of the women reported physical or sexual violence, which researchers at the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights said could have several explanations...

In Sweden, 81 percent of women said they had been harassed at some point after the age of 15 - compared to the EU average of 55 percent. After Sweden, which had the highest rate, Denmark, France, the Netherland and Finland all saw rates above 70 percent. The EU member state with the lowest rate - 24 percent - was Bulgaria.<ref name="stands"/>}}

[[Sweden]] is one of the most atheistic countries in the world and the website adherents.com reported that in 2005 46 - 85% of Swedes were agnostics/atheists/non-believers in God.<ref name="Top 50"/> Sweden also has the 3rd highest rate of belief in evolution as far as [[Western World]] nations.<ref name=NGevo>Owen, James (August 10, 2006). [http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/08/060810-evolution.html "Evolution less accepted in U.S. than other Western countries, study finds [photo and caption]"]. National Geographic News. Photo and caption retrieved on October 25, 2014.</ref>

For more information, please see: [[Irreligion and domestic violence]]

=== Mass rape and the Soviet Union's army in Germany ===
[[File:Joseph-stalin.jpg|thumbnail|left|250px|When told that Red Army soldiers sexually assaulted German refugees, the atheist [[Joseph Stalin]] reportedly declared: "We lecture our soldiers too much; let them have their initiative."<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1080493/Stalins-army-rapists-The-brutal-war-crime-Russia-Germany-tried-ignore.html | location=London | work=Daily Mail | first=Andrew | last=Roberts | title=Stalin's army of rapists: The brutal war crime that Russia and Germany tried to ignore | date=24 October 2008}}</ref>]]
''See also:'' [[Mass rape of German women by the Soviet army]] and [[Atheism and rape]]

The journalist Peter Hitchens is the [[ex-atheists|ex-atheist]] brother of atheist [[Christopher Hitchens]] and he covered the Soviet Union, which had state atheism, during its latter years before it collapsed. According to Peter Hitchens, an atheistic society degraded the morals of the Russian people during the Soviet period (see: [[Soviet Union and morality]]).<ref>[http://creation.com/britain-needs-god ''Britain needs God'']</ref>

As Allied troops entered and occupied Germany during the latter part of [[World War II]], mass rapes occurred in connection with combat operations and during the occupation which followed. Historians in the [[Western World]] generally conclude that the majority of the rapes were committed by [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] servicemen.

The majority of the rapes happened in the Soviet occupation zone. Estimates of the number of German women sexually assaulted by Soviet soldiers have ranged up to 2 million.<ref name="ElizabethHeineman">{{cite journal |first=Elizabeth |last=Heineman |title=The Hour of the Woman: Memories of Germany's "Crisis Years" and West German National Identity |journal=American Historical Review |volume=101 |issue=2 |year=1996 |pages=354–395 |jstor=2170395 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Kuwert |first=P. |last2=Freyberger |first2=H. |year=2007 |title=The unspoken secret: Sexual violence in World War II |journal=International Psychogeriatrics |volume=19 |issue=4 |pages=782–784 |doi=10.1017/S1041610207005376 }}</ref><ref name="BBC">{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/berlin_01.shtml|title=BBC - History - World Wars: The Battle for Berlin in World War Two|publisher=Bbc.co.uk|accessdate=10 December 2014}}</ref><ref name="Schissler">Hanna Schissler ''The Miracle Years: A Cultural History of West Germany, 1949–1968'' [http://books.google.com/books?id=00fCzJKt1QMC&pg=PA28&lpg=PA28&dq=soviet+estimates+rape+tens+of+thousands&source=web&ots=xzyKzJm1sj&sig=cy2AfPmp7ZvT7K9YSWPRkXoyp6E]</ref><ref name="NPR">{{cite web|url=http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106687768|title=Silence Broken On Red Army Rapes In Germany|date=17 July 2009|work=NPR.org|accessdate=10 December 2014}}</ref> The historian William Hitchcock declared that in many cases women were the victims of repeated rapes, some women experienced as many as 60 to 70 rapes.<ref name="Struggle for Europe">{{cite book |first=William I. |last=Hitchcock |title=The Struggle for Europe: The Turbulent History of a Divided Continent, 1945 to the Present |publisher=Anchor Books |year=2004 |url=http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780385497992&view=excerpt |isbn=978-0-385-49799-2}}</ref>

After the atheist leader of the Soviet Union [[Joseph Stalin]] received a complaint from Yugoslav politician Milovan Djilas about rapes in Yugoslavia, Stalin reportedly said that he should "understand it if a soldier who has crossed thousands of kilometres through blood and fire and death has fun with a woman or takes some trifle."<ref> Anne Applebaum, ''Iron Curtain, The Crushing of Eastern Europe'', p.32</ref> Also, when told that Red Army soldiers sexually assaulted German refugees, Stalin reportedly declared: "We lecture our soldiers too much; let them have their initiative."<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1080493/Stalins-army-rapists-The-brutal-war-crime-Russia-Germany-tried-ignore.html | location=London | work=Daily Mail | first=Andrew | last=Roberts | title=Stalin's army of rapists: The brutal war crime that Russia and Germany tried to ignore | date=24 October 2008}}</ref>

Only a handful of Soviet soldiers were ever court martialed for raping German women during the war.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsOouDLL_EA German women raped during WWII by the Soviets] - Video</ref>

See also: [[Atheism and rape]]

===Atheism and immoral views===

Please see:

*[[Atheism and morality]]

*[[Moral failures of the atheist population]]

*[[Evolutionary belief and sexual immorality]]

* [[Atheist hypocrisy]]

*[[Atheist conferences#Atheist events and inappropriate sexually related activities|Atheist conferences and inappropriate sexual activity]]

[[File:Larry Flynt Wheelchair.jpg|thumbnail|200px|right|The [[pornography|pornographer]] [[Larry Flynt]] is an atheist.<ref>Multiple references:
*Flynt writes, "I have left my religious conversion behind and settled into a comfortable state of atheism": see the epilogue of Flynt, Larry and Ross, Kenneth (June 1, 2008). ''An Unseemly Man: My Life as Pornographer, Pundit, and Social Outcast''.
*"I am not saying he don't believe in God. I am just saying I don't believe in God. That puts me at odds with him." [http://www.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/9701/11/falwell.v.flynt/lkl.00.html "Larry Flynt and Jerry Falwell" [transcript]] (January 10, 1996). Larry King Live. Transcript retrieved from CNN.com on October 3, 2014. </ref> See: [[Atheism and pornography]] 
(photo obtained from [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Larry_Flynt_Wheelchair.jpg Wikimedia Commons], see: [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en license agreement])]]

==== Barna Group study on atheism and morality ====

The [[Barna Group]] found regarding [[Atheism and Morality|atheism and morality]] that those who hold to the worldviews of atheism or agnosticism in America were more likely, than theists in America, to look upon the following behaviors as morally acceptable: [[Illegal drugs|illegal drug use]]; excessive [[Atheism and alcoholism|drinking]]; sexual relationships outside of marriage; [[abortion]]; cohabitating with someone of opposite sex outside of marriage; [[Profanity|obscene]] language; [[gambling]]; [[pornography]] and obscene sexual behavior; and engaging in [[homosexuality]]/[[bisexuality]].<ref name="barna">[http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/5-barna-update/58-practical-outcomes-replace-biblical-principles-as-the-moral-standard "Practical outcomes replace biblical principles as the moral standard"] (September 10, 2001). Barna Update. Retrieved on July 19, 2014.</ref> Given the [[Homosexuality and health|many diseases]] associated with homosexuality, the [[Bible|biblical]] prohibition against [[homosexuality]] is quite arguably one of the many example where the Bible exhibited knowledge [http://creationwiki.org/Bible_scientific_foreknowledge that was ahead of its time]. See also: [[Atheism and sexual immorality]]

==== Objective morality does not exist under an atheist worldview ====

Under an atheist worldview, there is no logical basis for objective morality or ultimate meaning and purpose.<ref>
*[http://creation.com/atheism-no-objective-morality Atheism—no objective morality?], [[Creation Ministries International]]
*[http://www.bethinking.org/morality/can-moral-objectivism-do-without-god
Can Moral Objectivism Do Without God?] by Peter S. Williams at Bethinking.org
*[http://www.equip.org/article/atheists-and-the-quest-for-objective-morality-2/ Atheists and the Quest for Objective Morality] by Chad Meister at Christian Research Institute
*[http://www.faithdefenders.com/articles/atheism/atheism_absolutes_at.html Atheism and absolutes]</ref> See also: [[Atheism and meaninglessness]]

==== University of Kentucky study by Will M. Gervais ====

In 2014, a University of Kentucky study was published by Will M. Gervais, which was entitled "Everything is permitted? People intuitively judge immorality as representative of atheists", and the study indicated that "even atheist participants viewed immorality as significantly more representative of atheists than of other people."<ref>Gervais, Will M. (April 9, 2014). "Everything is permitted? People intuitively judge immorality as representative of atheists". ''PLOS ONE'', {{doi|10.1371/journal.pone.0092302}}. Retrieved on October 29, 2014.</ref>

=== Atheism and pornography ===

''See also:'' [[Atheism and pornography]]

One of the [[causes of atheism]] is a [[hedonism|hedonistic]] lifestyle. See: [[Atheism and hedonism]].

The infamous [[pornography|pornographers]] [[Hugh Hefner]] and [[Larry Flynt]] are both atheists.<ref>Multiple references:
*Gottesdiener, Laura (February 23, 2010). [http://www.salon.com/2013/02/23/10_celebs_you_didnt_know_were_atheists_partner/ "10 celebs you didn't know were atheists"]. Salon. Retrieved on October 3, 2014.
*Flynt writes, "I have left my religious conversion behind and settled into a comfortable state of atheism": see the epilogue of Flynt, Larry and Ross, Kenneth (June 1, 2008). ''An Unseemly Man: My Life as Pornographer, Pundit, and Social Outcast''.
*"I am not saying he don't believe in God. I am just saying I don't believe in God. That puts me at odds with him." [http://www.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/9701/11/falwell.v.flynt/lkl.00.html "Larry Flynt and Jerry Falwell" [transcript]] (January 10, 1996). Larry King Live. Transcript retrieved from CNN.com on October 3, 2014.</ref>

In 2003, ''Arena magazine'' magazine listed Flynt as #1 on the "50 Powerful People in Porn" list.<ref>[http://www.onenewspage.us/people/ms9j0/Larry-Flynt.htm "Larry Flynt"]. One News Page. Retrieved on October 3, 2014.</ref> Flynt is paralyzed from the waist down due to injuries sustained from a 1978 assassination attempt by the serial killer Joseph Paul Franklin.<ref>Multiple references:
*Flynt, Larry and Ross, Kenneth (June 1, 2008). ''An Unseemly Man: My Life as Pornographer, Pundit, and Social Outcast'', pp. 170–171.
*[http://www.onenewspage.us/people/ms9j0/Larry-Flynt.htm "Larry Flynt"]. One News Page. Retrieved on October 3, 2014.</ref>

=== Atheism and child pornography ===

See: [[Atheism and child pornography]] and [[Atheistic Denmark and child pornography]] and [[Netherlands and child pornography]]

==== Atheistic Denmark and child pornography ====

''See also:'' [[Atheistic Denmark and child pornography]] and [[Denmark and bestiality]]
[[File:Flag of Denmark.png|left|200px|thumbnail|[[Denmark]] is the third most atheistic country in the world and the website adherents.com reports that 43 - 80% of Danes are [[agnosticism|agnostics]]/atheists/non-believers in God.<ref name=Top50no2>[http://www.adherents.com/largecom/com_atheist.html "The largest atheist/agnostic populations: Top 50 countries with highest proportion of atheists / agnostics (Zuckerman, 2005)"] (2005). Adherents.com/Largest religious communities.</ref>
 
In 2009, Suzanne Ost reported in her book published by Cambridge University Press, that the child pornography material produced in [[Denmark]] (and Holland) still constituted the largest part of child pornography that was currently available, having been transferred into digital format and uploaded onto the internet.<ref name="Ost">Ost, Suzanne (2009). ''Child Pornography and Sexual Grooming: Legal and Societal Responses'' (New York: Cambridge University Press), p. 29.</ref>]]
In 2005 [[Denmark]] was ranked the third most atheistic country in the world and the website adherents.com reported that in 2005 43 - 80% of Danes are [[agnosticism|agnostics]]/atheists/non-believers in God.<ref name=Top50no2/> Denmark has the highest rate of belief in evolution in the [[Western World]].<ref name=NGevo/>

The 2003 book entitled ''Overcoming Violence Against Women and Girls: The International Campaign to Eradicate a Worldwide Problem '' written by authors Rahel Nardos; Mary K. Radpour; William S. Hatcher and Michael L. Penn, declared:
{{cquote|The largest source of commercial child pornography is Denmark. Denmark became the world's leading producer of child pornography when, in 1969, it removed all restrictions on the production and sale of any type of pornographic material. "The result," notes Tim Tate, "was a short-lived explosion in adult pornography, and the birth of commercial child pornography. In his work, Tate links the global spread of child pornography to two men: Willy Strauss, founder of Bambina Sex, the world's first child-pornography magazine, founded in 1971; and Peter Theander, founder of Colour Climax Corporation and the producer of a short, professionally made pornographic film series entitled Lolita. Lolita depicts the sexual abuse of prepubescent boys and girls. Although Danish law at the time rendered the work of Strauss and Theander legal, by 1979 when Denmark finally banned the production and sale of child pornography it had already become such a financial success on the international market that it has proven to be nearly impossible to bring its spread under control.<ref>Nardos, Rahel, et. al. (2003). ''Overcoming Violence Against Women and Girls: The International Campaign to Eradicate a Worldwide Problem'', p. 59.</ref>}}

Suzanne Ost, in her 2009 book ''Child Pornography and Sexual Grooming: Legal and Societal Responses'' published by Cambridge University Press, wrote about the child pornography created by Denmark/Holland during this period:
{{cquote|Taylor and Quayle note that the material produced during this period still constitutes the largest part of child pornography that is currently available, having been transferred into digital format and uploaded onto the internet.<ref name="Ost"/>}}

==== Atheistic Japan and child pornography ====

[[Japan]] is one of the most atheistic countries in the world.<ref name="athmap">Multiple references:
*[http://www.thechapmans.nl/news/Atheist.pdf "Top 50 countries with highest proportion of atheists/agnostics (Zuckerman, 2005)"]. Chris and Terri Chapman. Retrieved on September 10, 2014.
*Fisher, Max and Dewey, Caitlin (May 23, 2013). [http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/05/23/a-surprising-map-of-where-the-worlds-atheists-live/ "A surprising map of where the world’s atheists live"]. The Washington Post website. Retrieved on September 13, 2014.</ref>

CNN reported in 2014, "The U.S. State Department's 2013 report on human rights practices in Japan labels the country "an international hub for the production and trafficking of child pornography."<ref>Mullen, Jethro and Wakatsuki, Yoko (June 18, 2014). [http://www.cnn.com/2014/06/17/world/asia/japan-child-porn-law/ "Japan passes law banning possession of child pornography"]. CNN website.</ref>

For more information, please see:

*[[Atheism and child pornography]]

*[[Atheistic Denmark and child pornography]]

*[[Netherlands and child pornography]]

*[[Godless Britain and child pornography]]

*[[Atheistic Czech Republic and child pornography]]

*[[Atheistic Sweden and child pornography]]

=== Nontheistic Thailand and child prostitution ===

''See also:'' [[Atheistic Thailand and child prostitution]]

In [[Thailand]], the nontheistic form of [[Buddhism]] called the Theravada school of Buddhism is prevalent.

According to a report compiled by Police Colonel Naras Savestanan, Ph.D., Deputy Director-General, Department of Special Investigation, Ministry of Justice, Thailand:
{{cquote|Thailand has been identified as one of the most popular destinations for child sex abusers since 1980s...

In 2007, there were 500,000 sexually alluring web pages and 250 websites showing nude video clips
of teenagers in Thailand.<ref>Savestanan, Naras, Pol. Col, Ph. D. (April 12, 2011). [http://www.unodc.org/documents/commissions/CCPCJ/CCPCJ_Sessions/CCPCJ_20/Thematic_Discussions/Asian-Group_Thailands-response_Savestanan.pdf ''Thematic Discussions, Asian Group: Thailand’s Response to Online Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation: Its Progress and Challenges'']. United Nations website/Office on Drugs and Crime/Commissions/The 20th Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.</ref>}}

Thailand’s Health System Research Institute declared that child prostitutes make up 40% of all prostitutes in Thailand.<ref>Duthel, Heinz, ''Kathoey Ladyboy: Thailand's Got Talent'', p. 192</ref>

Thailand is often called "a child molesters' paradise".<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/07/05/thailand.pedophiles/ Thailand fights to stem tide of child sex tourists] By Dan Rivers, CNN</ref>

For more information, please see: [[Nontheistic Thailand and child prostitution]]

=== Atheism, pedophilia/pederasty and NAMBLA ===

''see also:'' [[Atheism, pederasty and NAMBLA]] and [[Teenage homosexuality]] and [[Homosexuality and pederasty]]
[[Image:Harry Hay.jpg|thumbnail|150px|Many consider atheist [[Harry Hay]] to be the founder of the American [[homosexuality|homosexual]] movement.]]
The [[North American Man-Boy Love Association]] (NAMBLA) was founded in December 1978 and is an activist homosexuality and [[pedophilia]]/pederasty coalition group.

Some of the well known atheist advocates of the North American Man-Boy Love Association (NAMBLA) are:

1. The atheist and [[homosexuality|homosexual]] [[David Thorstad]] was a founding member of the North American Man-Boy Love Association (NAMBLA).<ref>Abbott, Matt C. (August 22, 2010). [http://www.renewamerica.com/columns/abbott/100822 "The mind of a pederast"]. RenewAmerica. Retrieved on July 20, 2014.</ref>

2. '''[[Harry Hay]]''' (1912 - 2002) was an [[liberal]] advocate of [[statutory rape]] and the widely acknowledged founder and progenitor of the activist [[homosexual agenda]] in the [[United States]]. Hay joined the [[Communist Party of the United States]] (CPUSA) in 1934. <ref>Bronski, Michael (October 31, 2002). [http://bostonphoenix.com/boston/news_features/other_stories/documents/02511115.htm "The real Harry Hay"]. The Phoenix.com. Retrieved on July 20, 2014.</ref> Harry Hay was an atheist.<ref>Kincaid, Cliff, Accuracy in Media (January 7, 2010). [http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/WTARC/2010/ss_politics0010_01_07.asp "Twisted: administration's 'safe schools czar' and the North American Man-Boy Love Association"]. WorldTribune.com. Retrieved on July 20, 2014.</ref> He was a vociferous advocate of man/boy love. <ref>Multiple references:
*Lord, Jeffrey (October 5, 2006). [http://spectator.org/articles/46366/when-nancy-met-harry "Special report: when Nancy met Harry"]. The American Spectator website. Retrieved on July 20, 2014.
*Kincaid, Cliff, Accuracy in Media (January 7, 2010). [http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/WTARC/2010/ss_politics0010_01_07.asp "Twisted: administration's 'safe schools czar' and the North American Man-Boy Love Association"]. WorldTribune.com. Retrieved on July 20, 2014.</ref> In 1986, Hay marched in a [[homosexual|gay]] parade wearing a shirt emblazoned with the words "[[NAMBLA]] walks with me."<ref>Baldwin, Hon. Steve (2002). [http://www.mega.nu/ampp/baldwin_pedophilia_homosexuality.pdf "Child molestation and the homosexual movement"]. ''Regent University Law Review'', vol. 14, pp. 267-282. Retrieved from The Architecture of Modern Political Power on July 20, 2014.</ref>

3. The writer [[Samuel R. Delany]] is an atheist and a [[homosexuality|homosexual]].<ref>Multiple references:
*Delany, Samuel R. (2006). ''About Writing: Seven Essays, Four Letters, and Five Interviews'' (Middletown: Wesleyan), p. 36.
*[http://www.enotes.com/topics/samuel-r-delany/critical-essays/delany-samuel-r-vol-141#critical-essays-delany-samuel-r-vol-141-introduction "Introduction"] (2001). ''Contemporary Literary Criticism'', ed. Hunter, Jeffrey W., vol. 141 (Gale Cengage). Retrieved from eNotes.com on July 20, 2014.</ref> Delaney said he was a supporter of NAMBLA.<ref>Freedman, Carl (2009). ''Conversations with Samuel R. Delany'' (Jackson: Univ. Press of Mississippi), p. 143.</ref>

See also: [[Richard Dawkins on child molestation and so called "gentle pedophiles"]] and [[John Maynard Keynes and pederasty]]

=== Immorality of prominent atheists ===

''See also:'' [[Atheism, polyamory and other immoral relationships]]

[[James Randi]] is a leader within the atheist community. Brian Thompson, former James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF) Outreach Coordinator, wrote:
{{cquote|But I no longer identify with this community of benevolent know-it-alls, because not all of them are the best folks in the world. In fact, a good percentage of the top ten worst humans I’ve ever met are prominent members of the skeptics’ club. They’re dishonest, mean-spirited, narcissistic, [[misogyny|misogynistic]]. Pick a personality flaw, and I can probably point you to someone who epitomizes it. And that person has probably had a speaking slot at a major skeptical conference.

I grew particularly disgusted with the boys’ club attitude I saw among skeptical leaders and luminaries. The kind of attitude that’s dismissive of women, sexually predatory, and downright gross. When I first started going to skeptical conferences as a fresh-faced know-it-all, I started hearing things about people I once admired. Then I started seeing things myself. Then I got a job with the JREF, and the pattern continued.<ref>Myers, P. Z. (March 31, 2014). [http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2014/03/31/when-will-this-situation-improve/ "When will this situation improve?"] Pharyngula. Retrieved on July 19, 2014.</ref>}}

See also:

*[[Atheism, polyamory and other immoral relationships]]

*[[Richard Carrier, adultery, divorce and polyamory]]

=== Atheism and abortion ===

[[Image:115523-004-FA619CA3.jpg|thumb|right|251px| The perverse and cruel atheist [[Marquis de Sade]] in prison, 18th century line engraving.]]
The ''Journal of Medical Ethics'' wrote this about the atheist and [[sadism|sadist]] [[Marquis de Sade]]:
{{cquote|In 1795 the Marquis de Sade published his ''La Philosophie dans le boudoir'', in which he proposed the use of induced abortion for social reasons and as a means of [[population control]]. It is from this time that medical and social acceptance of abortion can be dated, although previously the subject had not been discussed in public in modern times. It is suggested that it was largely due to de Sade's writing that induced abortion received the impetus which resulted in its subsequent spread in western society.<ref>Farr, A. D. (1980). [http://jme.bmj.com/content/6/1/7.abstract "The Marquis de Sade and induced abortion"]. ''Journal of Medical Ethics'', 6, pp. 7-10. Retrieved from Journal of Medical Ethics website on July 20, 2014.</ref>}}

[[Population control]] is based on [[pseudoscience]] and ill founded [[economics|economic]] assumptions.<ref>Egnor, Michael (November 30, 2010). [http://www.evolutionnews.org/2010/11/pz_myers_on_abortion040971.html "P. Z. Myers on abortion"]. Evolution News and Views. Retrieved on July 20, 2014.</ref> ''[[CBS News]]'' reported: "According to a mail-in survey of nearly 4,000 British doctors, those who were atheist or agnostic were almost twice as willing to take actions designed to hasten the end of life."<ref>Katz, Neil (August 26, 2010). [http://www.cbsnews.com/news/study-atheist-doctors-twice-as-likely-to-pull-plug/ "Study: atheist doctors twice as likely to pull plug"]. CBSNews.com. Retrieved on July 20, 2014.</ref>

=== Atheism and lower empathy for others ===

''See also:'' [[Atheism and charity|Atheism and uncharitableness]] and [[Atheism and love]]

In 2007 the Baptist Press reported:
{{cquote|...a pollster at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada, found that adults who profess a belief in God are significantly more likely than atheists to say that forgiveness, patience, generosity and a concern for others are "very important." In fact, the poll found that on 11 of 12 values, there was a double-digit gap between theists and atheists, with theists more likely to label each value "very important."

The survey by sociologist and pollster Reginald Bibby examined the beliefs of 1,600 Canadians, 82 percent who said they believed in "God or a higher power" and 18 percent who said they did not.<ref>Foust, Michael (October 23, 2007). [http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?ID=26675 "Poll: Atheists less likely to 'do good'"] Baptist Press. Retrieved on July 20, 2014.</ref>}}

=== Atheism and moral relativism ===

''See also:'' [[Moral relativism]] and [[Atheism and morality]]

[[Image:998086u.jpg|left|thumbnail|200px|An essay by the [[Christian apologetics|Christian apologist]] Dr. James Spiegel describes [[Bertrand Russell]] as a "misogynistic and a serial adulterer; a chronic seducer of women, especially very young women, even in his old age."<ref>Spiegel, James (2010). ''The Making of an Atheist: How Immorality Leads to Unbelief'', p. 72. Chicago: Moody Publishers.</ref> Bertrand Russell was an agnostic who had favorable views towards atheism.<ref> Russell, Bertrand (1947). [http://web.archive.org/web/20100411082750/http://www.luminary.us/russell/atheist_agnostic.html "Am I an atheist or an agnostic?"] www.luminary.us. Archived at Internet Archive on April 11, 2010. Retrieved on July 20, 2014. Caution: Presumably copyrighted in the U.S. until 2042 and in Canada until 2020. For fair educational use only. Most online sources say "by which one prove," probably a mistake.</ref>]]
Dr. Phil Fernandes states the following regarding atheism and [[Moral relativism|moral relativism]]:
{{cquote|[[Friedrich Nietzsche|Nietzsche]] preached that a group of "supermen" must arise with the courage to create their own values through their "will to power." Nietzsche rejected the "soft" values of [[Christianity]] (brotherly love, turning the other cheek, charity, compassion, etc.); he felt they hindered man's creativity and potential....

Many other atheists agree with Nietzsche concerning moral relativism. British philosopher [[Bertrand Russell]] (1872-1970) once wrote, "Outside human desires there is no moral standard." [[A. J. Ayer]] believed that moral commands did not result from any objective standard above man. Instead, Ayer stated that moral commands merely express one's subjective feelings. When one says that murder is wrong, one is merely saying that he or she feels that murder is wrong. [[Jean-Paul Sartre]], a French [[existentialism|existentialist]], believed that there is no objective meaning to life. Therefore, according to Sartre, man must create his own values.

There are many different ways that moral relativists attempt to determine what action should be taken. [[Hedonism]] is probably the most extreme. It declares that whatever brings the most pleasure is right. In other words, if it feels good, do it. If this position is true, then there is no basis from which to judge the actions of [[Adolph Hitler]] as being evil.<ref>Fernandes, Phil (May 25, 1997). [http://instituteofbiblicaldefense.com/1997/05/refuting-moral-relativism/ "Refuting moral relativism"]. Institute of Biblical Defense. Retrieved on July 20, 2014.</ref>}}

Given that atheistic [[evolution|evolutionary]] thinking has engendered [[social darwinism]] and given that the proponents of atheism [[Atheism and morality|have no rational basis]] for morality, the immoral views that atheists often hold and [[Atheism and Uncharitableness|the low per capita giving of American atheists]] is not unpredictable.

=== Atheism and profanity ===

''See also:'' [[Atheism and profanity]]

Studies indicate that atheists engage in more [[profanity]] than Christians/theists and are more likely to believe that obscene language is acceptable to engage in.<ref>Multiple references:
*[http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/5-barna-update/58-practical-outcomes-replace-biblical-principles-as-the-moral-standard "Practical outcomes replace biblical principles as the moral standard"] (September 10, 2001). Barna Update. Retrieved on July 19, 2014.
*Jay, Timothy and Janschewitz, Kristin (May/June 2012). [http://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/publications/observer/2012/may-june-12/the-science-of-swearing.html "The Science of Swearing"]. ''Observer'', vol. 25, no. 5. Retrieved from The Association for Psychological Science website on October 25, 2014.
*Ritter, Ryan S., Preston, J. L. et al. (June 18, 2013). [http://spp.sagepub.com/content/early/2013/06/18/1948550613492345.full.pdf+html "Happy tweets: Christians are happier, more socially connected, and less analytical than atheists on Twitter" [abstract]]. ''Social Psychological and Personality Science'', 1948550613492345. Abstract retrieved from Sage Journals on October 25, 2014. Subscription required for full article.</ref>
Use of profanity by individuals is negatively correlated with conscientiousness and agreeableness.<ref>Jay, Timothy and Janschewitz, Kristin (May/June 2012). [http://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/publications/observer/2012/may-june-12/the-science-of-swearing.html "The Science of Swearing"]. ''Observer'', vol. 25, no. 5. Retrieved from The Association for Psychological Science website on October 25, 2014.</ref>

For more information, please see: [[Atheism and profanity]]

=== Atheism and bestiality ===

''See also:'' [[Atheism and bestiality]]

[[Bestiality]] is the act of engaging in sexual relations with an animal. In addition to being repulsive and being a sexual [[taboo]] in societies, bestiality can cause harm to both animals and humans.<ref>Multiple references:
*Nadeau, Barbie Latza (October 14, 2014). [http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/10/14/denmark-s-bestiality-problem-it-s-legal.html "Denmark’s bestiality problem: It’s legal"]. The Daily Beast website.
*[http://aldf.org/resources/laws-cases/the-crime-of-bestialityzoophilia-sexual-assault-of-an-animal/ "The crime of bestiality/zoophilia: Sexual assault of an animal"] (2013 or bef.). Animal Legal Defense Fund website/Resources/Laws-cases.
*[http://stopbestiality.wordpress.com/2011/01/17/does-having-sex-with-animals-harm-anyone/ "Does having sex with animals harm anyone? Animals show great stress"] (January 17, 2011). StopBestiality website.
*Zequi, Stênio de Cássio, Ph. D. et. al. (July 2012). [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2011.02512.x/abstract "Sex with animals (SWA): Behavioral characteristics and possible association with penile cancer. A multicenter study"] ''Journal of Sexual Medicine'', vol. 9, iss. 10, pp. 1860-7. Retrieved from Wiley Online Library/Urology/Sexual medicine.
*[http://stopbestiality.wordpress.com/2011/11/29/study-links-bestiality-and-penile-cancer/ "Study links bestiality and penile cancer; Women’s health risk too?"] (November 29, 2011). StopBestiality website.
*Westneat, Danny (December 30, 2005). [http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002711400_danny30.html "Horse sex story was online hit"]. ''Seattle Times'' website.
*Ascione, Frank, ed. ''The International Handbook of Animal Abuse and Cruelty: Theory, Research'', pp. 217-8.</ref>

In 2014, a global news channel which broadcasts documentaries about current topics, reported concerning [[secular Europe]]: "Bestiality is having a weird renaissance in Europe."<ref>[https://sites.google.com/site/newsreport3738/ Vice News report on bestiality upsurge in Europe]</ref> See also: [[Bestiality and secular Europe]]

The [[atheist]] philosopher Peter Singer defends the practice [[bestiality]] (as well as [[abortion]], infanticide and [[euthanasia]]). Despite holding these views the liberal and pro-[[evolution]] academic establishment rewarded his views with a bioethics chair at [[Princeton University]].<ref>Multiple references:
*Smith, Justin (November 22, 2006). [http://creation.com/the-basis-of-a-christian-worldview "The basis of a Christian worldview"]. Creation Ministries International. Retrieved on July 20, 2014.
*Sarfati, Jonathan (June 2, 2007). [http://creation.com/answer-to-philosophy-religion-professor-on-biblical-exegesis-and-the-problem-of-evil "CMI answers philosophy/religion professor on biblical exegesis and the problem of evil"]. Creation Ministries International. Retrieved on July 20, 2014.</ref>

The prominent atheist [[PZ Myers|P. Z. Meyers]] declared, "I don’t object to bestiality in a very limited set of specific conditions...."<ref name="achilles">Multiple references:
*Warden, Rick (August 10, 2012). [http://templestream.blogspot.com/2012/08/atheist-achilles-heels-objective.html "Atheist achilles heels: objective morality and sacred life"]. Templestream Blog. Retrieved on July 20, 2014.
*Myers, P. Z. (May 22, 2012). [http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2012/05/22/the-objective-morality-gotcha/ "The 'objective morality' gotcha"] Pharyngula. Retrieved on July 20, 2014.</ref>
[[File:Peter Singer MIT Veritas.jpg|right|thumbnail|250px|The [[atheist]] philosopher [[Peter Singer]] defends the practice of [[bestiality]] Despite holding these immoral views academia rewarded his views with a bioethics chair at [[Princeton University]].<ref>Multiple references:
*Smith, Justin (November 22, 2006). [http://creation.com/the-basis-of-a-christian-worldview "The basis of a Christian worldview"]. Creation Ministries International. Retrieved on July 20, 2014.
*Sarfati, Jonathan (June 2, 2007). [http://creation.com/answer-to-philosophy-religion-professor-on-biblical-exegesis-and-the-problem-of-evil "CMI answers philosophy/religion professor on biblical exegesis and the problem of evil"]. Creation Ministries International. Retrieved on July 20, 2014.
*Carter, Joe (June 22, 2011). [http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/2011/06/the-dangerous-mind-of-peter-singer "The dangerous mind of Peter Singer"]. First Things. Retrieved on July 20, 2014. See [[First Things]].</ref> See: [[Atheism and bestiality]] ]]
The Bible says that bestiality is a perversion and, under the [[Old Testament]] [[Pentateuch|Jewish Law]], punishable by death (Exodus 22:19, Leviticus 18:23, Leviticus 20:15 and Deuteronomy 27:21). The atheistic worldview does not lend itself to the establishment of morality within society and individuals (see: [[Atheism and morality]] and [[Atheism and deception]]).

The [[Christian apologetics|Christian apologist]] and author Michael Caputo writes:
{{cquote|Although bestiality is not openly supported by well known [[Militant atheism|Militant Atheist]] sites, support for it is inherent in their insistence that decisions of a sexual nature should be left up to the individual adults to determine. God disagrees.<ref>Caputo, Michael (betw. 2008-11). [http://atheismexposed.tripod.com/god_bible_bestiality.htm "God, the Bible and bestiality"]. Militant Atheism Exposed. Retrieved on July 20, 2014.</ref>}}

For additional information please see:

*[[Atheism and bestiality]]
*[[Evolutionary belief and bestiality]]
*[[Christopher Hitchens on bestiality]]
*[[Academia and bestiality|Atheism, academia and bestiality]]

In areas of the [[Western World]] where there is a significant amount of atheism and [[evolution]]ary belief, there have been notable problems related to bestiality (see: [[Geographic areas where bestiality is posing a notable problem]]).

=== Atheism and incest ===

''See also:'' [[Atheism and incest]]

[[Lawrence Krauss]] is a prominent atheist and atheist activist. In response to the question, "Why is [[incest]] wrong?", Krauss said, "It's not clear to me that it is wrong."<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zp7dRpWIdBo Lawrence Krauss on incest]</ref> Krauss belongs to the [[New Atheism]] school of atheism which is a form of [[militant atheism]].

The YouTube channel [[TheAmazingAtheist]] is the most popular atheist YouTube channel with over 685,972 subscribers as of June of 2015.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/user/TheAmazingAtheist/about About TheAmazingAtheist YouTube channel]</ref> The AmazingAtheist produced a video entitled '' Atheist Libertarian Defends Incest, Polygamy and Cannibalism!''.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMYBndRD9Ko Atheist Libertarian Defends Incest, Polygamy and Cannibalism!]</ref>

For more information, please see: [[Atheism and incest]]

=== Irreligious prison population ===

*[[Irreligious prison population]]

=== Atheism and cannibalism ===
[[File:Jeffrey Dahmer Milwaukee Police 1991 mugshot.jpg|thumbnail|right|200px|The [[serial killer]] [[Jeffrey Dahmer]] engaged in [[cannibalism]]. He was an [[atheism|atheist]] while he committed these acts.<ref>[http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1sv4ky_serial-killer-jeffrey-dahmer-blames-atheism-and-evolution-belief-for-murders_news Serial Killer Jeffrey Dahmer blames Atheism and Evolution belief for Murders]</ref> See: [[Atheism and cannibalism]] ]]
See: [[Atheism and cannibalism]]

===== Cannibalism and communist regimes =====

During the [[Cultural Revolution]], there were incidences of the Chinese [[Red Guards]] engaging in [[cannibalism]].<ref>[http://www.oodegr.co/english/atheismos/Atheistic_cannibalism.htm Atheistic cannibalism. How atheism can turn Man into a beast], Source: "The Black Bible of Communism" (Greek edition), Athens 2006. Excerpt taken from pages 504, 505. of the 4th edition</ref> The renowned author Lu Xun, a sympathizer of Communism, at a moment when he no longer concurred with nationalism and anti-Westernism, wrote: "The Chinese are cannibals..."<ref>[http://www.oodegr.co/english/atheismos/Atheistic_cannibalism.htm Atheistic cannibalism: How atheism can turn Man into a beast], Source: "The Black Bible of Communism" (Greek edition), Athens 2006. Excerpt taken from pages 504, 505. of the 4th edition</ref>

[[Pol Pot]]'s regime also engaged in acts of vindictive cannibalism.<ref>[http://www.oodegr.co/english/atheismos/Atheistic_cannibalism.htm Atheistic cannibalism: How atheism can turn Man into a beast], Source: "The Black Bible of Communism" (Greek edition), Athens 2006. Excerpt taken from pages 504, 505. of the 4th edition</ref>

Kerry Kubulius in his article entitled ''Cannibalism in the [[Soviet Union]]'' wrote:
{{cquote|In the years 1920-21, the Soviet Union was hit hard by famine. Civil war had wiped out grain stores, and drought affected harvests...

It goes without saying that cannibalism in the Soviet Union was outlawed. Those who were caught cannibalizing their fellow citizens were sent to prisons, even though cannibalism was practiced in the Gulag, as well...

While some individuals ate the bodies of the already dead, others murdered for the purpose of providing themselves with food. Gangs of children would kill adults, while adults would find children to murder and eat. Escaped prisoners might take along fellow inmates to serve as future meals – unbeknownst to the escapees' companions themselves.

Cannibalism in the Soviet Union was sometimes a result of an individual or individuals seeking revenge.<ref>[https://suite.io/kerry-kubilius/ez6270 ''Cannibalism in the Soviet Union'] by Kerry Kubulius</ref>}}

===== Serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer and cannibalism =====

The infamous [[serial killer]] [[Jeffrey Dahmer]] engaged in cannibalism. He was an atheist when he committed these acts.<ref>[http://listverse.com/2010/06/05/10-people-who-give-atheism-a-bad-name/ 10 People Who Give Atheism a Bad Name]</ref>

===== Popular YouTube atheist TheAmazingAtheist on cannibalism =====

The YouTube channel [[TheAmazingAtheist]] is the most popular atheist YouTube channel with over 685,972 subscribers as of June of 2015.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/user/TheAmazingAtheist/about About TheAmazingAtheist YouTube channel]</ref> The AmazingAtheist produced a video entitled '' Atheist Libertarian Defends Incest, Polygamy and Cannibalism!''.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMYBndRD9Ko Atheist Libertarian Defends Incest, Polygamy and Cannibalism!]</ref>

===== Marquis de Sade's writings and cannibalism =====

John Attarian wrote concerning the atheist Marquis de Sade: "For the Sadean egotist, then, everything is permitted. Sade incessantly rationalized the most depraved and libertine sexuality, and every crime including cannibalism and murder.<ref>[http://www.firstprinciplesjournal.com/articles.aspx?article=520 Dostoevsky vs. Marquis de Sade] by John Attarian (MA 46:4, Fall 2004) - 08/01/08</ref>}}

For more information, please see: [[Atheism and cannibalism]]

=== Atheism and other moral issues ===

For more more information please see: [[Atheism and morality]] and [[Moral failures of the atheist population|List of the moral failures of the atheist population]] and [[Atheism and hedonism]]

[[File:Michael Nugent.jpg|thumbnail|right|150px|According to atheist [[Michael Nugent]], his fellow atheist [[PZ Myers]] behaves in manner that is contrary to fostering [[social justice]] in society.<ref>*[http://www.michaelnugent.com/2014/09/19/the-lbj-legend-and-my-email-to-pz-myers/ The LBJ legend and my email to PZ Myers] by Michael Nugent on September 19, 2014
*[http://www.michaelnugent.com/2015/04/07/atheist-ireland-dissociates-from-pz-myers/
Atheist Ireland publicly dissociates itself from the harmful and hateful rhetoric of PZ Myers] by Michael Nugent, April 7, 2015</ref>]]

=== Atheism and hypocrisy ===

''See also:'' [[Atheist hypocrisy]]

In order to attempt to justify their atheism, atheists often engage in [[Hypocrisy|hypocritical]] argumentation. In addition, atheists often engage in hypocritical behavior. Please see: [[Atheist hypocrisy]]

==== Atheism and social justice ====

See also: [[Atheism and social justice]]

As noted above, historically, the [[secular left]] has been dominant within the atheist community (see: [[Atheism and politics]]).

According to leading [[Progressivism|progressive]]/leftists websites, progressive values include: freedom; opportunity; responsibility; cooperation/community; caring and responsibility, carried out with strength; protection/fairness; honesty and open communication.<ref>[http://thinkprogress.org/election/2013/03/22/1761431/what-it-means-to-be-a-progressive-a-manifesto/ What It Means To Be A Progressive: A Manifesto], Thinkprogress.org</ref><ref>[http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/11/09/658017/-What-are-Progressive-Values What are Progressive Values], Dailykos.com</ref> These practices are often seen as being conducive to [[social justice]].

The atheists population has not lived up to these standards (see: [[Atheism and social justice]]).

=== Why atheism is irrational ===

''See also:'' [[Atheism and irrationality]] and [[Atheism and logic]] and [[Irreligion and superstition]] and [[Atheism and epistemology]]

A common and legitimate criticism of the [[atheist worldview]] is that [[Atheism and irrationality|atheism is irrational]]. <ref name="athdef"/> In short, atheism is a fundamentally incoherent worldview with a number of inconsistencies.<ref name="inconsist"/> For example, the atheistic worldview cannot account for the laws of [[logic]].<ref>Multiple references:
*Lisle, Dr. Jason (October 10, 2007). [http://answersingenesis.org/world-religions/atheism/atheism-an-irrational-worldview/ "Atheism: An irrational worldview"]. AnswersinGenesis. Retrieved on October 6, 2014.
*Slick, Matt (2010). [http://carm.org/christian-worldview-atheist-worldview-and-logic "The Christian worldview, the atheist worldview, and logic"]. Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry. Retrieved on October 6, 2014.
*Petersen, Jason (2013). [http://answersforhope.org/portfolio_item/can-atheism-coherently-explain-the-laws-of-logic/ "Can atheism coherently explain the laws of logic?"] Answers for Hope. Retrieved on October 6, 2014.
*Audio of a formal 1985 debate between Christian Greg Bahnsen and skeptic Gordon Stein at the University of California, Irvine on the question "Does God exist?" See Dr. [[Greg Bahnsen]]
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1hSx2evTGM "Greg Bahnsen vs. Gordon Stein: The Great Debate (FULL)"] (May 19, 2011). YouTube video, 2:10:44, posted by Argin Gerigorian. Retrieved on October 3, 2014.
**Andy (December 5, 2006). [http://veritasdomain.wordpress.com/2006/12/05/greg-bahnsen-vs-gordon-stein-the-great-debate/ "Greg Bahnsen vs Gordon Stein mp3"]. The Domain for Truth. Retrieved on October 4, 2014.</ref>
[[File:113320508 2b86fdb94a.jpg|thumb|201px|right|A common and legitimate criticism of the [[atheist worldview]] is that [[Atheism and irrationality|atheism is irrational]].<ref name="athdef">Multiple references:
*Slick, Matt (2010). [http://carm.org/cut-atheism "Atheism"]. Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry. Retrieved on October 3, 2014.
*Samples, Kenneth R. (Fall 1991 and Winter 1992). [http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/cri/cri-jrnl/web/crj0131a.html "Putting the atheist on the defensive"]. ''Christian Research Institute Journal'', p. 7. Retrieved from Internet Christian Library on September 22, 2014.
*Gilson, Tom (March 21, 2012). [http://www.faithstreet.com/onfaith/2012/03/21/atheists-dont-own-reason/10924 "Atheists don’t own reason"]. FaithStreet/On Faith. Retrieved on October 6, 2014.
*McInerny, Professor Ralph (1985). [http://www.leaderu.com/truth/1truth11.html "Why the burden of proof is on the atheist"]. ''Truth Journal'', vol. 1. Retrieved from LeadershipU on October 3, 2014.
*Platinga, Alvin (1991). [http://www.leaderu.com/truth/3truth02.html "Theism, atheism, and rationality"]. ''Truth Journal'', vol. 3. Retrieved from LeadershipU on October 3, 2014. See [[Alvin Plantinga]].
*Day, Vox (2008). [http://www.voxday.net/mart/TIA_free.pdf ''The Irrational Atheist: Dissecting the Unholy Trinity of Dawkins, Harris, and Hitchens''](Dallas TX: Benbella Books). ISBN-10: 1933771364; ISBN-13: 978-1933771366. Retrieved on October 3, 2014. Caution: Copyrighted material. For fair educational use only.</ref> In short, atheism is a fundamentally incoherent worldview with a number of inconsistencies.<ref name="inconsist">Multiple references:
*Grayknight (May 29, 2010). [http://grayknight.hubpages.com/hub/Top-10-Atheist-Inconsistencies "Top 10 atheist inconsistencies"]. Grayknight.hubpages.com. Retrieved on October 8, 2014.
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4K_WZpIkM4 "William Lane Craig on scientific naturalism"] (January 12, 2008). YouTube video, 9:55, posted by Drcraigvideos. Retrieved on October 8, 2014.
*Sullivan, Dr. Scott (August 19, 2014). [http://www.scottmsullivan.com/why-atheism-is-incoherent/ "Why atheism is incoherent"]. Podcast, 23:17. Spiritual Combat. Retrieved from ClassicalTheist on October 8, 2014.
*[http://vimeo.com/102663614 "The Summit lecture series: Scientific naturalism worldview with J.P. Moreland, part 1"] (August 5, 2014). Vimeo video, 8:10, posted by Jefferson Drexler. Retreived on October 8, 2014.
*[http://vimeo.com/103277405 "The Summit lecture series: Scientific naturalism with J.P. Moreland, part 2"] (August 12, 2014). Vimeo video, 7:43, posted by Jefferson Drexler. Retrieved on October 8, 2014.
*[http://vimeo.com/103865278 "The Summit lecture series: Scientific naturalism worldview with J.P. Moreland, part 3"] (August 19, 2014). Vimeo video, 7:21, posted by Jefferson Drexler. Retrieved on October 8, 2014.
*[http://vimeo.com/105068126 "The Summit lecture series: Scientific naturalism worldview with J.P. Moreland, part 4"] (September 2, 2014). Vimeo video, 6:40, posted by Jefferson Drexler. Retrieved on October 8, 2014.
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6cTlDn4PiU "The incoherence of atheism - Ravi Zacharias"] (February 5, 2013). YouTube video, 51:59, posted by Christianity Reason and Science. Retrieved on October 8, 2014.
*Cooper, Jordan (August 31, 2012). [http://justandsinner.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-incoherence-of-atheism.html "The incoherence of atheism"]. Just and Sinner blog. Retrieved on October 8, 2014.
*Randy (November 12, 2012). [http://ephesians4-15.blogspot.com/2012/11/more-on-inconsistent-atheists.html "More on inconsistent atheists"]. Speak the Truth in Love. Retrieved on October 8, 2014.
*Geisler, Norman and McCoy, Daniel J. (June 2014). ''The Atheist's Fatal Flaw: Exposing Conflicting Beliefs'' (Ada, MI: Baker Publishing Group). See [[Norman Geisler]]</ref>]]
The atheist worldview cannot explain the existence of [[consciousness]] either and the [[theism|theistic]] worldview can offer a reasonable explanation.<ref>Multiple references:
*Piippo, John (March 20, 2012). [http://www.johnpiippo.com/2012/03/argument-from-consciousness-for.html "The argument from consciousness for the existence of God"]. John Piippo. Retrieved on October 6, 2014.
*Piippo, John (April 14, 2014). [http://www.johnpiippo.com/2014/04/one-of-atheisms-irresolvable-problems.html "Consciousness: One of atheism's irresolvable problems"]. John Piippo. Retrieved on October 6, 2014.</ref>

Additionally, naturalism and reason are incompatible and believing in naturalism is therefore self-defeating. In short, if naturalism is true, then we ought not to trust our capacity for reason for the human brain would be a byproduct of blind/unintelligent natural forces.<ref>Multiple references:
*Jones, Stephen E. (September 5, 2006). [http://creationevolutiondesign.blogspot.com/2006/09/cs-lewis-argument-from-reason.html "C.S. Lewis' argument from reason"]. Creationevolutiondesign. Retrieved on October 6, 2014.
*Richards, Jay W. (November 25, 2013). [http://www.evolutionnews.org/2013/11/cs_lewis_and_th079541.html "C.S. Lewis and the argument from reason"]. Evolution News and Views. Retrieved on October 6, 2014.
*West, John G. (November-December 1996) [http://www.acton.org/pub/religion-liberty/volume-6-number-6/cs-lewis-and-materialism "C.S. Lewis and materialism"]. ''Religion and Liberty'', vol. 6, no. 6. Retrieved from ActonInstitute website on October 6, 2014.
*Briggs, Matt (July 30, 2013). [http://wmbriggs.com/blog/?p=8669 "C.S. Lewis on the validity of reasoning"]. William M. Briggs [blog]. Retrieved on October 6, 2014.
*Chad (April 9, 2012). [http://truthbomb.blogspot.com/2012/04/cs-lewis-on-rationality-and-materialism.html "C.S. Lewis on rationality and materialism"]. Truthbomb Apologetics. Retrieved on October 6, 2014.</ref>

For more information, please see:

*[[Atheism and irrationality]]

*[[Atheism and logic]]

*[[Atheism and reason]]

*[[Irreligion and superstition]]

*[[Atheism and epistemology]]

=== Logical fallacies that atheists commonly commit ===

List of logical fallacies that atheists commonly commit: [[Atheism and logical fallacies]]

=== Atheism and meaninglessness ===

''See also:'' [[Atheism and meaninglessness]]

Under an atheistic worldview, there is no objective meaning or purpose in life.<ref>Multiple references:
*Anderson, James (July 16, 2013). [http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/can-life-have-meaning-without-god "Can life have meaning without God?"] The Gospel Coalition. Retrieved on October 4, 2014.
*Wartick, J. W. (January 3, 2011). [http://jwwartick.com/2011/01/03/atheism-meaningless/ "Atheism’s universe is meaningless and valueless"]. J.W. Wartick—"Always Have a Reason" [blog]. Retrieved on October 4, 2014.
*Galloway, Katie (December 23, 2013). [http://www.bethinking.org/atheism/reclaiming-reason-from-atheism "Reclaiming reason from atheism".] Bethinking. Retrieved on October 4, 2014. ["Why atheism?"]
*Sirrahc (April 19, 2012). [http://aviewfromtheright.com/2012/04/19/heat-death-and-atheist-inconsistency-or-isnt-it-ironic/ "Heat death and atheist inconsistency (or, isn’t it ironic?)"]. A View from the Right. Retrieved on October 5, 2014.
*Shramek, Dustin (2009). [http://www.oocities.org/athens/delphi/8449/atheism.html "Atheism and death: Why the atheist must face death with despair"]. Contend for the Faith [archive]. Archive retrieved on October 5, 2014.
*Brake, Aaron (2013). [http://pleaseconvinceme.com/2013/apathy-atheism-and-the-absurdity-of-life-without-god/ "Apathy, atheism, and the absurdity of life without God"]. Pleaseconvinceme. Retrieved on October 6, 2014.
*Prayson, Daniel (December 16, 2010). [http://withalliamgod.wordpress.com/2010/12/16/the-meaningless-life-of-atheism/ "The meaningless life of atheism"]. With All I Am. Retrieved on October 6, 2014.</ref> Through [[Jesus Christ]], [[Christianity]] offers objective meaning and purpose to life.<ref>Multiple references:
*Slick, Matt (2012). [http://carm.org/meaning-of-life "What does the Bible say about the meaning/purpose of life?"]. Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry website. Retrieved on October 4, 2014.
*[Under a Christian worldview] [http://www.christianbiblereference.org/faq_MeaningLife.htm "What is the purpose and meaning of life?"] (2009). Christian Bible Reference Site. Retrieved on October 4, 2014.</ref>

For more information, please see: [[Atheism and meaninglessness]]

=== Arrogance of atheism/atheists ===

''See also:'' [[Atheism and arrogance]] and [[Atheism and deception]] and [[Atheism and the suppression of science]]
[[Image:Cherry Blossom Japan.jpg|thumb|250px|Even in atheistic [[Japan]], researchers found that Japanese children see the world [[Intelligent design|as designed]].<ref>Catchpoole, David (July 16, 2009 [GMT+10]). [http://creation.com/children-see-the-world-as-designed "Children see the world as designed"]. Creation.com. Retrieved on January 3, 2015. See [[Creation Ministries International]].</ref>]]

One of the common and well-founded charges against atheists is their arrogance and presumptuousness.<ref>Multiple references:
*Samples, Kenneth R. (Fall 1991 and Winter 1992). [http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/cri/cri-jrnl/web/crj0131a.html "Putting the atheist on the defensive"]. ''Christian Research Institute Journal'', p. 7. Retrieved from Internet Christian Library on September 22, 2014.
*Copan, Paul (April 6, 2009). [http://www.equip.org/articles/the-presumptuousness-of-atheism/ "The presumptuousness of atheism"]. Christian Research Institute. Retrieved on October 3, 2014.
*Cupp, S. E. (December 29, 2010). [http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/arrogance-atheists-batter-believers-religion-smug-certainty-article-1.469613 "The arrogance of the atheists: They batter believers in religion with smug certainty"]. ''New York Daily News''. Retrieved on October 3, 2014. See atheist commentator [[S.E. Cupp]]
*O'Neill, Brendan (August 14, 2013). [http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/brendanoneill2/100230985/how-atheists-became-the-most-colossally-smug-and-annoying-people-on-the-planet/ "How atheists became the most colossally smug and annoying people on the planet"]. The Telegraph website/Brendan O'Neill [blog]. Retrieved on October 3, 2014. [atheist author]
*Delzell, Dan (October 17, 2011). [http://www.christianpost.com/news/how-anger-fuels-atheistic-arrogance-58281/ "How anger fuels atheistic arrogance"]. Christian Post website. Retrieved on October 3, 2014.
*[http://atheismexposed.tripod.com/atheist_arrogance.htm "Militant atheist arrogance and pride"] (2007). Militant Atheism Exposed. Retrieved on October 3, 2014.</ref>

==== Why atheism is an arrogant ideology ====

''See also:'' [[Rebuttals to atheist arguments|Arguments against atheism]] and [[Atheism and arrogance]]

Atheists [[Attempts to dilute the definition of atheism|lack proof and evidence]] that God does not exist and ignore the [[Christian apologetics websites|clear and abundant proof and evidence]] that He does exist. The philosopher [[Mortimer Adler]] pointed out that atheism asserts an unreasonable [[Universal negative|universal negative]] that is self-defeating.<ref name="defensive">Samples, Kenneth R. (Fall 1991 and Winter 1992). [http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/cri/cri-jrnl/web/crj0131a.html "Putting the atheist on the defensive"]. ''Christian Research Institute Journal'', p. 7. Retrieved from Internet Christian Library on September 22, 2014.</ref>

Contrary to the mistaken notion of individuals who are inexperienced in [[logic]]/[[philosophy]], there are plenty of cases where universal negatives [[Universal negative|can be proven]].<ref>Ferguson, Shawn (August 14, 2014). [http://blog.faithbeyondbelief.ca/2014/08/the-universal-negative-can-it-be-proven.html "The universal negative: Can it be proven?"] Faith Beyond Belief. Retrieved on September 22, 2014.</ref> However, atheists' universal negative claim that God does not exist is not a reasonable universal negative claim.<ref name="defensive"/>

Given their limited understanding of the vast expanse of the universe/reality, atheists unconvincing pretend to have godlike powers when they claim to know God does not exist.<ref name="defensive"/>

As noted above, the popular YouTube Christian [[Shockofgod]] created an uproar when he asked the atheist community the question, "What proof and evidence do you have that atheism is accurate and correct?"<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjS__cWr0Y0 "The question that is causing atheists to abandon atheism"] (August 6, 2010). YouTube video, 14:54, posted by shockofgod. Retrieved on July 19, 2014.</ref> See also: [[Attempts to dilute the definition of atheism]]

==== Study relating the arrogance of New Atheists and discovery of errors by New Atheists ====

Using special text analysis software, the social psychologist Jonathan Haidt found that [[New Atheism|New Atheists]] very often wrote in dogmatic terms in their major works using words such as “always,” “never,” “certainly,” “every,” and “undeniable.”<ref name="JHaidt">Haidt, Jonathan (March 5, 2014). [http://www.thisviewoflife.com/index.php/magazine/articles/why-sam-harris-is-unlikely-to-change-his-mind10 "Why Sam Harris is unlikely to change his mind"]. This View of Life. Retrieved on September 22, 2014.</ref> Of the 75,000 words in [[Sam Harris]]'s ''The End of Faith'', 2.24% of them connote or are associated with certainty.<ref name="JHaidt"/> And sadly, the works of New Atheists often betray an amateurish knowledge of philosophy/religion. For example, atheist philosopher Dr. [[Michael Ruse]] declared concerning [[Richard Dawkins]]' book ''The God Delusion'': "''The God Delusion'' makes me embarrassed to be an atheist."<ref>McGrath, Alister (January 25, 2007). [http://www.alternet.org/media/47052?page=entire "The Dawkins delusion"]. AlterNet. Retrieved on September 22, 2014.</ref> [[Vox Day]]'s book ''[http://www.voxday.net/mart/TIA_free.pdf The Irrational atheist]'' found multiple errors in reasoning and factual errors when it came to the works of New Atheist authors.<ref>Cosner, Lisa (December 2008). [http://creation.com/review-irrational-atheist-by-vox-day "Excellent refutation of ‘new atheists’ flawed by heterodox open theism"]. Review of Day, Vox (2008), ''The Irrational Atheist: Dissecting the Unholy Trinity of Dawkins, Harris, and Hitchens'' (Dallas TX: Benbella Books). ''Journal of Creation'', vol. 22, no. 3, pp. 28-31. Retrieved from Creation.com on September 22, 2014.</ref> See also: [[Richard Dawkins and pseudoscience]]

==== Militant atheism, arrogance and religious freedom ====

In addition, historically [[militant atheism|militant atheists]] have commonly endeavored to limit the religious freedom of others while imposing their errant, atheistic ideology on others. See also: [[Atheism and intolerance]]

==== Pretentious monikers ====

Atheists have also given themselves pretentious monikers such as freethinker, rationalist and "bright". See also: [[Brights Movement]] and [[Atheism and intelligence]] and [[Atheism and the theory of multiple intelligences]]

==== Other instances of the arrogance of atheists ====

For more instances of the arrogance of atheists, please see: [[Atheism and arrogance]]

[[File:Angry atheist.jpg|thumbnail|right|325px|An angry atheist speaking to a woman with a Bible in her hand.
 
 
Photo obtained from [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Anger#mediaviewer/File:Anger_during_a_protest_by_David_Shankbone.jpg Wikimedia Commons], see: [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ license agreement]]]

=== Angry and bitter demeanor of militant atheists and anti-theists ===

''See also:'' [[Atheism and anger]] and [[Atheism and bitterness]] and [[Atheism and interpersonal intelligence|Atheism and social intelligence]] and [[Atheism and emotional/intrapersonal intelligence|Atheism and emotional intelligence]]

On January 1, 2011, [[CNN]] reported:
{{cquote|People unaffiliated with organized religion, atheists and agnostics also report anger toward God either in the past, or anger focused on a hypothetical image - that is, what they imagined God might be like - said lead study author Julie Exline, Case Western Reserve University psychologist.

In studies on college students, atheists and agnostics reported more anger at God during their lifetimes than believers.<ref>Landau, Elizabeth (January 1, 2011). [http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/01/01/anger-at-god-common-even-among-atheists/ "Anger at God common, even among atheists"]. CNN/The Chart website. Retrieved on September 23, 2014.</ref>}}

Various studies found that traumatic events in people's lives has a positive correlation with "emotional atheism".<ref>Carter, Joe (January 12, 2011). [http://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2011/01/when-atheists-are-angry-at-god "When atheists are angry at God"]. First Things [The Institute on Religion and Public Life] website. Retrieved on September 23, 2014.</ref>

The atheist and [[lesbianism|lesbian]] [[Greta Christina]] told the journalist Chris Mooney on the Point of Inquiry podcast, "there isn't one emotion" that affects atheists "but anger is one of the emotions that many of us have ...[it] drives others to participate in the movement."<ref>Mooney, Chris (May 14, 2012). [http://www.pointofinquiry.org/greta_christina_why_are_you_atheists_so_angry/ "Greta Christina—Why are you atheists so angry?"] [interview of Greta Christina] Point of Inquiry website. Retrieved on October 6, 2014.</ref>
[[File:G. Christina.jpg|thumbnail|left|230px|Picture of [[Greta Christina]] in 2010.
 
 
(photo from [https://www.flickr.com/photos/danielgipps/4988339630/in/photolist-2rDM3o-bt3Ftm-bFXxr4-5nz1zL-7fobnw-7fobys-7fjigk-7fjiwX-7fobh5-5T99Aj-5T4L6K-5T98K1-5T96wf-5T4NZF-7e8Beb-7c7bCe-7e8zi9-7caZdy-8ANxzG-7e8xjS-8AKsPT-68xpDc-68xpDt-6rdw8-bHrFL6-bHrFKZ-fznm8w-eUwdEY-bqezJr-e3JzYN-fQtemN-axf5DW-dQotEq-7agx5n-okT16-MvRwB-8ANxss-8ANxSw-8UMG16-9LdtG8-bnvf16-adV2DK-bG97z6-bG97fc-bG96TK-btehjh-82T2J-oAdNG-2VKxNd-2uHoFH Flickr], see: [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/ license agreement])]]
[[Vox Day]] declared:
{{cquote|...the age at which most people become atheists indicates that it is almost never an intellectual decision, but an emotional one.<ref>Day, Vox (January 11, 2011). [http://voxday.blogspot.com/2011/01/answering-atheists-question.html "Answering an atheist's question"]. Vox Popoli. Retrieved on September 22, 2014.</ref>}}

Social science research indicates that anti-theists score the highest among atheists when it comes to personality traits such as [[narcissism]], dogmatism, and anger.<ref>Multiple references:
*[http://shadowtolight.wordpress.com/2013/07/18/science-shows-new-atheists-to-be-mean-and-closed-minded/ "Science shows new atheists to be mean and closed-minded"] (July 18, 2013). Shadow to Light [blog].
*Haidt, Jonathan (March 5, 2014). [http://www.thisviewoflife.com/index.php/magazine/articles/why-sam-harris-is-unlikely-to-change-his-mind10 "Why Sam Harris is unlikely to change his mind"]. This View of Life website.</ref> Furthermore, they scored lowest when it comes to agreeableness and positive relations with others.<ref>[http://shadowtolight.wordpress.com/2013/07/18/science-shows-new-atheists-to-be-mean-and-closed-minded/ "Science shows new atheists to be mean and closed-minded"] (July 18, 2013). Shadow to Light [blog].</ref>

Although anti-theists, militant atheists and [[New Atheism|New Atheists]] give the general public the perception that atheists are exceedingly angry individuals, research indicates that the atheist population as a whole is not angrier than the general population (see: [[Various types of atheists/non-believers and anger]]).

[[Jesus Christ]] and [[Christianity|Christendom]] have emphasized the important of forgiveness and in the last few decades mental health specialists have increasingly seen the importance of forgiveness to alleviate anger and other emotional problems within individuals.<ref>Gangdev, Prakash (April-June 2009). [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2755173/ "Forgiveness: A note for psychiatrists"]. ''Indian Journal of Psychiatry'', vol 51, no. 2, pp. 153–156. Retrieved from National Institutes of Health website/U.S. National Library of Medicine/National Center for Biotechnology Information/PubMed Central.</ref>

For more information please see: [[Atheism and anger]] and [[Atheism and bitterness]] and [[Atheism and interpersonal intelligence|Atheism and social intelligence]] and [[Atheism and emotional/intrapersonal intelligence|Atheism and emotional intelligence]]

===Atheism and miracles===
[[Image:Billcraig_czvx.jpg‎‎|thumb|150px|Dr. [[William Lane Craig]] ]]
:''See main article: [[Atheism and Miracles]]''
In relation to [[Atheism and Miracles|atheism and miracles]], modern scholars are divided on the issue of whether or not [[David Hume]] was an atheist.<ref>Russell, Paul (February 11, 2013). [http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/hume-religion/#10 "Hume on religion"]. ''The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' (Spring 2013 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.). Retrieved July 20, 2014.
</ref> With that caveat in mind, Hume is well known for arguing that it is always more probable that the testimony of a miracle is false than that the miracle occurred.<ref>Multiple references:
*Lennox, John (2009). [http://www.bethinking.org/are-miracles-possible/the-question-of-miracles-the-contemporary-influence-of-hume "The question of miracles: the contemporary influence of Hume"]. BeThinking. Retrieved on July 21, 2014.
*Craig, Dr. William Lane (1986). [http://www.leaderu.com/offices/billcraig/docs/miracles.html "The problem of miracles: a historical and philosophical perspective"]. ''Gospel Perspectives'', vol 6, ed. by David Wenham and Craig Blomberg (Sheffield, England: JSOT Press), pp. 9-40. Retrieved from LeadershipU on July 20, 2014.</ref> Christian apologists [[William Lane Craig]], [[Norman Geisler]], [[C.S. Lewis]], [[JP Holding]], and others have shown the inadequacy and unreasonableness of Hume's position regarding miracles.<ref>Multiple references:
*Lennox, John (2009). [http://www.bethinking.org/are-miracles-possible/the-question-of-miracles-the-contemporary-influence-of-hume "The question of miracles: the contemporary influence of Hume"]. BeThinking. Retrieved on July 21, 2014.
*Craig, Dr. William Lane (1986). [http://www.leaderu.com/offices/billcraig/docs/miracles.html "The problem of miracles: a historical and philosophical perspective"]. ''Gospel Perspectives'', vol 6, ed. by David Wenham and Craig Blomberg (Sheffield, England: JSOT Press), pp. 9-40. Retrieved from LeadershipU on July 20, 2014.
*Hoffman, Paul K. (Spring 1999). [http://www.galaxie.com/article/caj02-1-03?highlight=hoffmanA "A jurisprudential analysis of Hume’s ‘in principal’ argument against miracles" [excerpt]]. ''Christian Apologetics Journal'', 2:1, p. 2. Retrieved from Galaxie Software on July 21, 2014. Subscription required for full article.
*Geisler, Professor Norman (1985). [http://www.leaderu.com/truth/1truth19.html "Miracles and modern scientific thought"]. ''Truth Journal'', vol. 1. Retrieved from LeadershipU on July 21, 2014.
*Lewis, C. S. (1960). [http://books.google.com/books/about/Miracles.html?id=tH8di3qQDhEC ''Miracles''] (New York: HarperCollins). Abstract retrieved from Google Books on July 20, 2014.
*Holding, J. P. [http://www.tektonics.org/gk/hume01.html "David Hume: a critique"]. Tekton Apologetics. Retrieved on July 21, 2014.
*Esposito, Lenny (2002). [http://www.comereason.org/phil_qstn/phi060.asp "Are miracles logically impossible?"] Come Reason Ministries. Retrieved July 21, 2014.</ref>

The ''Christian Post'' reporter Stoyan Zaimov wrote:
{{cquote|Double-blind prayer experiments: where people pray for others with terminal illness. [[Gary Habermas|Habermas]] admitted that most such experiments have not worked, but the three that he knows of that have indeed worked were cases of orthodox-Christians praying for the sick.<ref>[http://www.christianpost.com/news/christian-apologist-10-reasons-for-the-fall-of-atheism-106531/ Christian Apologist: 10 Reasons for the Fall of Atheism] by Stoyan Zaimov,'' Christian Post'', October 14, 2013</ref>}}

===Atheism and questions of origins===

:''See articles: [[Atheism and Evolution]]'' and [[Evolution as a secular origins myth]]
[[Creationism|Creationist]] scientists state that the [[First Law of Thermodynamics|first law of thermodynamics]] and the [[Second Law of Thermodynamics|second law of thermodynamics]] argue against an eternal universe or a universe created by natural processes and argue for a universe created by [[God]].<ref>Multiple references:
*Hergenrather, John (2004). [http://www.creationencounter.com/space/lawsofscience.php "Evidences for God from space: can laws of science explain the origin of the universe?"] Creation Encounter. Retrieved on July 21, 2014.
*Thompson, Bert (2003). [http://www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=12&article=310 "So long, eternal universe; 'Hello beginning, hello end!'"] Apologetics Press. Retrieved on July 21, 2014.
*Brown, Dr. Walt (2008). [http://www.creationscience.com/onlinebook/AstroPhysicalSciences14.html "Chapter 2: astronomical and physical sciences", p. 53.] ''In the Beginning: Compelling Evidence for Creation and the Flood'', 8th ed. Retrieved on July 23, 2014 from The Center for Scientific Creation.</ref> A majority of the most prominent and vocal defenders of the evolutionary position which employs [[methodological naturalism]] since [[World War II]] have had the worldview of atheism.<ref name="Batten and Sarfati"/> [[Creation science|Creation scientists]] assert that the theory of [[Evolution|evolution]] is an inadequate explanation for the variety of life forms on earth.<ref>Morris, Henry M., PhD. (January 2001). [http://www.icr.org/home/resources/resources_tracts_scientificcaseagainstevolution/ "The scientific case against evolution"]. Institute for Creation Research. Retrieved on July 23, 2014. </ref> In addition, the current [[origin of life|naturalistic explanations for the origin of life are inadequate]]. The theory of evolution [[Social effects of the theory of evolution|has had a number of negative social effects]].

=== Atheists and the history of Christianity/atheism ===

''See also:'' [[Atheists and historical illiteracy]] and [[History of Atheism|History of atheism]] and [[Atheist indoctrination]]

A common complaint concerning many atheists is their lack of depth when it comes to knowledge of [[history]] and [[historiography]] - particularly in areas such as [[historicity of Jesus|historicity of Jesus Christ]] and [[Atheism and Mass Murder|atheist mass murders in history]].<ref>Multiple references:
*Day, Vox (March 10, 2014). [http://voxday.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-ignorance-of-cosmos.html "The ignorance of ''Cosmos''"]. Vox Populi blog. Retrieved on January 14, 2015. See [[Vox Day]].
*Koukl, Gregory (February 20, 2013). [http://www.str.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5527 "The real murderers: atheism or Christianity?"] Stand to Reason. Retrieved July 19, 2014.</ref>
For more information, please see: [[Atheists and historical illiteracy]]

==Atheism and mental and physical health==

:''See also:'' [[Atheism and health]] and [[Atheism and obesity]] and [[Atheism and alcoholism]]

The is considerable amount of [[science|scientific]] evidence that suggest that theism is more conducive to mental and physical health than atheism and some of the more significant findings are given below <ref>Multiple references:
*Mueller, Dr. Paul S. et al. (December 2001). [http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196%2811%2962799-7/fulltext "Religious involvement, spirituality, and medicine: implications for clinical practice"]. ''Mayo Clinic Proceedings'' vol. 76:12, pp. 1225-1235. Retrieved from Mayo Clinic Proceedings website on July 20, 2014.
*[http://www.spiritualityandhealth.duke.edu/index.php/research/research-library "Research library"]. Duke University Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health. Retrieved on July 24, 2014.
*McCullough, Michael E. et al. (2000). [http://www.psy.miami.edu/faculty/mmccullough/Papers/rel_mort_meta.pdf "Religious involvement and mortality: a meta-analytic review"]. ''Health Psychology''. vol. 19:3. pp. 211-222. Retrieved from University of Miami, College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Psychology website on July 24, 2014.
*Casey, Professor Patricia (April 3, 2009). [http://www.ionainstitute.ie/pdfs/Religion-Exec_summary.pdf "The psycho-social benefits of religious practise" [executive summary]]. Iona Institute for Religion and Society [Ireland] website. Retrieved on July 24, 2014.
*McCullough, Michael E. and Willoughby, Brian L. B. (2009). [http://www.psy.miami.edu/faculty/mmccullough/Papers/Relig_self_control_bulletin.pdf "Religion, self-regulation, and self-control: associations, explanations, and implications"]. ''Psychological Bulletin'', vol. 135: 1, pp. 69–93. Retrieved from University of Miami, College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Psychology website on July 24, 2014.
*University of Colorado at Boulder (May 17, 1999). [http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1999/05/990517064323.htm "Research shows religion plays a major role in health, longevity"]. ScienceDaily. Retrieved on July 24, 2014.
*Dervic, Kanita, et al. (December 2004). [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15569904 "Religious affiliation and suicide attempt" [abstract]]. ''The American Journal of Psychiatry'', vol. 161:12, pp. 2303-8. Abstract retrieved from National Institutes of Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Center for Biotechnology Information, Pub Med on July 24, 2014.
*University of Warwick (December 2003). [http://www.scienceblog.com/community/older/2003/A/20037338.html "Psychology researcher [Dr. Stephen Joseph] says spiritual meaning of Christmas brings more happiness than materialism"]. Scienceblog. Retrieved on July 24, 2014.
</ref> (For more information please see: [[Atheism and health]]).

=== Mayo Clinic, university studies, and other research ===
[[Image:Mayo-clinic-gondaoverview.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The prestigious [[Mayo Clinic]] found that
religious involvement and spirituality are associated with better physical health and mental health outcomes.<ref name="Mueller">Mueller, Dr. Paul S. et al. (December 2001). [http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196%2811%2962799-7/fulltext "Religious involvement, spirituality, and medicine: implications for clinical practice"]. ''Mayo Clinic Proceedings'' vol. 76:12, pp. 1225-1235. Retrieved from Mayo Clinic Proceedings website on July 20, 2014.</ref>]]
The prestigious [[Mayo Clinic]] reported the following on December 11, 2001:
{{cquote|In an article also published in this issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, Mayo Clinic researchers reviewed published studies, meta-analyses, systematic reviews and subject reviews that examined the association between religious involvement and spirituality and physical health, mental health, health-related quality of life and other health outcomes.

The authors report a majority of the nearly 350 studies of physical health and 850 studies of mental health that have used religious and spiritual variables have found that religious involvement and spirituality are associated with better health outcomes.<ref name="Mueller"/>}}

The [[Iona Institute]] reported:
{{cquote|A meta-analysis of all studies, both published and unpublished, relating to religious involvement and longevity was carried out in 2000. Forty-two studies were included, involving some 126,000 subjects. Active religious involvement increased the chance of living longer by some 29%, and participation in public religious practices, such as church attendance, increased the chance of living longer by 43%.<ref>Multiple references:
*Casey, Professor Patricia (April 3, 2009). [http://www.ionainstitute.ie/pdfs/Religion-Exec_summary.pdf "The psycho-social benefits of religious practise" [executive summary]]. Iona Institute for Religion and Society [Ireland] website. Retrieved on July 24, 2014.
*McCullough, Michael E. et al. (2000). [http://www.psy.miami.edu/faculty/mmccullough/Papers/rel_mort_meta.pdf "Religious involvement and mortality: a meta-analytic review"]. ''Health Psychology''. vol. 19:3. pp. 211-222. Retrieved from University of Miami, College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Psychology website on July 24, 2014.</ref>}}

In December of 2003, the University of Warwick reported:
{{cquote|Dr. Stephen Joseph, from the University of Warwick, said: "Religious people seem to have a greater purpose in life, which is why they are happier. Looking at the research evidence, it seems that those who celebrate the Christian meaning of [[Christmas]] are on the whole likely to be happier.<ref>University of Warwick (December 2003). [http://www.scienceblog.com/community/older/2003/A/20037338.html "Psychology researcher [Dr. Stephen Joseph] says spiritual meaning of Christmas brings more happiness than materialism"]. Scienceblog. Retrieved on July 24, 2014.</ref>}}

[[Duke University]] has established the Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health.<ref>[http://www.spiritualityandhealth.duke.edu/ Duke University Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health] Retrieved on July 24, 2014.</ref> The Duke University Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health is based in the Center for Aging at Duke and gives opportunities for scholarly trans-disciplinary conversation and the development of collaborative research projects.<ref>[http://www.spiritualityandhealth.duke.edu/index.php/about-us "About us."] The Duke University Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health. Retrieved on July 24, 2014.</ref> In respect to the atheism and mental and physical health, the center offers many studies which suggest that theism is more beneficial than atheism.<ref>[http://www.spiritualityandhealth.duke.edu/index.php/research/research-library "Research library"]. Duke University Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health. Retrieved on July 24, 2014.</ref>

=== Religious belief and self-control ===

''See also:'' [[Atheism and obesity]] and [[Atheism and alcohol abuse]] and [[Atheism and depression]] and [[Atheism and suicide]]

In the journal article ''Religion, self-regulation, and self-control: Associations, explanations, and implications'', psychologists McCullough and Willoughby theorize that many of the positive links of religiousness with health and social behavior may be caused by religion's beneficial influences on [[self-control]]/self-regulation.<ref>Multiple references:
*McCullough, Michael E. and Willoughby, Brian L. B. (January 2009). [http://www.psy.miami.edu/faculty/mmccullough/Papers/Relig_self_control_bulletin.pdf "Religion, self-regulation, and self-control: associations, explanations, and implications"] ''Psychological Bulletin'', vol. 135, no. 1, pp. 69-93. Retrieved from University of Miami department of psychology website on September 10, 2014.
*Alternate source of abstract: [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19210054 "Religion, self-regulation, and self-control: associations, explanations, and implications" [abstract]]. Retrieved from PubMed.gov on September 10, 2014.</ref> Furthermore, a 2012 Queen's University study published in ''Psychological Science'' found that religion replenishes self-control.<ref>Multiple references:
*Rounding, Kevin and Lee, Albert et al. [Queen’s University] (June 2012). [http://pss.sagepub.com/content/early/2012/05/02/0956797611431987.abstract "Religion replenishes self-control" [abstract]]. ''Psychological Science'', vol. 23, no. 6, pp. 635-642. Retrieved from Sage Journals on September 13, 2014. Purchase required for full article.
*Craig, Anne (January 24, 2012). [http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-01/qu-qsf012412.php "Queen's study finds religion helps us gain self-control"]. Queen's University website [Canada]. Retrieved from EurekAlert on September 13, 2014.</ref> Also, numerous studies indicate that those who engage in regular spiritual practices have lower mortality rates.<ref>Multiple references:
*McCullough, M. E. and Hoyt, W. T. et al. (May 2000). [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10868765 "Religious involvement and mortality: a meta-analytic review" [abstract]]. ''Health Psychology'', 19:3, pp. 211-22. Retrieved from PubMed on September 13, 2014.
*Puchalski, Christina M. (October 2001). [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1305900/ "The role of spirituality in health care"]. ''Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings'', 14:4, pp. 352–357. Retrieved from National Center for Biotechnology Information on September 13, 2014.</ref>

===Atheism and suicide===

:''See also:'' [[Atheism and depression]] and [[Atheism and suicide]] and [[Hopelessness of atheism]] and [[Atheism, gender and suicide]] and [[Atheism, marriage and suicide]]

Although there are recent studies relating to [[Atheism and suicide|atheism being a causal factor for suicide for some individuals]], an early proponent of atheism being a causal factor for [[suicide]] was the Reverend Dr. [[Robert Stuart MacArthur]].<ref>Multiple references:
*Dervic, Kanita, et al. (December 2004). [http://www.adherents.com/misc/religion_suicide.html "Religious affiliation and suicide attempt" [summary]]. ''The American Journal of Psychiatry'', vol. 161:12, pp. 2303-8. Summary retrieved from Adherents.com on July 25, 2014. Website contains link to article at American Journal of Psychiatry website.
*Dervic, Kanita, et al. (December 2004). [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15569904 "Religious affiliation and suicide attempt" [abstract]]. ''The American Journal of Psychiatry'', vol. 161:12, pp. 2303-8. Abstract retrieved from National Institutes of Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Center for Biotechnology Information, Pub Med on July 24, 2014.
*[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9507E2DC1131E033A25754C1A96F9C94659ED7CF "Atheism a cause of suicide; Dr. MacArthur preaches on the sin and cowardice of self-destruction"] (September 17, 1894). ''New York Times'', p. 2. Retrieved from nytimes.com on July 24, 2014.</ref> In 1894, the [[NY Times|''New York Times'']] stated the following in relation to atheism and suicide:
{{cquote|Dr. Martin urged that a great cause of suicide was atheism. It was, he said, a remarkable fact that where atheism prevailed most, there suicides were most numerous. In [[Paris]], a recent census showed one suicide to every 2,700 of the population. After the publication of Paine's "Age of Reason" suicides increased.<ref name="nytimes">[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9507E2DC1131E033A25754C1A96F9C94659ED7CF "Atheism a cause of suicide; Dr. MacArthur preaches on the sin and cowardice of self-destruction"] (September 17, 1894). ''New York Times'', p. 2. Retrieved from nytimes.com on July 24, 2014.</ref>}}
[[Image:Desperation_man.jpg‎ |thumb|left|200px|Pitzer College sociologist Phil Zuckerman stated concerning suicide rates: "this is the one indicator of societal health in which religious nations fare much better than secular nations."]]
The same ''New York Times'' article quotes the Reverend Dr. MacArthur describing suicide in the following manner:
{{cquote|It is mean and not manly; it is dastardly and not daring. A man who involves his innocent wife and children in financial disaster and disgrace and takes his life and leaves them to bear the burden he was unwilling to bear, is a coward.<ref name="nytimes"/>}}

In 2004, the ''American Journal of Psychiatry'' reported:
{{cquote|Religiously unaffiliated subjects had significantly more lifetime suicide attempts and more first-degree relatives who committed suicide than subjects who endorsed a religious affiliation. Unaffiliated subjects were younger, less often married, less often had children, and had less contact with family members. Furthermore, subjects with no religious affiliation perceived fewer reasons for living, particularly fewer moral objections to suicide. In terms of clinical characteristics, religiously unaffiliated subjects had more lifetime impulsivity, aggression, and past substance use disorder. No differences in the level of subjective and objective depression, hopelessness, or stressful life events were found.<ref>Dervic, Kanita, et al. (December 2004). [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15569904 "Religious affiliation and suicide attempt" [abstract]]. ''The American Journal of Psychiatry'', vol. 161:12, pp. 2303-8. Abstract retrieved from National Institutes of Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Center for Biotechnology Information, Pub Med on July 24, 2014.</ref>}}

For more information please see:

*[[Atheism and suicide]]

*[[Atheism and loneliness]]

*[[Hopelessness of atheism]]

[[File:Stephen-Fry.jpg|thumbnail|250px|right|[[Stephen Fry]] is an [[atheist]] and a [[homosexual]]. See: [[Atheism and obesity]] ]]

=== Atheism and obesity ===

''See also:'' [[Atheism and obesity]]

According to the [[Gallup Organization]], "Very religious Americans are more likely to practice healthy behaviors than those who are moderately religious or nonreligious."<ref name="Gallup">Newport, Frank, et al. (December 23, 2010). [http://www.gallup.com/poll/145379/Religious-Americans-Lead-Healthier-Lives.aspx "Very religious Americans lead healthier lives"]. Gallup. Retrieved on July 25, 2014.</ref> For more information please [[Atheism and obesity]]

Gallup declared concerning the study which measured the degree to which religiosity affects health practices: "[[Generalized linear model]] analysis was used to estimate marginal scores all five reported metrics after controlling for age (in years), gender, race/ethnicity, marital status, education (number of years), log of income, and region of the country... Results are based on telephone interviews conducted as part of the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index survey Jan. 2-July 28, 2010, with a random sample of 554,066 adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, selected using random-digit-dial sampling."<ref name="Gallup"/>

[[China]] has the world's largest atheist population.<ref name="athmap"/> In 2014, the ''Wall Street Journal'' reported that atheistic China has 300 million overweight individuals and it has the second highest obesity rate in the world.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgJvV62yD2E "Chubby China: nation of 300 million overweight people"] (May 30, 2014). YouTube video, 3:52, posted by Wall Street Journal. Retrieved on September 13, 2014.</ref>

According to a 2012 report by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of obese children in China has reached 120 million.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_yk-aM0cyk "Child obesity reaches 120 million in China"] (August 31, 2012). YouTube video, 1:37, posted by NTDTV. Retrieved on September 13, 2014.</ref> A recent study published in the ''Obesity Reviews'' journal, found that Chinese teenagers' rate of [[diabetes]] was four times that of their [[United States|American]] peers.<ref name="Pang Li">Li, Pang (September 14, 2012). [http://www.china.org.cn/china/2012-09/14/content_26521029.htm "Obesity is a growing concern in China"]. China.org.cn. Retrieved on September 14, 2014.</ref> Due to their past [[One-child Policy|one-child policy]], which had exceptions, China now has a lot of over-pampered and over-fed children.<ref>Multiple references:
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yuf8yg0Dbig "Rising Chinese child obesity and fat camps"] (October 25, 2007). YouTube video, 6:38, posted by Journeyman Pictures. Retrieved on September 14, 2014
*Burkitt, Laurie (May 29, 2014). [http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/05/29/as-obesity-rises-chinese-kids-are-almost-as-fat-as-americans/ "As obesity rises, Chinese kids are almost as fat as Americans"], Wall Street Journal website/Chinarealtime. Retrieved on October 6, 2014.
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgJvV62yD2E "Chubby China: nation of 300 million overweight people"] (May 30, 2014). YouTube video, 3:52, posted by Wall Street Journal. Retrieved on September 13, 2014.</ref>
 
A recent study published in the ''Obesity Reviews'' journal, found that Chinese teenagers' rate of [[diabetes]] was four times that of their [[United States|American]] peers.<ref name="Pang Li"/>
[[File:Flag of the PRC.png|thumbnail|250px|right|[[China]] has the largest atheist population in the world.<ref name="athmap"/> In 2014, the British medical journal'' Lancet'' reported that the Chinese now have the second highest obesity rate in the world.<ref>Multiple references:
*Burkitt, Laurie (May 29, 2014). [http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/05/29/as-obesity-rises-chinese-kids-are-almost-as-fat-as-americans/ "As obesity rises, Chinese kids are almost as fat as Americans"], Wall Street Journal website/Chinarealtime. Retrieved on October 6, 2014.
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgJvV62yD2E "Chubby China: nation of 300 million overweight people"] (May 30, 2014). YouTube video, 3:52, posted by Wall Street Journal. Retrieved on September 13, 2014.</ref>
 
A recent study published in the ''Obesity Reviews'' journal, found that Chinese teenagers' rate of [[diabetes]] was four times that of their [[United States|American]] peers.<ref name="Pang Li"/> See: [[Atheism and obesity]] ]]

Please see:

* [[Atheism and obesity]]

* [[Atheism and health]]

* [[Atheism and the fat acceptance movement]]

* [[Atheism and gluttony]]

==== Atheistic areas of the world and obesity ====

* [[China and obesity]]

* [[Secular Europe and obesity]]
 

==== Various generations and rates of irreligion/obesity ====

*[[Millennials, irreligion and obesity]]

*[[Generation X, irreligion and obesity]]

*[[Baby boom generation, irreligion and obesity]]
 

=== Atheism and alcoholism ===
[[File:Europe pol 2004.jpg|thumbnail|250px|right|According to the [[World Health Organization]]'s (WHO) regional office in [[Europe]], "The WHO European Region has the highest proportion in the world of total ill health and premature death due to alcohol.<ref name=whoalc>[http://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/disease-prevention/alcohol-use/data-and-statistics "Data and statistics"] (September 2014 or bef.). Health topics/Disease prevention/Alcohol use. Retrieved from World Health Organization (WHO)/Regional office for Europe</ref>]]
''See also:'' [[Atheism and alcoholism]]

Atheists and atheistic cultures often have significant problems with excess alcohol usage (For more information please see: [[Atheism and alcoholism]]).

==== Secular countries/regions and alcoholism ====

'''Secular Europe:'''

According to the [[World Health Organization]]'s (WHO) regional office in [[Europe]], "The WHO European Region has the highest proportion in the world of total ill health and premature death due to alcohol.<ref name=whoalc/>
 
*[[Secular Europe and alcoholism]]

*[[Godless Britain and alcoholism]]

*[[Atheistic France and alcoholism]]

*[[Atheistic Germany and alcoholism]]

*[[Atheistic Czech Republic and alcoholism]]

*[[Atheistic Estonia and alcoholism]]

*[[Godless Finland and alcoholism]]

*[[Atheistic Denmark and alcoholism]]

*[[Atheistic Netherlands and alcoholism]]

*[[Atheistic Sweden and alcoholism]]

'''Australia:'''

An Australian National Council on Drugs (ANCD) report indicated that 20% of Australians drink at levels putting them at risk of lifetime harm.<ref>Mower, Jane (November 19, 2013). [http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-20/alcohol-to-blame-for-one-in-eight-deaths---report/5102594 "One in eight deaths of young Australians attributable to alcohol: National Council on Drugs report"]. Australian Broadcasting Company website/News.</ref>

For more information, please see: [[Godless Australia and alcoholism]]

'''Asian countries:'''

See: [[Godless Asian countries and alcoholism]]

'''Godless communism and alcoholism:'''

*[[Soviet Union and alcoholism]]

*[[Communist East Germany and alcoholism]]

'''American Atheism, gender, race and alcoholism:'''

*[[Atheist Americans, gender and alcoholism]]

*[[Atheist Americans, race and alcoholism]]

[[File:Powder meth foil small.jpg|thumbnail|250px|right|Studies indicate that religious individuals are less likely to engage in illegal drug use than atheists/nonreligious.<ref name=athdrug>Multiple references:
*Denison, Jim (October 9, 2013). [http://www.christianpost.com/news/believers-consume-fewer-drugs-than-atheists-106266/ "Believers consume fewer drugs than atheists"]. Christian Post website/CP Opinion.
*Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Foerderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung [Swiss National Science Foundation] (October 3, 2013). [http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131003093041.htm "Believers consume fewer drugs than atheists"]. Science Daily website/Science News.
*[http://www.psy.miami.edu/faculty/mmccullough/Papers/Relig_self_control_bulletin.pdf "Religion, self-regulation, and self-control: associations, explanations, and implications"] ''Psychological Bulletin'', vol. 135, no. 1, pp. 69-93. Retrieved from University of Miami department of psychology website on September 10, 2014.
*Alternate source of abstract: [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19210054 "Religion, self-regulation, and self-control: associations, explanations, and implications" [abstract]]. Retrieved from PubMed.gov on September 10, 2014.</ref> ]]

=== Atheism and illegal drug use and drug addition ===

''See also:'' [[Atheism and drug addiction]]

Studies indicate that religious individuals are less likely to engage in illegal drug use than atheists/nonreligious.<ref name=athdrug/>

According to ''Science Daily'':
{{cquote|Young [[Switzerland|Swiss]] men who say that they believe in [[God]] are less likely to smoke cigarettes or pot or take ecstasy pills than Swiss men of the same age group who describe themselves as atheists. Belief is a protective factor against addictive behaviour. This is the conclusion reached by a study funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation.<ref>Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Foerderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung [Swiss National Science Foundation] (October 3, 2013). [http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131003093041.htm "Believers consume fewer drugs than atheists"]. Science Daily website/Science News.</ref>}}

=== Atheism and loneliness ===

''See also:'' [[Atheism and loneliness]]

Loneliness has been linked to many physical and mental health problems.<ref>Multiple references:
*Gammon, Katherine (March 2, 2012). [http://www.livescience.com/18800-loneliness-health-problems.html "Why loneliness can be deadly"]. Live Science website.
*Booth, Robert (October 12, 2014). "Number of severely lonely men over 50 set to rise to 1m in 15 years", ''The Guardian''.</ref>
[[File:Depressed man.jpg|thumb|right|220px|Secular societies commonly have significant levels of loneliness. See: [[Atheism and loneliness]] ]]
Compared to religious cultures where an extended family and a sense of community prevails, secular countries [[Secular countries and loneliness|are often lonelier societies]]. In addition, numerous studies and other data indicate that atheists often have lower [[emotional intelligence]] and lower social skills (see: [[Atheism and emotional/intrapersonal intelligence|Atheiam and emotional intelligence]] and [[Atheism and interpersonal intelligence|Atheism and social skills]]).

For more information, please see:

*[[Atheism and loneliness]]

*[[Secular Europe and loneliness]]

*[[Godless England and loneliness]]

*[[Atheistic Germany and loneliness]]

*[[Atheistic France and loneliness]]

*[[Atheistic Japan and loneliness]]

*[[Atheistic Sweden and loneliness]]

*[[Godless Finland and loneliness]]

*[[Godless Australia and loneliness]]

*[[Atheistic China and loneliness]]

=== Sports performance: Religious faith vs. atheism ===
[[File:Basketball.jpg|right|300px|thumbnail|Numerous studies report that athletes to be more religious than non-athletes.<ref name="Bell">Bell, Nathan T. (January 7, 2009). [http://thesportjournal.org/article/strength-of-religious-faith-of-athletes-and-nonathletes-at-two-ncaa-division-iii-institutions/ "Strength of religious faith of athletes and nonathletes at two NCAA Division III institutions"]. The Sport Journal [online publication] (Daphne, AL: United States Sports Academy). Retrieved on July 25, 2014.</ref>]]
''See also:'' [[Sports performance: Religious faith vs. atheism]] and [[Atheism and obesity]]

''The [[Sport]]s Journal'' is a monthly refereed journal published by the United States Sports Academy.
A journal article appeared in the Sports Journal entitled ''Strength of Religious Faith of Athletes and Nonathletes at Two NCAA Division III Institutions''. The article was submitted by Nathan T. Bell, Scott R. Johnson, and Jeffrey C. Petersen from Ball State University.<ref name="Bell"/>
An excerpt from the abstract of the journal article ''Strength of Religious Faith of Athletes and Nonathletes at Two NCAA Division III Institutions'' declares:
{{cquote|Numerous studies report athletes to be more religious than nonathletes (Fischer, 1997; Storch, Kolsky, Silvestri, & Storch, 2001; Storch et al., 2004). According to Storch, Kolsky, Silvestri, and Storch (2001), four reasons may explain why religion interacts with athletic performance.<ref name="Bell"/>}}

See also: [[Atheism and bodily-kinesthetic intelligence]]

== Atheism is a religion ==

''See also:'' [[Atheism is a religion]] and [[Atheist cults]] and [[Atheist hypocrisy]]

Many of the leaders of the atheist movement, such as the evolutionist and [[weak atheism|weak atheist]]/[[agnosticism|agnostic]] [[Richard Dawkins]], argue for [[agnosticism]]/atheism with a religious fervor.
[[File:Richard Dawkins pic.jpg|alt=Richard Dawkins|thumbnail|260px|right|The [[Oxford University]] Professor [[Daniel Came]] wrote to the [[New Atheism|new atheist]] [[Richard Dawkins]]: "The absence of a debate with the foremost [[Christian apologetics|apologist]] for [[Christianity|Christian]] [[theism]] is a glaring omission on your [[Curriculum vitae|CV]] and is of course apt to be interpreted as [[Atheism and cowardice|cowardice]] on your part."<ref>Ross, Tim (May 14, 2011). [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/8511931/Richard-Dawkins-accused-of-cowardice-for-refusing-to-debate-existence-of-God.html "Richard Dawkins accused of cowardice for refusing to debate existence of God"]. The Daily Telegraph website. Retrieved July 25, 2014. See [[Daily Telegraph]]</ref>]]
In addition, although many atheists deny that [[Atheist worldview|atheism is a worldview]], atheists commonly share a [[Atheism and beliefs|number of beliefs]] such as [[Naturalism (philosophy)|naturalism]], [[Evolution|belief in evolution]] and [[Origin of life|abiogenesis]].<ref>Multiple references:
*Slick, Matt (October 2011). [http://carm.org/atheism-worldview "Is atheism a worldview?"] Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry website. Retrieved on October 25, 2014. See [[CARM]]
*Hearn, Brian F. (December 31, 2009). [http://www.apologetics.net/post/Atheism-a-worldview.aspx "Atheism a worldview?"] Apologetics.net. Retrieved on October 25, 2014.
*Hearn, Brian F. (May 2, 2012). [http://www.apologetics.net/post/Atheism-is-a-worldview-%28II%29.aspx "Atheism is a worldview II"]. Apologetics.net. Retrieved on October 25, 2014.
*Bannister, Andy (October 14, 2013). [http://www.rzim.eu/the-scandanavian-sceptic-or-why-atheism-is-a-belief-system "The Scandanavian sceptic (or why atheism is a belief system)"]. Ravi Zacharias International Ministries website. Retrieved on October 25, 2014. See [[Ravi Zacharias]]</ref>

Roderick Ninian Smart, a Scottish writer and professor, defined a seven-part scheme of understanding both religious and secular worldviews<ref>Smart, Ninian (1996). [http://books.google.com/books?id=14j2UrLCi64C&pg=PA130&lpg=PA130&dq=ninian+smart+narrative&source=bl&ots=Hq3WwG_mVT&sig=j-8FpwSdqohURYodSdcl46erSJY&hl=en&sa=X&ei=FgybT6zxIc-_gAe864X6Dg&ved=0CCoQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=ninian%20smart%20narrative&f=false ''Dimensions of the Sacred'' [preview]] (Oakland, CA: University of California Press). Preview retrieved from GoogleBooks on July 25, 2014.</ref> These can be understood as narrative, experiential, social, ethical, doctrinal, ritual and material.

English Pastor Daniel Smartt defines atheism as a religion, using Ninian Smart's seven dimensions of worldview as a list of criteria. It is not necessary in Smartt's model for every one of these to be present in order for something to be a religion.<ref>Smartt, Daniel (November 6, 2008). [http://archive.is/L3cY5 "Atheism religion naturalism morally relative"]. Archive of SpiritualLiving360°. Retrieved on April 23, 2015.</ref>. However, it can be argued that all seven are present in the case of atheism.<ref>Multiple references:
*Smartt, Daniel (May 4, 2010). [http://creation.com/atheism-a-religion "Atheism: a religion"]. Creation Ministries International. Retrieved on July 26, 2014.
*Ammi, Ken (June 11, 2009). [http://creation.com/atheism "Atheism"]. Creation Ministries International. Retrieved on July 19, 2014.</ref>

In 2013, a trend of atheist services began and atheist services were reported in the ''[[New York Times]]'', ''[[The Blaze]]'' and other major news outlets.<ref>Multiple references:
*Thier, Dave (June 23, 2013). [http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/24/us/in-the-bible-belt-offering-atheists-a-spiritual-home.html?_r=0 "In the Bible belt offering atheists a spiritual home"]. Nytimes.com. Retrieved on July 26, 2014.
*Hallowell, Billy (April 17, 2013). [http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/04/17/atheist-sunday-morning-worship-services-are-on-the-rise/ "Bizarre trend: atheist Sunday morning ‘worship’ services are on the rise (minus God, of course)"] TheBlaze. Retrieved on July 26, 2014.
*Ortberg, Mallory (January 5, 2013). [http://gawker.com/5973377/londons-first-atheist-church-opens-tomorrow "London's first atheist church opens tomorrow".] Gawker. Retrieved on July 26, 2014.</ref>

See also:

*[[Atheism is a religion]]

*[[Atheist indoctrination]]

*[[Atheist cults]]

=== Atheism is a religion and its legal implications relative to the teaching of evolution ===

[[Atheism is a religion]] and [[Naturalism (philosophy)|naturalistic]] notions of origins are religious which has legal implications relative to [[evolution]] being taught in public schools.<ref>Multiple references:
*Smartt, Daniel (May 4, 2010). [http://creation.com/atheism-a-religion "Atheism: a religion"]. Creation Ministries International. Retrieved on July 26, 2014.
*Calvert, John, J. D. (June 22, 2010). [http://www.intelligentdesignnetwork.org/Kitzmiller%27s_error_summary.pdf "Summary of 'Kitzmiller’s error: using an exclusive rather than inclusive definition of religion'"]. Intelligent Design Network. Retrieved on July 26, 2014.
*Calvert, John, J. D. (Spring 2009). [http://www.intelligentdesignnetwork.org/Kitzmiller%27s_Error.pdf "Kitzmiller's error: defining 'religion' exclusively rather than inclusively"]. ''Liberty University Law Review'', vol. 3:2, pp. 213-328. Retrieved from Intelligent Design Network on July 26, 2014.</ref>

Since [[World War II]] a majority of the most prominent and vocal defenders of the theory of evolution which employs [[methodological naturalism]] have been atheists or [[agnosticism|agnostics]].<ref name="Batten and Sarfati">Multiple references:
* Batten, Dr. Don (December 1997). [http://creation.com/a-whos-who-of-evolutionists "A ''Who’s Who'' of evolutionists"]. Creation Ministries International. Originally published in ''Creation'' 20(1):32. Retrieved July 17, 2014.
* Sarfati, Jonathan, Ph.D., F.M. (1999). [http://creation.com/refuting-evolution-chapter-1-evolution-creation-science-religion-facts-bias "Chapter 1: Facts and bias", ''Refuting Evolution'']. Retrieved July 17, 2014.
</ref>

John Calvert, a lawyer and [[intelligent design]] proponent declared:
{{cquote|The Seventh Judicial Circuit of the Court of Appeals of the [[United States]] held that atheism is a [[religion]]. Therefore, it cannot be promoted by a public school. Currently, public schools are often unwittingly promoting atheism through a dogmatic and uncritical teaching of [[Evolution|materialistic theories of origins]].<ref>Morehouse, Darrin. ([http://www.highway30cofc.truepath.com/Articles/SpiritualWarfare;AtheismisaReligionPart1.pdf "Spiritual warfare; atheism is a religion part 1"]. Highway 30 website. Retrieved on July 27, 2014.</ref>}}

The atheist philosopher of science [[Michael Ruse]] admitted: "Evolution is a religion. This was true of evolution in the beginning, and it is true of evolution still today."<ref>Ruse, M. (May 13, 2000). "How evolution became a religion: creationists correct?" ''National Post'', pp. B1, B3, B7.</ref> In the their [[Question evolution! campaign]], [[Creation Ministries International]] asks as a part of their 15 questions for evolutionists: "Why is a fundamentally religious idea, a dogmatic belief system that fails to explain the evidence, taught in science classes?...If “you can’t teach religion in science classes”, why is evolution taught?<ref>Batten, Don (2011). [http://creation.com/15-questions "15 questions for evolutionists".] Creation Ministries International. Retrieved on July 26, 2014.</ref>

=== Atheist cults ===
[[File:Temple of Reason.jpg|left|thumbnail|180px|The Cathedral of Our Lady of Strasbourg was turned into a Temple of Reason by the [[Cult of Reason]]. ]]
''See also:'' [[Atheist cults]]

Within the [[Atheism is a religion|atheist religion]], there have been a number of [[atheist cults]] and atheistic groups which have had a cultish following. Some of these atheist cults/groups still exist today. In 2015, FtBCon which is an online conference organized by the [[Freethoughtblogs|Freethought Blogs]] network, recognized that nonreligious/secular cults exist (for example, the atheist cult of [[objectivism]]).<ref>Multiple refences:
*Lee, Adam (January 24, 2015) [http://www.patheos.com/blogs/daylightatheism/2015/01/reminder-secular-cults-at-ftbcon-tonight/ "Reminder: Secular cults panel at FtBCon tonight!] Daylight Atheism [blog]. Retrieved from Patheos website.
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rm4SNcH1ak8 "FtBCon3: Secular cults"] (January 24, 2015). YouTube video, 1:20:45, posted by Jason Thibeault.</ref>

An example of an atheist cult in history is the [[Cult of Reason]] during the [[French Revolution]]. The [[France|French]] atheist Pierre Gaspard Chaumette encouraged the "worship of [[Reason]]".<ref>Multiple references:
*Pierre Gaspard Chaumette was an atheist, see Gellis, Roberta (2009), ''The English Heiress, Book 1'' (Akron, OH: Cerridwen Press), p. 211.
*Pierre Gaspard Chaumette encouraged the "worship of Reason", see: Rush, Benjamin (1809). "On Animal Life" and footnote from Carlson, Eric T., M.D. et al., editor (1981), [http://books.google.com/books/about/Benjamin_Rush_s_Lectures_on_the_Mind.html?id=Sfpu7mMW9qIC ''Memoirs of the American Philosophical Society: Benjamin Rush's Lectures on the Mind''] (Philadelphia, PA: American Philosophical Society), vol. 144, p. 170. Retrieved from GoogleBooks on October 24, 2014.</ref>

The atheist cults or atheist groups which have had a cultish following which have formed in history or exist today are often a result of factors such as: [[utopia]]n thinking, fanatical devolution to various atheistic ideologies, a poor understanding of science/technology (or a penchant for materialist [[Pseudoscience|pseudoscientific]] thinking) and wishful thinking.

For example, [[cryonics]] is a pseudoscience that tries to extend life or achieve immortality in a non-theistic way after a person is legally dead (Cryonic procedures are performed shortly after a person's death).<ref name="cryogenesis"/> See also: [[Atheism and death]]

The atheists [[Robert Ettinger]] and [[Isaac Asimov]] played a significant role in the founding/launching of the [[cryonics]] movement (see: [[Atheism and cryonics]]).<ref name="Ettinger"/> According to The Cryonics Society, Asimov said of cryonics, "Though no one can quantify the probability of cryonics working, I estimate it is at least 90%..."<ref name="critics"/>

For a more complete listing and description of atheist cults or atheistic groups which have a cultish following, please see: [[Atheist cults]].

See also: [[Atheist indoctrination]]

== Atheism and women ==

''see also:'' [[Atheism and women]] and [[Atheism and rape]] and [[Elevatorgate]] and [[Prominent atheists whose wives believe in the existence of God]]

[[File:2404429188 ea8f1fc48b.jpg|thumbnail|right|255px|Studies and web traffic data appear to indicate that women in the [[Western World]] tend to be more religious than men.<ref>Multiple references:
*Britt, Robert Roy (February 28, 2009). [http://www.livescience.com/7689-women-religious-men.html "Women more religious than men"]. Livescience. Retrieved on July 26, 2014.
*See [[Atheism_and_women#Prominent_general_atheist_websites_appear_to_receive_significantly_less_traffic_from_women|Atheism and women: Demographic breakdown of atheist websites]]</ref>]]

=== Recent studies ===

==== Surveys by country ====

In November of 2010, ''Discover'' magazine published survey results published by the World Values Survey which showed significant differences between the percentage of men and women who are atheists for various countries with men outnumbering women within the [[Atheist Population|atheist population]].<ref>Khan, Razib (November 18, 2010). [http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/gnxp/2010/11/sex-differences-in-global-atheism-part-n/ "Gene expression; "Sex differences in global atheism, part N"]. Discover magazine website. Retrieved on July 26, 2014.</ref> See also: [[Atheism and women]]

==== United States surveys ====

In 2015, ''BloombergView'' reported concerning the [[United States]]: "According to a much-discussed 2012 report from the Pew Research Center on Religion and Public Life, ...women are 52 percent of the U.S. population but only 36 percent of atheists and agnostics.<ref name=agap>Carter, Stephen L. (March 27, 2015). [http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-03-27/the-atheism-gap "The atheism gap"]. BloombergView website.</ref>

A 2009 article in LiveScience.com entitled ''Women More Religious Than Men'' reported: "A new analysis of survey data finds women pray more often then men, are more likely to believe in God, and are more religious than men in a variety of other ways...The latest findings, released Friday, are no surprise, only confirming what other studies have found for decades. <ref name=Britt>Britt, Robert Roy (February 28, 2009). [http://www.livescience.com/7689-women-religious-men.html "Women more religious than men"]. Livescience. Retrieved on July 26, 2014</ref> In 2007, the Pew Research Center found that American women were more religious than American men.<ref name=Britt/>

==== Large atheist group survey and atheist meetings ====

In 2011, Beliefnetnews reported concerning the race and gender of American atheists:
{{cquote|From the smallest local meetings to the largest conferences, the vast majority of speakers and attendees are almost always white men. Leading figures of the atheist movement — [[Richard Dawkins]], [[Sam Harris]], [[Christopher Hitchens]] and [[Daniel Dennett]] — are all white men.

But making atheism more diverse is proving to be no easy task.

Surveys suggest most atheists are white men. A recent survey of 4,000 members of the Freedom from Religion Foundation found that 95 percent were white, and men comprised a majority.<ref>MacDonald, G. Jeffrey (2011). [http://blog.beliefnet.com/news/2011/01/atheists-diversity-woes-have-n.php "Atheists’ diversity woes have no black-and-white answers"]. Beliefnet. Retrieved on July 26, 2014.</ref>}}

[[File:Ayaan-Hirsi-Ali.JPG|thumbnail|right|175px|When [[Ayaan Hirsi Ali]] decries [[Islam|Muslim]] [[misogyny]], she is applauded by the atheist community. Women who decry the misogyny of atheist men often face a harsh backlash. See: [[Atheist hypocrisy]] and [[Elevatorgate]] ]]

For more information, please see:

*[[Research on atheist conferences]]

*[[Atheist conferences]]

=== Sam Harris on atheism/women ===

In 2014, the prominent New Atheist [[Sam Harris]] said that atheist activism lacks an “[[estrogen]] vibe” and was “to some degree intrinsically male”.<ref name="Lee"/> Due feminist atheist backlash, Harris wrote a long blog post indicating that his comments were taken out of context.<ref>Harris, Sam (September 15, 2014). [http://www.samharris.org/blog/item/im-not-the-sexist-pig-youre-looking-for “I’m not the sexist pig you’re looking for”]. Sam Harris. Retrieved on September 23, 2014. See [[Sam Harris]].</ref>

=== Atheism and sexism ===

Most atheists are politically on the [[leftist|left]] (see: [[Atheism and politics]] and [[Secular left]]). Part of leftist ideology is [[feminism]]. However, there is a significant amount of [[misogyny]] among atheists (see: [[Atheism and women]]).

Atheist women currently experience a considerable amount of [[sexism]] and harassment from atheist men. For example, in 2014, the prominent atheist [[PZ Myers]] said of fellow [[New Atheism|New Atheist]] [[Richard Dawkins]]' attitude towards women: "At a time when our movement needs to expand its reach, it’s a tragedy that our most eminent spokesman has so enthusiastically expressed such a regressive attitude.”<ref name="Lee">Lee, Adam (September 18, 2014). [http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/sep/18/richard-dawkins-sexist-atheists-bad-name "Richard Dawkins has lost it: ignorant sexism gives atheists a bad name"]. The Guardian website. Retrieved on September 23, 2014</ref>

For more information please see:

*[[Atheism and women]]

*[[Irreligion and domestic violence]]

*[[Secular Europe and domestic violence]]

*[[Atheism and sexism]]

*[[Atheism and rape]]

*[[Elevatorgate]]

*[[Richard Dawkins and women]]

*[[Atheist leaders and immoral relationships]]

== Atheism and marriageability ==

''See also:'' [[Atheism and marriage]] and [[Prominent atheists whose wives believe in the existence of God]]

=== Atheism and rates of marriage in the United States ===

''See also:'' [[Atheism and marriageability]] and [[Atheism and women]]

The [[Christian apologetics|Christian apologist]] Michael Caputo wrote:
{{cquote|Recently the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life has published its mammoth study on Religion in America based on 35,000 interviews... According to the Pew Forum a whopping 37% of atheists never marry as opposed to 19% of the American population, 17% of Protestants and 17% of Catholics.<ref name="marry"/>}}

[[Vox Day]] declared that according to the 2001 American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS) "more than half of all atheists and [[agnosticism|agnostics]] don’t get married."<ref name="marry"/>

For more information please see: [[Atheism and marriageability]]

=== Atheist marriages ===

See: [[Atheist marriages]]

=== Atheism and interfaith marriages ===

See: [[Atheism and interfaith marriages]]

== Atheism and its inability to explain love ==

See also: [[Atheism and love]]

From a [[Metaphysics|metaphysical]], moral and spiritual perspective, atheists have an inability to satisfactorily explain the existence of [[love]].<ref name=love/> See: [[Atheism and love]]

== Atheism and sexuality ==

''See also:'' [[Atheism and sexuality]]

Research shows that religious women (especially [[evangelicalism|evangelical]]/low-church [[Protestantism|Protestant]] women) are more sexually satisfied than irreligious women.<ref>The Social Organization of Sexuality: Sexual Practices in the United States By Edward O. Laumann, John H. Gagnon, Robert T. Michael, Stuart Michaels, page 115</ref><ref>[http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2008/11/25/the-christian-sexual-awakening.html Why Are Christians Having Better Sex Than the Rest of Us?] by Tucker Carlson, The Daily Beast, November 11, 25, 2008</ref><ref>[http://blog.getrelationshiphelp.com/2009/07/christian-women-have-more-sexual-fun.html Christian Women Have More Sexual Fun], Relationship Center in Springfield Missouri</ref>

A social science study also reports that Hispanic men are more sexually satisfied than other ethnic groups in the United States.<ref>The Social Organization of Sexuality: Sexual Practices in the United States By Edward O. Laumann, John H. Gagnon, Robert T. Michael, Stuart Michaels, page 114</ref>
Hispanics are known for their religiosity (See also: [[Western atheism and race]]).

In addition, atheist/agnostic populations have sub-replacement levels of fertility (see: [[Atheism and sexuality]]).

== Western atheism and race ==

''See also:'' [[Western atheism and race]] and [[Atheist hypocrisy]]

=== Atheism and race in the United States and Eurocentric naturalism ===

In 2015, ''BloombergView'' reported:
{{cquote|According to a much-discussed 2012 report from the Pew Research Center on Religion and Public Life, only 3 percent of U.S. atheists and agnostics are black, 6 percent are Hispanic, and 4 percent are Asian. Some 82 percent are white. (The relevant figures for the population at large at the time of the survey were 66 percent white, 11 percent black, 15 percent Hispanic, 5 percent Asian.)

...Craig Keener, in his huge review of claims of miracles in a wide variety of cultures, concludes that routine rejection of the possibility of the [[supernatural]] represents an impulse that is [[Secular Europe|deeply Eurocentric]].<ref name=agap/>}}

At the same time, due to immigration, [[Europe]] is expected to become [[desecularization|more desecularized]] in the 21st century (See also: [[Global atheism]] and [[Atheist population|Atheist population]]).

=== NY Times report about atheism and race in the United States ===

As note earlier, an atheists' meeting was organized in the [[United States]] concerning the future direction of the atheist movement and 370 people attended. The conference, sponsored by the Council for Secular Humanism, drew members from all the major atheist organizations in the United States. The ''[[New York Times]]'' described the attendees as "The largely white and male crowd — imagine a [[Star Trek]] convention, but older..."<ref>Oppenheimer, Mark (October 15, 2010). [http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/16/us/16beliefs.html "Atheists debate how pushy to be"]. Nytimes.com. Retrieved on July 25, 2014.</ref> According to the Quantcast data, white males appear to be the group of individuals who are most receptive to Richard Dawkins' and atheist [[Sam Harris]]' message.<ref>Multiple references:
*[http://www.quantcast.com/richarddawkins.net/demographics "Richarddawkins.net traffic and demographic statistics: US Demographics"]. Quαntcast. Retrieved on July 28, 2014.
*[http://www.quantcast.com/samharris.org/demographics "Samharris.org traffic and demographic statistics: US Demographics"]. Quαntcast. Retrieved on July 28, 2014.</ref> These findings, combined with the aforementioned data indicating that [[Atheism appears to be significantly less appealing to women|atheism is significantly less appealing to women]], suggests that atheist movement in the [[Western world]] and [[New Atheism]] movement are significantly more appealing to white males.

=== Atheism and evolutionary racism ===
[[File:Ota Benga at Bronx Zoo.jpg|thumbnail|right|255px|An [[Evolutionary racism|evolutionary racist]] put [[Ota Benga]] on display at the Bronx Zoo in the monkey house.<ref name=Benga>Bergman, Jerry (April 2000). [http://creation.com/ota-benga-the-pygmy-put-on-display-in-a-zoo "Ota Benga: the pygmy put on display in a zoo"]. ''Journal of Creation'', vol. 14:1, pp. 81-90. Retrieved from Creation Ministries International on July 27, 2014.</ref>]]
''See also:'' [[Atheism and evolutionary racism]] and [[Social effects of the theory of evolution]]

Since [[World War II]] a majority of the most prominent and vocal defenders of the [[evolution|evolutionary position]] which employs methodological naturalism have been atheists.<ref name="Batten and Sarfati"/> The errant and ill founded writings of atheist [[Charles Darwin]] (see: [[Charles_Darwin#Religious Views of Charles Darwin|religious views of Charles Darwin]])<ref name="Wieland">Multiple references:
* Wieland, Carl (September 1992). [http://www.creation.com/content/view/1877 "Darwin's real message: have you missed it?"] ''Creation'', vol. 14:4, pp. 16-19. Retrieved from Creation Ministries International on July 26, 2014.
* Gruber, Howard E. and Barrett, Paul H. (1974). ''Darwin on Man'' (New York: E. P. Dutton), p. 276.
* Mayr, Ernst (May-June 1977). "Darwin and natural selection." ''American Scientist''. pp. 321-327.
</ref>, which became very influential in the late 19th century, provided a pretext for racism. [[Evolutionary racism]] refers to a [[racist]] philosophy based on [[Charles Darwin]]'s [[Evolution|evolutionary theory]]. It assumes that men have continually evolved, and thus some races are more evolved than others. It replaces [[Christian]] [[morality]] with the [[atheistic]] "survival of the fittest" ideology of [[Social Darwinism]].

Charles Darwin wrote in his work ''[[The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex]]'':
{{cquote|At some future period not very distant as measured by centuries, the civilised races of man will almost certainly exterminate and replace the savage races throughout the world. At the same time the anthropomorphous apes...will no doubt be exterminated. The break between man and his nearest Allies will then be wider, for it will intervene between man in a more civilised state, as we may hope, even than the Caucasian, and some ape as low as the baboon, instead of as now between the Negro or Australian and the gorilla.<ref>Multiple references:
*[http://www.aim.org/wls/90/ "What liberals say: Charles Darwin"]. [quoting Darwin, Charles, ''The Descent of Man'']. Accuracy in Media. Retrieved on July 27, 2014.
*DeMar, Gary (September 20, 2005) [http://creation.com/charles-darwins-yard-apes "Charles Darwin's 'yard apes'"] [quoting Darwin, Charles, ''The Descent of Man'', chapter 6]. The American Vision [website]. Adapted and republished at Creation Ministries International. Retrieved on July 27, 2014.</ref>}}

An example of evolutionary racism is when an [[Evolutionary racism|evolutionary racist]] put [[Ota Benga]] on display at the Bronx Zoo in the monkey house.<ref name=Benga/> In addition, evolutionary racism was directed at [[Michelle Obama]].<ref>Catchpoole, David (December 8, 2009). [http://creation.com/obama-racism-row "Michele Obama racism row—what's it based on?"] Creation Ministries International. Retrieved on July 27, 2014.</ref>
[[File:StephenGould.jpg|thumb|right|[[Stephen Jay Gould]] ]]
The atheist [[Ernst Haeckel]] was a virulent evolutionary racist. The [[agnostic]] and staunch evolutionist [[Stephen Gould]] admitted the following:
{{cquote|[[Ernst Haeckel|Haeckel]] was the chief apostle of evolution in [[Germany]].... His evolutionary racism; his call to the [[German]] people for racial purity and unflinching devotion to a "just" state; his belief that harsh, inexorable laws of evolution ruled human civilization and nature alike, conferring upon favored races the right to dominate others; the irrational [[mysticism]] that had always stood in strange communion with his brave words about objective science - all contributed to the rise of [[Nazism]]. — Stephen J. Gould, "Ontogeny and Phylogeny," Belknap Press: Cambridge MA, 1977, pp.77-78).<ref>Gould, Stephen J. (1977). [http://members.iinet.net.au/~sejones/social.html ''Ontogeny and Phylogeny''] (Cambridge MA: Belknap Press), pp. 77-78. Retrieved from Stephen E. Jones' (B.S. biology) Home Page on July 27, 2014.</ref>}}

=== Creativity Movement ===

''See also:'' [[Creativity Movement]] and [[Atheist cults]]

The '''[[Creativity Movement]]''', formerly known as the ''World Church Of The Creator'', is an atheistic [[white supremacist]] organization.<ref>Multiple references:
*Swain, Carol M. and Nieli, Russ (March 24, 2003), eds. [http://books.google.com/books?id=RonIunZ521sC&pg=PA247&dq=atheism+white+supremacy&hl=en&ei=u_OOTaGaM6Xi0gHJztygCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CDYQ6AEwAzgK#v=onepage&q&f=false "Chapter 9: Lisa Turner" [preview].] ''Contemporary Voices of White Nationalism in America'' (Cambridge University Press), p. 246-259. Preview accessed from GoogleBooks on July 26, 2014. (See [[Cambridge University Press]].) World Church of the Creator, an organization that espouses an atheistic and white supremacist religious philosophy known as Creativity.
*Swain, Carol M. (2002). [http://books.google.com/books?id=HB1wyFPRGm4C&pg=PA23&dq=atheism+white+supremacy&hl=en&ei=Re-OTfbHHuuD0QHOycm1Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CEgQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=atheistic&f=false ''The New White Nationalism in America: Its Challenge to Integration'' [preview]] (New York: Cambridge University Press). Preview accessed from GoogleBooks on July 26, 2014. (See [[Cambridge University Press]].) For instance, Ben Klassen, founder of the atheistic World Church of the Creator and the author of ''The White Man's Bible'', discusses Christianity extensively in his writings and denounces religion that has brought untold horror into the world and divided the white race.
*Clarke, Peter B. and Beyer, Peter (May 7, 2009), eds. [http://books.google.com/books?id=rBgn3xB75ZcC&pg=PA493&dq=competing+atheistic+white+racist+movement&hl=en&ei=5uWOTeSkCamw0QH7m92bCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=competing%20atheistic%20white%20racist%20movement&f=false ''The World's Religions: Continuities and Transformations'' [preview]] (New York: Taylor & Francis). Preview accessed from GoogleBooks on July 26, 2014. A competing atheistic or panthestic white racist movement also appeared, which included the ''Church of the Creator''/Creativity (Gardell 2003: 129–134).</ref> The movement has denounced [[Christianity]],<ref name="Swain">Swain, Carol M. (2002). [http://books.google.com/books?id=HB1wyFPRGm4C&pg=PA23&dq=atheism+white+supremacy&hl=en&ei=Re-OTfbHHuuD0QHOycm1Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CEgQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=atheistic&f=false ''The New White Nationalism in America: Its Challenge to Integration'' [preview]] (New York: Cambridge University Press). Preview accessed from GoogleBooks on July 26, 2014. (See [[Cambridge University Press]].) For instance, Ben Klassen, founder of the atheistic World Church of the Creator and the author of ''The White Man's Bible'', discusses Christianity extensively in his writings and denounces religion that has brought untold horror into the world and divided the white race.</ref> as it purports to promote [[Agape|love]] for all of mankind.<ref name="Ludwig Feuerbach">Feuerbach, Ludwig (1854). [http://books.google.com/books?id=GTEKAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA266&dq=christianity+love+for+mankind&hl=en&ei=CFSbTbyAJcrUgQekjsCSBw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CEEQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=christianity%20love%20for%20mankind&f=false ''The Essence of Christianity''] (London: John Chapman), translated by Evans, Marian. Translation of ''Das Wesen des Christentums'' (1841), 2nd ed. (Leipzig). Retrieved on July 27, 2014. "Christ loved men: he wished to bless and unite them all without distinction of sex, age, rank or nationality. Christ is the love of mankind to itself embodied in an image–in accordance with the nature of religion as we have developed it—or contemplated as a person, but a person who (we mean, of course, as a religious object) has only the significance of an image, who is only ideal. For this reason love is pronounced to be the characteristic mark of the disciples." (p. 266)</ref> It denounces religion for bringing horror into the world by dividing the white race.<ref name="Swain"/>

== Decline of atheism in terms of the global population ==

[[File:Birkbeck College, University of London.jpg|right|thumbnail|250px|[[Eric Kaufmann]], a professor at [[Birkbeck College, University of London]], using a wealth of demographic studies argues the decline of atheism in terms of its [[global atheism|global adherents]] is an established trend that will persist for the foreseeable future and the rate of decline will accelerate.<ref name="sneps">Multiple references:
*Kaufmann, Eric. (2009 or aft.). [http://www.sneps.net/RD/uploads/1-Shall%20the%20Religious%20Inherit%20the%20Earth.pdf "Shall the religious inherit the earth?: demography and politics in the twenty-first century"]. www.sneps.net. Paper similar to book ''Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth? Demography and Politics in the Twenty-First Century''. Publ. in unknown publication. ("Most observers accept that the aftermath...") Retrieved July 27, 2014.
*Kitman, Frank (May 18, 2011). [http://kitmantv.blogspot.com/2011/05/eric-kaufmann-shall-religious-inherit.html "Eric Kaufmann: shall the religious inherit the earth?"] Kitman TV. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
*[http://kitmantv.blogspot.com/search/label/atheist%20demographics "Atheist demographic series"] (2009-2011). Kitman TV. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
*[http://fora.tv/2010/09/05/Eric_Kaufmann_Shall_the_Religious_Inherit_the_Earth "Eric Kaufmann: shall the religious inherit the earth?" [Festival of dangerous ideas 2010, Sydney Opera House]] (September 5, 2010). Fora.tv video, 1:03:56, posted by Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved on July 27, 2014.</ref>]]

''See also:'' [[Global atheism]] and [[Atheist movement]] and [[Desecularization]] and [[Atheist Population]] and [[Growth of Christianity in China]] and [[Secular Europe]] and [[Decline of the secular left]]

Atheists as a percentage of the world's population have declined since 1970 and global atheism is expected to face long term decline.<ref>Multiple references:
*Kumar, Anugrah (July 20, 2013). [http://www.christianpost.com/news/study-world-is-turning-more-religious-atheism-declining-100518/ "Study: world is turning more religious; atheism declining"]. The Christian Post. Retrieved on July 27, 2014.
*[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/05/globally-worldviews-of-atheism-and-non.html "Globally the worldviews of atheism and non-religious (agnostic) are declining while global Christianity is exploding in adherents"] (May 19, 2012). Question Evolution Campaign. Retrieved on July 27, 2014.
*Kaufmann, Eric (2009 or aft.). [http://www.sneps.net/RD/uploads/1-Shall%20the%20Religious%20Inherit%20the%20Earth.pdf "Shall the religious inherit the earth?: demography and politics in the twenty-first century"]. www.sneps.net. Paper similar to book ''Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth? Demography and Politics in the Twenty-First Century''. Publ. in unknown publication. ("Most observers accept that the aftermath...") Retrieved July 27, 2014.
*[http://www.gordonconwell.edu/resources/documents/StatusOfGlobalMission.pdf "Status of global mission, 2014, in the context of AD 1800–2025"] (2014). Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary website. Retrieved on July 27, 2014.</ref>

On July 24, 2013, ''CNS News'' reported:
{{cquote|Atheism is in 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>Chapman, Michael W. (July 24, 2013). [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"]. Cnsnews.com. Retrieved on July 27, 2014.</ref>}}

=== Sub-replacement levels of fertility of atheistic populations. High fertility of religious conservatives ===

''See also:'' [[Atheism and marriage]] and [[Atheist marriages]]

On December 23, 2012, Professor [[Eric Kaufmann]] who teaches at Birbeck College, [[University of London]] wrote: "I argue that 97% of the world's population growth is taking place in the developing world, where 95% of people are religious."<ref>[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2013/04/97-of-worlds-population-growth-is.html "97% of the world's population growth is taking place in the developing world, where 95% of people are religious"] (April 30, 2013). Question Evolution Campaign. Retrieved on October 29, 2014.</ref>

Michael Blume, a researcher at the University of Jena in Germany, wrote about the sub-replacement level of fertility among [[Atheist Population|atheistic populations]]: "Most societies or communities that have espoused atheistic beliefs have not survived more than a century."<ref name=leake>Leake, Jonathan (January 2, 2011). [http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/Society/article496716.ece "Atheists a dying breed as nature 'favours faithful'"]. London Times website. Retrieved on April 23, 2015.</ref> Blume also indicated concerning concerning his research on this matter: "What I found was the complete lack of a single case of a secular population, community or movement that would just manage to retain replacement level."<ref name=leake/>

[[File:Europe map CIA 2005.jpg|thumbnail|right|175px|In 2014, the Pew Research Forum indicated that [[Europe]] will go from 11% of the world's population to 7% of the world's population by 2050.<ref name="PewProj">Kochhar, Rakesh (February 3, 2014). [http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/02/03/10-projections-for-the-global-population-in-2050/ "10 projections for the global population in 2050"]. FactTank/Pew Research Center website. Retrieved on January 3, 2015.</ref> See: [[Secular Europe]] ]]

=== Expected religious and racial demographic changes in the Western World ===

See also: [[Secular Europe|Desecularization of secular Europe in the 21st century]]

In the [[United Kingdom]], by the year 2050, 30 percent of the population is expected to be non-white.<ref>Kirkup, James (May 5, 2014). [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/immigration/10809481/Non-white-people-almost-30-per-cent-of-population-by-2050.html "Non-white people almost 30 per cent of population by 2050"]. The Telegraph. Retrieved on January 14, 2015.</ref> In the United States, the Hispanic population is expected to triple by the year 2050 and become 30% of the United States population.<ref>Nasser, Haya El (February 12, 2008). "U.S. Hispanic population to triple by 2050". USA Today website. Retrieved from various websites ("The U.S. population will soar to 438 million...") on January 14, 2015.</ref> ''[[Yale University|Yale]] Daily News'' reported in an article entitled "White Europeans: An endangered species?" that "Without a major shift in the current fertility trends, industrialized Europe will see its native population decline by about three-fourths over the 21st century."<ref>Wagener, Trevor (February 27, 2008). [http://yaledailynews.com/blog/2008/02/27/white-europeans-an-endangered-species/ "White Europeans: an endangered species?"] ''Yale Daily News''. Retrieved on January 3, 2014.</ref>

For information on the projected growth of [[Evangelical Christianity|Evangelical Christianity]] and [[Islam]] in Europe, please see:

[[Secular Europe|Desecularization of secular Europe in the 21st century]]

=== Growth of evangelical Christianity in secular geographic regions ===

*[[Growth of Christianity in China|Growth of evangelical Christianity in China]]

*[[Secular Europe|Desecularization of secular Europe in the 21st century]]

*[[Collapse of atheism in the former Soviet Union]]

== Atheism and Abrahamic religions ==

*[[Atheism vs. Christianity]]

*[[Atheism vs. Islam]]

== Atheism statistics and atheist population ==

*[[Atheism statistics]]

*[[Atheist population]]

*[[Atheism and intelligence]]

*[[Atheism and education]]

==== Atheist movement and leadership ====

* [[Atheist movement]]

* [[Atheism and leadership]]

==Atheism and deception==
[[Image:CharlesDarwin.jpg|thumb|150px|right|[[Charles Darwin]]]]
''For more information please see'': [[Atheism and deception]] and [[Atheism and truth]] and [[Irreligion and superstition]] and [[Atheist cults]]

As alluded to earlier, prior to [[Charles Darwin]] publishing his [[evolution|evolutionist]] work ''On The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection or The Preservation of Favored Races in the Struggle for Life'', Darwin wrote in his private notebooks that he was a [[materialism|materialist]], which is a type of atheist.(see: [http://www.conservapedia.com/Charles_Darwin#Religious_Views_of_Charles_Darwin Religious views of Charles Darwin])<ref name="Wieland"/> Charles Darwin’s casual mentioning of a ‘creator’ in earlier editions of ''The Origin of Species'' appears to have been a merely a [[deceit|deceitful]] ploy to downplay the implications of his [[materialism|materialistic]] theory. <ref name="Wieland"/>

German scientist [[Ernst Haeckel]] was a very influential proponent of the evolutionary position and Haeckel was an advocate of atheism.<ref name="nytimes2">[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9C03EFDD123EE033A2575AC0A9659C946697D6CF "Kaiser honors Haeckel"] (March 9, 1907). ''New York Times'', p. 1. Retrieved from Nytimes.com on July 28, 2014.</ref> Ernst Haeckel attempted to portray himself as an ethical proponent of atheism, however, history shows he was a deceitful individual.<ref>Multiple references:
*Wakefield, Gerard (2002). [http://www.creationism.org/wakefield/haeckel.htm "Investigating Genesis series: 'Another evolution fraud exposed'".] www.creationism.org. Retrieved on July 28, 2014.
*[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9C03EFDD123EE033A2575AC0A9659C946697D6CF "Kaiser honors Haeckel"] (March 9, 1907). ''New York Times'', p. 1. Retrieved from Nytimes.com on July 28, 2014.
*Wells, Jonathan (June 12, 2002). [http://www.discovery.org/scripts/viewDB/index.php?command=view&id=1180 "Critics rave over ''Icons of Evolution'': a response to published reviews"]. Discovery Institute Center for Science and Culture. Retrieved on July 28, 2014.
*Wells, Jonathan (January 2001). [http://www.discovery.org/articleFiles/PDFs/survivalOfTheFakest.pdf "Survival of the fakest"]. ''The American Spectator''. Retrieved from the Discovery Institute Center for Science and Culture: essential readings on July 29, 2014.</ref>
The March 9, 1907 edition of the ''New York Times'' refers to Ernst Haeckel as the "celebrated Darwinian and founder of the Association for the Propagation of Ethical Atheism."<ref name="nytimes2"/>

For more information please see: [[Atheism and deception]] and [[Atheism and truth]]

== Irreligion and superstition==
[[Image:2384975035_230a0eac30.jpg‎‎|thumb|right|170px|The [[Wall Street Journal]] reported: "A comprehensive new study released by Baylor University yesterday, shows ...that the irreligious and the members of more liberal Protestant denominations, far from being resistant to [[superstition]], tend to be much more likely to believe in the paranormal and in [[pseudoscience]] than evangelical Christians."<ref name="paranormal">Hemingway, Molly Ziegler (September 19, 2008). [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122178219865054585.html "Look who's irrational now"]. The Wall Street Journal website. Retrieved on July 29, 2014.</ref>]]
''See also:'' [[Irreligion and superstition]] and [[Theory of Evolution, Liberalism, Atheism, and Irrationality]] and [[Atheist cults]]

In September of 2008, the [[Wall Street Journal]] reported:
{{cquote|The reality is that the [[New Atheism|New Atheist]] campaign, by discouraging [[religion]], won't create a new group of intelligent, skeptical, enlightened beings. Far from it: It might actually encourage new levels of mass [[superstition]]. And that's not a conclusion to take on faith—it's what the empirical data tell us.

"What Americans Really Believe," a comprehensive new study released by Baylor University yesterday, shows that [[Conservative Christianity|traditional Christian religion]] greatly decreases belief in everything from the efficacy of palm readers to the usefulness of [[astrology]]. It also shows that the irreligious and the members of more liberal Protestant denominations, far from being resistant to superstition, tend to be much more likely to believe in the paranormal and in [[pseudoscience]] than evangelical Christians....

This is not a new finding. In his 1983 book "The Whys of a Philosophical Scrivener," skeptic and science writer Martin Gardner cited the decline of traditional religious belief among the better educated as one of the causes for an increase in pseudoscience, cults and superstition. He referenced a 1980 study published in the magazine ''Skeptical Inquirer'' that showed irreligious college students to be by far the most likely to embrace paranormal beliefs, while born-again Christian college students were the least likely.<ref name="paranormal"/>}}

For more information please see: [[Irreligion and superstition]]

==Intellectuals increasingly rejecting atheistic ideology ==
According to Munich theologian Wolfhart Pannenberg "Atheism as a theoretical position is in decline worldwide." (see: [[Global atheism]]).<ref name="wt">Siemon-Netto, Uwe (March 3, 2005). [http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/05/breaking2453432.91875.html "God not so dead: atheism in decline worldwide"]. UPI. Retrieved from World Tribune.com on July 29, 2014.</ref> Given that the evolutionary position is a often cited component of the ideology of atheism in the [[Western world]], the gradual loss of public support of the evolutionary position is one of the many factors which are eroding the ideology of atheism. [[Oxford]] scholar [[Alister McGrath]] cites a number of additional factors in regards to the decline of atheism as an intellectual position.<ref>Multiple references:
*McGrath, Alister (February 28, 2005). [http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2005/march/21.36.html "The twilight of atheism" [preview]]. Christianity Today website. Preview retrieved on July 29, 2014. Subscription required for full access.
*Holst, Wayne (2004). [http://www.s8int.com/Godless.html "''Twilight of the Godless'' by Alister McGrath"]. ''The Toronto Star''. Retreived from s8int.com on July 29, 2014.</ref>

Given the many factors which are eroding atheistic ideology McGrath states:
{{cquote|...Atheism is in trouble. Its future seems increasingly to lie in the private beliefs of individuals rather than in the great public domain it once regarded as its natural habitat.<ref>McGrath, Alister (February 28, 2005). [http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2005/march/21.36.html "The twilight of atheism" [preview]]. Christianity Today website. Preview retrieved on July 29, 2014. Subscription required for full access.</ref>}}

== Christian websites and other resources with a large focus on the topic of atheism ==
[[File:TFT.JPG|thumb|right|400px|[[True Free Thinker]] is a [[Christian apologetics]] website run by Ken Ammi which offers many [[Rebuttals to atheist arguments|refutations of atheism]].]]
''See also:'' [[Atheism vs. Christianity]] and [[Internet atheism]]

Four of the more notable Christian apologetics websites/blogs which have a large focus on the topic of atheism are: [[True Free Thinker]], the [[Creation Ministries International and atheism|Creation Ministries International resources on atheism]], the [[Fixed Point Foundation]] website, and the [[Atheism Analyzed]] blog.

The [[Freedom from Atheism Foundation]] has a significant social media presence. The [[Militant atheism YouTube channel]] has a collection of videos on militant atheism.

== Liberal media - apostles of atheism and public relations efforts of atheists ==

''See also:'' [[Atheism and the media]]

The Media Research Center released a study in 2008 reporting pro-atheism bias by major press outlets in the [[United States]].<ref name=mrc>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTxORumTarg "Smoking gun proof that there is an atheist media bias"] (July 17, 2008). YouTube video, 2:56, posted by Atheism Sucks! Retrieved on July 25, 2014.</ref> The study found that 80% of mainstream media coverage of atheism was positive and that 71% of Christian-themed stories had an atheist counterpoint or were written from an atheist perspective.<ref name=mrc/> The study is not surprising given the [[Liberal bias|liberal bias that commonly exists in the major media outlets]].

=== Atheism and public relations ===

''See also:'' [[Atheism and public relations]] and [[Atheism statistics]]

The biggest challenge facing atheists public relations efforts is that most theists do not think about atheism and would prefer not to as they it is an [[Atheism and irrationality|unreasonable]], [[Atheism and arrogance|arrogant]] and [[Unattractiveness of atheism|unattractive worldview]]. As a result, many atheist campaigns, particularly one's by militant atheists, are designed to be provocative which has the effect of further lowering the public's view of atheism/atheists.

In areas of the [[Western World]] where theists are in the majority, atheists on the [[Secular left|left end of the political spectrum]], using the strategy of [[identity politics]], have made various attempts to portray atheists as an oppressed minority, but this has not much lessoned the low opinion and/or antipathy many theists hold towards atheists for multiple reasons (see: [[Views on atheists]]). For more information, please see: [[Atheism and public relations]]

== Causes of atheism ==

:''See main article: [[Causes of atheism]]'' and [[Atheism and hedonism]] and [[Resources for leaving atheism and becoming a Christian]]

There are a number of psychological, societal, familial, economic and spiritual factors which cause atheism which have been proposed over the centuries. Please see: [[Causes of atheism]] and [[Atheism and hedonism]].

==Atheism and the foundation of modern science==

''See also:'' [[Christianity and science]]

The birth of modern [[science]] occurred in Christianized [[Europe]].<ref>Bumbulis, Michael, Ph. D. (November 24, 1996). [http://www.ldolphin.org/bumbulis/#anchor5343749 "Christianity and the birth of science; The evidence; Clue #1. The founders/fathers of modern science were shaped by a culture that was predominantly Christian."] Lambert Dolphin's Library. Archived at Internet Archive on July 20, 2014. Retrieved from archive on July 29, 2014.

</ref>
[[Sociology|Sociologist]] [[Rodney Stark]] investigated the individuals who made the most significant scientific contributions between 1543 and 1680 A.D., the time of the [[Scientific Revolution]].
In Stark's list of 52 top scientific contributors,<ref name="Origins">Williams, Alex (August 2004). [http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/1581/ "The biblical origins of science; a review of ''For The Glory of God: How Monotheism Led to Reformations, Science, Witch-hunts and the End of Slavery'' by Rodney Stark"], ''Journal of Creation'', vol. 18:2, pp. 49–52. Retrieved from Creation Ministries International on July 30, 2014.</ref> only one ([[Edmund Halley]]) was a skeptic and another ([[Paracelsus]]) was a [[pantheism|pantheist]].
The other 50 were Christians, 30 of whom could be characterized as being devout Christians.<ref name="Origins" />
Sir [[Francis Bacon]], sometimes referred to as "the Father of Modern Science", wrote in his essay entitled ''Of Atheism'' the following: "I had rather believe all the fables in the Legend, and the [[Talmud]], and the [[Koran|Alcoran]], than that this universal frame is without a mind."<ref name="bacon">Bacon, Francis (1601). [http://www.authorama.com/essays-of-francis-bacon-17.html ''The Essays or Counsels, Civil and Moral, of Francis Ld. Verulam Viscount St. Albans''; "Of atheism"]. Authorama. Retrieved on July 30, 2014.</ref>
‎

==Atheism and debate==

'''See also:''' [[Atheism debates]] and [[Rebuttals to atheist arguments]] and [[Atheism and cowardice]] and [[Atheist factions]]
[[Image:Bahnsen.jpg‎|thumb|150px|Dr. [[Greg Bahnsen]] became known as the man atheists fear most due to [[Michael Martin]]'s cancellation of their scheduled debate. See: [[Greg Bahnsen and debate]] ]]
Historically speaking, atheism has [[Atheism debates|fared very poorly in debates]]. In addition, due to prominent atheists dodging debates, the cowardice associated with atheism has become so obvious that it is making newspaper headlines (For more information please see: [[Atheism and cowardice]]).<ref>Multiple references:
*Green, Lauren (August 19, 2011). [http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/08/19/christian-pastor-atheists-debates/?test=latestnews "Christian philosopher William Lane Craig is ready to debate, but finds few challengers"]. FoxNews.com. Retrieved on July 30, 2014.
*Ross, Tim (May 14, 2011). [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/8511931/Richard-Dawkins-accused-of-cowardice-for-refusing-to-debate-existence-of-God.html "Richard Dawkins accused of cowardice for refusing to debate existence of God"]. The Daily Telegraph website. Retrieved on July 30, 2014. See [[The Daily Telegraph]].</ref>

[[Richard Dawkins]], who flip-flops between being an [[agnosticism|agnostic]] and an atheist as far as his public persona (see: [[Richard Dawkins and agnosticism]]), has [[Instances of Richard Dawkins ducking debates|established a reputation of avoiding his strongest debate opponents]]. On May 14, 2011, the [[Great Britain|British]] newspaper ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' published a news story entitled ''Richard Dawkins accused of cowardice for refusing to debate existence of God''.<ref name=refuse>Ross, Tim (May 14, 2011). [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/8511931/Richard-Dawkins-accused-of-cowardice-for-refusing-to-debate-existence-of-God.html "Richard Dawkins accused of cowardice for refusing to debate existence of God"]. The Daily Telegraph website. Retrieved on July 30, 2014. See [[The Daily Telegraph]].</ref>

In [[The Daily Telegraph]] article Dr. [[Daniel Came]], a a member of the Faculty of [[Philosophy]] at [[Oxford University]] was quoted as writing to fellow atheist Richard Dawkins concerning his refusal to debate Dr. [[William Lane Craig]], "The absence of a debate with the foremost [[Christian apologetics|apologist]] for [[Christianity|Christian]] [[theism]] is a glaring omission on your [[Curriculum vitae|CV]] and is of course apt to be interpreted as cowardice on your part."<ref name=refuse/> Also, atheists [[Creation scientists tend to win the creation vs. evolution debates|tend to dodge creation vs. evolution debates.]]

For more information see: [[Atheism debates]] and [[Rebuttals to atheist arguments]] and [[Atheism and cowardice]]

=== Creation vs. evolution debates ===

See also: [[Creation scientists tend to win debates with evolutionists]]

The worldwide atheist community was challenged to a debate by [[Creation Ministries International]] as prominent atheists were speaking at a 2010 global atheist convention in [[Australia]].<ref name="truefree">Ammi, Ken (May 2010). [http://www.truefreethinker.com/articles/richard-dawkins-cowardly-clown "Richard Dawkins, the cowardly clown"]. True Freethinker. Retrieved on July 30, 2014.</ref> [[Richard Dawkins]], [[PZ Myers]] and other prominent atheists refused to debate Creation Ministries International.<ref name="truefree"/> Generally speaking, creation scientists tend to win the creation vs. evolution debates (see: [[Creation scientists tend to win the creation vs. evolution debates]].

== Atheist philosopher Michael Martin and the state of atheist apologetics ==

''See also:'' [[Rebuttals to atheist arguments]]

In 1990, the atheist philosopher [[Michael Martin]] indicated there was a general absence of an atheistic response to contemporary work in the philosophy of religion and in jest he indicated that it was his "cross to bear" to respond to [[theism|theistic]] arguments.<ref>Rodrigues, Luís F. (2010). ''Open Questions: Diverse Thinkers Discuss God, Religion, and Faith'' (Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO), p. 201.</ref> In addition, in 1994, Michael Martin was criticized for his eleventh hour cancellation of his debate with [[Greg Bahnsen]] (see: [[Greg Bahnsen and debate]] and [[Press release after Michael Martin pulled out of Martin-Bahnsen debate|Press release concerning Michael Martin pulling out of Martin-Bahnsen debate]]). Today, there is a growth of Christian apologetics in the world, while the atheist apologetic community is in a state of stagnation. (See: [[Rebuttals to atheist arguments|Growth of Christian apologetics]]).

==Notable atheists who became ex-atheists ==

''See:'' [[Ex-atheists]]

== Views on atheists ==

''See also:'' [[Views on atheists]] and [[Atheism statistics]] and [[Atheism and social outcasts]] and [[Atheism and public relations]] and [[Atheophobia]]
[[File:Sam Harris 01.jpg|thumbnail|250px|right|[[Sam Harris]]
 
 
(photo obtained from [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sam_Harris_01.jpg Wikimedia commons], see [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sam_Harris_01.jpg license agreement]) ]]
Concerning various [[Views on Atheists|views on atheists]], research in the American Sociological Review finds that among several groups listed, those who hold the position of atheism are the group that Americans relate least to in terms of their vision of American society and are the group most likely to be mentioned as one that Americans would not want to have marry into their family.<ref>Edgell, Penny, et al. (April 2006). [http://asr.sagepub.com/content/71/2/211.abstract "Atheists as 'other': moral boundaries and cultural membership in American society" [abstract]]. ''American Sociological Review'', vol. 71, pp. 211-234. Abstract retrieved at American Sociological Review website on July 30, 2014. Subscription or fee required for full article.</ref>Dr. [[Sam Harris]], a founder of the [[New Atheism]] movement, is well aware of the stigma surrounding atheism and has advocated that atheists no longer call themselves atheists.<ref name="Harris">Roberts, Jessica, et al. (June 19, 2007). [http://news21.com/story/2007/06/19/interview_with_an_atheist "Interview with an atheist"]. News21. Retrieved on July 30, 2014.</ref> In fact, Dr. Harris has said concerning the label of atheist, "It's right next to child molester as a designation."<ref name="Harris"/>

=== Americans and Canadians distrust atheists as much as rapists ===

''See also:'' [[Atheism and rape]] and [[Atheism and morality]]

On December 10, 2011, USA Today reported in a story entitled ''Study: Atheists distrusted as much as rapists'':
{{cquote|The study, conducted among 350 Americans adults and 420 Canadian college students, asked participants to decide if a fictional driver damaged a parked car and left the scene, then found a wallet and took the money, was the driver more likely to be a teacher, an atheist teacher, or a rapist teacher?

The participants, who were from religious and nonreligious backgrounds, most often chose the atheist teacher.

The study is part of an attempt to understand what needs religion fulfills in people. Among the conclusions is a sense of trust in others.

"People find atheists very suspect," Shariff said. "They don't fear God so we should distrust them; they do not have the same moral obligations of others. This is a common refrain against atheists. People fear them as a group."<ref>Winston, Kimberly, Religion News Service (December 10, 2011). [http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/religion/story/2011-12-10/religion-atheism/51777612/1 "Study: atheists distrusted as much as rapists"]. USA Today website. Retrieved on July 30, 2014.</ref>}}

=== Christian patience, forgiveness and long-suffering towards atheists ===

See: [[Christian patience, forgiveness and long-suffering towards atheists]]

=== Persecution of atheists ===

''See also:'' [[Persecution of atheists]]

As [[atheism vs. Islam]] conflict has increased in the world, there are growing reports of [[Islam]]ic governments imprisoning/executing atheists and radical Islamacists killing atheists, but they are still relatively few in number.<ref>Multiple references:
*Churchill, Bob (December 17, 2014). [http://www.religionnews.com/2014/12/17/atheists-new-persecuted-minority-international-report-concludes-commentary/ "Atheists: the new persecuted minority, international report concludes (commentary)"]. Religion News Service website.
*Mohiuddin, Asif (April 1, 2015). [http://observers.france24.com/content/20150401-bangladesh-atheist-blogger-murders-rahman "Bangladesh struck by wave of atheist blogger murders"]. France 24/Observers.
*Evans, Robert (December 9, 2012). [http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/10/us-religion-atheists-idUSBRE8B900520121210 "Atheists around world suffer persecution, discrimination: report"]. Reuters website</ref> For more information, please see: [[Persecution of atheists]]

=== Atheophobia ===

[[Atheophobia]] is a fear and/or hatred of atheism/atheists.<ref>Multiple references:
*Wiktionary contributors (June 16, 2014). [http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/atheophobia "atheophobia"]. Wiktionary. Retrieved on January 2, 2015.
*Wiktionary contributors (2014). [http://www.allwords.com/word-atheophobia.html?PageSpeed=noscript "Definition of atheophobia"]. Allwords.com. Retrieved on January 2, 2015.</ref> For a [[Atheophobia|number of]] moral/practical reasons, fear of atheism/atheists is unwarranted. For more information, please see: [[Atheophobia]].

==New Atheism==

''See also:'' [[New Atheism]] and [[Atheist factions]] and [[Brights Movement]] and [[Militant atheism]] and [[Atheist cults]]
[[Image:Hitchens,_Stanford.jpg‎ |left|thumb|200px|[[Christopher Hitchens]] ]]
Dissent Magazine stated the following about the "[[New Atheism]]":
{{cquote|A number of prominent authors and scientists have published books in the past year that advocate a "New Atheism." The books, which include <big>[[Daniel Dennett]]'s ''Breaking the Spell''</big>, <big>[[Richard Dawkins]]</big>'s ''<big>[[The God Delusion]]</big>'', and <big>[[Christopher Hitchens]]' ''God is Not Great''</big>, have sparked considerable public controversy across the political spectrum.<ref>Cohen, Mitchell (August 5, 2007). [http://www.dissentmagazine.org/online_articles/the-new-atheism "The new atheism"]. Dissent magazine website. Retrieved on July 30, 2014.</ref>}}

Dr. Albert Mohler Jr. describes some of the key attributes of the "New Atheism":
{{cquote|Now, ''Wired'' magazine comes out with a cover story on atheism for its November 2006 issue. In "The New Atheism," ''Wired'' contributing editor Gary Wolf explains that this newly assertive form of atheism declares a very simple message: "No heaven. No hell. Just science."...

Wolf accomplishes a great deal in his article, thoughtfully introducing the work of [[Militant atheism|militant atheists]] such as Dawkins, Harris, and Dennett. At the same time, he probes more deeply into the actual meaning of the New Atheism as a movement and a message.

At the beginning of his article, he gets right to the point: "The New Atheists will not let us off the hook simply because we are not doctrinaire believers. They condemn not just belief in God but respect for belief in God. Religion is not only wrong; it's evil. Now that the battle has been joined, there's no excuse for shirking."<ref>Mohler, Dr. R. Albert, Jr. (November 21, 2006). [http://www.albertmohler.com/2006/11/21/the-new-atheism "The new atheism?"] AlbertMohler.com. Retrieved on July 30, 2014.</ref>}}

=== Impact of the New Atheism ===

''See:'' [[Impact of the New Atheism]]

== American Atheists ==

See: [[American atheism]]

==French Revolution and atheism/deism ==

see: [[History of Atheism]]

== Atheism and homosexuality ==

See:

*[[Atheist actions against homosexuals]]

*[[Atheism and homosexuality]]

== Atheist population as a percentage of various countries' populations==

:''See main article: [[Atheist Population]]''

Specific research on the worldwide [[Atheist Population|atheist population]] conducted in 2006 [http://www.harrisinteractive.com/news/allnewsbydate.asp?NewsID=1131 suggests] that the true proportion of atheists is 4% in the United States, 17% in Great Britain and 32% in France. A survey published in the 2005 ''[[Encyclopedia Britannica]]'' declared that 2.3% of the world's population consists of individuals who profess "atheism, skepticism, disbelief, or irreligion, including the militantly antireligious." Concerning the 2.3% figure just mentioned, the 2005 survey cited by ''Encyclopedia Britannica'' survey did not include [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] in regards to the 2.3% figure and Buddhism can be [[Theism|theistic]] or atheistic.<ref>Anonymous (July 17, 2013). [http://www.religionfacts.com/buddhism/beliefs/atheism.htm "Is Buddhism atheistic?"] ReligionFacts. Retrieved on July 30, 2014.</ref>

[[Ipsos]], a major global market research company, published a report on report on religious belief/skepticism from a worlwide perspective and the report provides [http://www.ipsos-na.com/download/pr.aspx?id=10670 various statistics gained from survey results].

== Other well known proponents of atheism ==
[[File:Ncvjgfu.jpg|thumbnail|right|175px|[[Mao Zedong]] ]]

''See also:'' [[Famous atheists]] and [[Famous agnostics]]

Prominent holders of the position of atheism and atheist schools of thought have been or include:
* Carvaka school: an atheistic and materialistic offshoot of [[Hinduism]] in the 6th century B.C.
* Samkhya school: an atheistic school of classical Indian philosophy, originating in the 6th century B.C.
* [[Diagoras]]: [[Greek Philosophy|Greek philosopher]] who denied the existence of the Greek pantheon
* [[Lucretius]]: [[Greeks| Greek]] philosopher espousing materialism, and stated that man should not believe in the gods because their ideas about the gods and their fear of death made men unhappy
* [[Friedrich Nietzsche]]: Prominent 19th century atheist philosopher
* [[Mao Zedong]]: Chinese Communist leader
* [[Benito Mussolini]]
* [[Paul Kurtz]]: founder of the Council of [[Secular Humanism]]
* [[Ayn Rand]]
* [[Isaac Asimov]]
* [[Douglas Adams]]
* [[Marquis de Sade]]<ref>Wallace, Irving et al. (betw. 1975-1981). [http://www.trivia-library.com/a/biography-of-famous-atheist-marquis-de-sade.htm "Marquis de Sade (1740-1814)"]. Trivia-Library.com. Retrieved July 31, 2014.</ref>
* [[Mark Rothko]] (1903–1970) [[painter]], classified as an [[Abstract Expressionism|abstract expressionist]].

==Atheism quotes==

''See articles: [[Atheism Quotes]]'' and [[Humorous quotes about atheism and evolution]]

== Atheism news ==

See: [[Atheism news]]

== Resources for leaving atheism and becoming a Christian ==

* [[Resources for leaving atheism and becoming a Christian]]

*[http://creation.com/good-news Some good news]

==See also==

*[[Atheism articles]]
*[[Rebuttals to atheist arguments]]
*[[History of Atheism]]
*[[Martyred in the USSR: Militant Atheism in former Soviet Union]]
*[[Atheism and satanic deception]]
*[[Atheism and beliefs]]
*[[Atheism and belief]]
*[[Atheism and Evolution]]
*[[Second generation atheist]]
*[[Poe's law]]
*[[Atheism symbols]]
*[[Comedy and satires concerning atheism and evolution]] ('''large collection''' of comedy/satire concerning atheism and [[evolution]])
*[[Essay: Atheism and evolution essays|Atheism and evolution essays]]

==Online videos concerning atheism and related topics==
*[[Atheism videos]]
*[[Creation vs. Evolution Videos]]

==External links==

''see also:'' [[Atheism website resources]]

'''General articles on atheism:'''

* [http://creation.com/atheism Atheism] by [[Creation Ministries International]]
*[http://www.wnd.com/2013/03/horrific-human-toll-of-militant-atheism-exposed/ Horrific Human Toll of 'Militant Atheism' Exposed: USSR's genocide against Christians largely ignored - World Net Daily]
*[http://creation.com/atheism-agnosticism-and-humanism-godless-religions-questions-and-answers Atheism, agnosticism and humanism: godless religions] by [[Creation Ministries International]]
*[http://www.truefreethinker.com/atheism True Free Thinker - atheism section]
*[http://www.carm.org/atheism.htm Atheism] by [[Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry]]

'''Prominent atheists:'''

*[[Atheism and leadership]]
*[http://www.thebestschools.org/blog/2011/12/01/50-top-atheists-in-the-world-today/ 50 most prominent atheists in the world today]

'''Other articles on atheism:'''

*[[Atheism articles|Atheism articles on various topical areas - External websites]]
*[[Conservapedia atheism articles]]

== Recommended reading ==
'''General Works Relating to Atheism and/or Defense of Theism''':

*[http://www.amazon.com/Top-Evidences-God-Creation-ebook/dp/B00E4DS2J0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1380144491&sr=8-1&keywords=jason+browning Top 15 Evidences for God and Creation] by Jason Browning
*''True Reason: Confronting the Irrationality of the New Atheism'', Publisher: Kregel Publications; Reprint edition (February 1, 2014), ISBN-10: 0825443385
*[[Alister McGrath]], (2004), ''The Twilight of Atheism: The Rise and Fall of Disbelief in the Modern World'' ISBN 0-385-50061-0
*[[Ravi Zacharias]], (1994, 2004), ''A Shattered Visage: The Real Face of Atheism'' ISBN 0801065119
*[[Ravi Zacharias]], (1994, 1996), ''Can Man Live Without God?'' ISBN 0849939437
*[[Josh McDowell]] and Don Stewart, (1982) ''Understanding Secular Religions'', Here's Life Publishers, San Bernardino, California, ISBN 0-86605-093-0

'''Books related to ex-atheists:'''

* ''Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life'' by C.S. Lewis, Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich (March 23, 1966), ISBN-10: 0156870118, ISBN-13: 978-0156870115

*''There is a God: How the World's Most Notorious Atheist Changed His Mind'' by [[Anthony Flew]] (2007) with Roy Abraham Varghese (ISBN 978-0-06-133529-7)

*''A Defense of the Integrity of Antony Flew's "There is a God" From His Own Letters'' by Anthony Horvath, Publisher: [[Athanatos Christian Ministries]], September 3, 2011<ref>[http://athanatosministries.org/store/products/a-defense-of-the-integrity-of-antony-flews-there-is-a-god-from-his-own-letters ''A Defense of the Integrity of Antony Flew's "There is a God" From His Own Letters''] by Anthony Horvath, Publisher: [[Athanatos Christian Ministries]], September 3, 2011</ref>

'''Book on the [[New Atheism]]''':

* Dr. Phil Fernandes, ''The Atheist Delusion'', Xulon Press, (2009), ISBN-13: 9781607915829
* [[Vox Day]], (2008),''The Irrational Atheist'', BenBella Books, Inc. ISBN 1933771364 (free pdf of the abbreviated version of his book: [http://www.voxday.net/mart/TIA_free.pdf The Irrational atheist])
*R. Albert Mohler Jr., (2008), ''Atheism Remix: A Christian Confronts the New Atheists'', Crossway, ISBN 9781433504976

'''Atheism and history''':

*Dimitry Pospielovsky, (December, 1987), ''A History of Marxist-Leninist Atheism and [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] Antireligious Policies'', Palgrave Macmillan, ISBN 0312381328
*Dimitry Pospielovsky, (November, 1987), ''Soviet Antireligious Campaigns and Persecutions (History of Soviet Atheism in Theory and Practice and the Believers, Vol 2)'', Palgrave Macmillan, ISBN 0312009054
*Dimitry Pospielovsky, (August, 1988), ''Soviet Studies on the Church and the Believer's Response to Atheism: A History of Soviet Atheism in Theory and Practice and the Believers, Vol 3'', Palgrave Macmillan, hardcover: ISBN 0312012918, paperback edition: ISBN 0312012926

'''Books on the causes of atheism:'''

*[[Books on the causes of atheism]]

{{Nb Atheism}}

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

[[Category:Atheism]]
[[Category:Religion]]
[[Category:Philosophy]]
[[Category:Featured articles]]

Most popular phrases that originate from the Bible

2015-09-20T03:27:48Z

Humanperson: /* Analysis */

'''Most popular phrases that originate from the Bible''' are quotes, cliche widely used, mostly unknown to the people saying them, that came from the Bible.

== Old Testament ==
*By the skin of my teeth (Job 19:20)
*A drop in the bucket (Isaiah 40:15)
*Gird your loins (Jeremiah 1:17)
*An eye for an eye (Exodus 21:24)
*A broken heart (Psalms 34:18)
*As white as snow (Isaiah 1:18)
*At their wits' end (Psalms 107:27)
*Beat swords into ploughshares (Isaiah 2:4)
*Can a leopard change its spots? (Jeremiah 13:23)
*To the ends of the earth (Job 37:3)
*To everything a season (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
*Bite the dust (Psalms 72:9)
*Fly in the ointment (Ecclesiastes 10:1)
*Rise and shine (Isaiah 60:1)
*As old as the hills (Job 15:7)
*Scapegoat (Leviticus 16:9-10)
*The apple of my eye (Deuteronomy 32:10)
*Woe is me (Job 10:15)
*Everything under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:3)
*How the mighty have fallen! (2 Samuel 1:27)
*Pride comes before a fall (Proverbs 16:18)

== New Testament ==

*The blind leading the blind ([[Matthew_10-19_(Translated)#15:14|Matthew 15:14]])

*A house divided against itself ([[Mark 1-8 (Translated)#3:25|Mark 3:25]])

*Turn the other cheek ([[Luke 1-8 (Translated)#6:29|Luke 6:29]])
*Eat drink and be merry ([[Luke 9-16 (Translated)#12:19|Luke 12:19]])
*A cross to bear ([[Luke 9-16 (Translated)#14:27|Luke 14:27]])
*Good Samaritan ([[Luke 9-16 (Translated)#10:25|Luke 10:25-37]])
*In the twinkling of an eye (1 Corinthians 15:52)
*It's better to give than to receive (Acts 20:35)
*The powers that be (Romans 13:11)
*Charity begins at home (1 Timothy 5:8)
*The love of money is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10)
*Fight the good fight (1 Timothy 6:12)
*A labor of love (Thessalonians 1:2)

== Slightly altered quotes that originate from the Bible ==

*No rest for the wicked (There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked. - Isaiah 48:22)
*Rest in peace (Those that walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death - Isaiah 57:2)
*The writing is on the wall (And this is the writing that was written - Daniel 5:25)
*A wolf in sheep's clothing (Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. - [[Matthew_1-9_(Translated)#7:15|Matthew 7:15]])
*Burning the midnight oil (This directly relates to Jesus's parable of the 10 virgins, five that were wise and five that were foolish - [[Matthew 20-28 (Translated)#25:1|Matthew 25:1-13]])
*Go the extra mile (If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles - [[Matthew 1-9 (Translated)#5:41|Matthew 5:41]])
*Practice what you preach (Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? - Romans 2:21)
*Gone to the dogs (Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying. -Revelation 22:15)
*Good things come to those that wait (The LORD is good to them that wait for him, to the soul that seeks him. - Lamentations 3:25)

==Analysis==

The fact that so many well-known phrases and sayings can be attributed to Bible verses shows that it is a popular book among English speakers. The usage of terminology in the book is found with us, in our daily language, and can be used to describe so much of the world around us - more so than any other text, if you speak English.

===Counter-example===

In Islamic cultures, much of the daily language is traced back to the Quran. Almost no Arabic conversation occurs without Islamic influence.

===Conclusion===

The fact that a book has influenced a certain culture is only evidence that the culture engages that book.

== See also ==

*[[Essay:Best New Conservative Words]]
*[[Secularized Language]]

[[Category:Bible]]

Carbon dating

2015-09-19T23:20:23Z

Humanperson: /* Limits of Carbon Dating */

'''Carbon dating''', or carbon-14 dating, is a method for comparing the ages of organic materials such as bones or artifacts made from anything that once lived.
Unlike many other radiometric dating methods, carbon dating has been calibrated for historical periods and within that range can give reliable results.

== Principles ==

[[Image:C-14decay.JPG|framed|The first-order decay curve of carbon-14 based on the half-life of 5730 years.]]
The technique is based on comparing the levels of 14C and 12C [[isotope]]s in the sample.
14C is produced in the atmosphere by cosmic ray [[neutron]]s replacing a [[proton]] in [[nitrogen]] (14N), producing 14C.<ref name="TH">Higham, Thomas, [http://www.c14dating.com/int.html Introduction], Radiocarbon web-info.</ref>

14C is unstable and [[radioactive decay|decays]] back to 14N, at the rate of 50% every 5,730 years (so after 11,460 years 25% will be left, after 17,190 years 12.5% will be left, and so on).

In the meantime, however, the 14C will combine with [[oxygen]] in the atmosphere to form [[carbon dioxide]], which enters the food chain via [[photosynthesis]] in plants.<ref name="TH" />
By this means, most living things also have 14C and 12C in the same ratio as in the atmosphere.
This ratio is about one 14C atom for every 1,000,000,000,000 12C atoms.<ref name="TH" />

However, when the sample dies, it stops ingesting 14C, so as the 14C decays to 14N, the ratio of 14C and 12C changes.
This ratio of 14C to 12C is measured and a calculation turns the measurement into a figure representing how long ago the sample died.

Depending on the method used to measure the 14C, after about 50,000 years or so there is not enough left to measure, although advanced techniques can possibly stretch that to 100,000 years.<ref>Nave, R., [http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/nuclear/cardat.html Carbon Dating], Georgia State University.</ref>
This then becomes the maximum age that can theoretically be derived by this method.

Therefore, any sample with too little 14C to measure must, in theory, be older than 50,000 to 100,000 years, and it is not possible to determine how much older.
Similarly, any sample with measurable 14C must be younger than 50,000 to 100,000 years, assuming that adequate precautions have been taken to eliminate contamination.

== Limits of Carbon Dating ==

Carbon dating, like other [[radiometric dating]] methods, requires certain assumptions that cannot be observationally proven, yet remains mathematically proven. The observational issues include the measurements of starting conditions, the constancy of the rate of decay, and that no material has left or entered the sample.

=== Calibration ===

Unlike other radiometric dating techniques where it is not possible to [[calibration|calibrate]] the method against historically-known dates, limited calibration is possible for carbon dating.
That is, samples with dates known from historical records can be used to check the accuracy of the method.
Despite this, however, caution is still necessary in accepting dates derived from carbon dating.

Claims have been made of the method being calibrated back to 10,000 years using [[dendrochronology]],<ref name="TH" /> however these older dates derived via dendrochronology have themselves been derived with the assistance of carbon dating,<ref>Batten, Don, [http://creationontheweb.com/content/view/2441 Tree ring dating (dendrochronology)] (Creation Ministries International).</ref> making this circular reasoning.

=== Variable intake ===

Not all living things do have 14C:12C ratios the same as the atmosphere. For example it is well known that carbon dating cannot be used on many types of marine life due to reservoirs of "old" carbon held in sedimentary rocks. This problem is especially severe in shellfish or anything that eats shellfish; it is not unusual for freshly-killed seals to be dated as several thousand years old.
{{QuoteBox|...various plants have differing abilities to exclude significant proportions of the C-14 in their intake. This varies with environmental conditions as well. The varying rates at which C-14 is excluded in plants also means that the apparent age of a living animal may be affected by an animal's diet. An animal that ingested plants with relatively low C-14 proportions would be dated older than their true age."<ref>Nondestructive Testing (NDT) Resource Center, [http://www.ndt-ed.org/EducationResources/CommunityCollege/Radiography/Physics/carbondating.htm Carbon-14 Dating"]</ref>}}

=== Atmospheric variability ===

The method relies on the assumption that we know how much 14C is in the atmosphere, but this has been known to change.
Nuclear testing since the 1950s has resulted in a large increase in the amount of 14C in the atmosphere, but because the levels have been measured since the 1950s, calculations can be adjusted for these changing levels, meaning that dating of recent samples is possible.<ref name="K12">Higham, Thomas? [http://www.c14dating.com/k12.html K-12] Radiocarbon web-info.</ref>

However, atmospheric levels are also known to have changed since the start of the [[industrial revolution]], making dating items from this period more difficult.<ref name="K12" />

Dating laboratories do not make any allowance for the change in atmospheric levels that would have occurred as a result of [[Great Flood|Noah's Flood]].
This means that radio-carbon dates cannot be used to prove that the Flood did not occur, because it ''assumes'' that it did not occur.<ref>Batten, Don, (Ed.) [http://www.creationontheweb.com/images/pdfs/cabook/chapter4.pdf What about carbon dating?] Chapter 4 of the ''Creation Answers Book''.</ref>

=== Solar-Earth effect ===

Scientists at Brookhaven National Laboratory and the Physikalish-Technische-Bundesandstalt in Germany have reported "unexplained periodic fluctuations in the [nuclear] decay rates of Si-32 and Ra-226... strongly correlated in time, not only with each other, but also with the distance between the Earth and the Sun." It is likely that similar discrepancies and fluctuations occur with other nuclear decay rates, such as that of 14C. It remains for scientists to perform experiments to explore these emerging issues. <ref>[http://arxiv.org/abs/0808.3283 Evidence for Correlations Between Nuclear Decay Rates and Earth-Sun Distance], Jenkins et al. Abstract: Unexplained periodic fluctuations in the decay rates of Si-32 and Ra-226 have been reported by groups at Brookhaven National Laboratory (Si-32), and at the Physikalisch-Technische-Bundesandstalt in Germany (Ra-226). We show from an analysis of the raw data in these experiments that the observed fluctuations are strongly correlated in time, not only with each other, but also with the distance between the Earth and the Sun. Some implications of these results are also discussed, including the suggestion that discrepancies in published half-life determinations for these and other nuclides may be attributable in part to differences in solar activity during the course of the various experiments, or to seasonal variations in fundamental constants.</ref>

== History ==

Carbon Dating was developed by [[Willard F. Libby]] and his team of scientists at the [[University of Chicago]] in 1949.<ref name="TH" />
They initially measured the 'half-life' (a term that Libby coined)<ref name="TH" /> as 5568±30 years, and this became known as the ''Libby half-life''.<ref name="TH" />
It was later measured more accurately to be 5730±40 years, now known as the ''Cambridge half-life''.<ref name="TH" />

== Widespread misunderstandings ==

Many people believe that carbon dating has proved that the Earth is millions or billions of years old, much older than the biblically derived date of around 6,000 years. However, as explained above, carbon dating is incapable of providing dates in the range of millions or billions of years, and some atheistic scientists turn to more speculative forms of dating to try to derive such extraordinary time periods.

Some also argue that carbon dating should only be used on samples that fall within the range over which it can measure.
However, this prompts the question of how one might determine this prior to using carbon dating to determine the age.
They further argue that dating much older items will result in anomalous dates, which might fall within the range that carbon dating can measure.
This is incorrect. Any sample that is older than the range that carbon dating will measure will record zero 14C, and can therefore not be confused with younger samples.

==See also==
*[[AMS]]
*[[Martin Kamen]]
*[[Willard Libby]]

== References ==

<references/>

[[Category:Chronology]][[Category:Earth Sciences]]

Adolf Hitler

2015-09-19T23:09:29Z

Humanperson:

{{Dictator bio
| image =[[Image:Hitler7.JPG|200px]]
| name =Adolf Hitler
| birth =April 20, 1889 Braunau am Inn, Austria–Hungary
| parents =Alois Hitler (Schicklgruber) Klara Pölzl
| religion =Roman Catholic (rejected), [[Evolutionism]]
| spouse =Eva Braun
| children =none
| death =April 30, 1945 Berlin, Germany
| deathmanner =Suicide by gunshot
| education =Realschule Linz, Austria
| country =[[Third Reich|Germany]]
| military =16th Bavarian Reserve Regiment Imperial German Army (1914-1918)
| rank =''Obergefreiter'' (Lance Corporal/Private First Class)
|burial = none, burned.
| polbeliefs =[[Socialism]] [[National socialism]] (Nazism)
| party =German Workers' Party (''Deutsche Arbeiterpartei'' 1919–1920) [[Nazi Party|National Socialist German Workers' Party]] (''Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei'' 1920–1945)
| dictatordate =March 23, 1933
| war =[[World War II]] in Europe
| deathnumber =12,000,000+ exclusive of battle casualties
20,000,000 to 25,000,000 altogether

Rummel: 21,000,000
}}
'''Adolf Hitler''' was the Austrian-born Chancellor of [[Germany]] from January 30, 1933, and dictator of [[Third Reich|Nazi Germany]] from August 2, 1934 (as ''[[der Führer]]'') until his death on April 30, 1945. He was also the leader of the [[National Socialist German Workers Party]] (''National-sozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei'', or [[Nazi]] Party) which gained political power through threat, intimidation, and outright violence throughout Germany in the aftermath of the [[First World War]]. He was born a Catholic, but he never took religion seriously beyond initially rebelling against his Catholic father by showing preferences for Lutheran Protestantism in predominantly Catholic Austria, as well as using quasi-religious rhetoric in [[Mein Kampf]] and in speeches in order to not lose potential religious supporters. He was far more interested in [[Social Darwinism]]. After having minor wounds from an assassination bombing attempt, Hitler abused drugs originally intended to help with his injuries long after he had recovered from his injuries.

Hitler in his youth was an financially-irresponsible Bohemian (a German word of the time roughly the same as [[Hippy]]) who became broke after spending his father's inheritance wandering around Austria as a watercolour artist, practicing [[vegetarianism]], and rarely attempting to seek serious employment. Hitler worked with a Jewish art dealer and after being rejected entry into Vienna's leading art school due to his unoriginal art, Hitler was a complete failure and completely broke. Rather than accept responsibility for his Bohemian lifestyle, Hitler in denial and increasing signs of the mental illness of [[psychosis]], followed the political current in Europe at the time of blaming Jews for exploiting him. [[Anti-Semitism]] had become a significant phenomenon in Germany ever since [[Martin Luther]] during his severe mental illness at the end of his life had become anti-Semitic. But anti-Semites in Germany refused to acknowledge that Luther prior to the onset of mental illness was highly sympathetic towards Jews. It was adopted by a number of misguided conservative Protestants who were not aware of Luther's mental state when he became anti-Semitic. Hitler being rebellious to his Catholic father took up a brief interest in Lutheranism and may have been influenced by Luther's anti-Semitic remarks. Hitler without any prospects sought to be conscripted into the German Army (but refused to serve the Austrian army due to many Jews being in it), there Hitler mixed his anti-Semitic views with some of the anti-Semitic factional-Lutheran conservative nationalist aspects (that left-wing historians exaggerate by calling Hitler "far right") in order to be accepted amongst conservative German army officers but also began to adopt radical socialist ideas as revolutionary socialist movements in Germany and elsewhere grew in strength.

After World War I, Hitler behaved as a political opportunist - he played up conservative German themes to his army officers and was sent to investigate a small pan-German nationalist party called the German Workers' Party that used the anti-Semitic factional-Lutheran nationalist theme in combination with a revolutionary socialist agenda that denounced Jews as being responsible for capitalism, exploitation of Germany, and for Germany losing World War I. It was anti-Marxist - though only because [[Karl Marx]] was a Jew and due to their anti-Semitic hatred, and saw Marx as no different than capitalist Jews. The Party was disorganized and Hitler with his strong anti-Semitism took advantage of the situation and used demagoguery to raise himself in the party. In February 1920 the party changed its name to the National Socialist German Workers Party (or Nazi Party). He used the party and its members to exact revenge for his psychotic perception of Jews and capitalists as having ruined him in his youth, along with his megalomaniac and psychotic view of himself as being the "Leader" (German: ''Fuhrer'') of Germany. Many Nazis were highly mentally-ill people with delusions of grandeur of both themselves and Germany, such as [[Heinrich Himmler]], and [[Hermann Goring]] who was a morphine addict and an animal rights activist who preferred to have Jews used for scientific experiments.

Due to the thematic influence of the historic anti-Semitic faction of conservative Lutheran extremists on the Nazi movement, left-wing Marxist historians have exaggerated the role of conservative Lutherans in the Nazi movement and because of it claim that the Nazis are "far right". They completely ignore and deny the far left socialist parts of the Nazis, out of political dogmatism just as the Nazis themselves completely denied the socialist elements of Marxism because Marx was Jewish. And left-wing historians almost always neglect to note the very clear similarity of Hitler's loose Bohemian lifestyle as a youth to that of Hippies.

Adolf Hitler was an [[Evolution|evolutionary]] [[racist]] and [[socialism|socialist]] (see also: [[evolutionary racism]]).<ref>http://www.icr.org/index.php?module=articles&action=view&ID=268</ref><ref>http://mises.org/daily/1937</ref><ref>http://www.hourofthetime.com/socialist.htm</ref> Hitler’s policies and beliefs resulted in the [[Genocide|mass extermination]] of the [[Jews]], [[Gypsies]], and other peoples he considered “[[Racial Supremacy|inferior]]” throughout central and eastern [[Europe]] and were directly responsible for the outbreak of [[World War II]], which caused the deaths of untold millions on and off the battlefield and reportedly ended only after Hitler's [[suicide]] in his Berlin bunker.

==Early life==
[[File:Hitler Roses.jpg|thumb|Roses by Adolf Hitler.]]
Hitler was born on April 20, 1889, in Braunau am Inn, [[Austria]]. Hitler's father, Alois (born 1837), was a customs official who was himself born out of wedlock, carrying for a time his mother's name, Schicklgruber. By 1876 he had his baptismal entry corrected in his church records, establishing his father as Johan Heidler, which was altered slightly to Hitler.

When his father retired the family moved to Linz, Austria, where it remained a favorite for young Adolf for the rest of his life, and where he gave his wish to be buried. When Alois died in 1903 he left enough of a pension to support his wife and children; Adolf would take his and live off of it in Vienna after leaving school, dreaming of becoming an artist. Although somewhat competent as a painter of landscapes and architecture, his renderings of humans were considered “lifeless” and “crude” by the standards of the Academy of Fine Arts, and his application was rejected twice. Remaining in [[Vienna]], he moved from one cheap flop house to another, painting postcards and advertisements to earn a meager living after his allowance had dried up. By then he had developed traits which characterized his life as a whole: secretiveness, loneliness, a Spartan mode of everyday life, and a hatred of the cosmopolitan, multinational character that was the makeup of Vienna. ''He never sought a proper job or regular employment. Instead he immersed himself in the works of [[Hegel]], [[Nietzsche]], and the anti-Semitic writings of the Englishman Houston Stewart Chamberlain. He loved the operas of Wagner, and the stories of the Nordic Gods... In early 1910, he entered a shelter for the homeless, populated in the main by poor Jews, on Meldemenstrasse, and was eating at soup kitchens. By this time he had pawned all his belongings. '' <ref> [http://socyberty.com/history/young-adolf-the-adolescent-hitler-and-beyond/ Young Adolf: The Adolescent Hitler and Beyond.] {{dead link}}</ref>

==Who And What He Was==
[[Image:Cupid Complaining to Venus by Lucas Cranach.jpg|150px|left|thumb|This painting, one of the best-loved paintings in the National Gallery, had once belonged to Hitler. New evidence has come to light that Lucas Cranach's ''Cupid Complaining to Venus'', currently on loan to an exhibition in Bristol, hung on the sitting-room wall of his flat in Munich. <ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2008/mar/28/art.secondworldwar Hitler owned painting now in National Gallery]</ref>]]
[[Elie Wiesel]] wrote famously, and most eloquently about Hitler in 1998:
<blockquote>''"At the same time that he terrorized his adversaries, he knew how to please, impress and charm the very interlocutors from whom he wanted support. Diplomats and journalists insist as much on his charm as they do on his temper tantrums. The savior admired by his own as he dragged them into his madness, the Satan and exterminating angel feared and hated by all others, Hitler led his people to a shameful defeat without precedent. That his political and strategic ambitions have created a dividing line in the history of this turbulent and tormented century is undeniable: there is a before and an after. By the breadth of his crimes, which have attained a quasi-ontological dimension, he surpasses all his predecessors: as a result of Hitler, man is defined by what makes him inhuman. With Hitler at the head of a gigantic laboratory, life itself seems to have changed."''</blockquote>

<blockquote>''"How did this Austrian without title or position manage to get himself elected head of a German nation renowned for its civilizing mission? How to explain the success of his cheap demagogy in the heart of a people so proud of having inherited the genius of a Wolfgang von Goethe and an Immanuel Kant?"''</blockquote>

<blockquote>''"Was there no resistance to his disastrous projects? There was. But it was too feeble, too weak and too late to succeed. German society had rallied behind him: the judicial, the educational, the industrial and the economic establishments gave him their support. Few politicians of this century have aroused, in their lifetime, such love and so much hate; few have inspired so much historical and psychological research after their death. Even today, works on his enigmatic personality and his cursed career are best sellers everywhere. Some are good, others are less good, but all seem to respond to an authentic curiosity on the part of a public haunted by memory and the desire to understand."''</blockquote>

<blockquote>''"We think we know everything about the nefarious forces that shaped his destiny: his unhappy childhood, his frustrated adolescence; his artistic disappointments; his wound received on the front during World War I; his taste for spectacle, his constant disdain for social and military aristocracies; his relationship with [[Eva Braun]], who adored him; the cult of the very death he feared; his lack of scruples with regard to his former comrades of the SA, whom he had assassinated in 1934; his endless hatred of [[Jews]], whose survival enraged him — each and every phase of his official and private life has found its chroniclers, its biographers."''</blockquote>

<blockquote>''"And yet. There are, in all these givens, elements that escape us. How did this unstable paranoid find it within himself to impose gigantic hope as an immutable ideal that motivated his nation almost until the end? Would he have come to power if Germany were not going through endless economic crises, or if the winners in 1918 had not imposed on it conditions that represented a national humiliation against which the German patriotic fiber could only revolt? We would be wrong to forget: Hitler came to power in January 1933 by the most legitimate means. His [[Nationalist Socialist Party]] won a majority in the parliamentary elections. The aging [[Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg]] had no choice but to allow him, at age 43, to form the new government, marking the end of the Weimar Republic. And the beginning of the [[Third Reich]], which, according to Hitler, would last 1,000 years."''</blockquote>

<blockquote>''"From that moment on, events cascaded. The burning of the [[Reichstag]] came only a little before the openings of the first concentration camps, established for members of the opposition. Fear descended on the country and squeezed it in a vise. Great writers, musicians and painters went into exile to France and the U.S. Jews with foresight emigrated toward Palestine. The air of Hitler's Germany was becoming more and more suffocating. Those who preferred to wait, thinking that the Nazi regime would not last, could not last, would regret it later, when it was too late."''</blockquote>

<blockquote>''"The fact is that Hitler was beloved by his people — not the military, at least not in the beginning, but by the average Germans who pledged to him an affection, a tenderness and a fidelity that bordered on the irrational. It was idolatry on a national scale. One had to see the crowds who acclaimed him. And the women who were attracted to him. And the young who in his presence went into ecstasy. Did they not see the hateful mask that covered his face? Did they not divine the catastrophe he bore within himself?<ref name="time">http://www.time.com/time/time100/leaders/profile/hitler.html"''</ref></blockquote>

{{Clear}}

== Beliefs ==

According to Albert Speer, Hitler never left the Catholic Church, but was hostile to its teachings. He did admire its power. Some people believe that Hitler only mentioned [[Christianity]] in his speeches to gain votes and favor. Any voiced tolerance during the 1930s changed to targeted persecution, mainly of Protestant "resisters" to Nazism.<ref>McNab, Chris. ''The Third Reich''. (2009) pp. 182, 183</ref>

Although Hitler may have had some Christian rhetoric in his speeches, he certainly rejected it on a personal level. In the book, ''Hitler's Table Talk'', it reveals that Hitler thought of Christianity as a great "scourge" of history.<ref>http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/facts/fm0110.htm {{dead link}}</ref>

See also: [[Atheists, Adolf Hitler and the no true Scottsman fallacy]]

=== Hitler, Nazism and socialism ===

''For more information please see:'' [[Nazism and socialism]]

[[Image:Hitler.jpg|thumb|250px|right|One of the most well known political parties of the 20th century which was [[socialism|socialistic]] was the [[National Socialist German Workers Party]] (NAZI) which was headed by the [[Evolutionary racism|evolutionary racist]] Adolf Hitler.<ref>http://mises.org/daily/1937</ref><ref>http://creation.com/darwinism-and-the-nazi-race-holocaust</ref><ref>http://www.hourofthetime.com/socialist.htm</ref> ]]
The [[Ludwig von Mises Institute]] declares:
{{cquote|The identification of [[Nazi]] [[Germany]] as a [[socialism|socialist]] state was one of the many great contributions of [[Ludwig von Mises]]...

The basis of the claim that Nazi Germany was capitalist was the fact that most industries in Nazi Germany appeared to be left in private hands.

What Mises identified was that private ownership of the means of production existed in name only under the Nazis and that the actual substance of ownership of the means of production resided in the German government. For it was the German government and not the nominal private owners that exercised all of the substantive powers of ownership: it, not the nominal private owners, decided what was to be produced, in what quantity, by what methods, and to whom it was to be distributed, as well as what prices would be charged and what wages would be paid, and what dividends or other income the nominal private owners would be permitted to receive. The position of the alleged private owners, Mises showed, was reduced essentially to that of government pensioners.

De facto government ownership of the means of production, as Mises termed it, was logically implied by such fundamental collectivist principles embraced by the Nazis as that the common good comes before the private good and the individual exists as a means to the ends of the State. If the individual is a means to the ends of the State, so too, of course, is his property. Just as he is owned by the State, his property is also owned by the State.<ref>http://mises.org/daily/1937</ref>}}

=== Hitler and the Theory of Evolution ===
''For more information please see:'' [[Evolutionary racism]] and [[Social effects of the theory of evolution]]

Included in the list of banned books in Germany around 1935 were those: "Schriften weltanschaulichen und lebenskundlichen Charakters, deren Inhalt die falsche naturwissenschaftliche Aufklärung eines primitiven Darwinismus und Monismus ist."<ref>Die Bücherei 2:6 (1935), p. 279</ref> (Translation: "Writings of a philosophical and social nature whose content deals with the ''false scientific enlightenment of primitive Darwinism'' and Monism (Hackel).") The Nazi Party blacklisted books which taught the Theory of Evolution.<ref>http://www.library.arizona.edu/exhibits/burnedbooks/documents.htm</ref> Many people don't know this, and continue to believe that Hitler believed in the actual, scientific Theory of [[Evolution]], due to his own occasional misapplication of the word.

[[Image:Hitlerrisetopower.jpg|right|225px|thumb]]
The staunch [[evolution|evolutionist]] Stephen Gould admitted the following:
{{cquote|[[Ernst Haeckel|[Ernst] Haeckel]] was the chief apostle of evolution in [[Germany]].... His evolutionary racism; his call to the German people for racial purity and unflinching devotion to a "just" state; his belief that harsh, inexorable laws of evolution ruled human civilization and nature alike, conferring upon favored races the right to dominate others; the irrational mysticism that had always stood in strange communion with his brave words about objective science - all contributed to the rise of Nazism. - Stephen J. Gould, "Ontogeny and Phylogeny," Belknap Press: Cambridge MA, 1977, pp.77-78).<ref>http://members.iinet.net.au/~sejones/social.html</ref>}}

Robert E.D. Clark in his work ''Darwin: Before and After'' wrote concerning Hitler's evolutionary racism:
{{cquote|The Germans were the higher race, destined for a glorious evolutionary future. For this reason it was essential that the Jews should be segregated, otherwise mixed marriages would take place. Were this to happen, all nature’s efforts 'to establish an evolutionary higher stage of being may thus be rendered futile' (''Mein Kampf''). <ref>http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/1675</ref>}}

Hitler wrote in ''Mein Kampf'':
{{cquote|The stronger must dominate and not blend with the weaker, thus sacrificing his own greatness. Only the born weakling can view this as cruel, but he, after all, is only a weak and limited man; for if this law did not prevail, any conceivable higher development (Hoherentwicklung) of organic living beings would be unthinkable.<ref>http://www.icr.org/index.php?module=articles&action=view&ID=268</ref>}}

Dr. Robert E.D. Clark wrote in his work ''Darwin, Before and After'' the following regarding Hitler and the theory of evolution: “Adolf Hitler’s mind was captivated by evolutionary teaching — probably since the time he was a boy. Evolutionary ideas — quite undisguised — lie at the basis of all that is worst in Mein Kampf — and in his public speeches”.<ref name="courier">http://www.christiancourier.com/articles/read/the_holocaust_why_did_it_happen</ref>
[[Image:5712dawkins.jpg|alt=Richard Dawkins|right|thumbnail|200px|[[Richard Dawkins]] is a prominent [[atheism|atheist]] and [[evolution|evolutionist]]. [[Richard Dawkins]] stated in an interview: “What’s to prevent us from saying Hitler wasn’t right? I mean, that is a genuinely difficult question."<ref>http://byfaithonline.com/page/in-the-world/richard-dawkins-the-atheist-evangelist</ref> ]]
Richard Hickman in his work ''Biocreation'' concurs and wrote the following:
{{cquote|It is perhaps no coincidence that Adolf Hitler was a firm believer in and preacher of evolutionism. Whatever the deeper, profound, complexities of his [[psychosis]], it is certain that [the concept of struggle was important for]. . . his book, Mein Kampf clearly set forth a number of evolutionary ideas, particularly those emphasizing struggle, survival of the fittest and extermination of the weak to produce a better society. <ref>http://www.creationism.org/csshs/v08n3p24.htm</ref>}}

Noted evolutionary [[anthropology|anthropologist]] Sir Arthur Keith conceded the following in regards to Hitler: “The German Fuhrer, as I have consistently maintained, is an evolutionist; he has consciously sought to make the practices of Germany conform to the theory of evolution”.<ref name="courier" />

[[Pulitzer Prize]]-winning author Marilynne Robinson wrote the following regarding Hitler's racism in the November 2006 issue of ''Harper’s'' magazine:
{{cquote|While it is true that persecution of the Jews has a very long history in [[Europe]], it is also true that science in the twentieth century revived and absolutized persecution by giving it a fresh rationale — Jewishness was not religious or cultural, but genetic. Therefore no appeal could be made against the brute fact of a Jewish grandparent.

[[Richard Dawkins|[Richard] Dawkins]] deals with all this in one sentence. Hitler did his evil "in the name of ... an insane and unscientific [[eugenics]] theory." But eugenics is science as surely as totemism is religion. That either is in error is beside the point. Science quite appropriately acknowledges that error should be assumed, and at best it proceeds by a continuous process of criticism meant to isolate and identify error. So bad science is still science in more or less the same sense that bad religion is still religion. That both of them can do damage on a huge scale is clear. The prestige of both is a great part of the problem, and in the modern period the credibility of anything called science is enormous. As the history of eugenics proves, science at the highest levels is no reliable corrective to the influence of cultural prejudice but is in fact profoundly vulnerable to it.

There is indeed historical precedent in the [[Spanish Inquisition]] for the notion of hereditary Judaism. But the fact that the worst religious thought of the sixteenth century can be likened to the worst scientific thought of the twentieth century hardly redounds to the credit of science.<ref>http://solutions.synearth.net/2006/10/20</ref><ref>http://www.uncommondescent.com/intelligent-design/someone-finally-said-it-dawkinss-hysterical-scientism/</ref>}}

[[Evolution|Evolutionist]] and [[atheism|atheist]] [[Richard Dawkins]] stated in an interview: “What’s to prevent us from saying Hitler wasn’t right? I mean, that is a genuinely difficult question."<ref>http://byfaithonline.com/page/in-the-world/richard-dawkins-the-atheist-evangelist</ref> The interviewer wrote, regarding the Hitler comment, "I was stupefied. He had readily conceded that his own [[philosophy|philosophical]] position did not offer a rational basis for moral judgments. His intellectual honesty was refreshing, if somewhat disturbing on this point."<ref>http://byfaithonline.com/page/in-the-world/richard-dawkins-the-atheist-evangelist</ref>

=== Adolf Hitler and Abortion ===

''For more information see:'' [[Abortion and Adolf Hitler]]

In 1942 Adolf Hitler declared:
{{cquote|In view of the large families of the Slav native population, it could only suit us if girls and women there had as many abortions as possible. We are not interested in seeing the non-[[German]] population multiply…We must use every means to instill in the population the idea that it is harmful to have several children, the expenses that they cause and the dangerous effect on woman's health… It will be necessary to open special institutions for abortions and doctors must be able to help out there in case there is any question of this being a breach of their professional ethics. <ref>http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/sep/07090708.html</ref>}}

=== Adolf Hitler against atheism and secularism ===

{{cquote|Secular schools can never be tolerated because such schools have no religious instruction, and a general moral instruction without a religious foundation is built on air; consequently all character training and religion must be derived from faith ... we need believing people.<ref>Norman H. Baynes, ed. The Speeches of Adolf Hitler, April 1922-August 1939, Vol. 1 of 2, Oxford University Press, 1942</ref>}}

{{cquote|We were convinced that the people needs and requires this faith. We have therefore undertaken the fight against the atheistic movement, and that not merely with a few theoretical declarations: we have stamped it out.<ref>Adolf Hitler, Berline, October 24, 1933</ref>}}

== Similarities between Communism, Nazism and liberalism ==

''See also:'' [[Similarities between Communism, Nazism and liberalism]]

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!
![[Communism|Communist]] Manifesto
![[Nazi]] Party Platform
!Analysis
|-
|1
|"Abolition of property in land and application of all rents of land to public purposes."
|"We demand an agrarian reform in accordance with our national requirements, and the enactment of a law to expropriate the owners without compensation of any land needed for the common purpose. The abolition of ground rents, and the prohibition of all speculation in land."
|The stripping away of land from private owners. [[Liberalism]] today demands "eminent domain" on property.
|-
|2
|"A heavy progressive or graduated income tax."
|"We demand the nationalization of all trusts...profit-sharing in large industries...a generous increase in old-age pensions...by providing maternity welfare centers, by prohibiting juvenile labor...and the creation of a national (folk) army."
|The points raised in the [[Nazi]] platform demand an increase in taxes to support them. Liberalism today demands heavy progressive and graduated income taxes.
|-
|3
|"Abolition of all rights of inheritance."
|"That all unearned income, and all income that does not arise from work, be abolished."
|Liberalism today demands a "death tax" on anyone inheriting an estate.
|-
|4
|"Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels."
|"We demand that all non-Germans who have entered Germany since August 2, 1914, shall be compelled to leave the Reich immediately."
|The Nuremburg Laws of 1934 allowed Germany to take Jewish property.
|-
|5
|"Centralisation of credit in the hands of the state, by means of a national bank with State capital and an exclusive monopoly."
|"We demand the nationalization of all trusts."
|Central control of the financial system.
|-
|6
|"Centralisation of the means of communication and transport in the hands of the State."
|"We demand that there be a legal campaign against those who propagate deliberate political lies and disseminate them through the press...editors and their assistants on newspapers published in the German language shall be German citizens...Non-German newspapers shall only be published with the express permission of the State...the punishment for transgressing this law be the immediate suppression of the newspaper..."
|Central control of the press. Liberals today demand control or suppression of talk radio and Fox News.
|-
|7
|"Free education for all children in public schools. Abolition of children’s factory labour in its present form. Combination of education with industrial production, &c, &c."
|"In order to make it possible for every capable and industrious German to obtain higher education, and thus the opportunity to reach into positions of leadership, the State must assume the responsibility of organizing thoroughly the entire cultural system of the people. The curricula of all educational establishments shall be adapted to practical life. The conception of the State Idea (science of citizenship) must be taught in the schools from the very beginning. We demand that specially talented children of poor parents, whatever their station or occupation, be educated at the expense of the State. "
|Central control of education, with an emphasis on doing things their way. Liberals today are doing things ''their way'' in our schools.
|-
|}

==War==
[[Image:Hitler munich1914.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Hitler in the crowd in Munich, 1914, reacting to the news of Germany's entry in the First World War.]]
By 1913 Hitler was in Munich, Germany, with war clouds on the horizon. Classified as unfit for service in the Austrian army (possibly by faking, as he did not like the thought of serving Austria) in 1914, he volunteered for the German army, joining the 16th Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment, greeting the war with enthusiasm, and finding the military discipline and comradeship satisfying. He served during the entire [[First World War]] as a messenger carrying dispatches between units, and often at the front lines under fire; he was wounded in 1916, and gassed in 1918. His bravery during this time earned him the [[Iron Cross]], 2nd Class, in December, 1914, and in August 1918 he was awarded the Iron Cross, 1st Class – a rare decoration for a corporal. But the gassing would take him out of the war and into a hospital, where he would be told the heart-wrenching news of Germany’s defeat the following November.

==Path to power==
After the war ended, Hitler's future seemed uncertain. There was much discontent among demobilized veterans because of the lack of employment. The German military had felt it had not been defeated; indeed, the German Army stood on foreign soil when the Armistice was signed November 11, 1918 and not a square inch of German soil had been occupied. This was despite the fact that the German Army's strongest position, the Hindenburg line, had been broken by the Allies, and the German Army itself was in full retreat. However, the army felt they had done their job, and the nation had been "stabbed in the back" by a gang of traitors made up of civilian political leaders who betrayed the Fatherland. The "myth" that Germany had been defeated was the "big lie" Hitler spoke of, as if repeating it often enough would cause people to believe it.

After his discharge from the hospital, Hitler acted as an army political agent, assigned in Munich to gather information on the various political parties which had spring up amid the social chaos following Germany’s defeat. In September 1919, he was given orders to investigate the relatively-minor German Workers’ Party (''Deutsche Arbeiterpartei''; DAP); intrigued by the party’s apparatus and its racial, pan-German nationalism, he joined, becoming its 55th member. He remained on the army payroll until he was discharged in March 1920. By then, the party had changed its name to the National Socialist German Workers Party (''Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei''; NSDAP) or Nazi Party. Hitler had already devoted himself to improving the party’s propaganda, as well as his own position within.

Conditions in Germany fostered the development of the party. Economic woes brought widespread discontent, added to the furor surrounding the loss of the war and the harsh terms heaped upon Germany by the Allied Powers in the Versailles Peace Treaty. Bavaria’s traditional separatism from the central government in Berlin made current conditions especially sharp, and Hitler was savvy enough to take full advantage of them. When he joined, he found the party ineffective in leadership and uncertain as to its aims; he accepted the party program, but regarded it as a means to an end. He caused friction with other members of the party, and their attempts to control him caused a threat of resignation; realizing that the future of the party now depended on Hitler, who clearly had a talent of organization, fund collecting, and above all, speaking, they declined to accept it; from July, 1921 Hitler was the party leader with nearly unlimited power. From his party newspaper, ''Völkischer Beobachter'' (“Popular Observer”), he spewed out propaganda. The meetings where he spoke grew from mere handfuls to hundreds, and then to thousands. A man of charismatic personality, he quickly attracted a circle of loyal and devoted followers: [[Rudolf Hess]], [[Hermann Göring]], Julius Streicher, and Alfred Rosenberg.

Munich was also a gathering place for former servicemen dissatisfied with conditions in the country; members of the Freikorps, which had been organized after the war from army units that refused to return to civilian life; and those civilians who plotted against the republic. Many of these men joined the Nazi Party. Among them was a staff member of the district command who had joined the German Workers’ Party before Hitler, [[Ernst Röhm]], a pudgy man with a scared face who saw his own ambition in helping further Hitler’s rise within the party. Röhm recruited what came to be known as the “Brown Shirts”, the violent squads used to attack socialists, battle communists, and to protect party meetings whenever Hitler was speaking. By 1921 they were organized into a private army of the Party called the ''[[Sturmabteilung]]'', abbreviated to SA.

==The Beer Hall Putsch==
Germany in 1923 was marked by social and political unrest caused by hyperinflation. In this time Hitler was able convince [[Erich Ludendorff]], an accomplished general and leader of the German forces in the first World War, to join him in a coup d'etat (''Putsch'' in German). When Hitler learned that the nationalist prime minister of Bavaria was giving a speech to 3000 officials in one of Munich's biggest beer halls (the Haufbrau Haus), he ordered his paramilitaries to surround the building. Hitler went inside and took the prime minister hostage, announced a revolution, and attempted to convince him to join the coup against Berlin and become member in his new administration. The Bavarian prime minister agreed under pressure, but informed the nation via radio later that night that he did not support Hitler. The prime minister also informed the federal government in Berlin; the putsch had begun to fail.

The next morning, 9 November 1923, Hitler and Ludendorff were marching with approximately 2000 partly armed supporters through Munich in a show of strength to regain the momentum. In the ensuing fight between Hitler's marchers and a cordon of police and army units at least 14 Nazi supporters and three policemen were killed and hundreds wounded. Ludendorff handed himself over to the authorities, while Hitler fled soon after the fighting began. Hitler was arrested a few days later at a friend's house, were had been in hiding since the failed coup. Ludendorff was acquitted of all charges, while Hitler was sentenced to 5 years in prison (he would do eight months). <ref>http://history1900s.about.com/cs/thirdreich/a/beerhallputsch_2.htm</ref><ref>http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/timeline/putsch2.htm</ref> The Bavarian prime minister, who foiled the plan, was killed in 1934 in the "Night of the Long Knives".

===''Mein Kampf''===
{{main|Mein Kampf}}
Hitler had his inner circle as frequent visitors in his prison cell, which was made more comfortable due to his celebrity. While there, he dictated to Rudolf Hess the first volume of ''[[Mein Kampf]]'' (“My Struggle”), his political autobiography and a compendium of his many ideas, including his [[evolutionist]] ideas.

Hitler believed in the inequality of the races, nations, and individuals as part of the natural order of mankind, and chief among them was the exalted “Aryan race”, and the greatest of the Aryans were the Germans. It was the German, according to Hitler, that gave the world civilization and the arts; to safeguard the German people as a race (the “Volk”), they would need to be united under a single leader (the Führer), where they would be protected from their three principle enemies: Marxism, which included social democracy as well as communism; democracy and its mob-rule, as shown by the failings of the Weimar Republic; and above all what Hitler called the poisoners of humanity, the Jews. “Rational anti-Semitism must lead to systematic legal opposition,” he wrote in 1919. “Its final objective must be the removal of the Jews altogether.” In Mein Kampf, he told the world that the Jew was the “destroyer of culture,” “a parasite within the nation,” and “a menace.”

From "Mein Kampf":
{{cquote|The Jew "... he blares out his merits to the rest of the world until people really begin to believe in them. Anyone who does not believe in them is doing him a bitter injustice. In a short time he begins to twist things around to make it look as if all the injustice in the world had always been done to him and not the other way around." <ref> [http://www.hitler.org/writings/Mein_Kampf/mkv1ch11.html Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler.]</ref> }}

{{cquote| Hitler portrays Jews as leaders in politics and banking, both groups seeking to strengthen their cause, [[Zionism]], to ensure Jewish domination. From his Social Darwinist perspective, Hitler perceived a racial war as inevitable and he sought to halt the "[[Jewish]] drive towards world conquest"... As Berlin collapsed around him, Adolf asserted: "Out of the ruins of our towns and monuments hatred will grow against those finally responsible for everything, International Jewry." <ref> [http://www.historytoday.com/MainArticle.aspx?m=32043&amid=30237234 Mein Kampf – The Text, its Themes and Hitler’s Vision] Robert Carr dissects a book frequently referred to but seldom read. </ref>
}}

==Rebuilding the Nazi Party==

[[Image:Hitler-3.jpg‎ |right|200px|thumb|Hitler in car, saluting passing S.A. at one of many parades.]]
Internal dissension within the party caused it to languish while Hitler was in prison. When he was released he saw difficulties in the country that had not existed before the Putsch, namely currency reform that brought economic stability, and the scaling back of the war reparations as a result of the Dawes Plan. Hitler was also forbidden to speak in public, and remained so until 1928; nonetheless he worked to rebuild the party and re-establish his own position within it as leader, despite Gregor Strasser’s opposition in northern Germany. By 1927 the number of Nazis was in the hundreds of thousands.

A new period of political and economic instability began with the onset of the Great Depression which threw millions out of work in Europe and North America. To campaign against the [[Young Plan]] (a second renegotiation of war reparations payments) Hitler made an alliance with one of Germany’s leading nationalists, Alfred Hugenberg, whose newspapers enabled Hitler to reach a national audience for the first time. The alliance also had another advantage: it enabled him to seek support from many in business and industry who controlled funds going into politics, and who themselves were desirous of seeing Germany under the control of a strong anti-Soviet and anti-Communist regime. The subsidies Hitler received placed the Nazi Party on a strong financial footing, enabling him to make his emotional appeal to the lower middle class and the unemployed in his faith that Germany would recover from its suffering and be a great nation once more. The alliance with the industrialists also demonstrated another aspect of Hitler, a skill of effectively using those that would use him, which many would discover when it was too late.

The electoral strength of the Nazis grew during the Depression, as unceasing propaganda accused the government of failing to improve conditions for the working man. By the fall of 1930 the Nazis captured more than 18 percent of the vote, compared to just 2.6 percent in 1928. Hitler captured 36.8 percent of the vote when he opposed Paul von Hindenburg in the 1932 presidential election; his mass following put him in such a strong position that he entered a series of closed-door intrigues with Franz von Papen, Oskar Hindenburg, and Otto Meissner, all sharing a fear and loathing of a communist government. Despite the party losing votes in the November, 1932 election, Hitler insisted on nothing less than the office of chancellor for himself. For him, it was all or nothing. Hindenburg offered it to him on January 30, 1933.

==In power==
Almost immediately, Hitler established himself as dictator. Less than a month after taking office, on February 27 the Reichstag building was set on fire under mysterious circumstances (but officially blamed on a feeble-minded Dutch communist, Marinus van der Lubbe); Hitler soon after succeeded in getting several decrees passed removing much of the freedom guaranteed the constitution in the name of state security, and which also allowed an intensified campaign of violence against dissidents. Incredibly, in a special election set in those conditions on March 5, the Nazis won 43.9 percent of the vote. On March 21, the new Reichstag assembled at the Potsdam Church, as much a show of unity between the old guard under Hindenburg and the Nazis as it was a show of peace. Two days later the Enabling Act was passed, giving Hitler full powers; with the exception of the Nazis, all other political parties, including those which had helped pass the Enabling Act, ceased to exist within three months. Many of their leaders were imprisoned in concentration camps.

===Night of the Long Knives===
[[Image:HitlerRohm1933.JPG|right|200px|thumb|Hitler with Ernst Röhm in 1933]]
[[File:Diego Rivera, Hitler, Panel of Mural for the New Workers School, New York City, 1933..jpg|thumb|left|Hitler by [[Diego Rivera]], 1933.]]
Hitler, however, did not wish to start an immediate revolution. In order to implement his ideas he still needed the support of the army. But he did have one growing problem that was a thorn in the army’s side, the three million-plus men of the [[SA]] and their leader, [[Ernst Röhm]], who wanted nothing less than to merge the SA into the much smaller army, with himself in overall command. At first, Hitler tried getting Röhm’s support by persuasion, but Hitler’s inner circle was for removing him by any means possible. On June 29, 1934, Hitler ordered a purge, flew towards a resort near Munich where a number of SA leaders were vacationing, and had them all arrested; many would be shot without trial. Refusing to shoot himself when offered, Röhm was killed in his cell at Dachau, his last words, ironically, “Mein Führer, mein Führer!” <ref>http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/timeline/roehm.htm</ref><ref>http://www.adolfhitler.ws/lib/nsdap/Rohm.html {{dead link}}</ref><ref>http://www.dhm.de/lemo/html/nazi/innenpolitik/roehm/index.html</ref> The purge took place between June 30 and July 2, 1934.

On July 13, Hitler gave speech in the Reichstag, announcing that some seventy-four individuals had been shot for threatening the stability of the Reich.
:''"If anyone reproaches me and asks why I did not resort to the regular courts of justice, then all I can say is this: In this hour I was responsible for the fate of the German people, and thereby I became the supreme judge of the German people…It was no secret that this time the revolution would have to be bloody; when we spoke of it we called it 'The Night of the Long Knives.' Everyone must know for all future time that if he raises his hand to strike the State, then certain death is his lot." ''

Hitler also used this event to settle his account with other opponents, such as Georg Strasser, who stood for a more socialist and less racist national socialism, and the former Bavarian prime minister who foiled the Beer Hall Putsch in 1923. Satisfied that the SA leadership was thoroughly broken up (thousands of SA members were either arrested or killed that night), the army approved of Hitler’s actions. Hindenburg died a few days later on August 2, and Hitler merged the office of president with the chancellorship, and with it the supreme command of the German armed forces. During this time the world was slowly recovering economically from the Depression, but it quickened in Germany, coincidently with Hitler’s rise to power. Taking credit for the recovery made him very popular, bringing him a 90 percent approval rating in a voter plebiscite that year.

===Beginnings of expansion===
In matters of state, the running of domestic affairs was left to subordinates, which was something Hitler had little attention for. Foreign policy always peaked his interest, in so much as to the advantages of a “Greater Germany”, which was his chief ambition. The first part of realizing this, according to ''Mein Kampf'', was to be a reunion of the German peoples within Europe; the second would be an expansion of Germany to the east (lebensraum). Expanding would mean a renewed conflict with the Slavic peoples, whom Hitler intended to serve as slaves to the “New German Order.” To follow through on his ambitions, he would have to remove Poland and the Soviet Union as countries; France also would have to be stabilized in the west, as she was Germany’s enemy for more than a century. He counted as possible allies Italy, with its fascist government under [[Benito Mussolini]], and Britain, whom he regarded as having a similar, Teutonic heritage.
[[Image:Hitler6-thumb.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Hitler with his dog, Blondie.]]
Before any of his ambitions could take place, there was one thing he detested which needed immediate removal: the restrictions placed upon Germany by the Treaty of Versailles at the end of World War I. Posing as a man of peace to allay suspicions, he insisted that he was a champion of Europe wishing only for the removal of the inequalities leveled by the treaty, and posturing as a shield against Bolshevism. In October, 1933, he had Germany withdraw from the [[League of Nations]]. The following January he signed a non-aggression treaty with Poland. His individual repudiations of parts of the treaty were followed by offers of negotiations for new agreements, while maintaining Germany’s limited ambitious nature.

While this was going on, Germany was steadily building up the armed forces. Rigorous training using wooden guns and trucks marked as “tanks” got needed battlefield training for officers. Potential fighter pilots began their training in gliders at public demonstrations – Germany, under terms of the treaty, was not allowed an air force – and later they would fly in new civilian stunt planes and transports, which on the drawing board were designed to be rapidly turned into fighters and bombers. Conscription was introduced in January, 1935, and in June of that year Hitler successfully signed a naval treaty with Britain, giving him rights to a respectable navy; but even while the ink was drying, Germany was secretly building a large U-boat fleet.

The matter of reuniting the German peoples came into being in July, 1934, and here Hitler overreached. German organizations were covertly aiding Austrian Nazis in the overthrow of their government, culminating in an attempted revolt as well as murdering Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss. When the attempt clearly failed, Hitler denied involvement. In January, 1935, a plebecite was introduced in the Saarland; more than 90 percent voted to return the territory to Germany. Then in March, 1936, came his greatest slap to the Versailles Treaty: against the advice of his generals, and in open defiance of France and Britain, he ordered troops into the demilitarized Rhineland. Germany was once again becoming the leading power in continental Europe. By October, 1936, Germany had signed an alliance with Italy, proclaiming a “Rome-Berlin axis,” followed by the Anti-Comintern Pact with Japan. All three countries would sign a single, mutual alliance pact, the following year.

==Anschluss==

Removed from their offices in January 1938 were Hjalmar Schacht (economic ministry); Werner von Fritsch (soldiers’ representative); and Konstantin von Neurath (foreign office); the reason being was they were not fully accepting of Nazism. Beginning his plans of German conquest, he started with Austria. Kurt von Schuschnigg, the Austrian chancellor, was invited to Berchtesgaden in February, where he was browbeaten and forced to sign an agreement placing Austrian Nazis in the government. When Schuschnigg resisted and announced a plebiscite for Austrian voters concerning independence, Hitler ordered German troops into Austria, completely taking over the country within days. His return to Vienna was in triumph; enthusiastic crowds greeted him by the tens of thousands, in sharp contrast to the scenes of privation he had gone through there in his youth. Austria was annexed (Anschluss) to the Reich a short time later.

While the Anschluss was going on, Hitler was speaking in friendly terms with Czechoslovakia; nearly as soon as Austria ceased to exist, Hitler proceeded with his plans against the Czechs. The northwestern region of Czechoslovakia was the Sudetenland, inhabited by a German minority, and the leader of them, Konrad Henlein, was instructed to make impossible demands for those Germans on the Czech government. In the interest of preventing a general war (which Hitler wanted), Mussolini and British prime minister Neville Chamberlain concluded a peaceful agreement in Munich on September 30, giving Hitler the Sudetenland without firing a shot. Chamberlain would return to Britain, waiving the agreement signed between himself and Hitler, declaring it to be “peace for our time”, but his act of appeasement would ensure the peace would last only a few more months. Despite assurances that the Sudetenland was his last territorial demands, “Czechia”, as the remainder of Czechoslovakia was called, became a German protectorate on March 15, 1939, when Hitler ordered it occupied. Just over a week later, Lithuania was forced to cede to Germany the territory of Memel (Klaipeda), on the border of East Prussia.

==Poland==
Poland’s turn was next, and listening to the rumblings was France and Britain, which signed guarantees of mutual assistance to the Polish nation should it be attacked by Germany. Hitler also signed pacts: a “Pact of Steel” with Italy, strengthening the alliance between Rome and Berlin, and then a treaty that caught many off-guard: a non-aggression pact with the Soviet Union on August 23. A secret clause in the pact allowed for the simultaneous invasion of Poland, and the division of the country in the center from north to south. Poland was invaded on September 1; two days later, Britain and France declared war on Germany.

Hitler assumed his own war strategy. Poland was conquered within weeks, and when a desired peace accord with Britain failed to materialize, he ordered the army to prepare for a western offensive. Norway was invaded and occupied, forestalling a British move on that country; Denmark was occupied by April, 1940. Hitler than adopted General Erich von Manstien’s plan for an offensive against France itself, which would move through neutral Belgium’s Ardenne Forest on May 10, taking that country as a matter of convenience, as well as avoiding the static fortifications of France’s Maginot Line. The German forces, extremely successful in their operations, reached the coastal ports on the English Channel in 10 days; Holland and Belgium both surrendered within days. But south of Dunkirk was where the army was ordered to halt. Hitler had hoped even at this stage in the battle that Britain would commit to peace; instead, the halting of the German army allowed the British to remove 170,000 fighting men.

On June 10, Italy entered the war as German tanks were sweeping across northern France. Hitler signed an armistice with France on June 22, the signing taking place in the same rail car at the same site where the Germans surrendered in 1918.

Having failed in getting the British to sign an armistice, Hitler prepared his forces for “Operation Sea Lion,” the invasion of Britain. However, the Luftwaffe was defeated in its attempt to gain air superiority over British airspace, also known as the Battle Of Britain, which forced the permanent postponement of Sealion.

Facing the failure of the British to give in, Hitler started to prepare to double-cross his erstwhile partner in the Poland conquest, Joseph Stalin and the Soviet Union. Then Mussolini invaded Greece, got bogged down in the Balkans, and the threat loomed that he would lose his whole army there. Hitler found it necessary to come to his aid, while at the same time taking direct control of Yugoslavia in the wake of the overthrow of the pro-Nazi government.

==Barbarossa==
The attack on Soviet Russia began June 22, 1941. Rapid in its advancement, the German army captured a large swath of territory between the Baltic and Black seas, and captured close to 3,000,000 prisoners. But Hitler, already micro-managing military operations, became overbearing to his generals; he preferred to go after many targets, while his generals argued for a single objective. A few miles in front of Moscow, the German army was halted by a Russian offensive in December, as well as something he had absolutely no control over: the severe Russian winter.

In the lands already occupied by German forces, S.S. chief Heinrich Himmler was preparing the ground for Hitler’s new German order. Expelling the Jews from Germany was the first step, and this was carried out by laws and decrees beginning in 1933; the Germans would switch to outright force in 1939, as Jews were first deported en-masse to Poland, then walled into ghettos after the occupation began. By 1941, a policy crafted under S.S. general Reinhard Heydrich had changed expulsion for extermination in what was called "a final solution to the Jewish question" (''die Endlösung der Judenfrage''). The system of concentration camps was supplemented by the creation of specialized killing centers in the occupied countries, especially in Poland, where camps such as Auschwitz, Treblinka, Sobibor, and Belzac “processed” thousands of victims daily. Some six million Jews died during what was called the [[Holocaust]], as well as an additional five million Slavs, Gypsies, the handicapped, the aged, and many others that the Nazis considered “subhuman” in accordance with German racial policies.<ref>http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/riseofhitler/burns.htm</ref>

==Beginning of the end==
[[Image:Adolf_hitler6.jpg‎ |right|200px|thumb|Hitler in 1944, by now looking tired and strained.]]
Hitler grew increasingly strained by the end of 1942, depending on large amounts of drugs supplied by his physician, Theodor Morell, as a result of the twin defeats of El Alamein (which he lost the bulk of his Afrika corps to British general Montgomery), and Stalingrad (where he lost an entire army of 250,000 men to the Russians). He spent more time in his headquarters in East Prussia, and his time in the public eye ceased to exist. He refused to visit bombed German cities, and, as with Stalingrad, refused to allow German armies to withdraw from the battlefield when the situation was lost. Still, he could make stunning, decisive decisions when called for, such as the commando raid that resulted in the rescue of Benito Mussolini from Italian partisans in July, 1943.

But the defeat of Germany in the war was looming closer. Hitler’s relations with his leading commanders grew strained, the more so as he allowed units of the S.S. to take positions traditionally held by the army. The line at the eastern front was slowly being pushed back by the Soviets, while in the Atlantic his U-boats campaign had faltered. German cities were constantly being bombed, and a successful invasion on the Normandy coast of France in June, 1944 marked the beginning of the end.

===Assassination attempt===
[[Image:NWT Hitler dead.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Hitler's death as covered by the ''New York Times'', May 2, 1945.]]
Seeing Germany’s chances of surviving the war were desperate, a group of officers plotted to assassinate Hitler, planning several attempts in 1943-44, but nearly successful on July 20, 1944, when a bomb hidden in a briefcase by Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg went off under a table that Hitler and others were leaning over; four were killed outright, several suffered injuries, but Hitler escaped relatively unharmed (the bomb itself was set down away from Hitler behind a solid oak table leg, saving him). The conspirators were quickly rounded up; Stauffenberg was shot. The remainder were put on show trials and condemned to hang on meat hooks with piano wire. It was said that Hitler enjoyed watching film of their executions. As a result of the bomb, Nazi members were employed at key positions within the army, removing any trace of the army’s independence.

Within months nearly all of the territory occupied by Germany was now in Allied hands. A last offensive in December, 1944 to take the port of Antwerp, Belgium, failed. Hitler had by them grown ill; his hopes for a German victory bordered on the fantastical and the imagination. By January, 1945 he had moved into his command bunker in Berlin, where he gave orders deploying fictional divisions to counter the ever-closer Soviets. When all seemed lost, he gave out his final orders: first, appointing Admiral Karl Dönitz as head of the state and his successor, and Josef Goebbels as chancellor; and second, dictating his last political will which was an attempt to justify his life’s work.

On April 29, he committed the one truly-chivalrous act of his life: he married Eva Braun, his long-time mistress. After retiring to his room in the bunker the next day, Eva took poison, and Hitler put a bullet in his head. In accordance with his wishes, both bodies were burned. His Third Reich would outlive him for another week.

[[Elie Wiesel]] wrote the following in [[Time Magazine]] regarding Hitler:
{{cquote|Adolf Hitler or the incarnation of absolute evil; this is how future generations will remember the all-powerful Fuehrer of the criminal Third Reich. Compared with him, his peers [[Mussolini]] and [[Franco]] were novices. Under his hypnotic gaze, humanity crossed a threshold from which one could see the abyss. "Before Hitler, we thought we had sounded the depths of human nature," argues Ron Rosenbaum, author of "Explaining Hitler." "He showed how much lower we could go, and that's what was so horrifying. It gets us wondering not just at the depths he showed us but whether there is worse to come. The power of Hitler was to confound the modernist notion that judgments about good and [[evil]] were little more than matters of taste, reflections of social class and power and status. Although some modern scholars drive past the notion of evil and instead explain Hitler's conduct as a reflection of his childhood and self-esteem issues, for most survivors of the 20th century he is confirmation of our instinctive sense that evil does exist. It moves among us; it leads us astray and deploys powerful, subtle weapons against even the sturdiest souls." <ref name="time" />}}

All in all, Hitler survived over forty assassination attempts. The Stauffenburg attempt was the closest anyone ever came to killing Hitler. George Elser, a communist, came very close in 1938, having planted a bomb in a beam that Hitler stood in front of while giving a speech. Luck saved Hitler, as he left the hall early and twelve minutes later the bomb exploded.

==Death==
On the afternoon of April 30, 1945 as the Soviet Red Army closed in on the center of Berlin, Hitler and Eva Braun committed suicide.<ref>Kershaw, Ian. ''Hitler: A Biography''. (2008) p. 955</ref><ref>Joachimsthaler, Anton. ''The Last Days of Hitler: The Legends, the Evidence, the Truth''. (1999) [1995] pp. 160-182</ref><ref>Beevor, Antony. ''Berlin – The Downfall 1945''. (2002) p. 359</ref> The majority of contemporary historians have rejected the other accounts of Hitler's demise or reported escape from Berlin as either Soviet propaganda or surmise.<ref>Eberle, Henrik and Uhl, Matthias. ''The Hitler Book''. (2005) p. 282</ref><ref>Joachimsthaler. ''The Last Days of Hitler: The Legends, the Evidence, the Truth''. (1999) [1995] pp. 160-182, 240-260</ref> Following the end of the war, because of the different versions presented by the Soviet Union as to Hitler being dead and alive, both British Military Intelligence (led by agent Hugh Trevor-Roper) and the FBI conducted investigations as to the different claims made. The declassified information from British MI5, confirmed that Hitler shot himself.<ref>https://www.mi5.gov.uk/home/about-us/who-we-are/mi5-history/world-war-ii/hitlers-last-days.html</ref> The declassified FBI documents report that Hitler and Eva Braun may have escaped to Argentina in a submarine and changed his identity. However, as the report states, "because of lack of information to support the story advanced...it is believed impossible to continue efforts to locate Hitler".<ref>http://vault.fbi.gov/adolf-hitler/adolf-hitler-part-01-of-04/view</ref> More recently in 2009, American researchers were allowed to perform DNA tests on the skull fragment the Russians claim was from Hitler. The tests revealed that the skull fragment belonged to a woman under 40 years of age who was not related to Eva Braun. However, the jaw fragments which had been recovered and identified as Hitler's<ref>Eberle and Uhl. ''The Hitler Book''. (2005) p. 282</ref> were not tested by the American researcher.<ref>http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/12/10/hitler.skull.debate/index.html?_s=PM:WORLD</ref> Therefore, most historians are very skeptical as to these popular conspiracy theories, in particular because there are credible witnesses, who saw the bodies of Hitler and Eva Braun.<ref>http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2050137/Did-Hitler-Eva-Braun-flee-Berlin-die-old-age-Argentina.html</ref><ref>Joachimsthaler. ''The Last Days of Hitler: The Legends, the Evidence, the Truth''. (1999) [1995] pp. 160-182, 240-260</ref><ref>Fischer, Thomas. ''Soldiers of the Leibstandarte''. (2008) p. 47</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Disturbed character]]
* [[Nazi Germany and homosexuality]]
* [[Police state]]
* [[Liberal totalitarianism]]

== External links ==
[[File:Hitler Siegestor Munich Victory Gate.jpg|thumb|Watercolor of the Arch of Triumph in Munich by Hitler.]]
*[http://www.eucontest.org/go.php?pdf=www1.yadvashem.org/odot_pdf/Microsoft%20Word%20-%201994.pdf Extracts From Mein Kampf by Hitler]
*[http://www.hitler.org/writings/Mein_Kampf/ Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler.] Full text.
*[http://www.snyderstreasures.com/pages/hartworks.htm Adolf Hitler ORIGINAL Watercolor Artworks.]
*[http://constitutionalistnc.tripod.com/hitler-leftist/ Hitler Was a Leftist]

==Further reading==
*[http://www.ushmm.org/research/doctors/medical.htm STATE MEDICAL SERVICES OF THE THIRD REICH], FROM THE OPENING STATEMENT BY TELFORD TAYLOR, Trials of War Criminals before the Nuremberg Military Tribunals under Control Council Law No. 10. Nuremberg, October 1946–April 1949. Washington, D.C.: U.S. G.P.O, 1949–1953.] Retrieved from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==Sources==
*[http://www.nizkor.org/hweb/people/h/hitler-adolf/oss-papers/text/profile-index.htmlA Psychological Analysis of Adolf Hitler, His Life and Legend], Walter C. Langer, Office of Strategic Services, Washington, D.C.

{{DEFAULTSORT: Hitler, Adolf}}

[[Category:Dictators]]
[[Category:Mass Murderers]]
[[Category:Nazis]]
[[Category:Evolutionists]]
[[Category:Totalitarianism]]
[[Category:Anti-Semitism]]
[[Category:German History]]
[[Category:World War II]]
[[Category:Evolutionary Racists]]
[[Category:War criminals]]
[[Category:Socialists]]
[[Category:Liberals]]
[[Category:Police State]]
[[Category:Anti Second Amendment]]
[[Category:Liberal Authors]]

Adolf Hitler

2015-09-19T22:23:45Z

Humanperson:

{{Dictator bio
| image =[[Image:Hitler7.JPG|200px]]
| name =Adolf Hitler
| birth =April 20, 1889 Braunau am Inn, Austria–Hungary
| parents =Alois Hitler (Schicklgruber) Klara Pölzl
| religion =Roman Catholic (rejected), [[Evolutionism]]
| spouse =Eva Braun
| children =none
| death =April 30, 1945 Berlin, Germany
| deathmanner =Suicide by gunshot
| education =Realschule Linz, Austria
| country =[[Third Reich|Germany]]
| military =16th Bavarian Reserve Regiment Imperial German Army (1914-1918)
| rank =''Obergefreiter'' (Lance Corporal/Private First Class)
|burial = none, burned.
| polbeliefs =[[Socialism]] [[National socialism]] (Nazism)
| party =German Workers' Party (''Deutsche Arbeiterpartei'' 1919–1920) [[Nazi Party|National Socialist German Workers' Party]] (''Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei'' 1920–1945)
| dictatordate =March 23, 1933
| war =[[World War II]] in Europe
| deathnumber =12,000,000+ exclusive of battle casualties
20,000,000 to 25,000,000 altogether

Rummel: 21,000,000
}}
'''Adolf Hitler''' was the Austrian-born Chancellor of [[Germany]] from January 30, 1933, and dictator of [[Third Reich|Nazi Germany]] from August 2, 1934 (as ''[[der Führer]]'') until his death on April 30, 1945. He was also the leader of the [[National Socialist German Workers Party]] (''National-sozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei'', or [[Nazi]] Party) which gained political power through threat, intimidation, and outright violence throughout Germany in the aftermath of the [[First World War]]. He was born a Catholic, but he never took religion seriously beyond initially rebelling against his Catholic father by showing preferences for Lutheran Protestantism in predominantly Catholic Austria, as well as using quasi-religious rhetoric in [[Mein Kampf]] and in speeches in order to not lose potential religious supporters. He was far more interested in [[Social Darwinism]]. After having minor wounds from an assassination bombing attempt, Hitler abused drugs originally intended to help with his injuries long after he had recovered from his injuries.

Hitler in his youth was an financially-irresponsible Bohemian (a German word of the time roughly the same as [[Hippy]]) who became broke after spending his father's inheritance wandering around Austria as a watercolour artist, practicing [[vegetarianism]], and rarely attempting to seek serious employment. Hitler worked with a Jewish art dealer and after being rejected entry into Vienna's leading art school due to his unoriginal art, Hitler was a complete failure and completely broke. Rather than accept responsibility for his Bohemian lifestyle, Hitler in denial and increasing signs of the mental illness of [[psychosis]], followed the political current in Europe at the time of blaming Jews for exploiting him. [[Anti-Semitism]] had become a significant phenomenon in Germany ever since [[Martin Luther]] during his severe mental illness at the end of his life had become anti-Semitic. But anti-Semites in Germany refused to acknowledge that Luther prior to the onset of mental illness was highly sympathetic towards Jews. It was adopted by a number of misguided conservative Protestants who were not aware of Luther's mental state when he became anti-Semitic. Hitler being rebellious to his Catholic father took up a brief interest in Lutheranism and may have been influenced by Luther's anti-Semitic remarks. Hitler without any prospects sought to be conscripted into the German Army (but refused to serve the Austrian army due to many Jews being in it), there Hitler mixed his anti-Semitic views with some of the anti-Semitic factional-Lutheran conservative nationalist aspects (that left-wing historians exaggerate by calling Hitler "far right") in order to be accepted amongst conservative German army officers but also began to adopt radical socialist ideas as revolutionary socialist movements in Germany and elsewhere grew in strength.

After World War I, Hitler behaved as a political opportunist - he played up conservative German themes to his army officers and was sent to investigate a small pan-German nationalist party called the German Workers' Party that used the anti-Semitic factional-Lutheran nationalist theme in combination with a revolutionary socialist agenda that denounced Jews as being responsible for capitalism, exploitation of Germany, and for Germany losing World War I. It was anti-Marxist - though only because [[Karl Marx]] was a Jew and due to their anti-Semitic hatred, and saw Marx as no different than capitalist Jews. The Party was disorganized and Hitler with his strong anti-Semitism took advantage of the situation and used demagoguery to raise himself in the party. In February 1920 the party changed its name to the National Socialist German Workers Party (or Nazi Party). He used the party and its members to exact revenge for his psychotic perception of Jews and capitalists as having ruined him in his youth, along with his megalomaniac and psychotic view of himself as being the "Leader" (German: ''Fuhrer'') of Germany. Many Nazis were highly mentally-ill people with delusions of grandeur of both themselves and Germany, such as [[Heinrich Himmler]], and [[Hermann Goring]] who was a morphine addict and an animal rights activist who preferred to have Jews used for scientific experiments.

Due to the thematic influence of the historic anti-Semitic faction of conservative Lutheran extremists on the Nazi movement, left-wing Marxist historians have exaggerated the role of conservative Lutherans in the Nazi movement and because of it claim that the Nazis are "far right". They completely ignore and deny the far left socialist parts of the Nazis, out of political dogmatism just as the Nazis themselves completely denied the socialist elements of Marxism because Marx was Jewish. And left-wing historians almost always neglect to note the very clear similarity of Hitler's loose Bohemian lifestyle as a youth to that of Hippies.

Adolf Hitler was an [[Evolution|evolutionary]] [[racist]] and [[socialism|socialist]] (see also: [[evolutionary racism]]).<ref>http://www.icr.org/index.php?module=articles&action=view&ID=268</ref><ref>http://mises.org/daily/1937</ref><ref>http://www.hourofthetime.com/socialist.htm</ref> Hitler’s policies and beliefs resulted in the [[Genocide|mass extermination]] of the [[Jews]], [[Gypsies]], and other peoples he considered “[[Racial Supremacy|inferior]]” throughout central and eastern [[Europe]] and were directly responsible for the outbreak of [[World War II]], which caused the deaths of untold millions on and off the battlefield and reportedly ended only after Hitler's [[suicide]] in his Berlin bunker.

==Early life==
[[File:Hitler Roses.jpg|thumb|Roses by Adolf Hitler.]]
Hitler was born on April 20, 1889, in Braunau am Inn, [[Austria]]. Hitler's father, Alois (born 1837), was a customs official who was himself born out of wedlock, carrying for a time his mother's name, Schicklgruber. By 1876 he had his baptismal entry corrected in his church records, establishing his father as Johan Heidler, which was altered slightly to Hitler.

When his father retired the family moved to Linz, Austria, where it remained a favorite for young Adolf for the rest of his life, and where he gave his wish to be buried. When Alois died in 1903 he left enough of a pension to support his wife and children; Adolf would take his and live off of it in Vienna after leaving school, dreaming of becoming an artist. Although somewhat competent as a painter of landscapes and architecture, his renderings of humans were considered “lifeless” and “crude” by the standards of the Academy of Fine Arts, and his application was rejected twice. Remaining in [[Vienna]], he moved from one cheap flop house to another, painting postcards and advertisements to earn a meager living after his allowance had dried up. By then he had developed traits which characterized his life as a whole: secretiveness, loneliness, a Spartan mode of everyday life, and a hatred of the cosmopolitan, multinational character that was the makeup of Vienna. ''He never sought a proper job or regular employment. Instead he immersed himself in the works of [[Hegel]], [[Nietzsche]], and the anti-Semitic writings of the Englishman Houston Stewart Chamberlain. He loved the operas of Wagner, and the stories of the Nordic Gods... In early 1910, he entered a shelter for the homeless, populated in the main by poor Jews, on Meldemenstrasse, and was eating at soup kitchens. By this time he had pawned all his belongings. '' <ref> [http://socyberty.com/history/young-adolf-the-adolescent-hitler-and-beyond/ Young Adolf: The Adolescent Hitler and Beyond.] {{dead link}}</ref>

==Who And What He Was==
[[Image:Cupid Complaining to Venus by Lucas Cranach.jpg|150px|left|thumb|This painting, one of the best-loved paintings in the National Gallery, had once belonged to Hitler. New evidence has come to light that Lucas Cranach's ''Cupid Complaining to Venus'', currently on loan to an exhibition in Bristol, hung on the sitting-room wall of his flat in Munich. <ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2008/mar/28/art.secondworldwar Hitler owned painting now in National Gallery]</ref>]]
[[Elie Wiesel]] wrote famously, and most eloquently about Hitler in 1998:
<blockquote>''"At the same time that he terrorized his adversaries, he knew how to please, impress and charm the very interlocutors from whom he wanted support. Diplomats and journalists insist as much on his charm as they do on his temper tantrums. The savior admired by his own as he dragged them into his madness, the Satan and exterminating angel feared and hated by all others, Hitler led his people to a shameful defeat without precedent. That his political and strategic ambitions have created a dividing line in the history of this turbulent and tormented century is undeniable: there is a before and an after. By the breadth of his crimes, which have attained a quasi-ontological dimension, he surpasses all his predecessors: as a result of Hitler, man is defined by what makes him inhuman. With Hitler at the head of a gigantic laboratory, life itself seems to have changed."''</blockquote>

<blockquote>''"How did this Austrian without title or position manage to get himself elected head of a German nation renowned for its civilizing mission? How to explain the success of his cheap demagogy in the heart of a people so proud of having inherited the genius of a Wolfgang von Goethe and an Immanuel Kant?"''</blockquote>

<blockquote>''"Was there no resistance to his disastrous projects? There was. But it was too feeble, too weak and too late to succeed. German society had rallied behind him: the judicial, the educational, the industrial and the economic establishments gave him their support. Few politicians of this century have aroused, in their lifetime, such love and so much hate; few have inspired so much historical and psychological research after their death. Even today, works on his enigmatic personality and his cursed career are best sellers everywhere. Some are good, others are less good, but all seem to respond to an authentic curiosity on the part of a public haunted by memory and the desire to understand."''</blockquote>

<blockquote>''"We think we know everything about the nefarious forces that shaped his destiny: his unhappy childhood, his frustrated adolescence; his artistic disappointments; his wound received on the front during World War I; his taste for spectacle, his constant disdain for social and military aristocracies; his relationship with [[Eva Braun]], who adored him; the cult of the very death he feared; his lack of scruples with regard to his former comrades of the SA, whom he had assassinated in 1934; his endless hatred of [[Jews]], whose survival enraged him — each and every phase of his official and private life has found its chroniclers, its biographers."''</blockquote>

<blockquote>''"And yet. There are, in all these givens, elements that escape us. How did this unstable paranoid find it within himself to impose gigantic hope as an immutable ideal that motivated his nation almost until the end? Would he have come to power if Germany were not going through endless economic crises, or if the winners in 1918 had not imposed on it conditions that represented a national humiliation against which the German patriotic fiber could only revolt? We would be wrong to forget: Hitler came to power in January 1933 by the most legitimate means. His [[Nationalist Socialist Party]] won a majority in the parliamentary elections. The aging [[Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg]] had no choice but to allow him, at age 43, to form the new government, marking the end of the Weimar Republic. And the beginning of the [[Third Reich]], which, according to Hitler, would last 1,000 years."''</blockquote>

<blockquote>''"From that moment on, events cascaded. The burning of the [[Reichstag]] came only a little before the openings of the first concentration camps, established for members of the opposition. Fear descended on the country and squeezed it in a vise. Great writers, musicians and painters went into exile to France and the U.S. Jews with foresight emigrated toward Palestine. The air of Hitler's Germany was becoming more and more suffocating. Those who preferred to wait, thinking that the Nazi regime would not last, could not last, would regret it later, when it was too late."''</blockquote>

<blockquote>''"The fact is that Hitler was beloved by his people — not the military, at least not in the beginning, but by the average Germans who pledged to him an affection, a tenderness and a fidelity that bordered on the irrational. It was idolatry on a national scale. One had to see the crowds who acclaimed him. And the women who were attracted to him. And the young who in his presence went into ecstasy. Did they not see the hateful mask that covered his face? Did they not divine the catastrophe he bore within himself?<ref name="time">http://www.time.com/time/time100/leaders/profile/hitler.html"''</ref></blockquote>

{{Clear}}

== Beliefs ==
According to Albert Speer, Hitler never left the Catholic Church but was hostile to its teachings. He did admire its power. Hitler only mentioned [[Christianity]] in his speeches to gain votes and favor. Any voiced tolerance during the 1930s changed to targeted persecution, mainly of Protestant "resisters" to Nazism.<ref>McNab, Chris. ''The Third Reich''. (2009) pp. 182, 183</ref>

Although Hitler may have had some Christian rhetoric in his speeches, he certainly rejected it on a personal level. In the book, ''Hitler's Table Talk'', it reveals that Hitler thought of Christianity as a great "scourge" of history.<ref>http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/facts/fm0110.htm {{dead link}}</ref>

See also: [[Atheists, Adolf Hitler and the no true Scottsman fallacy]]

=== Hitler, Nazism and socialism ===

''For more information please see:'' [[Nazism and socialism]]

[[Image:Hitler.jpg|thumb|250px|right|One of the most well known political parties of the 20th century which was [[socialism|socialistic]] was the [[National Socialist German Workers Party]] (NAZI) which was headed by the [[Evolutionary racism|evolutionary racist]] Adolf Hitler.<ref>http://mises.org/daily/1937</ref><ref>http://creation.com/darwinism-and-the-nazi-race-holocaust</ref><ref>http://www.hourofthetime.com/socialist.htm</ref> ]]
The [[Ludwig von Mises Institute]] declares:
{{cquote|The identification of [[Nazi]] [[Germany]] as a [[socialism|socialist]] state was one of the many great contributions of [[Ludwig von Mises]]...

The basis of the claim that Nazi Germany was capitalist was the fact that most industries in Nazi Germany appeared to be left in private hands.

What Mises identified was that private ownership of the means of production existed in name only under the Nazis and that the actual substance of ownership of the means of production resided in the German government. For it was the German government and not the nominal private owners that exercised all of the substantive powers of ownership: it, not the nominal private owners, decided what was to be produced, in what quantity, by what methods, and to whom it was to be distributed, as well as what prices would be charged and what wages would be paid, and what dividends or other income the nominal private owners would be permitted to receive. The position of the alleged private owners, Mises showed, was reduced essentially to that of government pensioners.

De facto government ownership of the means of production, as Mises termed it, was logically implied by such fundamental collectivist principles embraced by the Nazis as that the common good comes before the private good and the individual exists as a means to the ends of the State. If the individual is a means to the ends of the State, so too, of course, is his property. Just as he is owned by the State, his property is also owned by the State.<ref>http://mises.org/daily/1937</ref>}}

=== Hitler and the Theory of Evolution ===
''For more information please see:'' [[Evolutionary racism]] and [[Social effects of the theory of evolution]]

[[Image:Hitlerrisetopower.jpg|right|225px|thumb]]
The staunch [[evolution|evolutionist]] Stephen Gould admitted the following:
{{cquote|[[Ernst Haeckel|[Ernst] Haeckel]] was the chief apostle of evolution in [[Germany]].... His evolutionary racism; his call to the German people for racial purity and unflinching devotion to a "just" state; his belief that harsh, inexorable laws of evolution ruled human civilization and nature alike, conferring upon favored races the right to dominate others; the irrational mysticism that had always stood in strange communion with his brave words about objective science - all contributed to the rise of Nazism. - Stephen J. Gould, "Ontogeny and Phylogeny," Belknap Press: Cambridge MA, 1977, pp.77-78).<ref>http://members.iinet.net.au/~sejones/social.html</ref>}}

Robert E.D. Clark in his work ''Darwin: Before and After'' wrote concerning Hitler's evolutionary racism:
{{cquote|The Germans were the higher race, destined for a glorious evolutionary future. For this reason it was essential that the Jews should be segregated, otherwise mixed marriages would take place. Were this to happen, all nature’s efforts 'to establish an evolutionary higher stage of being may thus be rendered futile' (''Mein Kampf''). <ref>http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/1675</ref>}}

Hitler wrote in ''Mein Kampf'':
{{cquote|The stronger must dominate and not blend with the weaker, thus sacrificing his own greatness. Only the born weakling can view this as cruel, but he, after all, is only a weak and limited man; for if this law did not prevail, any conceivable higher development (Hoherentwicklung) of organic living beings would be unthinkable.<ref>http://www.icr.org/index.php?module=articles&action=view&ID=268</ref>}}

Dr. Robert E.D. Clark wrote in his work ''Darwin, Before and After'' the following regarding Hitler and the theory of evolution: “Adolf Hitler’s mind was captivated by evolutionary teaching — probably since the time he was a boy. Evolutionary ideas — quite undisguised — lie at the basis of all that is worst in Mein Kampf — and in his public speeches”.<ref name="courier">http://www.christiancourier.com/articles/read/the_holocaust_why_did_it_happen</ref>
[[Image:5712dawkins.jpg|alt=Richard Dawkins|right|thumbnail|200px|[[Richard Dawkins]] is a prominent [[atheism|atheist]] and [[evolution|evolutionist]]. [[Richard Dawkins]] stated in an interview: “What’s to prevent us from saying Hitler wasn’t right? I mean, that is a genuinely difficult question."<ref>http://byfaithonline.com/page/in-the-world/richard-dawkins-the-atheist-evangelist</ref> ]]
Richard Hickman in his work ''Biocreation'' concurs and wrote the following:
{{cquote|It is perhaps no coincidence that Adolf Hitler was a firm believer in and preacher of evolutionism. Whatever the deeper, profound, complexities of his [[psychosis]], it is certain that [the concept of struggle was important for]. . . his book, Mein Kampf clearly set forth a number of evolutionary ideas, particularly those emphasizing struggle, survival of the fittest and extermination of the weak to produce a better society. <ref>http://www.creationism.org/csshs/v08n3p24.htm</ref>}}

Noted evolutionary [[anthropology|anthropologist]] Sir Arthur Keith conceded the following in regards to Hitler: “The German Fuhrer, as I have consistently maintained, is an evolutionist; he has consciously sought to make the practices of Germany conform to the theory of evolution”.<ref name="courier" />

[[Pulitzer Prize]]-winning author Marilynne Robinson wrote the following regarding Hitler's racism in the November 2006 issue of ''Harper’s'' magazine:
{{cquote|While it is true that persecution of the Jews has a very long history in [[Europe]], it is also true that science in the twentieth century revived and absolutized persecution by giving it a fresh rationale — Jewishness was not religious or cultural, but genetic. Therefore no appeal could be made against the brute fact of a Jewish grandparent.

[[Richard Dawkins|[Richard] Dawkins]] deals with all this in one sentence. Hitler did his evil "in the name of ... an insane and unscientific [[eugenics]] theory." But eugenics is science as surely as totemism is religion. That either is in error is beside the point. Science quite appropriately acknowledges that error should be assumed, and at best it proceeds by a continuous process of criticism meant to isolate and identify error. So bad science is still science in more or less the same sense that bad religion is still religion. That both of them can do damage on a huge scale is clear. The prestige of both is a great part of the problem, and in the modern period the credibility of anything called science is enormous. As the history of eugenics proves, science at the highest levels is no reliable corrective to the influence of cultural prejudice but is in fact profoundly vulnerable to it.

There is indeed historical precedent in the [[Spanish Inquisition]] for the notion of hereditary Judaism. But the fact that the worst religious thought of the sixteenth century can be likened to the worst scientific thought of the twentieth century hardly redounds to the credit of science.<ref>http://solutions.synearth.net/2006/10/20</ref><ref>http://www.uncommondescent.com/intelligent-design/someone-finally-said-it-dawkinss-hysterical-scientism/</ref>}}

[[Evolution|Evolutionist]] and [[atheism|atheist]] [[Richard Dawkins]] stated in an interview: “What’s to prevent us from saying Hitler wasn’t right? I mean, that is a genuinely difficult question."<ref>http://byfaithonline.com/page/in-the-world/richard-dawkins-the-atheist-evangelist</ref> The interviewer wrote, regarding the Hitler comment, "I was stupefied. He had readily conceded that his own [[philosophy|philosophical]] position did not offer a rational basis for moral judgments. His intellectual honesty was refreshing, if somewhat disturbing on this point."<ref>http://byfaithonline.com/page/in-the-world/richard-dawkins-the-atheist-evangelist</ref>

=== Adolf Hitler and Abortion ===

''For more information see:'' [[Abortion and Adolf Hitler]]

In 1942 Adolf Hitler declared:
{{cquote|In view of the large families of the Slav native population, it could only suit us if girls and women there had as many abortions as possible. We are not interested in seeing the non-[[German]] population multiply…We must use every means to instill in the population the idea that it is harmful to have several children, the expenses that they cause and the dangerous effect on woman's health… It will be necessary to open special institutions for abortions and doctors must be able to help out there in case there is any question of this being a breach of their professional ethics. <ref>http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/sep/07090708.html</ref>}}

== Similarities between Communism, Nazism and liberalism ==

''See also:'' [[Similarities between Communism, Nazism and liberalism]]

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!
![[Communism|Communist]] Manifesto
![[Nazi]] Party Platform
!Analysis
|-
|1
|"Abolition of property in land and application of all rents of land to public purposes."
|"We demand an agrarian reform in accordance with our national requirements, and the enactment of a law to expropriate the owners without compensation of any land needed for the common purpose. The abolition of ground rents, and the prohibition of all speculation in land."
|The stripping away of land from private owners. [[Liberalism]] today demands "eminent domain" on property.
|-
|2
|"A heavy progressive or graduated income tax."
|"We demand the nationalization of all trusts...profit-sharing in large industries...a generous increase in old-age pensions...by providing maternity welfare centers, by prohibiting juvenile labor...and the creation of a national (folk) army."
|The points raised in the [[Nazi]] platform demand an increase in taxes to support them. Liberalism today demands heavy progressive and graduated income taxes.
|-
|3
|"Abolition of all rights of inheritance."
|"That all unearned income, and all income that does not arise from work, be abolished."
|Liberalism today demands a "death tax" on anyone inheriting an estate.
|-
|4
|"Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels."
|"We demand that all non-Germans who have entered Germany since August 2, 1914, shall be compelled to leave the Reich immediately."
|The Nuremburg Laws of 1934 allowed Germany to take Jewish property.
|-
|5
|"Centralisation of credit in the hands of the state, by means of a national bank with State capital and an exclusive monopoly."
|"We demand the nationalization of all trusts."
|Central control of the financial system.
|-
|6
|"Centralisation of the means of communication and transport in the hands of the State."
|"We demand that there be a legal campaign against those who propagate deliberate political lies and disseminate them through the press...editors and their assistants on newspapers published in the German language shall be German citizens...Non-German newspapers shall only be published with the express permission of the State...the punishment for transgressing this law be the immediate suppression of the newspaper..."
|Central control of the press. Liberals today demand control or suppression of talk radio and Fox News.
|-
|7
|"Free education for all children in public schools. Abolition of children’s factory labour in its present form. Combination of education with industrial production, &c, &c."
|"In order to make it possible for every capable and industrious German to obtain higher education, and thus the opportunity to reach into positions of leadership, the State must assume the responsibility of organizing thoroughly the entire cultural system of the people. The curricula of all educational establishments shall be adapted to practical life. The conception of the State Idea (science of citizenship) must be taught in the schools from the very beginning. We demand that specially talented children of poor parents, whatever their station or occupation, be educated at the expense of the State. "
|Central control of education, with an emphasis on doing things their way. Liberals today are doing things ''their way'' in our schools.
|-
|}

==War==
[[Image:Hitler munich1914.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Hitler in the crowd in Munich, 1914, reacting to the news of Germany's entry in the First World War.]]
By 1913 Hitler was in Munich, Germany, with war clouds on the horizon. Classified as unfit for service in the Austrian army (possibly by faking, as he did not like the thought of serving Austria) in 1914, he volunteered for the German army, joining the 16th Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment, greeting the war with enthusiasm, and finding the military discipline and comradeship satisfying. He served during the entire [[First World War]] as a messenger carrying dispatches between units, and often at the front lines under fire; he was wounded in 1916, and gassed in 1918. His bravery during this time earned him the [[Iron Cross]], 2nd Class, in December, 1914, and in August 1918 he was awarded the Iron Cross, 1st Class – a rare decoration for a corporal. But the gassing would take him out of the war and into a hospital, where he would be told the heart-wrenching news of Germany’s defeat the following November.

==Path to power==
After the war ended, Hitler's future seemed uncertain. There was much discontent among demobilized veterans because of the lack of employment. The German military had felt it had not been defeated; indeed, the German Army stood on foreign soil when the Armistice was signed November 11, 1918 and not a square inch of German soil had been occupied. This was despite the fact that the German Army's strongest position, the Hindenburg line, had been broken by the Allies, and the German Army itself was in full retreat. However, the army felt they had done their job, and the nation had been "stabbed in the back" by a gang of traitors made up of civilian political leaders who betrayed the Fatherland. The "myth" that Germany had been defeated was the "big lie" Hitler spoke of, as if repeating it often enough would cause people to believe it.

After his discharge from the hospital, Hitler acted as an army political agent, assigned in Munich to gather information on the various political parties which had spring up amid the social chaos following Germany’s defeat. In September 1919, he was given orders to investigate the relatively-minor German Workers’ Party (''Deutsche Arbeiterpartei''; DAP); intrigued by the party’s apparatus and its racial, pan-German nationalism, he joined, becoming its 55th member. He remained on the army payroll until he was discharged in March 1920. By then, the party had changed its name to the National Socialist German Workers Party (''Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei''; NSDAP) or Nazi Party. Hitler had already devoted himself to improving the party’s propaganda, as well as his own position within.

Conditions in Germany fostered the development of the party. Economic woes brought widespread discontent, added to the furor surrounding the loss of the war and the harsh terms heaped upon Germany by the Allied Powers in the Versailles Peace Treaty. Bavaria’s traditional separatism from the central government in Berlin made current conditions especially sharp, and Hitler was savvy enough to take full advantage of them. When he joined, he found the party ineffective in leadership and uncertain as to its aims; he accepted the party program, but regarded it as a means to an end. He caused friction with other members of the party, and their attempts to control him caused a threat of resignation; realizing that the future of the party now depended on Hitler, who clearly had a talent of organization, fund collecting, and above all, speaking, they declined to accept it; from July, 1921 Hitler was the party leader with nearly unlimited power. From his party newspaper, ''Völkischer Beobachter'' (“Popular Observer”), he spewed out propaganda. The meetings where he spoke grew from mere handfuls to hundreds, and then to thousands. A man of charismatic personality, he quickly attracted a circle of loyal and devoted followers: [[Rudolf Hess]], [[Hermann Göring]], Julius Streicher, and Alfred Rosenberg.

Munich was also a gathering place for former servicemen dissatisfied with conditions in the country; members of the Freikorps, which had been organized after the war from army units that refused to return to civilian life; and those civilians who plotted against the republic. Many of these men joined the Nazi Party. Among them was a staff member of the district command who had joined the German Workers’ Party before Hitler, [[Ernst Röhm]], a pudgy man with a scared face who saw his own ambition in helping further Hitler’s rise within the party. Röhm recruited what came to be known as the “Brown Shirts”, the violent squads used to attack socialists, battle communists, and to protect party meetings whenever Hitler was speaking. By 1921 they were organized into a private army of the Party called the ''[[Sturmabteilung]]'', abbreviated to SA.

==The Beer Hall Putsch==
Germany in 1923 was marked by social and political unrest caused by hyperinflation. In this time Hitler was able convince [[Erich Ludendorff]], an accomplished general and leader of the German forces in the first World War, to join him in a coup d'etat (''Putsch'' in German). When Hitler learned that the nationalist prime minister of Bavaria was giving a speech to 3000 officials in one of Munich's biggest beer halls (the Haufbrau Haus), he ordered his paramilitaries to surround the building. Hitler went inside and took the prime minister hostage, announced a revolution, and attempted to convince him to join the coup against Berlin and become member in his new administration. The Bavarian prime minister agreed under pressure, but informed the nation via radio later that night that he did not support Hitler. The prime minister also informed the federal government in Berlin; the putsch had begun to fail.

The next morning, 9 November 1923, Hitler and Ludendorff were marching with approximately 2000 partly armed supporters through Munich in a show of strength to regain the momentum. In the ensuing fight between Hitler's marchers and a cordon of police and army units at least 14 Nazi supporters and three policemen were killed and hundreds wounded. Ludendorff handed himself over to the authorities, while Hitler fled soon after the fighting began. Hitler was arrested a few days later at a friend's house, were had been in hiding since the failed coup. Ludendorff was acquitted of all charges, while Hitler was sentenced to 5 years in prison (he would do eight months). <ref>http://history1900s.about.com/cs/thirdreich/a/beerhallputsch_2.htm</ref><ref>http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/timeline/putsch2.htm</ref> The Bavarian prime minister, who foiled the plan, was killed in 1934 in the "Night of the Long Knives".

===''Mein Kampf''===
{{main|Mein Kampf}}
Hitler had his inner circle as frequent visitors in his prison cell, which was made more comfortable due to his celebrity. While there, he dictated to Rudolf Hess the first volume of ''[[Mein Kampf]]'' (“My Struggle”), his political autobiography and a compendium of his many ideas, including his [[evolutionist]] ideas.

Hitler believed in the inequality of the races, nations, and individuals as part of the natural order of mankind, and chief among them was the exalted “Aryan race”, and the greatest of the Aryans were the Germans. It was the German, according to Hitler, that gave the world civilization and the arts; to safeguard the German people as a race (the “Volk”), they would need to be united under a single leader (the Führer), where they would be protected from their three principle enemies: Marxism, which included social democracy as well as communism; democracy and its mob-rule, as shown by the failings of the Weimar Republic; and above all what Hitler called the poisoners of humanity, the Jews. “Rational anti-Semitism must lead to systematic legal opposition,” he wrote in 1919. “Its final objective must be the removal of the Jews altogether.” In Mein Kampf, he told the world that the Jew was the “destroyer of culture,” “a parasite within the nation,” and “a menace.”

From "Mein Kampf":
{{cquote|The Jew "... he blares out his merits to the rest of the world until people really begin to believe in them. Anyone who does not believe in them is doing him a bitter injustice. In a short time he begins to twist things around to make it look as if all the injustice in the world had always been done to him and not the other way around." <ref> [http://www.hitler.org/writings/Mein_Kampf/mkv1ch11.html Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler.]</ref> }}

{{cquote| Hitler portrays Jews as leaders in politics and banking, both groups seeking to strengthen their cause, [[Zionism]], to ensure Jewish domination. From his Social Darwinist perspective, Hitler perceived a racial war as inevitable and he sought to halt the "[[Jewish]] drive towards world conquest"... As Berlin collapsed around him, Adolf asserted: "Out of the ruins of our towns and monuments hatred will grow against those finally responsible for everything, International Jewry." <ref> [http://www.historytoday.com/MainArticle.aspx?m=32043&amid=30237234 Mein Kampf – The Text, its Themes and Hitler’s Vision] Robert Carr dissects a book frequently referred to but seldom read. </ref>
}}

==Rebuilding the Nazi Party==

[[Image:Hitler-3.jpg‎ |right|200px|thumb|Hitler in car, saluting passing S.A. at one of many parades.]]
Internal dissension within the party caused it to languish while Hitler was in prison. When he was released he saw difficulties in the country that had not existed before the Putsch, namely currency reform that brought economic stability, and the scaling back of the war reparations as a result of the Dawes Plan. Hitler was also forbidden to speak in public, and remained so until 1928; nonetheless he worked to rebuild the party and re-establish his own position within it as leader, despite Gregor Strasser’s opposition in northern Germany. By 1927 the number of Nazis was in the hundreds of thousands.

A new period of political and economic instability began with the onset of the Great Depression which threw millions out of work in Europe and North America. To campaign against the [[Young Plan]] (a second renegotiation of war reparations payments) Hitler made an alliance with one of Germany’s leading nationalists, Alfred Hugenberg, whose newspapers enabled Hitler to reach a national audience for the first time. The alliance also had another advantage: it enabled him to seek support from many in business and industry who controlled funds going into politics, and who themselves were desirous of seeing Germany under the control of a strong anti-Soviet and anti-Communist regime. The subsidies Hitler received placed the Nazi Party on a strong financial footing, enabling him to make his emotional appeal to the lower middle class and the unemployed in his faith that Germany would recover from its suffering and be a great nation once more. The alliance with the industrialists also demonstrated another aspect of Hitler, a skill of effectively using those that would use him, which many would discover when it was too late.

The electoral strength of the Nazis grew during the Depression, as unceasing propaganda accused the government of failing to improve conditions for the working man. By the fall of 1930 the Nazis captured more than 18 percent of the vote, compared to just 2.6 percent in 1928. Hitler captured 36.8 percent of the vote when he opposed Paul von Hindenburg in the 1932 presidential election; his mass following put him in such a strong position that he entered a series of closed-door intrigues with Franz von Papen, Oskar Hindenburg, and Otto Meissner, all sharing a fear and loathing of a communist government. Despite the party losing votes in the November, 1932 election, Hitler insisted on nothing less than the office of chancellor for himself. For him, it was all or nothing. Hindenburg offered it to him on January 30, 1933.

==In power==
Almost immediately, Hitler established himself as dictator. Less than a month after taking office, on February 27 the Reichstag building was set on fire under mysterious circumstances (but officially blamed on a feeble-minded Dutch communist, Marinus van der Lubbe); Hitler soon after succeeded in getting several decrees passed removing much of the freedom guaranteed the constitution in the name of state security, and which also allowed an intensified campaign of violence against dissidents. Incredibly, in a special election set in those conditions on March 5, the Nazis won 43.9 percent of the vote. On March 21, the new Reichstag assembled at the Potsdam Church, as much a show of unity between the old guard under Hindenburg and the Nazis as it was a show of peace. Two days later the Enabling Act was passed, giving Hitler full powers; with the exception of the Nazis, all other political parties, including those which had helped pass the Enabling Act, ceased to exist within three months. Many of their leaders were imprisoned in concentration camps.

===Night of the Long Knives===
[[Image:HitlerRohm1933.JPG|right|200px|thumb|Hitler with Ernst Röhm in 1933]]
[[File:Diego Rivera, Hitler, Panel of Mural for the New Workers School, New York City, 1933..jpg|thumb|left|Hitler by [[Diego Rivera]], 1933.]]
Hitler, however, did not wish to start an immediate revolution. In order to implement his ideas he still needed the support of the army. But he did have one growing problem that was a thorn in the army’s side, the three million-plus men of the [[SA]] and their leader, [[Ernst Röhm]], who wanted nothing less than to merge the SA into the much smaller army, with himself in overall command. At first, Hitler tried getting Röhm’s support by persuasion, but Hitler’s inner circle was for removing him by any means possible. On June 29, 1934, Hitler ordered a purge, flew towards a resort near Munich where a number of SA leaders were vacationing, and had them all arrested; many would be shot without trial. Refusing to shoot himself when offered, Röhm was killed in his cell at Dachau, his last words, ironically, “Mein Führer, mein Führer!” <ref>http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/timeline/roehm.htm</ref><ref>http://www.adolfhitler.ws/lib/nsdap/Rohm.html {{dead link}}</ref><ref>http://www.dhm.de/lemo/html/nazi/innenpolitik/roehm/index.html</ref> The purge took place between June 30 and July 2, 1934.

On July 13, Hitler gave speech in the Reichstag, announcing that some seventy-four individuals had been shot for threatening the stability of the Reich.
:''"If anyone reproaches me and asks why I did not resort to the regular courts of justice, then all I can say is this: In this hour I was responsible for the fate of the German people, and thereby I became the supreme judge of the German people…It was no secret that this time the revolution would have to be bloody; when we spoke of it we called it 'The Night of the Long Knives.' Everyone must know for all future time that if he raises his hand to strike the State, then certain death is his lot." ''

Hitler also used this event to settle his account with other opponents, such as Georg Strasser, who stood for a more socialist and less racist national socialism, and the former Bavarian prime minister who foiled the Beer Hall Putsch in 1923. Satisfied that the SA leadership was thoroughly broken up (thousands of SA members were either arrested or killed that night), the army approved of Hitler’s actions. Hindenburg died a few days later on August 2, and Hitler merged the office of president with the chancellorship, and with it the supreme command of the German armed forces. During this time the world was slowly recovering economically from the Depression, but it quickened in Germany, coincidently with Hitler’s rise to power. Taking credit for the recovery made him very popular, bringing him a 90 percent approval rating in a voter plebiscite that year.

===Beginnings of expansion===
In matters of state, the running of domestic affairs was left to subordinates, which was something Hitler had little attention for. Foreign policy always peaked his interest, in so much as to the advantages of a “Greater Germany”, which was his chief ambition. The first part of realizing this, according to ''Mein Kampf'', was to be a reunion of the German peoples within Europe; the second would be an expansion of Germany to the east (lebensraum). Expanding would mean a renewed conflict with the Slavic peoples, whom Hitler intended to serve as slaves to the “New German Order.” To follow through on his ambitions, he would have to remove Poland and the Soviet Union as countries; France also would have to be stabilized in the west, as she was Germany’s enemy for more than a century. He counted as possible allies Italy, with its fascist government under [[Benito Mussolini]], and Britain, whom he regarded as having a similar, Teutonic heritage.
[[Image:Hitler6-thumb.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Hitler with his dog, Blondie.]]
Before any of his ambitions could take place, there was one thing he detested which needed immediate removal: the restrictions placed upon Germany by the Treaty of Versailles at the end of World War I. Posing as a man of peace to allay suspicions, he insisted that he was a champion of Europe wishing only for the removal of the inequalities leveled by the treaty, and posturing as a shield against Bolshevism. In October, 1933, he had Germany withdraw from the [[League of Nations]]. The following January he signed a non-aggression treaty with Poland. His individual repudiations of parts of the treaty were followed by offers of negotiations for new agreements, while maintaining Germany’s limited ambitious nature.

While this was going on, Germany was steadily building up the armed forces. Rigorous training using wooden guns and trucks marked as “tanks” got needed battlefield training for officers. Potential fighter pilots began their training in gliders at public demonstrations – Germany, under terms of the treaty, was not allowed an air force – and later they would fly in new civilian stunt planes and transports, which on the drawing board were designed to be rapidly turned into fighters and bombers. Conscription was introduced in January, 1935, and in June of that year Hitler successfully signed a naval treaty with Britain, giving him rights to a respectable navy; but even while the ink was drying, Germany was secretly building a large U-boat fleet.

The matter of reuniting the German peoples came into being in July, 1934, and here Hitler overreached. German organizations were covertly aiding Austrian Nazis in the overthrow of their government, culminating in an attempted revolt as well as murdering Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss. When the attempt clearly failed, Hitler denied involvement. In January, 1935, a plebecite was introduced in the Saarland; more than 90 percent voted to return the territory to Germany. Then in March, 1936, came his greatest slap to the Versailles Treaty: against the advice of his generals, and in open defiance of France and Britain, he ordered troops into the demilitarized Rhineland. Germany was once again becoming the leading power in continental Europe. By October, 1936, Germany had signed an alliance with Italy, proclaiming a “Rome-Berlin axis,” followed by the Anti-Comintern Pact with Japan. All three countries would sign a single, mutual alliance pact, the following year.

==Anschluss==

Removed from their offices in January 1938 were Hjalmar Schacht (economic ministry); Werner von Fritsch (soldiers’ representative); and Konstantin von Neurath (foreign office); the reason being was they were not fully accepting of Nazism. Beginning his plans of German conquest, he started with Austria. Kurt von Schuschnigg, the Austrian chancellor, was invited to Berchtesgaden in February, where he was browbeaten and forced to sign an agreement placing Austrian Nazis in the government. When Schuschnigg resisted and announced a plebiscite for Austrian voters concerning independence, Hitler ordered German troops into Austria, completely taking over the country within days. His return to Vienna was in triumph; enthusiastic crowds greeted him by the tens of thousands, in sharp contrast to the scenes of privation he had gone through there in his youth. Austria was annexed (Anschluss) to the Reich a short time later.

While the Anschluss was going on, Hitler was speaking in friendly terms with Czechoslovakia; nearly as soon as Austria ceased to exist, Hitler proceeded with his plans against the Czechs. The northwestern region of Czechoslovakia was the Sudetenland, inhabited by a German minority, and the leader of them, Konrad Henlein, was instructed to make impossible demands for those Germans on the Czech government. In the interest of preventing a general war (which Hitler wanted), Mussolini and British prime minister Neville Chamberlain concluded a peaceful agreement in Munich on September 30, giving Hitler the Sudetenland without firing a shot. Chamberlain would return to Britain, waiving the agreement signed between himself and Hitler, declaring it to be “peace for our time”, but his act of appeasement would ensure the peace would last only a few more months. Despite assurances that the Sudetenland was his last territorial demands, “Czechia”, as the remainder of Czechoslovakia was called, became a German protectorate on March 15, 1939, when Hitler ordered it occupied. Just over a week later, Lithuania was forced to cede to Germany the territory of Memel (Klaipeda), on the border of East Prussia.

==Poland==
Poland’s turn was next, and listening to the rumblings was France and Britain, which signed guarantees of mutual assistance to the Polish nation should it be attacked by Germany. Hitler also signed pacts: a “Pact of Steel” with Italy, strengthening the alliance between Rome and Berlin, and then a treaty that caught many off-guard: a non-aggression pact with the Soviet Union on August 23. A secret clause in the pact allowed for the simultaneous invasion of Poland, and the division of the country in the center from north to south. Poland was invaded on September 1; two days later, Britain and France declared war on Germany.

Hitler assumed his own war strategy. Poland was conquered within weeks, and when a desired peace accord with Britain failed to materialize, he ordered the army to prepare for a western offensive. Norway was invaded and occupied, forestalling a British move on that country; Denmark was occupied by April, 1940. Hitler than adopted General Erich von Manstien’s plan for an offensive against France itself, which would move through neutral Belgium’s Ardenne Forest on May 10, taking that country as a matter of convenience, as well as avoiding the static fortifications of France’s Maginot Line. The German forces, extremely successful in their operations, reached the coastal ports on the English Channel in 10 days; Holland and Belgium both surrendered within days. But south of Dunkirk was where the army was ordered to halt. Hitler had hoped even at this stage in the battle that Britain would commit to peace; instead, the halting of the German army allowed the British to remove 170,000 fighting men.

On June 10, Italy entered the war as German tanks were sweeping across northern France. Hitler signed an armistice with France on June 22, the signing taking place in the same rail car at the same site where the Germans surrendered in 1918.

Having failed in getting the British to sign an armistice, Hitler prepared his forces for “Operation Sea Lion,” the invasion of Britain. However, the Luftwaffe was defeated in its attempt to gain air superiority over British airspace, also known as the Battle Of Britain, which forced the permanent postponement of Sealion.

Facing the failure of the British to give in, Hitler started to prepare to double-cross his erstwhile partner in the Poland conquest, Joseph Stalin and the Soviet Union. Then Mussolini invaded Greece, got bogged down in the Balkans, and the threat loomed that he would lose his whole army there. Hitler found it necessary to come to his aid, while at the same time taking direct control of Yugoslavia in the wake of the overthrow of the pro-Nazi government.

==Barbarossa==
The attack on Soviet Russia began June 22, 1941. Rapid in its advancement, the German army captured a large swath of territory between the Baltic and Black seas, and captured close to 3,000,000 prisoners. But Hitler, already micro-managing military operations, became overbearing to his generals; he preferred to go after many targets, while his generals argued for a single objective. A few miles in front of Moscow, the German army was halted by a Russian offensive in December, as well as something he had absolutely no control over: the severe Russian winter.

In the lands already occupied by German forces, S.S. chief Heinrich Himmler was preparing the ground for Hitler’s new German order. Expelling the Jews from Germany was the first step, and this was carried out by laws and decrees beginning in 1933; the Germans would switch to outright force in 1939, as Jews were first deported en-masse to Poland, then walled into ghettos after the occupation began. By 1941, a policy crafted under S.S. general Reinhard Heydrich had changed expulsion for extermination in what was called "a final solution to the Jewish question" (''die Endlösung der Judenfrage''). The system of concentration camps was supplemented by the creation of specialized killing centers in the occupied countries, especially in Poland, where camps such as Auschwitz, Treblinka, Sobibor, and Belzac “processed” thousands of victims daily. Some six million Jews died during what was called the [[Holocaust]], as well as an additional five million Slavs, Gypsies, the handicapped, the aged, and many others that the Nazis considered “subhuman” in accordance with German racial policies.<ref>http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/riseofhitler/burns.htm</ref>

==Beginning of the end==
[[Image:Adolf_hitler6.jpg‎ |right|200px|thumb|Hitler in 1944, by now looking tired and strained.]]
Hitler grew increasingly strained by the end of 1942, depending on large amounts of drugs supplied by his physician, Theodor Morell, as a result of the twin defeats of El Alamein (which he lost the bulk of his Afrika corps to British general Montgomery), and Stalingrad (where he lost an entire army of 250,000 men to the Russians). He spent more time in his headquarters in East Prussia, and his time in the public eye ceased to exist. He refused to visit bombed German cities, and, as with Stalingrad, refused to allow German armies to withdraw from the battlefield when the situation was lost. Still, he could make stunning, decisive decisions when called for, such as the commando raid that resulted in the rescue of Benito Mussolini from Italian partisans in July, 1943.

But the defeat of Germany in the war was looming closer. Hitler’s relations with his leading commanders grew strained, the more so as he allowed units of the S.S. to take positions traditionally held by the army. The line at the eastern front was slowly being pushed back by the Soviets, while in the Atlantic his U-boats campaign had faltered. German cities were constantly being bombed, and a successful invasion on the Normandy coast of France in June, 1944 marked the beginning of the end.

===Assassination attempt===
[[Image:NWT Hitler dead.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Hitler's death as covered by the ''New York Times'', May 2, 1945.]]
Seeing Germany’s chances of surviving the war were desperate, a group of officers plotted to assassinate Hitler, planning several attempts in 1943-44, but nearly successful on July 20, 1944, when a bomb hidden in a briefcase by Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg went off under a table that Hitler and others were leaning over; four were killed outright, several suffered injuries, but Hitler escaped relatively unharmed (the bomb itself was set down away from Hitler behind a solid oak table leg, saving him). The conspirators were quickly rounded up; Stauffenberg was shot. The remainder were put on show trials and condemned to hang on meat hooks with piano wire. It was said that Hitler enjoyed watching film of their executions. As a result of the bomb, Nazi members were employed at key positions within the army, removing any trace of the army’s independence.

Within months nearly all of the territory occupied by Germany was now in Allied hands. A last offensive in December, 1944 to take the port of Antwerp, Belgium, failed. Hitler had by them grown ill; his hopes for a German victory bordered on the fantastical and the imagination. By January, 1945 he had moved into his command bunker in Berlin, where he gave orders deploying fictional divisions to counter the ever-closer Soviets. When all seemed lost, he gave out his final orders: first, appointing Admiral Karl Dönitz as head of the state and his successor, and Josef Goebbels as chancellor; and second, dictating his last political will which was an attempt to justify his life’s work.

On April 29, he committed the one truly-chivalrous act of his life: he married Eva Braun, his long-time mistress. After retiring to his room in the bunker the next day, Eva took poison, and Hitler put a bullet in his head. In accordance with his wishes, both bodies were burned. His Third Reich would outlive him for another week.

[[Elie Wiesel]] wrote the following in [[Time Magazine]] regarding Hitler:
{{cquote|Adolf Hitler or the incarnation of absolute evil; this is how future generations will remember the all-powerful Fuehrer of the criminal Third Reich. Compared with him, his peers [[Mussolini]] and [[Franco]] were novices. Under his hypnotic gaze, humanity crossed a threshold from which one could see the abyss. "Before Hitler, we thought we had sounded the depths of human nature," argues Ron Rosenbaum, author of "Explaining Hitler." "He showed how much lower we could go, and that's what was so horrifying. It gets us wondering not just at the depths he showed us but whether there is worse to come. The power of Hitler was to confound the modernist notion that judgments about good and [[evil]] were little more than matters of taste, reflections of social class and power and status. Although some modern scholars drive past the notion of evil and instead explain Hitler's conduct as a reflection of his childhood and self-esteem issues, for most survivors of the 20th century he is confirmation of our instinctive sense that evil does exist. It moves among us; it leads us astray and deploys powerful, subtle weapons against even the sturdiest souls." <ref name="time" />}}

All in all, Hitler survived over forty assassination attempts. The Stauffenburg attempt was the closest anyone ever came to killing Hitler. George Elser, a communist, came very close in 1938, having planted a bomb in a beam that Hitler stood in front of while giving a speech. Luck saved Hitler, as he left the hall early and twelve minutes later the bomb exploded.

==Death==
On the afternoon of April 30, 1945 as the Soviet Red Army closed in on the center of Berlin, Hitler and Eva Braun committed suicide.<ref>Kershaw, Ian. ''Hitler: A Biography''. (2008) p. 955</ref><ref>Joachimsthaler, Anton. ''The Last Days of Hitler: The Legends, the Evidence, the Truth''. (1999) [1995] pp. 160-182</ref><ref>Beevor, Antony. ''Berlin – The Downfall 1945''. (2002) p. 359</ref> The majority of contemporary historians have rejected the other accounts of Hitler's demise or reported escape from Berlin as either Soviet propaganda or surmise.<ref>Eberle, Henrik and Uhl, Matthias. ''The Hitler Book''. (2005) p. 282</ref><ref>Joachimsthaler. ''The Last Days of Hitler: The Legends, the Evidence, the Truth''. (1999) [1995] pp. 160-182, 240-260</ref> Following the end of the war, because of the different versions presented by the Soviet Union as to Hitler being dead and alive, both British Military Intelligence (led by agent Hugh Trevor-Roper) and the FBI conducted investigations as to the different claims made. The declassified information from British MI5, confirmed that Hitler shot himself.<ref>https://www.mi5.gov.uk/home/about-us/who-we-are/mi5-history/world-war-ii/hitlers-last-days.html</ref> The declassified FBI documents report that Hitler and Eva Braun may have escaped to Argentina in a submarine and changed his identity. However, as the report states, "because of lack of information to support the story advanced...it is believed impossible to continue efforts to locate Hitler".<ref>http://vault.fbi.gov/adolf-hitler/adolf-hitler-part-01-of-04/view</ref> More recently in 2009, American researchers were allowed to perform DNA tests on the skull fragment the Russians claim was from Hitler. The tests revealed that the skull fragment belonged to a woman under 40 years of age who was not related to Eva Braun. However, the jaw fragments which had been recovered and identified as Hitler's<ref>Eberle and Uhl. ''The Hitler Book''. (2005) p. 282</ref> were not tested by the American researcher.<ref>http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/12/10/hitler.skull.debate/index.html?_s=PM:WORLD</ref> Therefore, most historians are very skeptical as to these popular conspiracy theories, in particular because there are credible witnesses, who saw the bodies of Hitler and Eva Braun.<ref>http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2050137/Did-Hitler-Eva-Braun-flee-Berlin-die-old-age-Argentina.html</ref><ref>Joachimsthaler. ''The Last Days of Hitler: The Legends, the Evidence, the Truth''. (1999) [1995] pp. 160-182, 240-260</ref><ref>Fischer, Thomas. ''Soldiers of the Leibstandarte''. (2008) p. 47</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Disturbed character]]
* [[Nazi Germany and homosexuality]]
* [[Police state]]
* [[Liberal totalitarianism]]

== External links ==
[[File:Hitler Siegestor Munich Victory Gate.jpg|thumb|Watercolor of the Arch of Triumph in Munich by Hitler.]]
*[http://www.eucontest.org/go.php?pdf=www1.yadvashem.org/odot_pdf/Microsoft%20Word%20-%201994.pdf Extracts From Mein Kampf by Hitler]
*[http://www.hitler.org/writings/Mein_Kampf/ Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler.] Full text.
*[http://www.snyderstreasures.com/pages/hartworks.htm Adolf Hitler ORIGINAL Watercolor Artworks.]
*[http://constitutionalistnc.tripod.com/hitler-leftist/ Hitler Was a Leftist]

==Further reading==
*[http://www.ushmm.org/research/doctors/medical.htm STATE MEDICAL SERVICES OF THE THIRD REICH], FROM THE OPENING STATEMENT BY TELFORD TAYLOR, Trials of War Criminals before the Nuremberg Military Tribunals under Control Council Law No. 10. Nuremberg, October 1946–April 1949. Washington, D.C.: U.S. G.P.O, 1949–1953.] Retrieved from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==Sources==
*[http://www.nizkor.org/hweb/people/h/hitler-adolf/oss-papers/text/profile-index.htmlA Psychological Analysis of Adolf Hitler, His Life and Legend], Walter C. Langer, Office of Strategic Services, Washington, D.C.

{{DEFAULTSORT: Hitler, Adolf}}

[[Category:Dictators]]
[[Category:Mass Murderers]]
[[Category:Nazis]]
[[Category:Evolutionists]]
[[Category:Totalitarianism]]
[[Category:Anti-Semitism]]
[[Category:German History]]
[[Category:World War II]]
[[Category:Evolutionary Racists]]
[[Category:War criminals]]
[[Category:Socialists]]
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[[Category:Liberal Authors]]

Leftist

2015-09-19T22:16:46Z

Humanperson: Removed perception bias. "Fevor" isn't a word. Fixed punctuation and run-on sentences.

'''Leftist''' refers to someone on the far left side of the [[political spectrum]], perhaps initially a [[moderate]] but then more [[liberal]], such as a [[progressive]], [[socialist]], [[communist]] or a particularly liberal member of the [[American]] [[Democratic Party]]. A leftist supports collectivism, more government control of the economy, direct government control over social policy, including Federal control over education at all levels, lower [[military]] spending, [[freedom of religion]] and [[separation of church and state]], a [[Living Constitution|living constitution]], [[Same-sex marriage|same sex marriages]], a more unisex society, [[globalism]], taxpayer-funded [[abortion]], and [[censorship]] of [[religion]] in public places. The term leftist was first coined during the French Revolution, largely in reference to the revolutionaries. However, the name origin has been debated to be either a reference to parliament members who occupied the left side of the room or derived from a passage in the Book of Revelations indicating those damned to Hell as goats for not following Jesus as an example.<ref>http://www.theculturewatch.com/the-french-revolution The Origin of the Left Wing 
It was in the French Revolution that the terms 'left wing' and 'right wing' were first coined. Those on the left were the Radicals, who proudly adopted the designation as a symbol of their Revolutionary defiance of Christian tradition which always represented those on the right hand of God as saved, and those on the left as damned. (James Billington, Fire in the Minds of Men: Origin of the Revolutionary Faith.)</ref>

Anarchist thinker Michael Bakunin critiqued prominent leftist theoretician [[Karl Marx]] in 1873 with these words,

:"..if the [[proletariat]] is to be the ruling class, over whom is it to rule? ...the peasant "rabble" who, as it is known, does not enjoy the sympathy of the Marxists who consider it to represent a [[Racism|lower level of culture]], will probably be ruled by the factory proletariat of the cities. Or, if this problem is to be approached [[Nationalism|nationalist]]ically, the [[Slavs]] will be placed in the same subordinate relationship to the victorious German proletariat in which the latter now stands to the German bourgeoisie." <ref>Michael Bakunin, ''Statism and Anarchy'', (1873), in Sam Dolgoff, ''Bakunin'' On Anarchy, (Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1972), p. 330.</ref>

==State planning==

In the United States, men such as [[Eugene Debs]], Maurice Hilquit and [[Norman Thomas]] believed they could, by a gradual series of alterations in the structure of society, create a truly democratic world in which all people would enjoy not merely freedom, but also prosperity. They believed this could not be achieved under the system of [[private property]] and [[profit]]. They advocated a gradual acquisition by the State of all the great utilities, transportation, communication, and basic industries such as coal, oil, and steel.

The dream of a cooperative commonwealth, in which all would share equally in the prosperity, created by an economic system owned by the people was the vision of [[Socialist]]s. This in theory would end [[poverty]], [[ignorance]] and [[crises]]. The idea was to [[nationalize]] banks, railroads, all means of transport, mines, and a few basic industries, but leave some factories, stores, farms, entertainment industries, etc., in the hands of private owners. The government would assume responsibility for making the economy work, for the wellbeing of all the citizens, their protection from the hazards of life, poverty, sickness, and old age. To make the whole economy work continuously without occasional [[Great_Depression#Boom_or_Bust_Cycles|boom-bust]] cycles, the government would create [[economic planning]] boards which would continuously study and observe the functioning of the economic system and make plans covering production, prices, distribution, financing, profits, [[wages]], hours, etc. Thus there would be Planned Capitalism, with the State responsible for the planning and for ensuring the carrying out of its plans through great government bureaus armed with the necessary powers to enforce compliance.

In the 1920s, [[Mussolini]] had adopted the Planned Capitalist State, and he gave it the name "[[fascism]]". [[Hitler]] adopted the same idea and called it [[National Socialism]], although the Nazi party operated as a right-wing totalitarian state. Mussolini and Hitler both realized that a system which imposes a vast complex of decrees upon a people while subjecting them to confiscatory [[tax]]es to support the immense activities of the government cannot be operated except by an [[Absolutism|absolute]] government that has the power to enforce compliance. Prior to [[World War II]], this type of system had spread all over Europe. For nearly 70 years, all the countries in Europe, with Germany in the lead, had been experimenting with the idea of the [[welfare state]], the State which attempts to provide its people with jobs and protection from all the hazards of life.

This system is the direct opposite of [[classical liberalism]]. It is the negation of the classical liberal philosophy which, for decades, has been fighting to emancipate the people from the tyranny of the all-powerful State. During the [[New Deal]], this doctrine became known in America as "liberalism". Liberals did not admit that it implied the restoration to the State those very powers which had been stripped from the State, as the means of giving people freedom. They called it the [[Planned Economy]]. It was, and is, "fascism" by whatever name it is known. Incrementally the government must be made stronger, and the rights of the citizens reduced.

==Modern leftists==

Modern leftists in the United States have come under increasing criticism as advocates of thought control.<ref>[http://www.humanevents.com//article.php?id=20562 Leftist Thought Control], David Limbaugh, ''Human Events'', 05/04/2007. </ref> Author David Limbaugh cites, "Consider the subjects of [[evolution]], [[global warming]], [[homosexual agenda|special rights for homosexuals]] and [[abstinence]] education. Consider efforts of the left to [[Fairness Doctrine|silence conservative talk radio]]. Consider the mainstream media's arrogant denial of its transparent [[liberal bias]], pronouncing itself to be above politics and inherently objective and its critics somehow skewed... Consider the leftist refrain that [[red state]] conservatives do not merely possess a different world view, but are not part of the 'reality-based community.'"

== History ==

During the French [[Reign of Terror]] of the early [[Enlightenment]], the left attempted a dechristianization movement to replace the "reactionary" worship of God and replace it with the worship of national patriotism, or the ''Patrie''. Many churches were closed, and either converted into Temples of Reason,<ref>John Hall Stewart, ''A Documentary Survey of the French Revolution'' (Macmillan, New York, 1963). </ref> or otherwise demolished outright under the order of Jacobin leader [[Maximilien de Robespierre]], under the pretense that their design was "undemocratic."<ref>[http://www.culturewars.com/CultureWars/Archives/Fidelity_archives/parricide.html Operation Parricide: Sade, Robespierre & the French Revolution]</ref> The left even formed a new calendar [[Liberal_censorship|secularizing Christian holidays]]. This calendar was short lived though, and was never accepted in the rural, more religious parts of France.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.marx2mao.com/Lenin/LWC20.html V. I. Lenin, ''"Left-Wing" Communism, An Infantile Disorder''] (1920) V. I. Lenin, Selected Works, English edition, Foreign Languages Publishing House, Moscow, 1952, Vol. II, Part 2.
* [http://jonjayray.tripod.com/leftism2.html John J. Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.), ''THE MOTIVATIONS OF POLITICAL LEFTISTS'']
{{Liberalism}}
[[Category:Liberalism]]

Iran

2015-09-19T22:13:28Z

Humanperson: clarified

{{Country
|name = جمهوری اسلامی ايران'' Jomhūrī-ye Eslāmī-ye Īrān''
|map =Iran rel 2001.jpg
|map2 =Iran location.png
|flag =800px-Flag of Iran svg.png
|arms =Arms of Iran.png
|capital =Tehran
|capital-raw =
|government =Islamic Republic
|government-raw =
|language =Persian (Farsi)
|king =
|queen =
|monarch-raw =
|president = Hassan Rouhani
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =
|pm-raw =
|area =636,372 sq. mi.
|pop =77,891,000
|pop-basis =2011
|gdp =$610 billion
|gdp-year =2006
|gdp-pc =$8,700
|currency =Iranian rial
|idd =
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}}
'''Iran''', officially the '''Islamic Republic of Iran''' (جمهوری اسلامی ايران) is an Islamic theocratic republic in southwest [[Asia]]. Its capital is [[Tehran]] and its official language is Farsi. A historical name for Iran was "'''Persia, '''" which is also the name of the dominant ethnic group. Iran is suspected by Israel and her western allies of pursuing nuclear weapons to gain a strategic advantage in a regional cold war against Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia. Israel also accuses Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons for use against Israel, which is hotly denied by Iran's government which claims the program is to be used for peaceful purposes, requiring the enrichment of [[uranium]].

==People==
Iran is not a pluralistic society, but does have little diversity. Persians are the largest predominant ethnic and cultural group in this country, though many are actually of mixed ancestry. The population of the country has important Turkic elements (e.g., Azeris) and Arabs predominate in the southwest. In addition, Iranian citizens include Kurds, Balochi, Bakhtyari, Lurs, and other smaller minorities, such as Armenians, Assyrians, Jews, and Brahuis (or Brohi).
*Population (2007): 65.4 million.
*Population growth rate (2007 est.): 0.663%.
*Ethnic groups: Persians 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%.
*Religions: Shi'a Muslim 89%; Sunni Muslim 9%; Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i 2%.
*Languages: Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic languages (besides Turkish) 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%.
*Education: Literacy (total population age 15 and over who can read and write, 2003)--79% (male: 86%, female: 73%).
*Health (2007 est.): Infant mortality rate--38.2 deaths/1,000 live births. Life expectancy at birth (2007)--total population: 70.56 yrs.

[[File:Iran.jpg|thumb|left|[[Ayatollah Ruholla Khomeini]].]]
[[File:Persian women from Shiraz Iran.jpg|thumb|Persian women from Shiraz.]]
The 1979 Islamic revolution and the 1980-88 war with Iraq transformed Iran's class structure politically, socially, and economically. During this period, [[Shia]] clerics took a more dominant position in politics and nearly all aspects of Iranian life, both urban and rural. After the fall of the Pahlavi regime in 1979, much of the urban upper class of prominent merchants, industrialists, and professionals, favored by the former monarch, the shah, lost standing and influence to the senior clergy and their supporters. Bazaar merchants, who were allied with the clergy against the Pahlavi shahs, also have gained political and economic power since the revolution. The urban working class has enjoyed somewhat enhanced status and economic mobility, spurred in part by opportunities provided by revolutionary organizations and the government bureaucracy. Though the number of clergy holding senior positions in the parliament and elsewhere in government has declined since the 1979 revolution, Iran has nevertheless witnessed the rise of a post-revolutionary elite among lay people who are strongly committed to the preservation of the Islamic Republic.

Most Iranians are Muslims; 89% belong to the Shi'a branch of Islam, the official state religion, and about 9% belong to the [[Sunni]] branch, which predominates in neighboring Muslim countries. Non-Muslim minorities include [[Zoroastrian]]s, [[Jew]]s, Baha'is, and [[Christian]]s.

==Government==
[[Image:Iran population density 2004.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Population density]]
The December 1979 Iranian constitution defines the political, economic, and social order of the Islamic republic. The document establishes Shi'a Islam of the Twelver (Jaafari) sect as Iran's official religion. Sunni Islam, [[Zoroastrianism]], [[Judaism]] and Christianity are the only other recognized, legal minority religions. But Iran is the eigth country on the World Watch List of [[Open Doors]]. The country is governed by secular and religious leaders through governing bodies, whose duties often overlap. (See also:[[Christians in Iran]])

The Supreme Leader holds power for life unless removed by the Assembly of Experts. He has final say on all domestic, foreign, and security policies for Iran, though he establishes and supervises those policies in consultation with the Expediency Council. The Leader is the final arbiter on all differences or disputes among the various branches of government. He appoints officials to key positions including the head of judiciary and the 12 members of the Guardian Council (six directly, six indirectly). He has power to remove the president and is commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

The constitution stipulates that the Assembly of Experts, which currently consists of the 86 popularly-elected clerics elected to 8-year terms, chooses the Supreme Leader based on jurisprudent qualifications and commitment to the principles of the revolution. The Assembly of Experts reviews his performance periodically and has the power to depose and replace him. Pragmatic conservative candidates generally polled better than their hardline conservative opponents during the December 15, 2006 elections to the Assembly of Experts. (Turnout for this vote, which coincided with municipal council elections, was quite high, topping 60%.) Citizens will not vote for representatives to the Assembly again until 2014.

The Council of Guardians consists of 12 persons. The Supreme Leader appoints the six religious members of the Council of Guardians while the Iranian parliament, the Majles, selects the six lay members from candidates recommended by the judiciary, which is in turn selected by the Supreme Leader. The non-clerics play a role only in determining whether legislation before the [[Majles]] conforms to Iran's constitution. The religious members, on the other hand, take part in all deliberations, considering all bills for conformity to Islamic principles. The Council of Guardians can veto any law. This body also certifies the competence of candidates for the presidency, the Assembly of Experts, and the Majles.

The president of the Islamic Republic of Iran is elected by universal suffrage to a 4-year term. The president supervises the affairs of the executive branch, appointing and supervising the Council of Ministers (members of the cabinet), coordinating government decisions, and selecting government policies to be placed before the National Assembly.
[[File:Tehran Milad Tower Iran.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Milad Tower, Tehran.]]
The Majles, or National Assembly, consists of 290 members elected to 4-year terms. The members of the legislature are elected by direct and secret ballot from among the candidates approved by the Council of Guardians.

In 1988, Ayatollah Khomeini created the Council for Expediency, which resolves legislative issues on which the Majles and the Council of Guardians fail to reach an agreement. Since 1989, it has been used to advise the national religious leader on matters of national policy as well. It is composed of the president, the speaker of the Majles, the judiciary chief, the clerical members of the Council of Guardians, and other members appointed by the Supreme Leader for 3-year terms. Cabinet members and Majles committee chairs also serve as temporary members when issues under their jurisdictions are considered. In 2005, it was announced that the Expediency Council, which now has over 40 members, would have responsibility for general supervision of the system, though that has not resulted in any noticeable change in this institution's day-to-day authority or operations.

Judicial authority is constitutionally vested in the Supreme Court and the four-member High Council of the Judiciary; these are two separate groups with overlapping responsibilities and have one head. Together, they are responsible for supervising the enforcement of all laws and for establishing judicial and legal policies.

Iran has two military forces. The national military is charged with defending Iran's borders, while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is charged mainly with maintaining internal security.

Iran has 30 provinces managed by an appointed governor general. The provinces are further divided into counties, districts, and villages. Sixty percent of eligible voters took part in the first ever municipal and local council elections in 1999, though a lower percentage went to the polls in the second round in 2003. Turnout during the December 15, 2006 elections, during which citizens also elected Assembly of Expert representatives, was over 60%. The local councils select mayors.

The March 2008 elections resulted in the conservatives getting a significant lead in the polls, with Conservative politician Shahabeddin Sadr saying that, during early counting, 70 per cent of winners were "principlists" - a label conservatives use to describe their loyalty to the Islamic Republic's ideals.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/03/15/2190618.htm Conservatives forge ahead in Iran parliament vote], [[ABC Online]], 15 March 2008</ref>.

===Principal Government Officials===
[[File:Hassan Rouhani.jpg|thumb|President [[Hassan Rouhani]]]]
*Leader of the Islamic Revolution--Ali Hosseini-Khamenei
*President--Hassan Rouhani
*First Vice President--Parviz Davudi
*Foreign Minister--Manouchehr Mottaki
*Ambassador to the United Nations--Mohammad Javad Zarif

===Political Conditions===
[[Image:Iran ethnoreligious distribution 2004.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Ethnoreligious distribution]]
Iran's post-revolution difficulties have included an 8-year war with Iraq, internal political struggles and unrest, and economic disorder. The early days of the regime were characterized by severe human rights violations and political turmoil, including the seizure of the U.S. Embassy compound and its occupants on 4 November 1979, by Iranian student militants. Iranian authorities released the 52 hostages only after 444 days of captivity.

By mid-1982, the clergy had won a succession of post-Revolution power struggles that eliminated first the center of the political spectrum and then the leftists, including the communist Tudeh party and the cult-like Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MEK or MKO). Assassinations, throwing acid in the faces of women who refused to wear the veil, and other acts of violence punctuated this period. There has been some moderation of excesses since the early days of the revolution, and the country experienced a partial "thaw" in terms of political and social freedoms during the tenure of former president Khatami, but serious problems remained. The administration of former President Ahmadi-Nejad had witnessed a crackdown on Iranian civil society, continued human rights violations, and worsening constraints on press freedom and civil liberties. Current president [[Hassan Rouhani]] did not changed anything.

The Islamic Republican Party (IRP) was Iran's sole political party until its [[dissolution]] in 1987. Iran now has a variety of groups engaged in political activity; some are oriented along ideological lines or based on an identity group, others are more akin to professional political parties seeking members and recommending candidates for office. Some have been active participants in the Revolution's political life while others reject the state. Conservatives consistently thwarted the efforts of reformists during the Khatami era and have consolidated their control on power since the flawed elections for the seventh Majles in 2004 and president Ahmadi-Nejad's victory in 2005. The party of Khamenei is the Combatant Clergy Association. President [[Hassan Rouhani]] is a member of it.

The Iranian Government has faced armed opposition from a number of groups, including the MEK (which the U.S. Government added to its list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations in 1999), the People's Fedayeen, and the Kurdish Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI).

===Foreign Relations===
Khomeini's revolutionary regime initiated sharp changes from the foreign policy pursued by the Shah, particularly in reversing the country's orientation toward the West. In the Middle East, Iran's only significant ally has been [[Syria]], but Iran has made strides in improving relations with its Gulf neighbors, particularly [[Saudi Arabia]].
[[File:Ayatollah Abdolhussein Moezi.JPG|thumb|Ayatollah Abdolhussein Moezi.]]
Iran's foreign relations are based on sometimes competing objectives. Iran's pragmatic foreign policy goals include, not surprisingly, protecting itself from external threats and building trade ties. Iran has additionally been accused, however, of trying to export its fundamentalist revolution to other countries, sometimes supporting terrorist organizations, and its vehement anti-U.S. and anti-Israel stances are well-known. Senior Iranian officials directed Hezbollah to carry out the bombing of the Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA, the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association) building in Buenos Aires on July 18, 1994, killing 85 people and wounding scores of others. Out of the eight individuals indicted by the Government of Argentina in October 2006, the Interpol Executive Committee has recommended the issuance of Red Notices (international arrest warrants) against six: five former or current Iranian officials and one Lebanese Hezbollah leader.

In September 1980, during the U.S. hostage crisis, Iraq invaded Iran to take control of the waterway between the two countries, the Shatt al-Arab, although the conflict's underlying causes included each nation's overt desire for the overthrow of the other's government. Iran defended itself and demanded the withdrawal of Iraqi troops from Iranian territory and the return to the status quo ante for the Shatt al-Arab as established under the 1975 Algiers Agreement signed by Iraq and Iran. Khomeini's government turned down an Iraqi cease-fire proposal in 1982, making a new demand for Saddam Hussein's removal as well. After eight punishing years of war, in July 1988, Iran at last agreed to UN Security Council Resolution 598 and the cease-fire was implemented on August 20, 1988. Neither nation had made any real gains in the war.
[[File:Chavez ahmad.jpg|thumb|left|290px|[[Hugo Chavez]] and former president Ahmadineyad.]]
Iran's relations with many of its Arab neighbors have been strained by Iranian attempts to spread its Islamic revolution, a strictly ideological goal. In 1981, Iran supported a plot to overthrow the [[Bahrain Government]]. In 1983, Iran expressed support for Shi'ites who bombed Western embassies in Kuwait, and in 1987, Iranian pilgrims rioted during the hajj (pilgrimage) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Nations with strong fundamentalist movements, such as Egypt and Algeria, also mistrust Iran. Iran backs Hezbollah (in Lebanon), Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of [[Palestine]]-General Command, all of which are violently opposed to the Arab-Israeli peace process. In contrast, while relations with west European nations have been uneven, they have been driven primarily by pragmatic goals of trade and security. Iran has accepted stronger commercial ties but largely declined to deliver on key European political concerns such as human rights and weapons of mass destruction (WMD) acquisition efforts, particularly in the nuclear field, where the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been strongly critical of Iran.

An IAEA report in November 2003 provided evidence that Iran, a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), had concealed secret nuclear activities for 18 years. Under international pressure, Iran signed the Additional Protocol to the Safeguards Agreement on December 18, 2003, agreeing to suspend all uranium-enrichment and reprocessing activities voluntarily, as well as cooperate fully with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in resolving questions regarding Iran's nuclear program. In June 2004, the IAEA rebuked Iran for failing to fully cooperate with an inquiry into its nuclear activities, and in November 2004, Iran agreed to suspend most of its uranium enrichment under a deal with the EU. That promise did not last, however, and since then concerns over Iran's nuclear activities have increased.

On June 6, 2006, [[China]], [[France]], [[Germany]], [[Russia]], the [[United States]], and [[United Kingdom]] offered Iran a substantial package of economic cooperation and assistance. Tehran, however, was first required to come into compliance with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) guidelines on its nuclear program, suspending its [[uranium]] enrichment program. On July 31, the UN Security Council adopted resolution 1696 on the Iranian nuclear question, requiring Iran to suspend all activities related to enrichment and reprocessing, including research and development, as demanded by the IAEA, or else face possible sanctions. Tehran defied the UN Security Council (UNSC) deadline of August 31, leading to the passage of UNSC Resolution 1636 in December 2006 and, as Iran continued to balk, Resolution 1747 in March 2007.
[[File:Iran Pakistan India gas pipeline.JPG|thumb|300px|Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline.]]
Iran sparked an international controversy when its forces seized and held hostage 15 British sailors and marines, conducting routine anti-smuggling operations in Iraqi territorial waters under UN mandate, on March 23, 2007. Tehran released the U.K. service members on April 6.

Iran maintains regular diplomatic and commercial relations with Russia and the former Soviet republics. Both Iran and Russia believe they have important national interests at stake in developments in Central Asia and the Transcaucasus, particularly regarding energy resources from the Caspian Sea. Russian and other sales of military equipment and technology to Iran concern Iran's neighbors and the United States. Washington is also concerned about Russian assistance in building at nuclear facility at Bushehr.

Iran spends about 3.3% of its GDP on its military. Iran's military consists of both a national military held over from the shah's government and the IRGC, each with its own ground, naval and air branches. The Iran-Iraq war took a heavy toll on these military forces. Iran is trying to modernize its military, including ballistic missile programs, and acquire weapons of mass destruction; it continues to seek nuclear capabilities. On November 7, 2007, Ahmadinejad announced that Iran had 3,000 centrifuges operating in its uranium enrichment program, which would be enough to produce a nuclear weapon. <ref>http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,308903,00.html</ref> However, a December, 2007 U.S. intelligence report stated that Iran halted its nuclear program in 2003, and remains on hold. According to the National Intelligence Estimate, "We do not know whether (Iran) currently intends to develop nuclear weapons."<ref>[http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071203/ts_nm/iran_usa_dc Report contradicts Bush on Iran nuclean program]</ref>

===Relations with the United States===
[[File:US Iran.gif|right]]
On November 4, 1979, militant Iranian students occupied the American Embassy in Tehran with the support of Ayatollah Khomeini. Fifty-two Americans were held hostage for 444 days. On April 7, 1980, the United States broke diplomatic relations with Iran, and on April 24, 1981, the Swiss Government assumed representation of U.S. interests in Tehran. Iranian interests in the United States are represented by the Government of Pakistan. The Islamic Republic of Iran does not have its own embassy in Washington, though it does have a permanent mission to the United Nations in New York City.

In accordance with the Algiers declaration of January 20, 1981, the Iran-U.S. Claims Tribunal (located in The Hague, Netherlands) was established for the purpose of handling claims of U.S. nationals against Iran and of Iranian nationals against the United States. U.S. contact with Iran through The Hague covers only legal matters.

The U.S. Government, by Executive Orders issued by the President as well as by Congressional legislation, prohibits most trade with Iran. Some sanctions were imposed on Iran because Tehran is a state sponsor of terrorism, others because of the nuclear [[proliferation]] issues, and still more for human rights violations, including infringement of religious freedom. The commercial relations that do exist between the two countries consist mainly of Iranian purchases of food and medical products and U.S. imports of carpets and food. Some sanctions were temporarily waived in the wake of the devastating Bam earthquake of December 2003. U.S. officials and relief workers actively assisted in relief and reconstruction efforts.

There are serious obstacles to improved relations between the two countries. As a state sponsor of terrorism, Iran remains an impediment to international efforts to locate and prosecute terrorists. Recent attempts by Iran to form loose alliances with anti-U.S. governments in the Western Hemisphere, such as the Venezuelan Government, has further heightened concern about Iran's support for terrorism and nuclear ambitions. Operation Iraqi Freedom removed the Iranian Government's greatest security threat, but officially Iran remained neutral about U.S. policy, sometimes strongly condemning American policies and actions in Iraq. Iran has cultural ties to elements of the populations of both Iraq and Afghanistan. It has made some positive contributions to stability in both countries, but other actions have had the opposite effect. It remains to be seen whether Tehran will ultimately be a constructive force in the reconstruction of its two neighbors or not.

The U.S. Government defines its areas of objectionable Iranian behavior as the following:
*Iran's efforts to acquire nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction;
*Its support for and involvement in international terrorism;
*Its support for violent opposition to the Middle East peace process, as well as its harmful activities particularly in Lebanon, as well as in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere in the region; and
*Its dismal human rights record and lack of respect for its own people.

The United States has held discussions with Iranian representatives on particular issues of concern over the years. U.S. and Iranian envoys cooperated during operations to overthrow the Taliban in 2001 and during the Bonn Conference in 2002 that established a broad-based government for the Afghan people under President Karzai. The Secretary of State, her Iranian counterpart, and others met at talks on Iraq in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, on May 3, 2007. The American and Iranian ambassadors to Iraq took part in face-to-face discussions in Baghdad, with Iraqi officials in attendance, on May 28, 2007. The United States believes, however, that normal relations are impossible until Iran's policies change.

Nevertheless, the U.S. State Department is supporting efforts to further the cause of democracy in Iran. In fiscal year (FY) 2006, the U.S. Congress allocated approximately $66 million to promote free media, personal freedom, and a better understanding of western values and culture. As part of these efforts, the Department supports efforts to develop civil society in Iran and exchange programs that bring Iranian students, athletes, professionals and others to the United States.

The Secretary of State has stated that Iranian agreement to abide by UNSC Resolutions 1696 and 1747, calling for Tehran to suspend uranium enrichment and comply with its international nuclear obligations, could lead to the direct negotiations between American and Iranian government officials, not only on Iran's nuclear case but on a wide range of issues.

In May 2007, the Iranian Government charged and in some cases imprisoned a handful of innocent Iranian-American scholars, civil society actors, and journalists, accused by the regime of jeopardizing the security of the state. The international community, academic institutions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and private citizens have joined the U.S. Government in calling for the release of the detained dual nationals, as well as Iranian cooperation in the case of missing retired FBI agent Robert Levinson, last reported on Kish Island, Iran, on March 8, 2007.

===Covert operations and the 2009 elections===
Beginning in 2004, U.S. President [[George W. Bush]] is reported to have signed a series of Executive Orders initiating covert operations aimed at destabilizing the Iranian regime.<ref>[http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/library/news/2009/intell-090113-rferl01.htm ''Reports Suggest Obama Faces Early Choice On Iran Covert Ops''], Ron Synovitz, Globalsecurity.org January 13, 2009.</ref> The CIA was authorized to supply communications equipment which would enable opposition groups in Iran to work together and bypass internet censorship by the government.<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1552784/Bush-sanctions-black-ops-against-Iran.html ''Bush sanctions 'black ops' against Iran''], London Telegraph, 27 May 2007.</ref> During the domestic unrest following the post-election protests in which opposition groups accused the regime of rigged elections, U.S. Secretary of State [[Hillary Clinton]] urged Twitter networking service to keep the system running, leading to complaints from Iran's government. Protesters used Twitter to communicate amid the clampdown.<ref>[http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fgw-twitter18-2009jun18,0,5845567.story ''Hillary Clinton defends Twitter efforts for Iran''], L.A. Times, June 17, 2009.</ref>

==Economy==
[[Image:Iran industry mining78.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Iranian industry and mining]]
Pre-revolutionary Iran's economic development was rapid. Traditionally an agricultural society, by the 1970s Iran had achieved significant industrialization and economic modernization. However, the pace of growth had slowed dramatically by 1978, just before the Islamic revolution. Since the fall of the shah, economic recovery has proven elusive thanks to a combination of factors, including fluctuations in the global energy market. Economic activity was severely disrupted additionally by years of upheaval and uncertainty surrounding the revolution and the introduction of statist economic policies. These conditions were worsened by the war with Iraq and the decline in world oil prices beginning in late 1985. After the war with Iraq ended, the situation began to improve: Iran's GDP grew for two years running, partly from an oil windfall in 1990, and there was a substantial increase in imports. However, Iran had suffered a brain drain throughout the previous decade and wartime policies had resulted in a demographic explosion.

A decrease in oil revenues in 1991 and growing external debt dampened optimism for recovery. In March 1989, the government instituted a new 5-year plan for economic development, which loosened state control and allowed Iran to seek greater latitude in accessing foreign capital. Mismanagement and inefficient bureaucracy, as well as political and ideological infighting, hampered the formulation and execution of a consolidated economic policy, and the Iran fell short of the plan's goals while economic inequality was aggravated. Today, Iran's economy is a mixture of central planning, state ownership of oil and other large enterprises, village agriculture, and small-scale private trading and service ventures. Former President Khatami followed the market reform plans of his predecessor, President Rafsanjani, and indicated that he would pursue diversification of Iran's oil-reliant economy, although he made little progress toward that goal. High [[inflation]] and expansive public transfer programs, as well as powerful economic-political vested interests created obstacles for rapid reform.

During the 2005 election campaign, President Ahmadi-Nejad promised to redistribute oil revenues to the impoverished, fund large infrastructure projects, and privatize Iranian state enterprises. He has been criticized within Iran for not carrying through on many of his promises. While establishment of the Imam Reza fund for cheap loans to youth has been popular, a law increasing the minimum was revoked because of the huge strain on employers. The "Shares of Justice" program--distributing shares of state-owned enterprises to the poor--faces a number of potential problems.
[[File:Naghshe Jahan Square Isfahan Iran.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Naghshe Jahan Square, Isfahan.]]
Unemployment was estimated to be 20% for 2007, according to the International Monetary Fund. Unemployment, a major problem even before the revolution, has many causes, including population growth, high minimum wage level and other restrictive labor policies. Farmers and peasants enjoyed a psychological boost from the attention given them by the Islamic regime but hardly appear to be better off in economic terms. The government has made progress on rural development, including electrification and road building, but Iran still faces inefficiencies related to agricultural land usage which are politically difficult to reconcile. Agriculture also has suffered from shortages of capital, raw materials, and equipment, problems dating back to the 1980-1988 war with Iraq. (See Foreign Relations above.)

Although Islam guarantees the right to private ownership, banks and some industries--including the petroleum, transportation, utilities, and mining sectors--were nationalized after the revolution under Marxist-influenced economic policies. Starting under President Rafsanjani, Iran has pursued some privatization through its nascent equities markets. However, the industrial sector remains plagued by low labor productivity and shortages of raw materials and spare parts, and is uncompetitive against foreign imports.

Increases in the price of oil starting in 2003 have increased state revenue enormously and permitted a much larger degree of spending on social programs than previously anticipated. However, this has not eased economic hardships such as high unemployment and inflation. The proportion of the economy devoted to the development of weapons of mass destruction and military spending overall remains a contentious issue with leading Western nations.

Earnings from Iranian oil exports, projected at $57-$87 billion for 2007-2008, are placed into the Oil Stabilization Fund (OSF), originally designed as a Treasury safety net if oil prices dropped below $20/barrel. In practice, the government has drawn upon the OSF to cover over expenditures. Iran relies on oil for 80% of its export revenue, and 40% of total revenues. (Note: Iran's refining capacity is limited, and Tehran is a net gasoline importer, spending $2.6 billion for foreign gas in 2005.)
*GDP (purchasing power parity, 2006 est.): $599.2 billion.
*GDP (official exchange rate, 2006 est.): $193.5 billion.
*GDP real growth rate (2007 est.): 4.6%.
*GDP composition by sector (2006): Agriculture 11.2%, industry 41.7%, services 47.1%.
*Per capita income (2006 est.): $8,700.
*Work force: 24.36 million.
*Work force - by occupation (2001 est.): Agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45%.
*Unemployment rate (2007 est.): 20%.
*Natural resources: [[Petroleum]], [[natural gas]], [[coal]], [[chromium]], [[copper]], [[iron ore]], [[lead manganese]], [[zinc]], [[sulfur]].
*Agriculture: Principal products--wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, fruits, nuts, cotton, dairy products, wool, caviar. Note: Iran is not self-sufficient in terms of food.
*Industry: Types--petroleum, petrochemicals, textiles, cement and building materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), metal fabricating (particularly steel and copper), armaments.
*Trade (2007 est.): Exports--$56.9 billion: petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, carpets, fruits, nuts. Major export partners (2006): Japan (17.3%), China (11.4%), Italy (6.2%), South Korea (5.2%), South Africa (5.5%), Turkey (5.7%), Netherlands (4.6%), France (4.1%), Taiwan (4.1%). Imports--$48.1 billion: industrial raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods, foodstuffs and other consumer goods, technical services, military supplies. Major import partners: Germany (14.2%), U.A.E. (6.7%), China (8.3%), Italy (7.5%), France (6.2%), South Korea (5.4%), Russia (4.9%).
==Military==
Iran currently relies upon her Russian and Chinese allies to supply defense equipment. In addition, it holds sizable stockpiles given to it by the United States during the period of the Shah.
== History ==
[[Image:Colossal Bull Head.gif|left]]
see [[History of Iran]]
[[File:Persepolis-Hundred Columns Hall Iran.jpg|thumb|300px|Persepolis-Hundred Columns Hall.]]
Tensions between Iran and the United States have increased since Iran was identified by President Bush in January 2002 as part of the [[Axis of Evil]], and particularly since the 2005 election of Ahmadinejad. An attempt by the [[European Union]] to negotiate a surrender of or reduction in [[Iranian nuclear efforts]] failed, leading to the [[United Nations Security Council]] voting to impose limited [[sanctions]]. The United States has since lobbied for sanctions more along the lines of those imposed on 1990 upon [[Iraq]], which remained in place until the beginning of [[Operation Iraqi Freedom]] in 2003. Talks in March 2007 between U. S., Iranian, and [[Syrian]] diplomats at a regional conference organized by Iraq proved unproductive, although the willingness of the parties to talk was itself regarded by some as a sign that war had become somewhat less likely.

In spite of the relative overstretch of the U. S. [[military]], the utility of an attack on Iran, or at least its nuclear facilities, was a live [[debate]] among American opinion leaders throughout 2006. Objections to such an attack were mostly based upon the belief that this would represent the first step on a [[slippery slope]] to [[occupation]] of Iran, which would probably require [[conscription]] in the United States, a step [[conservatives]] and most military leaders oppose. The debate, however, appeared to have been won decisively by the hawks following the regime's suicidal decision in late March 2007 not to promptly release 15 British sailors and marines it had captured on March 23, 2007.

In 2007, [[NATO]] officials caught Iran "red-handed" shipping heavy arms, C4 explosives and advanced roadside bombs to the [[Taliban]] for use against NATO forces.<ref>''[http://www.aina.org/news/20070608101313.htm Iran Caught Red-Handed Shipping Arms to Taliban]''. June 8, 2007. Assyrian International News Agency.</ref> The NATO officials stated that the incident was a "dramatic escalation of Iran's proxy war against the [[United States]] and [[United Kingdom]]".<ref>''[http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2007/06/document_iran_c.html Document: Iran Caught Red-Handed Shipping Arms to Taliban]''. June 6, 2007. ABC News.</ref>

A [[United States]] intelligence report in 2007 noted growing public unrest in Iran over the bleak economic situation. <ref>http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070824/ap_on_go_ot/us_iran;_ylt=AqDn5RrWdeIow5YjHjscMn2yFz4D Draft report logs bleak outlook for Iran. August 24, 2007. Associated Press. </ref>

==Moral legislation in Iran==
[[Image:Maleki An Achaemenian Soldier.jpg|thumb|An Achaemenian Soldier by Iman Maleki.]]
[[Homosexuality|Homosexuals]] get the death penalty in Iran.
<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,297982,00.html Iran Does Far Worse Than Ignore Gays, Critics Say] Fox News, September 25, 2007</ref> However, in a speech at Columbia Univeristy, the president of Iran stated that homosexuality does not exist in his nation.

In Iran, production and consumption of alcohol by Muslims is prohibited. However, Iranian law makes an exception for minority groups, such as the Christian [[Armenia]]ns, who are allowed to produce and consume [[wine]] and distilled spirits. Naturally, these communities produce far more alcohol than they consume, "illegally" selling it to Muslims who drink in contradiction of [[Sharia]] law.

Prostitution is also prohibited in Iran, but there are allegations that نكاح المتعة (temporary marriage, legal in [[Usuli]] [[Shia]] jurisprudence) is exploited to solemnize marriages of such short duration (hours or days) that the activities thus permitted more resemble dating (if money is not exchanged) or prostitution (if a fee is charged for the marriage).

==Further reading==
*[http://www.townhall.com/News/NewsArticle.aspx?contentGUID=e3d7a4b3-5763-41db-afaf-9f5b2304ca9f Iran: Western Spy Networks Discovered], May 26, 2007.
*[http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21816881-38197,00.html Iranian-American charged with spying], May 29, 2007.

==See Also==
* [[Previous Breaking News/Iran|Articles about '''Iran''' from previous "Breaking News"]]
* [[Democracy in Iran]]
* [[Big government]] [[Welfare state]] leads to [[socialist]] [[Nanny state]], leads to [[communist]] [[Police state]] - Don't think [[Communism]] is incompatible with [[Islam]].
* [[Gun control]] - key element to create a police state
* [[Press TV]]

== External Links ==
*[http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2011/06/16/iran_leader_calls_for_alliance_against_west/ Iran leader calls for alliance against West.]
*[http://bertschlossberg.blogspot.com/ Purim, Haddasah Hospital in Jerusalem, and Iran's Nuclear Bomb]

* [http://www.president.ir/eng/ Official website of the President of Iran]
* [http://www.ahmadinejad.ir/ The blog of the President of Iran]
* [http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articlenavigation/index.isc Encyclopædia Iranica]

{{Copyright Details (US Government)}}

Source = [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5314.htm]}}

{{Asian Countries}}

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

[[Category:Iran]]
[[Category:Middle Eastern Countries]]
[[Category:Muslim-Majority Countries]]
[[Category:Dictatorships]]
[[Category:Welfare State]]
[[Category:Police State]]
[[Category:Gun control]]
[[Category:Oppression]]
[[Category:Forms of Government]]
[[Category:Anti-American]]

{{Terrorism}}

Talk:Attempts to dilute the definition of atheism

2015-09-05T06:51:50Z

Humanperson:

See: [http://www.thedivineconspiracy.org/athart3.htm Atheism - etymology]. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 01:08, 5 September 2015 (EDT)

:In several places, he defined atheism as "denying god", even drawing on the Oxford Dictionary definition of 1966...
::"Atheism: a + theos, denying god, (Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology-1966)."

:Keep in mind, people were far more religious back then, so the word "denying" would have been much more preferred, over anything else. However, the Latin word for "deny" is "negare" (such as the English, "to negate").

:Instead, if Oxford had done a little better job back then, they would have found out (or admitted) that the Latin prefix "a-" means "without" (he stated that it could also mean "no", which is false), and so "atheist" (from "atheos") means "without a god" (or as we would say it, "godless"). This is not some "negando deum", because to an atheist, there is no need to deny a god, if there's no evidence for one.

:---

:He finished it off by pointing out that atheists say "atheism has no worldview" (true) and that's it's "just another attempt to keep from having their own beliefs critically evaluated" (false), then finally, "Everyone has a worldview (way of looking at the world), no matter what they might claim" (true).

:In fact, it's accurate that "atheism" has no worldview. To say that a person is "atheistic" (as the adjective) means that they are "without a god" (without the belief in one).

:However, "atheism" is not an atheist's worldview. Since atheists don't focus on gods, religion, or even on atheism, itself, then that does not constitute the worldview. However, "naturalism" would be a worldview - it's the belief that the world acts naturally. "Humanism" is a worldview - it's the belief in people.

:Since "theism" has nothing to do with the world (that's even in the Bible - Romans 12:2), then "theism" has to do with god - who is believed to be "beyond", or "transcendent". If "atheism" is the opposite of "theism", then atheism is without the belief of anything that is beyond, or transcendent. While that may lead a person to say that atheism is a worldview, since it rejects what is transcendent, it's not - because it's a passive-negative perspective about an active-positive belief (theism). Instead, the active-positive observation, in relation to atheism, would be naturalism.

:It was a good try, but because the premise of his sources and opinion were wrong, it led to his conclusion being wrong, as well. [[User:Humanperson|Humanperson]] ([[User talk:Humanperson|talk]]) 02:50, 5 September 2015 (EDT)

Talk:Attempts to dilute the definition of atheism

2015-09-05T06:50:51Z

Humanperson:

See: [http://www.thedivineconspiracy.org/athart3.htm Atheism - etymology]. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 01:08, 5 September 2015 (EDT)

:In several places, he defined atheism as "denying god", even drawing on the Oxford Dictionary definition of 1966...
::"Atheism: a + theos, denying god, (Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology-1966)."

:Keep in mind, people were far more religious back then, so the word "denying" would have been much more preferred, over anything else. However, the Latin word for "deny" is "negare" (such as the English, "to negate").

:Instead, if Oxford had done a little better job back then, they would have found out (or admitted) that the Latin prefix "a-" means "without" (he stated that it could also mean "no", which is false), and so "atheist" (from "atheos") means "without a god" (or as we would say it, "godless"). This is not some "negando deum", because to an atheist, there is no need to deny a god, if there's no evidence for one.

:---

:He finished it off by pointing out that atheists say "atheism has no worldview" (true) and that's it's "just another attempt to keep from having their own beliefs critically evaluated" (false), then finally, "Everyone has a worldview (way of looking at the world), no matter what they might claim" (true).

:In fact, it's accurate that "atheism" has no worldview. To say that a person is "atheistic" (as the adjective) means that they are "without a god" (without the belief in one).

:However, "atheism" is not an atheist's worldview. Since atheists don't focus on gods, religion, or even on atheism, itself, then that does not constitute the worldview. However, "naturalism" would be a worldview - it's the belief that the world acts naturally. "Humanism" is a worldview - it's the belief in people.

:Since "theism" has nothing to do with the world (that's even in the Bible - Romans 12:2), then "theism" has to do with god - who is believed to be "beyond", or "transcendent". If "atheism" is the opposite of "theism", then atheism is without the belief of anything that is beyond, or transcendent. While that may lead a person to say that atheism is a worldview, since it rejects what is transcendent, it's not - because it's a passive-negative perspective about an active-positive belief (theism). Instead, the active-positive observation, in relation to atheism, would be naturalism.

It was a good try, but because the premise of his sources and opinion were wrong, it led to his conclusion being wrong, as well. [[User:Humanperson|Humanperson]] ([[User talk:Humanperson|talk]]) 02:50, 5 September 2015 (EDT)

Attempts to dilute the definition of atheism

2015-09-05T03:38:27Z

Humanperson:

[[File:Charles Bradlaugh.jpg|thumb|right|195px|[[Charles Bradlaugh]] ]]
[[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 name="SEP">http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/atheism-agnosticism/</ref><ref name="cw">[http://creation.com/atheism-is-more-rational Is Atheism More Rational] by [[Creation Ministries International]]</ref><ref>http://www.thedivineconspiracy.org/athart3.htm</ref>

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>

[[Charles Bradlaugh]], in 1876, proposed that [[atheism]] does not assert "there is no God," and by doing so he diluted the traditional [[definition of atheism]].<ref name="SEP">http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/atheism-agnosticism/</ref><ref name="cw">[http://creation.com/atheism-is-more-rational Is Atheism More Rational] by [[Creation Ministries International]]</ref><ref>http://www.thedivineconspiracy.org/athart3.htm</ref> Since 1979, many atheists have followed Bradlaugh's thinking further and stated that atheism is merely a lack of belief in any god.<ref name="DivCon">http://www.thedivineconspiracy.org/athart3.htm</ref><ref>[http://www.positiveatheism.org/hist/quotes/bradlaugh.htm Positive Atheism's Big List of Charles Bradlaugh Quotations]</ref> The motive for such a shift in meaning appears to be to an attempt to shift the burden of proof regarding the existence of God to the [[theism]] side.<ref name="DivCon" />

In the article, ''Is Atheism Presumptuous''?, atheist Jeffery Jay Lowder, a founder of Internet Infidels, states that "I agree (with [[Paul Copan|Copan]]) that anyone who claims, "God does not exist," must shoulder a burden of proof just as much as anyone who claims, "God exists."<ref name="DivCon">http://www.thedivineconspiracy.org/athart3.htm</ref>
In short, the attempt to redefine atheism is merely an attempt to make no assertions so no facts need be offered.<ref name="DivCon">http://www.thedivineconspiracy.org/athart3.htm</ref> The attempt to redefine atheism, however, is not in accordance with the standard definitions of atheism that encyclopedias of philosophy employ which is that atheism is a denial of the existence of God or gods.<ref name="SEP">http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/atheism-agnosticism/</ref><ref name="cw">[http://creation.com/atheism-is-more-rational Is Atheism More Rational] by [[Creation Ministries International]]</ref><ref>http://www.thedivineconspiracy.org/athart3.htm</ref> In addition, the atheist community [[Atheism and deception|has often used deception to promote their ideology]].

Unlike [[Christianity]], which is supported by a large body of sound evidence (see: [[Christian apologetics]]), atheism has no proof and evidence supporting its ideology. In addition, atheists/skeptics do have a tradition of making assumptions that later have proved errant.<ref>http://www.leaderu.com/truth/1truth11.html</ref> Also, prominent atheists, such as [[Charles Darwin]] (see: [http://www.conservapedia.com/Charles_Darwin#Religious_Views_of_Charles_Darwin religious views of Charles Darwin] ), have experienced doubts concerning the validity of atheism.

This redefinition blurs the distinction between saying, "There is no God", and "I don't know whether God exists or not." It lets people say, "I don't believe in God," without clarifying whether they are denying God's existence (which is [[atheism]]) or are merely uncertain about it (which is [[agnosticism]]).

== What Atheism is ==

"A-" comes from Greek, meaning "without". "Theos" comes from Greek, meaning "god". "Atheos" (or "atheism", in English), means "godless", or "without a god". This primarily refers to the belief in any specific god. To be "atheist" is to be "godless".

== See also ==

*[[Atheist worldview]]
*[[Atheism and beliefs]]
*[[Atheists doubting the validity of atheism]]
*[[Atheist factions]]
*[[Weak atheism]]
*[[Strong atheism]]
*[[Atheism and irrationality]]
*[[Essay: The question atheists fear|The question atheists fear]]
*[[Global atheism|Decline of global atheism]]
*[[Atheism and cowardice]]
*[[Resources for leaving atheism and becoming a Christian]]
*[[Christian apologetics websites|Evidence for Christianity]]

== External links ==
*[http://www.leaderu.com/truth/1truth11.html Why the Burden of Proof is on the Atheist] by Professor Ralph McInerny

General articles on atheism and agnosticism:

* [http://creation.com/atheism Atheism] by [[Creation Ministries International]]
*[http://creation.com/atheism-agnosticism-and-humanism-godless-religions-questions-and-answers Atheism, agnosticism and humanism: godless religions] by [[Creation Ministries International]]
* [http://www.carm.org/atheism.htm Atheism] by [[Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry]]
* [http://www.greatcom.org/resources/secular_religions/ch01/default.htm Atheism, Agnosticism, and Skepticism] Synopsis of Understanding Secular Religions by [[Josh McDowell]] and Don Stewart

{{Nb Atheism}}

== Notes ==
{{reflist|2}}

Attempts to dilute the definition of atheism

2015-09-05T03:37:29Z

Humanperson:

[[File:Charles Bradlaugh.jpg|thumb|right|195px|[[Charles Bradlaugh]] ]]
[[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 name="SEP">http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/atheism-agnosticism/</ref><ref name="cw">[http://creation.com/atheism-is-more-rational Is Atheism More Rational] by [[Creation Ministries International]]</ref><ref>http://www.thedivineconspiracy.org/athart3.htm</ref>

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>

[[Charles Bradlaugh]], in 1876, proposed that [[atheism]] does not assert "there is no God," and by doing so he diluted the traditional [[definition of atheism]].<ref name="SEP">http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/atheism-agnosticism/</ref><ref name="cw">[http://creation.com/atheism-is-more-rational Is Atheism More Rational] by [[Creation Ministries International]]</ref><ref>http://www.thedivineconspiracy.org/athart3.htm</ref> Since 1979, many atheists have followed Bradlaugh's thinking further and stated that atheism is merely a lack of belief in any god.<ref name="DivCon">http://www.thedivineconspiracy.org/athart3.htm</ref><ref>[http://www.positiveatheism.org/hist/quotes/bradlaugh.htm Positive Atheism's Big List of Charles Bradlaugh Quotations]</ref> The motive for such a shift in meaning appears to be to an attempt to shift the burden of proof regarding the existence of God to the [[theism]] side.<ref name="DivCon" />

In the article, ''Is Atheism Presumptuous''?, atheist Jeffery Jay Lowder, a founder of Internet Infidels, states that "I agree (with [[Paul Copan|Copan]]) that anyone who claims, "God does not exist," must shoulder a burden of proof just as much as anyone who claims, "God exists."<ref name="DivCon">http://www.thedivineconspiracy.org/athart3.htm</ref>
In short, the attempt to redefine atheism is merely an attempt to make no assertions so no facts need be offered.<ref name="DivCon">http://www.thedivineconspiracy.org/athart3.htm</ref> The attempt to redefine atheism, however, is not in accordance with the standard definitions of atheism that encyclopedias of philosophy employ which is that atheism is a denial of the existence of God or gods.<ref name="SEP">http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/atheism-agnosticism/</ref><ref name="cw">[http://creation.com/atheism-is-more-rational Is Atheism More Rational] by [[Creation Ministries International]]</ref><ref>http://www.thedivineconspiracy.org/athart3.htm</ref> In addition, the atheist community [[Atheism and deception|has often used deception to promote their ideology]].

Unlike [[Christianity]], which is supported by a large body of sound evidence (see: [[Christian apologetics]]), atheism has no proof and evidence supporting its ideology. In addition, atheists/skeptics do have a tradition of making assumptions that later have proved errant.<ref>http://www.leaderu.com/truth/1truth11.html</ref> Also, prominent atheists, such as [[Charles Darwin]] (see: [http://www.conservapedia.com/Charles_Darwin#Religious_Views_of_Charles_Darwin religious views of Charles Darwin] ), have experienced doubts concerning the validity of atheism.

This redefinition blurs the distinction between saying, "There is no God", and "I don't know whether God exists or not." It lets people say, "I don't believe in God," without clarifying whether they are denying God's existence (which is [[atheism]]) or are merely uncertain about it (which is [[agnosticism]]).

== What Atheism is ==

"A-" comes from the Greek, meaning "without". "Theos" comes from the Greek, meaning "god". "Atheos" (or "atheism", in English), means "godless", or "without a god". This primarily refers to the belief in any specific god. To be "atheist" is to be "godless".

== See also ==

*[[Atheist worldview]]
*[[Atheism and beliefs]]
*[[Atheists doubting the validity of atheism]]
*[[Atheist factions]]
*[[Weak atheism]]
*[[Strong atheism]]
*[[Atheism and irrationality]]
*[[Essay: The question atheists fear|The question atheists fear]]
*[[Global atheism|Decline of global atheism]]
*[[Atheism and cowardice]]
*[[Resources for leaving atheism and becoming a Christian]]
*[[Christian apologetics websites|Evidence for Christianity]]

== External links ==
*[http://www.leaderu.com/truth/1truth11.html Why the Burden of Proof is on the Atheist] by Professor Ralph McInerny

General articles on atheism and agnosticism:

* [http://creation.com/atheism Atheism] by [[Creation Ministries International]]
*[http://creation.com/atheism-agnosticism-and-humanism-godless-religions-questions-and-answers Atheism, agnosticism and humanism: godless religions] by [[Creation Ministries International]]
* [http://www.carm.org/atheism.htm Atheism] by [[Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry]]
* [http://www.greatcom.org/resources/secular_religions/ch01/default.htm Atheism, Agnosticism, and Skepticism] Synopsis of Understanding Secular Religions by [[Josh McDowell]] and Don Stewart

{{Nb Atheism}}

== Notes ==
{{reflist|2}}

Talk:Atheism and love

2015-09-05T03:08:20Z

Humanperson:

Ah Cons!
How sad it is that you have to quote mine the subject of love.
:Here's a quote, Cons; something said by my wife who suddenly pressed herself up against my back as I was cooking bacon the other morning...
:''Thou art my life, my love, my heart,''
::''The very eyes of me,''
:''And hast command of every part,''
::''To live and die for thee.''

Robert Herrick at breakfast time is a fine thing, and it is especially welcome after forty years together. But not surprising because that is what we are Cons, and what we always have been.

Religion has had nothing to do with it. [[User:AlanE|AlanE]] 23:55, 14 November 2014 (EST)

=== AlanE, my response ===

1) Provide an atheistic explanation of love

2) Show me why the social science and historical data relevant to atheism/love that I provided isn't accurate/relevant

3) If atheism is such an embodiment of romantic love, why do women join Western World atheism to a significantly lesser degree? See: [[Atheism and women]]. AlanE, which is the bigger market for romance novels? Women or men?

4) Christmas is lovely holiday filled with good cheer (thanks to Christendom) and atheists consistently try to spoil it! And atheists have no holidays to boot! See: [[War on Christmas]] [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] 00:29, 15 November 2014 (EST)

:Been busy, Cons. Hoped to answer your questions when I got up this morning but family things took priority. (As they do.) Now I am back on I see the article has become basically a copy of numerous other "Atheism and....." articles. (You could copy and paste for your country, mate.) So there's not a lot of point in continuing my line of argument.
:Except to ask... Where did I say "atheism is...an embodiment of romantic love"?
:And to say that the Evans family takes the tradition of Christmas very seriously and you would find our celebrations truly Dickensian on the day itself. [[User:AlanE|AlanE]] 21:13, 15 November 2014 (EST)

==How about==
Some new photos for your articles, you use the same ones over and over.--[[User:Tomqua|Tomqua]] 02:10, 15 November 2014 (EST)
:Thanks for the input. I posted a new picture to CP and featured it in the article. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] 02:53, 15 November 2014 (EST)
=== New pictures added to wiki as per your request ===
[[File:Beggar.jpg|thumb|left|275px|A child in nontheistic [[Thailand]] where the nontheistic form of [[Buddhism]] called the Theravada school of Buddhism is prevalent. In 2010, the Pew Research Forum indicated that 93.2% of the people of Thailand were Buddhists. [http://www.pewforum.org/files/2012/12/globalReligion-tables.pdf]
 
[[Per capita]] [[atheism|atheists]] and [[agnosticism|agnostics]] in America give significantly less to charity than [[theism|theists]] even when church giving is not counted for theists (See: [[Atheism and charity|Atheism and uncharitableness]]). ]]
[[File:Valentine's Day Cake.jpg|240px|right|thumbnail|[[Saint Valentine's Day]] cake. Christians do good deeds through the grace of God and the compassion that is taught in the Bible. Going to heaven is simply the icing on the cake.]]
{{clear}}
: Clever. Devious indeed. Troll south-east Asia and choose a Buddhist (read nontheist) country for your new picture. I haven't been to Thailand, Cons. but I have been to India and, believe me, it is just as bad once you get off the tourist track.[[User:AlanE|AlanE]] 21:28, 15 November 2014 (EST)
::There is spiritual darkness in both atheism and polytheism.

::But there appears to be more spiritual and moral darkness to atheism. For example, I could not write an article entitled [[Hinduism and mass murder]]. And Ghandhi served a role model for non-violent resistance. On the other hand, atheists have been the biggest mass murders in history. See: [[Atheism and Mass Murder|Atheism and mass murder]]. And the [[secular left]] is known for engaging in senseless/inappropriate violence.

::In addition, I could and did write articles on [[Atheism and pornography]] and [[Atheism and child pornography]] and [[Atheism, pederasty and NAMBLA]] did so quite easily. And Thailand has a strong reputation for child trafficking and for decadent homosexual tourists visiting there to prey on children, but India does nave a strong reputation for this.

::Furthermore, I did have Indian/Hindu housemates in college and soon I will be doing some recreational activity with a Hindu neighbor. On the whole, Hindus are peaceable and polite. On the other hand, atheists are known for their profanity. See: [[Atheism and profanity]]

::In addition, the Hindus from India may like to bellyache about the Brits (who were social Darwinists and social Darwinism played a role in both WWI and WWII) and their exploitation of India, but they readily admit that the Brits did have a lot of good influence on them (legal system, etc. etc. And Judeo-Christianity played a role in the development of common law). And the USA had a good influence on both atheistic Japan after WWII and also had a good influence on atheistic China and a signification amount of the Christianization of China is due to Chinese students going back to China. And Christianization has been good for China economically due to the effect of the Protestant work ethic within their country.[http://blog.tifwe.org/the-protestant-work-ethic-alive-well-in-china/] And the cultural heritage of the Protestant work ethic has been good for atheistic Germany/Scandinavia/Northern Europe (but their moral decline on the whole after the waning of Christianity in their respective geographic areas has been ugly. See: [[Bestiality and Sweden]] [[Netherlands and bestiality]] and [[Denmark and bestiality]] and [[Bestiality and Germany]]).

::Next, you did not acknowledge/address the points (points 1-4) I made in my previous post to you. Atheists do have a reputation for being prideful!!!! See: [[Atheism and arrogance]].

::Lastly, you will not find a single person who had more of a positive effect on history than [[Jesus Christ]] and even atheists are often reluctant to disparage Jesus in debates. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] 22:29, 15 November 2014 (EST)

:Yes Cons, I did acknowledge your points - see above - I didn't answer them though.
:And while I'm at it, stop carrying on like a broken record. It's embarrassing.
:And by the way, the "social Darwinist" Brits came into into India well before Darwin. Over 200 years in fact.
:And for your last point, I agree that Christ has had a positive effect on history. You may, however, like to research the Thirty Years' War's impact on the population of northern Europe.(Just saying, Cons,)
:Cheers [[User:AlanE|AlanE]] 23:05, 15 November 2014 (EST)
Thanks for the correction about the Brits and for other acknowledgments. In addition, history does suggest that social Darwinism being introduced upon the Brits probably did increase their exploitative human tendencies.

I/we wrote my atheism articles due to the religious discrimination/repression that atheists engage in and due to their arrogance of the New Atheists and many other atheists. Plus, the negative effect that atheism has on the world. But I/we can learn from anyone. And that includes that nontheist Sun Tzu who famously advised to attack what is weak when it comes to the opposition/defenses. And there is a whole lot of weakness to atheism on the [[Atheism and love]] front!!!! Sun Tzu also advised that it is not good to engage in endless war and to address matters in the most strategic/efficient/quickest way possible. In the next 30-85 years, I/we see global [[desecularization]] taking a large toll on adherence to atheism and that includes atheism in the Western World (I/we agree with [[Eric Kaufmann]]'s work on this matter). I/we wish that atheists/evolutionists did not use the power of the state for indoctrination/repression (see: [[Atheist indoctrination]]), but unfortunately they do. And I/we think that Christians should engage in critiques/apologetics in relation to atheism in order to help speed its continuing [[global atheism|global collapse]].

Lastly, from the atheistic Wikipedia (founded by an atheist and an agnostic): "Initially a war between Protestant and Catholic states in the fragmenting Holy Roman Empire, it gradually developed into a more general conflict involving most of the great powers of Europe,[15] '''becoming less about religion and more a continuation of the France–Habsburg rivalry for European political pre-eminence.'''" (bolding emphasis added). [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] 23:31, 15 November 2014 (EST)

::Well done. Yes. That is what the Thirty Years' War was and what it became. Why you have to recite the ideology or lack of of your source I find strange. I have never found it necessary to dig into the background of C V Wedgewood who gave me my first insights into the war half a century ago.
:::And please, Cons, stop this silly I/we business. It doesn't work. [[User:AlanE|AlanE]] 00:25, 16 November 2014 (EST)
Citing testimony from the opposition (what the legal profession calls [http://dictionary.law.com/Default.aspx?selected=884 hostile/adverse witness testimony]) is always useful - especially when many atheists engage in the [[genetic fallacy]].

Second, you may not want to think that more than one person uses the User: Conservative account, yet it has been pointed out the footnoting style of the editing from the account has varied and there are doubts that the individual/individuals who created the [[homosexuality]] article also created the [[Atheist actions against homosexuals]] article (partly due to the footnoting style and partly due to the content). I/we do find it humorous that so much wrongheaded energy has been devoted to "internet armchair psychoanalyzing" the editor(s) of the User: Conservative account by some individuals who are obviously incompetent.

It reminds me of when C.S. Lewis wrote:

"Since then I have watched with some care similar imaginary histories both of my own books and of books by friends whose real history I knew. [e.g., J.R.R. Tolkien was also one of Lewis' friends.] Reviewers, both friendly and hostile, will dash you off such histories with great confidence; will tell you what public events had directed the author's mind to this or that, what other authors had influenced him, what his over-all intention was, what sort of audience he principally addressed, why - and when - he did everything.

Now I must first record my impression; then, distinct from it, what I can say with certainty. My impression is that in the whole of my experience not one of these guesses has on any one point been right; that the method shows a record of 100 percent failure.

You would expect that by mere chance they would hit as often as they miss. But it is my impression that they do no such thing. I can't remember a single hit. But as I have not kept a careful record my mere impression may be mistaken. What I think I can say with certainty is that they are usually wrong."[http://textualcriticism.scienceontheweb.net/SUPLEM/CSLewis.html] [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] 03:34, 16 November 2014 (EST)
:AlanE, someone who has edited using the User: Conservative account used to have a pastor from Australia. pOn the whole, you have been cordial with me/us which is appreciated. And cordiality is something I/we have found that is common among Australians along with a sense of humor. If more people were like you, perhaps the User: Conservative account would be less mysterious. Have a good day, mate. :)[[User:Conservative|Conservative]] 04:18, 16 November 2014 (EST)
::Thanks Conservative, I enjoy your articles but I find any article that shows a photo of Peter Singer to be a turn off. He is to say the least, and from a totally platonic POV, unattractive.--[[User:Tomqua|Tomqua]] 14:27, 16 November 2014 (EST)
:::PS. When I toured The USA some 20 years back I was often mistaken for an Aussie, and not the "whinging pom" that I am :)--[[User:Tomqua|Tomqua]] 14:35, 16 November 2014 (EST)

== These pictures have nothing to do with "atheism and love" ==

... except for the brain picture, where love is perceived and experienced, of course. It is almost a "retarded" thing, to create an article about "love", and then post pictures about "hatred and violence". It is almost a "retarded" thing, to create an article about "atheism", and then post pictures relating to a religion (such as posting Christian imagery on the page). I'm sure you guys are aware, but atheism and Christianity are not the same thing. Just a heads up. [[User:Humanperson|Humanperson]] ([[User talk:Humanperson|talk]]) 23:07, 4 September 2015 (EDT)

Talk:Atheism and love

2015-09-05T03:07:29Z

Humanperson:

Ah Cons!
How sad it is that you have to quote mine the subject of love.
:Here's a quote, Cons; something said by my wife who suddenly pressed herself up against my back as I was cooking bacon the other morning...
:''Thou art my life, my love, my heart,''
::''The very eyes of me,''
:''And hast command of every part,''
::''To live and die for thee.''

Robert Herrick at breakfast time is a fine thing, and it is especially welcome after forty years together. But not surprising because that is what we are Cons, and what we always have been.

Religion has had nothing to do with it. [[User:AlanE|AlanE]] 23:55, 14 November 2014 (EST)

=== AlanE, my response ===

1) Provide an atheistic explanation of love

2) Show me why the social science and historical data relevant to atheism/love that I provided isn't accurate/relevant

3) If atheism is such an embodiment of romantic love, why do women join Western World atheism to a significantly lesser degree? See: [[Atheism and women]]. AlanE, which is the bigger market for romance novels? Women or men?

4) Christmas is lovely holiday filled with good cheer (thanks to Christendom) and atheists consistently try to spoil it! And atheists have no holidays to boot! See: [[War on Christmas]] [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] 00:29, 15 November 2014 (EST)

:Been busy, Cons. Hoped to answer your questions when I got up this morning but family things took priority. (As they do.) Now I am back on I see the article has become basically a copy of numerous other "Atheism and....." articles. (You could copy and paste for your country, mate.) So there's not a lot of point in continuing my line of argument.
:Except to ask... Where did I say "atheism is...an embodiment of romantic love"?
:And to say that the Evans family takes the tradition of Christmas very seriously and you would find our celebrations truly Dickensian on the day itself. [[User:AlanE|AlanE]] 21:13, 15 November 2014 (EST)

==How about==
Some new photos for your articles, you use the same ones over and over.--[[User:Tomqua|Tomqua]] 02:10, 15 November 2014 (EST)
:Thanks for the input. I posted a new picture to CP and featured it in the article. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] 02:53, 15 November 2014 (EST)
=== New pictures added to wiki as per your request ===
[[File:Beggar.jpg|thumb|left|275px|A child in nontheistic [[Thailand]] where the nontheistic form of [[Buddhism]] called the Theravada school of Buddhism is prevalent. In 2010, the Pew Research Forum indicated that 93.2% of the people of Thailand were Buddhists. [http://www.pewforum.org/files/2012/12/globalReligion-tables.pdf]
 
[[Per capita]] [[atheism|atheists]] and [[agnosticism|agnostics]] in America give significantly less to charity than [[theism|theists]] even when church giving is not counted for theists (See: [[Atheism and charity|Atheism and uncharitableness]]). ]]
[[File:Valentine's Day Cake.jpg|240px|right|thumbnail|[[Saint Valentine's Day]] cake. Christians do good deeds through the grace of God and the compassion that is taught in the Bible. Going to heaven is simply the icing on the cake.]]
{{clear}}
: Clever. Devious indeed. Troll south-east Asia and choose a Buddhist (read nontheist) country for your new picture. I haven't been to Thailand, Cons. but I have been to India and, believe me, it is just as bad once you get off the tourist track.[[User:AlanE|AlanE]] 21:28, 15 November 2014 (EST)
::There is spiritual darkness in both atheism and polytheism.

::But there appears to be more spiritual and moral darkness to atheism. For example, I could not write an article entitled [[Hinduism and mass murder]]. And Ghandhi served a role model for non-violent resistance. On the other hand, atheists have been the biggest mass murders in history. See: [[Atheism and Mass Murder|Atheism and mass murder]]. And the [[secular left]] is known for engaging in senseless/inappropriate violence.

::In addition, I could and did write articles on [[Atheism and pornography]] and [[Atheism and child pornography]] and [[Atheism, pederasty and NAMBLA]] did so quite easily. And Thailand has a strong reputation for child trafficking and for decadent homosexual tourists visiting there to prey on children, but India does nave a strong reputation for this.

::Furthermore, I did have Indian/Hindu housemates in college and soon I will be doing some recreational activity with a Hindu neighbor. On the whole, Hindus are peaceable and polite. On the other hand, atheists are known for their profanity. See: [[Atheism and profanity]]

::In addition, the Hindus from India may like to bellyache about the Brits (who were social Darwinists and social Darwinism played a role in both WWI and WWII) and their exploitation of India, but they readily admit that the Brits did have a lot of good influence on them (legal system, etc. etc. And Judeo-Christianity played a role in the development of common law). And the USA had a good influence on both atheistic Japan after WWII and also had a good influence on atheistic China and a signification amount of the Christianization of China is due to Chinese students going back to China. And Christianization has been good for China economically due to the effect of the Protestant work ethic within their country.[http://blog.tifwe.org/the-protestant-work-ethic-alive-well-in-china/] And the cultural heritage of the Protestant work ethic has been good for atheistic Germany/Scandinavia/Northern Europe (but their moral decline on the whole after the waning of Christianity in their respective geographic areas has been ugly. See: [[Bestiality and Sweden]] [[Netherlands and bestiality]] and [[Denmark and bestiality]] and [[Bestiality and Germany]]).

::Next, you did not acknowledge/address the points (points 1-4) I made in my previous post to you. Atheists do have a reputation for being prideful!!!! See: [[Atheism and arrogance]].

::Lastly, you will not find a single person who had more of a positive effect on history than [[Jesus Christ]] and even atheists are often reluctant to disparage Jesus in debates. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] 22:29, 15 November 2014 (EST)

:Yes Cons, I did acknowledge your points - see above - I didn't answer them though.
:And while I'm at it, stop carrying on like a broken record. It's embarrassing.
:And by the way, the "social Darwinist" Brits came into into India well before Darwin. Over 200 years in fact.
:And for your last point, I agree that Christ has had a positive effect on history. You may, however, like to research the Thirty Years' War's impact on the population of northern Europe.(Just saying, Cons,)
:Cheers [[User:AlanE|AlanE]] 23:05, 15 November 2014 (EST)
Thanks for the correction about the Brits and for other acknowledgments. In addition, history does suggest that social Darwinism being introduced upon the Brits probably did increase their exploitative human tendencies.

I/we wrote my atheism articles due to the religious discrimination/repression that atheists engage in and due to their arrogance of the New Atheists and many other atheists. Plus, the negative effect that atheism has on the world. But I/we can learn from anyone. And that includes that nontheist Sun Tzu who famously advised to attack what is weak when it comes to the opposition/defenses. And there is a whole lot of weakness to atheism on the [[Atheism and love]] front!!!! Sun Tzu also advised that it is not good to engage in endless war and to address matters in the most strategic/efficient/quickest way possible. In the next 30-85 years, I/we see global [[desecularization]] taking a large toll on adherence to atheism and that includes atheism in the Western World (I/we agree with [[Eric Kaufmann]]'s work on this matter). I/we wish that atheists/evolutionists did not use the power of the state for indoctrination/repression (see: [[Atheist indoctrination]]), but unfortunately they do. And I/we think that Christians should engage in critiques/apologetics in relation to atheism in order to help speed its continuing [[global atheism|global collapse]].

Lastly, from the atheistic Wikipedia (founded by an atheist and an agnostic): "Initially a war between Protestant and Catholic states in the fragmenting Holy Roman Empire, it gradually developed into a more general conflict involving most of the great powers of Europe,[15] '''becoming less about religion and more a continuation of the France–Habsburg rivalry for European political pre-eminence.'''" (bolding emphasis added). [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] 23:31, 15 November 2014 (EST)

::Well done. Yes. That is what the Thirty Years' War was and what it became. Why you have to recite the ideology or lack of of your source I find strange. I have never found it necessary to dig into the background of C V Wedgewood who gave me my first insights into the war half a century ago.
:::And please, Cons, stop this silly I/we business. It doesn't work. [[User:AlanE|AlanE]] 00:25, 16 November 2014 (EST)
Citing testimony from the opposition (what the legal profession calls [http://dictionary.law.com/Default.aspx?selected=884 hostile/adverse witness testimony]) is always useful - especially when many atheists engage in the [[genetic fallacy]].

Second, you may not want to think that more than one person uses the User: Conservative account, yet it has been pointed out the footnoting style of the editing from the account has varied and there are doubts that the individual/individuals who created the [[homosexuality]] article also created the [[Atheist actions against homosexuals]] article (partly due to the footnoting style and partly due to the content). I/we do find it humorous that so much wrongheaded energy has been devoted to "internet armchair psychoanalyzing" the editor(s) of the User: Conservative account by some individuals who are obviously incompetent.

It reminds me of when C.S. Lewis wrote:

"Since then I have watched with some care similar imaginary histories both of my own books and of books by friends whose real history I knew. [e.g., J.R.R. Tolkien was also one of Lewis' friends.] Reviewers, both friendly and hostile, will dash you off such histories with great confidence; will tell you what public events had directed the author's mind to this or that, what other authors had influenced him, what his over-all intention was, what sort of audience he principally addressed, why - and when - he did everything.

Now I must first record my impression; then, distinct from it, what I can say with certainty. My impression is that in the whole of my experience not one of these guesses has on any one point been right; that the method shows a record of 100 percent failure.

You would expect that by mere chance they would hit as often as they miss. But it is my impression that they do no such thing. I can't remember a single hit. But as I have not kept a careful record my mere impression may be mistaken. What I think I can say with certainty is that they are usually wrong."[http://textualcriticism.scienceontheweb.net/SUPLEM/CSLewis.html] [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] 03:34, 16 November 2014 (EST)
:AlanE, someone who has edited using the User: Conservative account used to have a pastor from Australia. pOn the whole, you have been cordial with me/us which is appreciated. And cordiality is something I/we have found that is common among Australians along with a sense of humor. If more people were like you, perhaps the User: Conservative account would be less mysterious. Have a good day, mate. :)[[User:Conservative|Conservative]] 04:18, 16 November 2014 (EST)
::Thanks Conservative, I enjoy your articles but I find any article that shows a photo of Peter Singer to be a turn off. He is to say the least, and from a totally platonic POV, unattractive.--[[User:Tomqua|Tomqua]] 14:27, 16 November 2014 (EST)
:::PS. When I toured The USA some 20 years back I was often mistaken for an Aussie, and not the "whinging pom" that I am :)--[[User:Tomqua|Tomqua]] 14:35, 16 November 2014 (EST)

... except for the brain picture, where love is perceived and experienced, of course. It is almost a "retarded" thing, to create an article about "love", and then post pictures about "hatred and violence". It is almost a "retarded" thing, to create an article about "atheism", and then post pictures relating to a religion (such as posting Christian imagery on the page). I'm sure you guys are aware, but atheism and Christianity are not the same thing. Just a heads up. [[User:Humanperson|Humanperson]] ([[User talk:Humanperson|talk]]) 23:07, 4 September 2015 (EDT)

Atheism and love

2015-09-05T03:02:36Z

Humanperson:

[[File:Stalin-140508 27880t.jpg|right|200px|thumb|[[Joseph Stalin]]'s atheistic regime killed tens of millions of people. See: [[Atheism and Mass Murder|Atheism and mass murder]] ]]
From a [[Metaphysics|metaphysical]], moral and spiritual perspective, atheists are unable to explain the existence of [[love]] in a way that Christians agree.<ref>[http://www.strangenotions.com/atheists-love/ How do atheists define love?] by Dr. Taylor Marshall</ref><ref>[https://atheistforum.wordpress.com/2014/07/09/what-is-love-how-materialist-atheism-fails-to-have-a-satisfactory-answer/ What is love? how materialist atheism fails to have a satisfactory answer], July 9, 2014</ref> See also: [[Atheism and morality]]

Dr. Taylor Marshall wrote about '''[[atheism]] and love''':
{{cquote|All my atheist friends and family members believe in “love.” But what is love? Here’s a question:

If humans have no [[soul]], and are merely [[evolution]]ary advanced animals, is ‘love’ anything more than instinct or [[hormone]]s?

....if love is not exclusively religious, then what is it? Let's explore the two most basic forms of love: love of a parent for a child and the nuptial love between husband and wife.

When mommy says to her one year old, “I love you,” the atheist says she is not expressing anything [[metaphysics|metaphysical]] or spiritual. In fact, says the atheist, the mother is verbalizing the instinct to preserve her species, just as a mommy zebra protects and fosters the growth of the baby zebra. That’s it. Nothing more. It is instinct combined with verbal tags. When a parent “loves” her child, she is just adding a verbal cue to an advanced evolutionary instinct to carry on the species.

The same empirical reality is true between two lovers. For the atheist, nothing sacramental, metaphysical, or spiritual is happening in a loving relationship. The two don’t “become one flesh” as we say in Biblical and matrimonial language any more than a rooster and a hen “become one flesh.”

When a man says, “I love you,” to his wife, he is simply expressing something about his hormonal levels toward her as a mate. What he is really saying is, “My hormones surge for you,” not “You are my soul mate,” because the atheist doesn’t believe in souls or metaphysical connections between humans.

Incidentally, a man’s hormones might start surging for another woman (or several women) at some point. The same man might also be ready to say, “I love you,” to these new women, too.<ref>[http://www.strangenotions.com/atheists-love/ How do atheists define love?] by Dr. Taylor Marshall </ref>}}
[[File:Fra Angelico Lamentacion por la muerte de Cristo.jpg|thumbnail|right|300px|[[Jesus Christ]] and his apostles taught a gospel of love.<ref>[http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/articles/church_history/themistocles_triumph_love.htm ''The Triumph of the Gospel of Love''] by Monk Themistocles ((Adamopoulo)</ref> For example, the [[New Testament]] teaches that a husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church (Ephesians 5:25). See: [[Christian marriage]] and [[Atheism and marriage]] and [[Atheist marriages]] ]]
A [[Christian apologetics|Christian apologist]] wrote about atheism and love:
{{cquote|It seems that atheist naturalism struggles to present an adequate account of ‘love’. It is certainly difficult to describe love from a purely ‘scientific’ perspective. i.e. it is not something we can see, measure,taste or touch. Tepper presented a couple of atheist attempts at describing what love is (from sources such as asktheatheist,com and daylightatheism). They proposed that love is an abstraction, it is a subjective feeling, it doesn’t have any physical manifestation, it speaks of an internal state of the mind – perhaps it isn’t rational? According to the atheist it seems that love is simply chemical reactions.

But is love simply chemical reactions? I wonder if this is too [[Reductionism|reductionistic]]?

Yet if we accept this, that love is simply chemical feelings, the outcome becomes unsatisfactory. Tepper went on to suggest that if love is only a feeling it leads to a consumerist attitude – ‘love’ becomes what I can get out of it. Hence relationships only last as we benefit from them. ‘Love’ only lasts as long as the feelings.

Yet humans hunger for more, humans want love to go beyond the transient. True love transcends the feelings and in some cases when we feel true ‘love’ we sense an aspect of the spiritual that atheism can’t explain.

Tepper argued that the best source of this ‘love’ is [[God]]. 1 John 4 describes ‘God as love’. She said that love comes in relationship (we can’t love being alone) and God is love because God is Trinity. She went on to propose that love is never self-centred, in fact love is sustained through self-sacrifice (we wouldn’t have many friends if love is all about me).<ref>[https://atheistforum.wordpress.com/2014/07/09/what-is-love-how-materialist-atheism-fails-to-have-a-satisfactory-answer/ What is love? how materialist atheism fails to have a satisfactory answer], July 9, 2014</ref>}}
[[File:Valentine's Day Cake.jpg|240px|right|thumbnail|[[Saint Valentine's Day]] cake. Christians do good deeds through the [[grace]] of God and the compassion that is taught in the Bible. Going to heaven is simply the icing on the cake.]]

The Christian website ''Good to those who love God'' declares:
{{cquote|Atheists believe in the evolutionary theory that everything a person does can be linked to either the drive to survive or the drive to reproduce. And they do mean everything. They believe that a child loves his mother because the mother is needed for survival; a man loves a woman because she can help him reproduce; people do good deeds because it keeps them from being killed by those who might otherwise dislike them; etc. Christians, on the other hand, do good deeds through the compassion that is taught in the Bible. Going to heaven is simply the icing on the cake.<ref>[http://goodtothosewholovegod.weebly.com/13-flaws-of-atheism.html ATHEISM'S THIRTEEN BIGGEST FLAWS]</ref>}}

== Atheism, marriage, domestic violence and atheist population's sub-replacement level of fertility ==

* [[Atheism and marriage]] (Atheists have a lower rate of marriage)

* [[Atheist marriages]] (Statistics related to atheism and marriage)

*[[Irreligion and domestic violence]] (Irreligion is a causal factor of domestic violence)

* [[Atheism and women]] (In the [[Western World]], the [[Atheist Population|atheist population]] is skewed towards white men. See: [[Western atheism and race]])

*[[Global atheism]] (Atheists have a sub-replacement level of fertility and are shrinking as a percentage of the world's population)
== Atheism, theism, love, choice and consciousness ==
[[File:Cerebellum.jpg|right|thumbnail|140px|The human brain is the most complex physical structure in the universe.<ref>
*[http://creation.com/the-human-body-gods-masterpiece The Human Body: God's Masterpiece] by Joseph Paturi at [[Creation Ministries International]][Did God create life on other planets? Otherwise why is the universe so big?] by Gary Bates, Creation Ministries International
*[http://creation.com/did-god-create-life-on-other-planets Did God create life on other planets? Otherwise why is the universe so big?] by Gary Bates, Creation Ministries International
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnWyPIzTOTw&list=PL61BE8DBE544FE20C Privileged Planet documentary] at YouTube
*[http://creation.com/origin-of-life Origin of life] by Dr. Don Batten, Creation Ministries International
*[http://creation.com/15-questions 15 questions for evolutionists]
*[http://creation.com/qa Creation vs. evolution - Questions and answers]
</ref>]]
''See also:'' [[Atheism and irrationality]]

Although many atheists advocate [[determinism]], human beings have a [[free will]].<ref>[https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/1515-doctrine-of-determinism-what-is-it-the The doctrine of determinism] by Wayne Jackson, ''Christian Courier''</ref><ref>[http://www.reasonsforgod.org/2011/08/atheism-determinism-and-social-problems/ Atheism, Determinism and Social Problems]</ref><ref>[http://www.evolutionnews.org/2013/09/self-refutation076541.html Self-refutation and the New Atheists: The Case of Jerry Coyne] by Michael Egnor,'' Evolution News'', September 12, 2013</ref> As a result, love is a choice. And the [[Bible]] teaches that God will hold people responsible for their actions (Romans 3:19; 6:23; 9:19-21).

The human brain is the most complex physical structure in the universe (The Bible and [[Origin of life|the scientific evidence]] strongly suggests that there is [[The Privileged Planet|no intelligent life on other planets]]).<ref>
*[http://creation.com/the-human-body-gods-masterpiece The Human Body: God's Masterpiece] by Joseph Paturi at [[Creation Ministries International]][Did God create life on other planets? Otherwise why is the universe so big?] by Gary Bates, Creation Ministries International
*[http://creation.com/did-god-create-life-on-other-planets Did God create life on other planets? Otherwise why is the universe so big?] by Gary Bates, Creation Ministries International
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnWyPIzTOTw&list=PL61BE8DBE544FE20C Privileged Planet documentary] at YouTube
*[http://creation.com/origin-of-life Origin of life] by Dr. Don Batten, Creation Ministries International
*[http://creation.com/15-questions 15 questions for evolutionists]
*[http://creation.com/qa Creation vs. evolution - Questions and answers]
</ref>

The atheist worldview cannot explain the existence of [[consciousness]] and the [[theism|theistic]] worldview can offer a reasonable explanation.<ref>[http://www.johnpiippo.com/2012/03/argument-from-consciousness-for.html The Argument from Consciousness for the Existence of God] by John Piippo, 3/20/2012
*[http://www.johnpiippo.com/2014/04/one-of-atheisms-irresolvable-problems.html Consciousness: One of Atheism's Irresolvable Problems] by John Piippo, 4/14/2014</ref>

== Evolutionary belief and sexual immorality ==

[[File:Peter-Singer.jpg|right|thumbnail|200px|The [[evolution]]ist and [[atheism|atheist]] philosopher [[Peter Singer]] defends the practice of [[bestiality]] (as well as [[abortion]], infanticide and [[euthanasia]]). Despite holding these immoral views the [[liberal]] and pro-evolution academic establishment rewarded his views with a bioethics chair at [[Princeton University]].<ref>
*[http://creation.com/the-basis-of-a-christian-worldview The Basis of a Christian Worldview - Creation Ministries International]
*[http://creation.com/answer-to-philosophy-religion-professor-on-biblical-exegesis-and-the-problem-of-evil CMI answers philosophy/religion professor on biblical exegesis and the problem of evil]
*[http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/2011/06/the-dangerous-mind-of-peter-singer ''The Dangerous Mind''] by Joe Carter, ''[[First Things]]''</ref> See: [[Atheism and bestiality]] ]]

''See also:'' [[Evolutionary belief and sexual immorality]] and [[Social effects of the theory of evolution]]

Since [[World War II]] a majority of the most prominent and vocal defenders of the [[evolution|theory of evolution]] which employs [[methodological naturalism]] have been atheists or [[agnosticism|agnostics]].<ref name="Batten and Sarfati">Multiple references:
* Batten, Dr. Don (December 1997). [http://creation.com/a-whos-who-of-evolutionists "A ''Who’s Who'' of evolutionists"]. Creation Ministries International. Originally published in ''Creation'' 20(1):32. Retrieved July 17, 2014.
* Sarfati, Jonathan, Ph.D., F.M. (1999). [http://creation.com/refuting-evolution-chapter-1-evolution-creation-science-religion-facts-bias "Chapter 1: Facts and bias", ''Refuting Evolution'']. Retrieved July 17, 2014.
</ref>

In July of 2000, [[Creation Ministries International]] reported:
{{cquote|For years, many people have scoffed at any suggestion that the evils in society could be linked with the teaching of the theory of [[evolution]]. But new research has confirmed what Bible-believers have known all along—that the rising acceptance of [[Charles Darwin|Darwin]]’s theory is related to declining morality in the community.

The research survey of 1535 people, conducted by the Australian National University, revealed that belief in evolution is associated with moral permissiveness. Darwin himself apparently feared that belief in evolution by the common man would lead to social decay. The survey showed that people who believed in evolution were more likely to be in favour of premarital sex than those who rejected Darwin’s theory. Another issue which highlighted the contrast between the effect of evolutionary ideas and that of biblical principles was that Darwinians were reported to be ‘especially tolerant’ of [[abortion]].

In identifying the primary factors determining these differences in community attitudes, the author of the research report, Dr Jonathan Kelley, said: ‘The single most important influence after church attendance is the theory of evolution.’<ref>[http://creation.com/morals-decline-linked-to-belief-in-evolution Morals decline linked to evolution]</ref>}}

See also:

*[[Atheism and hedonism]]

*[[Atheism and pornography]]

*[[Atheism and child pornography]]

* [[Atheism and bestiality]]

*[[Atheism and rape]]

*[[Atheism and sadism]]

=== Atheists/evolution cannot explain the origin of sexual reproduction ===

In addition to atheism/evolutionism being causal factors for sexual immorality, Pastor Carl Gallups of the [[PPsimmons]] YouTube channel points out that the [[evolution|evolutionary paradigm]] cannot explain the origin of [[sexual reproduction]] in his video entitled [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bF7ODNmYF_g Sex and evolution - An Embarrassing Conundrum].

== Christian satire about atheism and romantic love ==
[[File:TFT.JPG|thumb|right|400px|[[True Free Thinker]] is a [[Christian apologetics]] website run by Ken Ammi which offers many refutations of [[atheism]].]]
''See also:'' [[Christian marriage]] and [[Atheism and marriage]] and [[Atheist marriages]]

The [[Christianity|Christian]] apologist [[Ken Ammi]], in order to demonstrate the moral and spiritual poverty of atheism, [[satire|satirically]] gave this example of words that would be appropriate for an "Atheist [[Valentine's Day]]" card:
{{cquote|I am currently secreting manifestations of brain stuff towards you...

My cost-benefit analysis has concluded that you qualify as a mate, adequate to assist my survival and reproducing my genes - will you be my valentines.<ref>[http://www.examiner.com/slideshow/atheist-saint-valentine-s-day-cards-4?slide=25012866#main Atheist Saint Valentine's Day Cards] by [[Ken Ammi]], Examiner, October 29, 2010</ref>}}

== Atheism and lower empathy towards others ==
[[File:Beggar.jpg|thumb|right|275px|A child in [[Thailand]] where the nontheistic form of [[Buddhism]] called the Theravada school of Buddhism is prevalent. In 2010, the Pew Research Forum indicated that 93.2% of the people of Thailand were Buddhists.<ref name="pew2010">[http://www.pewforum.org/files/2012/12/globalReligion-tables.pdf Pew Research Center - Global Religious Landscape 2010 - religious composition by country].</ref>
 
[[Per capita]] [[atheism|atheists]] and [[agnosticism|agnostics]] in America give significantly less to charity than [[theism|theists]] even when church giving is not counted for theists (See: [[Atheism and charity|Atheism and uncharitableness]]). ]]
''See also:'' [[Atheism and charity|Atheism and uncharitableness]] and [[Agape]]

In 2007 the Baptist Press reported:
{{cquote|...a pollster at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada, found that adults who profess a belief in God are significantly more likely than atheists to say that forgiveness, patience, generosity and a concern for others are "very important." In fact, the poll found that on 11 of 12 values, there was a double-digit gap between theists and atheists, with theists more likely to label each value "very important."

The survey by sociologist and pollster Reginald Bibby examined the beliefs of 1,600 Canadians, 82 percent who said they believed in "God or a higher power" and 18 percent who said they did not.<ref>Foust, Michael (October 23, 2007). [http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?ID=26675 "Poll: Atheists less likely to 'do good'"] Baptist Press. Retrieved on July 20, 2014.</ref>}}

=== Atheism and uncharitableness ===

[[Per capita]] [[atheism|atheists]] and [[agnosticism|agnostics]] in America give significantly less to charity than [[theism|theists]] even when church giving is not counted for theists (See: [[Atheism and charity|Atheism and uncharitableness]]).

==== Atheists with family/social contacts with religious people give more to charity than other atheists ====

Dr. [[William Lane Craig]] points out that the social science research indicates that atheists who have family/social contacts with religious people give more to charity than atheists who do not have such an influence.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imuaiRO5mSQ&feature=sub Christians Give more to Charity than Atheists] ([[YouTube]] video featuring an audio clip of Dr. [[William Lane Craig]])</ref>

=== Atheism and mass murder ===

''See also:'' [[Atheism and Mass Murder|Atheism and mass murder]] and [[Militant atheism]]

It is estimated that in the past 100 years, governments under the banner of atheistic [[communism]] have caused the death of somewhere between 40,472,000 to 259,432,000 human lives.<ref>Multiple references:
*Anticommunist (April 14, 2004). [http://web.archive.org/web/20130607125427/http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/04/289239.html "The Human Cost of Communism - 100 million"]. UK Indymedia. Retrieved from June 7, 2013 archive at Internet Archive.
*[http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~hpcws/lelivrenoir.htm "''The Black Book of Communism''"]. Harvard University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences website: Cold War Studies.
*Rummel, R. J. (November 1993). [http://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/COM.ART.HTM "How many did communist regimes murder?"] University of Hawaii website; Freedom, Democracy, Peace; Power, Democide, and War.
*White, Matthew (February 2011). [http://necrometrics.com/20c5m.htm "Source list and detailed death tolls for the primary megadeaths of the twentieth century"]. Necrometrics.
*Higgins, David (June 22, 2007). [http://web.archive.org/web/20071008035420/http://www.sarasotamagazine.com/blog/template_permalink.asp?id=365 "Memory and ideology: Washington's newest statue is the Victims Of Communism Memorial"]. Sarasota Magazine website. Retrieved from October 8, 2007 archive at Internet Archive.
*Radosh, Ronald (February 2000). [http://www.firstthings.com/article.php3?id_article=2526 "''The Black Book of Communism: Crimes, Terror, Repression''"]. First Things [journal] website.</ref> Dr. R. J. Rummel, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Hawaii, is the scholar who first coined the term democide (death by government). Dr. R. J. Rummel's mid estimate regarding the loss of life due to communism is that communism caused the death of approximately 110,286,000 people between 1917 and 1987.<ref>Rummel, R. J. (November 1993). [http://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/COM.ART.HTM "How many did communist regimes murder?"] University of Hawaii website; Freedom, Democracy, Peace; Power, Democide, and War.</ref>

[[Richard Dawkins]] has attempted to [[Richard Dawkins, atheist atrocities, and historical revisionism|engage in historical revisionism concerning atheist atrocities]] and Dawkins was shown to be in gross error (see also: [[Atheism and communism]] and [[Persecution of Christians in the USSR|Persecution of Christians in the Soviet Union]]).

== Objective love exists and atheists are errant about love/morality being merely subjective ==

Biblical Christianity indicates that objective love/truth/morality exists and that God is love (1 John 4:8). Atheists commonly make the errant claim that only subjective morality/love exists (see: [[Atheism and morality]]).

Reverend Barron wrote:
{{cquote|What is Love? Love, as I’ve said very often, is not a feeling or a sentiment. Not a private subjective conviction. Love is willing the good of the other. As other, meaning, love gets you out of this, sort of, black hole of your own subjectivity, your own egocentrism. If I’m kind to you that you might be kind to me, that isn’t love. That’s just indirect egotism. Or if I say, I’ll be just to you that you’ll be just to me in return, that isn’t love. That’s just a clever way to be self interested.

What’s love? See, love is a very peculiar thing. . . It means I’ve broken free of that self reference. I want your good for you. Period. No strings attached. No reciprocation required. The Church has said traditionally that love, so described, is a theological virtue . . . The Church identifies love, as I’ve been describing it, as a participation in God’s way of being. See, God who has no need, (God is God. God is perfect. Absolute. God has no need.), therefore God alone can truly want the good of the other for the sake of the other. God can operate in a totally non-selfinterested way. And see, when we do that, when we are capable of that, it’s only because we’ve received an infusion of grace. We’ve received a participation in God’s own life.<ref>[https://verusconditio.wordpress.com/tag/subjective-love-objective-love/ To Love] by Posted by Stingray in Marriage, Thoughts</ref>}}
[[Image:Billcraig_czvx.jpg‎‎|thumb|200px|Dr. [[William Lane Craig]] ]]
The Christian apologist Dr. [[William Lane Craig]] declared about theism/atheism and objective morality/love:
{{cquote|Consider, then, the hypothesis that God exists. First, if God exists, objective moral values exist. To say that there are objective moral values is to say that something is right or wrong independently of whether anybody believes it to be so. It is to say, for example, that [[Nazi]] [[anti-Semitism]] was morally wrong, even though the Nazis who carried out the [[Holocaust]] thought that it was good; and it would still be wrong even if the Nazis had won World War II and succeeded in exterminating or brainwashing everybody who disagreed with them.

On the theistic view, objective moral values are rooted in God. God’s own holy and perfectly good nature supplies the absolute standard against which all actions and decisions are measured. God’s moral nature is what Plato called the “Good.” He is the locus and source of moral value. He is by nature loving, generous, just, faithful, kind, and so forth.

Moreover, God’s moral nature is expressed in relation to us in the form of divine commands which constitute our moral duties or obligations. Far from being arbitrary, these commands flow necessarily from His moral nature. In the Judaeo-Christian tradition, the whole moral duty of man can be summed up in the two great commandments: First, you shall love the Lord your God with all your strength and with all your soul and with all your heart and with all your mind, and, second, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. On this foundation we can affirm the objective goodness and rightness of love, generosity, self-sacrifice, and equality, and condemn as objectively evil and wrong selfishness, hatred, abuse, discrimination, and oppression....

Moreover, if atheism is true, there is no moral accountability for one’s actions. Even if there were objective moral values and duties under naturalism, they are irrelevant because there is no moral accountability. If life ends at the grave, it makes no difference whether one lives as a Stalin or as a saint. As the Russian writer [[Fyodor Dostoyevsky]] rightly said: “If there is no immortality, then all things are permitted.”...

Thus, if [[Naturalism (philosophy)|naturalism]] is true, it becomes impossible to condemn war, oppression, or crime as evil. Nor can one praise brotherhood, equality, or love as good. It does not matter what values you choose—for there is no right and wrong; good and evil do not exist. That means that an atrocity like the Holocaust was really morally indifferent. You may think that it was wrong, but your opinion has no more validity than that of the Nazi war criminal who thought it was good. In his book Morality after Auschwitz, Peter Haas asks how an entire society could have willingly participated in a state-sponsored program of mass torture and genocide for over a decade without any serious opposition.<ref>[http://www.reasonablefaith.org/can-we-be-good-without-god Can We Be Good without God?] by [[William Lane Craig]]</ref>}}

[[Evolutionary racism]] played major role in causing the Holocaust. See also: [[Social effects of the theory of evolution]]

[[Image:St Paul Preaching.jpg|right|thumb|300px|St. Paul defends his preaching (Giovanni Ricco)]]
The [[Saint Paul|Apostle Paul]] taught about love in a letter to the Corinthian Church:
{{cquote|Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, endures all things. Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love. - 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8<ref>1 Corinthians 13: 4-8 NASB version</ref>}}

== Love and atheist arrogance/anger/quarrelsomeness ==

''See also:'' [[Atheist bullying]] and [[Atheist movement]] and [[Atheism and the internet]]

As noted above, the Apostle Paul taught that arrogance and easily provoked anger are antithetical to love. The atheist population has a significant problem with pride, anger and quarrelsomeness (see: [[Atheism and arrogance]] and [[Atheism and anger]] and [[Atheism and social/interpersonal intelligence|Atheism and social intelligence]] and [[Atheist factions]]).

[[File:G. Christina.jpg|thumbnail|right|275px|Picture of [[Greta Christina]] in 2010.
 
 
(photo from [https://www.flickr.com/photos/danielgipps/4988339630/in/photolist-2rDM3o-bt3Ftm-bFXxr4-5nz1zL-7fobnw-7fobys-7fjigk-7fjiwX-7fobh5-5T99Aj-5T4L6K-5T98K1-5T96wf-5T4NZF-7e8Beb-7c7bCe-7e8zi9-7caZdy-8ANxzG-7e8xjS-8AKsPT-68xpDc-68xpDt-6rdw8-bHrFL6-bHrFKZ-fznm8w-eUwdEY-bqezJr-e3JzYN-fQtemN-axf5DW-dQotEq-7agx5n-okT16-MvRwB-8ANxss-8ANxSw-8UMG16-9LdtG8-bnvf16-adV2DK-bG97z6-bG97fc-bG96TK-btehjh-82T2J-oAdNG-2VKxNd-2uHoFH Flickr], see: [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/ license agreement])]]

The atheist and [[lesbianism|lesbian]] [[Greta Christina]] told the journalist Chris Mooney on the Point of Inquiry podcast, "there isn't one emotion" that affects atheists "but anger is one of the emotions that many of us have ...[it] drives others to participate in the movement."<ref>Mooney, Chris (May 14, 2012). [http://www.pointofinquiry.org/greta_christina_why_are_you_atheists_so_angry/ "Greta Christina—Why are you atheists so angry?"] [interview of Greta Christina] Point of Inquiry website. Retrieved on October 6, 2014.</ref>

[[Blair Scott]] served on the [[American Atheists]] board of directors. Mr. Scott formerly served as a State Director for the [[American Atheists]] organization in the state of [[Alabama]]. On December 1, 2012 he quit his post as a director of outreach for the American Atheist due to infighting within the American [[atheist movement]].<ref>[http://news.atheists.org/2012/12/01/an-open-letter-from-blair-scott/ An Open Letter from Blair Scott]</ref>

Mr. Blair wrote:
{{cquote|I have spent the last week mulling over what I want to do at this point in the movement. I’m tired of the in-fighting: at every level. I am especially tired of allowing myself to get sucked into it and engaging in the very behavior that is irritating..me.<ref>[http://news.atheists.org/2012/12/01/an-open-letter-from-blair-scott/ An Open Letter from Blair Scott]</ref>}}

The atheist Brendan O'Neill wrote in ''The Telegraph'' in an article entitled ''How atheists became the most colossally smug and annoying people on the planet'': "These days, barely a week passes without the emergence of yet more evidence that atheists are the most irritating people on Earth."<ref>[http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/brendanoneill2/100230985/how-atheists-became-the-most-colossally-smug-and-annoying-people-on-the-planet/ Brendan O'Neill, ''The Telegraph, How atheists became the most colossally smug and annoying people on the planet'', August 14th, 2013]</ref>

For more information please see:

* [[Atheism and emotional/intrapersonal intelligence|Atheism and emotional intelligence]]

* [[Atheism and immaturity]]

== Atheism has a poor track record in terms of creating art/music about atheism/love ==

[[File:Creation of Adam.jpg|thumbnail|400px|right|[[Michelangelo]]'s ''Creation of Adam'']]
See also: [[Atheism and musical–rhythmic intelligence and artistic intelligence|Atheism and art/music]] and [[Atheism and a lack of appreciation for the beauty of the human body]] and [[Argument from beauty]]

[[Solomon]]'s [[Song of Songs]] is considered to be a classic piece of literature dealing with romantic love.

In addition, [[Theism|theists]] have created many great works of art dealing with the human physique such as [[Michelangelo]]'s ''Creation of Adam''. For thousands of years lovers have been giving compliments to their lovers about their beauty. Objective beauty exists and beauty is not merely subjective in nature.<ref>[http://mereorthodoxy.com/is-beauty-objective/ Is Beauty Objective?] by Keith E. Buhler, posted October 24, 2007
*[http://www.patheos.com/blogs/badcatholic/2011/10/beauty-is-objective.html Beauty Is Objective]
*[http://www.everyjoe.com/2014/07/03/politics/robbed-of-beauty-by-the-left/ How We’ve Been Robbed of Beauty by the Left]</ref> Theologically [[conservative Christians]] believe in the existence of objective beauty whereas atheists commonly reject the existence of objective beauty (See: [[Argument from beauty]]),

Despite [[atheism]] being around since at least [[ancient Greece]], there has not been a strong tradition of creating musical and artistic works related to atheism, atheism/love or atheism/beauty.

Musical/artistic talent can be enhanced through practice and the atheist creed of "there is no God" is not an inspiring creed that produces a significant amount of music/art. For example, despite [[Wikipedia]] being founded by an atheist and an agnostic, there are no articles specifically devoted to the topics of atheist music or atheist art at Wikipedia, but Wikipedia does have articles devoted specifically to [[Christian art]] and [[Christian music]].

For more information please see: [[Atheism and musical–rhythmic intelligence and artistic intelligence|Atheism and art/music]]

== Atheism, satanic deception and malevolence ==
[[File:Charles Baudelaire3.jpg|right|thumbnail|150px|[[Charles Baudelaire]] ]]
''See also:'' [[Atheism and satanic deception]] and [[Atheism Quotes]]

[[Charles Baudelaire]] expressed a common belief concerning atheism and satanic deception in his short story ''The Generous Gambler'' written in 1864:
{{cquote|He complained in no way of the evil reputation under which he lived, indeed, all over the world, and he assured me that he himself was of all living beings the most interested in the destruction of [[Superstition]], and he avowed to me that he had been afraid, relatively as to his proper power, once only, and that was on the day when he had heard a preacher, more subtle than the rest of the human herd, cry in his pulpit: "My dear brethren, do not ever forget, when you hear the progress of lights praised, that the loveliest trick of the Devil is to persuade you that he does not exist!}}

For more information, please see: [[Atheism and satanic deception]]

The [[John the Apostle|Apostle John]] records [[Jesus]] making an allusion to the devil and declaring that he is a thief that comes to rob, kill, and destroy.<ref>John 10:10</ref> Jesus also declares the children of the devil want to carry out their father's wishes and that the devil was a liar and a murderer.<ref>John 8:44</ref>

=== The Russian revolution caused the most notable spread of atheism ===

''See also:'' [[Atheism and communism]] and [[Soviet atheism]]

According to the [[University of Cambridge]], historically, the "most notable spread of atheism was achieved through the success of the 1917 Russian Revolution, which brought the [[Marxism-Leninism|Marxist-Leninists]] to power."<ref name="Marxism-Leninism">{{cite web|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20130728215151/http://www.investigatingatheism.info/marxism.html|title="Investigating atheism: Marxism"|publisher = [[University of Cambridge]]|quote=The most notable spread of atheism was achieved through the success of the 1917 Russian Revolution, which brought the Marxist-Leninists to power. For the first time in history, atheism thus became the official ideology of a state.|year=2008|accessdate=July 17, 2014|}}</ref> Vitalij Lazarʹevič Ginzburg, a Soviet physicist, wrote that the "[[Bolshevik]] communists were not merely atheists but, according to [[Lenin]]'s terminology, [[militant atheist]]s."<ref name="Lenin & militant atheism">{{cite web|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=ufC9Ar8iuDcC&pg=PA161&dq=The+Bolshevik+communists+were+not+merely+atheists+but,+according+to+Lenin%27s+terminology,+militant+atheists.&hl=en&sa=X&ei=1oFUUdj6PIiK0QGvq4CAAw&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=The%20Bolshevik%20communists%20were%20not%20merely%20atheists%20but%2C%20according%20to%20Lenin's%20terminology%2C%20militant%20atheists.&f=false|title =''On Superconductivity and Superfluidity: A Scientific Autobiography'' |author=Vitalij Lazarʹevič Ginzburg|publisher = Springer Science+Business Media|pages=p. 161|year=2009|quote=The Bolshevik communists were not merely atheists but, according to Lenin's terminology, militant atheists.|accessdate = July 17, 2014}}</ref> However, prior to this, the [[Reign of Terror]] of the [[French Revolution]] established an [[atheist state]], with the official ideology being the [[Cult of Reason]]; during this time thousands of believers were suppressed and executed by the [[guillotine]].<ref>Multiple references:
*{{cite web|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=bf3m7IVAa9gC&pg=PA461&dq=France+atheism+guillotine++Christians+executed&hl=en&sa=X&ei=l4lUUaTRBufG0QGe0IHACA&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=France%20atheism%20guillotine%20%20Christians%20executed&f=false|title =''Christianity: The eBook''|author=James Adair|publisher = JBE Online Books|year=2007|quote=Although the Civil Constitution called for religious liberty, which was extended to Jews as well as Christians, many revolutionaries pushed for the establishment of a new state religion, either the Cult of Reason (atheists) or the Cult of the Supreme Being (Deists). Changes to the calendar eliminated references to Christian holidays, and even the ancient seven-day week, and a list of officially recognized saints included such famous thinkers such as Socrates, Jesus, Marcus Aurelius, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. A period of political persecution, often with religious overtones, broke out, known as the Reign of Terror. Thousands of people were executed by the guillotine, including many of the original leaders of the French Revolution.|pages=p. 461|accessdate = July 18, 2014}}
*{{cite web|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=9WkBAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA105&dq=Reign+of+Terror+atheism&hl=en&sa=X&ei=HoRUUcD0NeXX0gGNo4HIDQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Reign%20of%20Terror%20atheism&f=false|title =''Memoirs of the Reign of George III. to the Session of Parliament ending A.D. 1793'', Volume 5|page=105|author=William Belsham|publisher = G.G. & J. Robinson|year=1801|quote=In allusion to the monstrous transactions of this portentous period, it has been eloquently and energetically observed, 'that the reign of atheism in France was avowed the reign of terror. In the full madness of their career, in the highest climax of their horrors, they shut up the temples of God, abolished His worship, and proclaimed death to be an eternal sleep:—in the very centre of Christendom, Revelation underwent a total eclipse, while atheism, performing on a darkened theatre its strange and fearful tragedy, confounded the first elements of society, blended every age, rank, and sex, indiscriminate proscription and massacre, and convulsed all Europe to its centre, that the imperishable memorial of these events might teach the last generations of mankind to consider religion as the pillar of society, the parent of social order, and the safe-guard of nations.' "It is wonderful that, amid the horrors of this dismal period, while 'the death dance of democratic revolution' was still in rapid movement, among the tears of affliction, and the cries of despair, 'the masque, the song, the theatric scene, the buffoon laughter, went on as regularly as in the gay hour of festive peace.'|pages=pp. 105-6|accessdate = July 18, 2014}}
*{{cite web|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=Tt5rqiCP1p8C&pg=PA57&dq=Reign+of+Terror+atheism&hl=en&sa=X&ei=HoRUUcD0NeXX0gGNo4HIDQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Reign%20of%20Terror%20atheism&f=false|title =''Christianity, Islam, and Atheism: The Struggle for the Soul of the West''|author=William Kilpatrick|publisher = Ignatius Press|year=2012|quote=Actually, it's helpful to think in terms of two Enlightenments: the Enlightenment that cut itself off from God. The former led to the American Revolution, the Declaration of Independence, the abolition of slavery, and the civil rights movement. The latter led to the French Revolution, the Reign of Terror, the suppression of church by state, and the godless philosophies of Marx and Nietzsche and their offspring—National Socialism and communism. More recently the abandonment of God has led to the regime of cultural relativism that regards rights as arbitrary constructions. "It's this second Enlightenment tradition that Cardinal Ratzinger referred to when he wrote, 'The radical detachment of the Enlightenment philosophy from its roots ultimately leads it to dispense with man.' Actually this transition happened not 'ultimately' but almost immediately. The first instance occurred when Enlightenment worship of abstract 'reason' and 'liberty' degenerated quickly into the mass murders committed during the antireligious Reign of Terror in France. 'Liberty, what crimes are committed in your name', said Madam Rolande as she faced the statue of Liberty in the Place de la Revolution movements before her death at the guillotine. She was one of the early victims of a succession of secular systems based on rootless notions of 'liberty', 'equality', and 'reason'. "As many historians have pointed out, the atheist regimes of modern times are guilty of far more crimes than any committed in the name of religion. Communist governments alone were guilty of more than one hundred million murders, most of them committed against their own people.|pages=p. 57|accessdate = July 18, 2014}}</ref>

=== Militant atheism and repression, deception and violence ===

As far as the methods used to promulgate atheism, [[Atheism and deception|there is a history of using deception]]. In addition, atheistic [[communism|communist]] countries [http://www.conservapedia.com/Atheism#Atheism_and_Communism have used violent means to suppress theism.]
[[File:Apostle-John.jpg|right|thumbnail|210px|Stain glass depiction of the [[John the Apostle|Apostle John]] ]]

=== Apostle John on Christian love and on the spirit of the antichrist ===

In an a letter to his fellow Christians, the Apostle John taught concerning love:
{{cquote|And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.

We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. - 1 John 4: 3-12 (King James Bible) <ref> 1 John 4: 3-12 King James Bible</ref>}}

== Atheism and hatred of God ==

''See also:'' [[Atheism and hatred of God]]

In [[Atheism and debate|debates with atheists]], the popular [[Christianity|Christian]] YouTube video maker [[Shockofgod]] often asks [[Atheism|atheists]] the [[loaded question]], "Is [[God]] evil?". Invariably, so-called atheists quickly say yes. Then Shockofgod informs the "atheist" that they admitted that God exists.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9dKeacA3vs Atheist loses debate to theist & admits God exists]</ref> Shockofgod also declares that Christians never accuse leprechauns of being evil because they know they don't exist.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9dKeacA3vs Atheist loses debate to theist & admits God exists]</ref> See also: [[Denials that atheists exist]] and [[Atheism has a lower retention rate compared to other worldviews]].

Don Batten of [[Creation Ministries International]] wrote:
{{cquote|Recently, I have had a lot of conversations with atheists. Many express a strong hatred of God. I have been at a loss to explain this. How can you hate someone you don’t believe in? Why the hostility? If God does not exist, shouldn’t atheists just relax and seek a good time before they become plant food? Why should it matter if people believe in God? Nothing matters if atheism is true<ref>[http://creation.com/atheist-god-hate Atheists hate God]</ref>}}

The Christian evangelist [[Ray Comfort]] contends that atheists hate God because they know he does exist.<ref>[http://www.wnd.com/2009/02/87777/ Evangelist: Atheists know they are wrong]</ref> Comfort declared in 2009: "Atheists don't hate fairies, leprauchans or unicorns because they don't exist. It is impossible to hate something that doesn't exist. And that makes the point."<ref>[http://www.wnd.com/2009/02/87777/ Evangelist: Atheists know they are wrong]</ref>

== See also ==

*[[Atheism and loneliness vs. Christian love, fellowship and joy]]
*[[Irreligion/religion and war/peace]]
*[[Social Darwinism]]
*[[Atheism and interfaith marriages]]
*[[Atheism and anger]]
*[[Atheism and bitterness]]

== External links ==

*[http://creation.com/sorry-atheists-but-youre-wrong Sorry, atheists, but you’re wrong: The death of "Love your neighbour"]

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Atheism]]
[[Category:Featured articles]]

Ex-atheists

2015-09-05T01:59:26Z

Humanperson:

[[Image:Mlogo.jpg|thumbnail|150px|right|Ex-atheist [[Lee Strobel]]]]
There have been some notable incidences of [[atheism|atheists]] converting to [[theism]].

[[Lee Strobel]] converted from atheism to Christianity and then became a [[Christian apologetics|Christian apologist]].<ref>http://www.discovery.org/scripts/viewDB/index.php?command=view&id=3884</ref> Before investigating the claims of Christianity, Strobel had obtained a undergraduate degree in journalism and also obtained a Master of Studies in Law degree from [[Yale]] Law School. Strobel was an award-winning legal editor of the [[Chicago Tribune]], and he won [[Illinois]]’ top honors for investigative reporting (which he shared with a team he led) and public service journalism from [[United Press International]].<ref>http://www.discovery.org/scripts/viewDB/index.php?command=view&id=3884</ref> After a nearly a two year investigation of the evidence for Christianity, Strobel became a Christian.<ref>http://www.leestrobel.com/LS_bio.htm</ref>

Although [[Richard Dawkins]] declared he was an [[agnosticism|agnostic]] in 2006 and 2012, in 2002 Richard Dawkins publicly argued for the position of [[militant atheism]] and claimed that he will not feel anything after death.<ref>[http://voxday.blogspot.com/2012/02/mailvox-richard-dawkins-is-not-atheist.html Mailvox: Richard Dawkins is not an atheist!]</ref><ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3_rGbiT_3c Richard Dawkins Says He's Agnostic -- NOT atheist - video testimony of Richard Dawkins saying he is not an atheist, but an agnostic]</ref><ref>
*[http://www.ted.com/talks/richard_dawkins_on_militant_atheism.html Richard Dawkins on militant atheism]</ref> See: [[Richard Dawkins and agnosticism]]

[[C.S. Lewis]] abandoned his atheism and became a Christian and he was very much influenced by the writings of [[George MacDonald]] and [[G. K. Chesterton]].<ref>http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1282/is_n23_v47/ai_17863106</ref> In ''Surprised by Joy'', Lewis says: "''In reading Chesterton, as in reading MacDonald, I did not know what I was letting myself in for. A young man who wishes to remain a sound Atheist cannot be too careful of his reading. God is, if I may say it, very unscrupulous.''"<ref>'''Lewis''', ''Surprised by Joy'' op cit.</ref>

[[Britain|British]] philosopher [[Anthony Flew]] abandoned atheism and became an [[Deism|deist]] after as a result of the [[intelligent design]] issue. According to the news organization [[MSNBC]], Flew became a deist because he believed a super-intelligence was the only good explanation for the [[origin of life]] and the complexity of nature.<ref>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6688917/</ref> In 2006, Flew and 12 prominent academics urged that intelligent design be taught in [[Britain|British]] government schools.<ref>http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/newspapers/sunday_times/britain/article1265412.ece?token=null&offset=12</ref>

The work of ex-atheist and psychologist Dr. [[Paul Vitz]] is often cited in regards to atheism. Dr. Vitz wrote the work ''Faith of the Fatherless'' which is a book which touches upon the subject of the [[Causes of Atheism|causal factors in regards to atheism]].

== Other ex-atheists ==

*Sita Ram Goel, Hindu
*Tamsin Greig, Christian
*Keir Hardie, Protestant Christian
*[[Peter Hitchens]], Christian and former Communist
*Martin Lings, Muslim
*Gabriel Marcel, Catholic Christian
*[[Dmitry Medvedev]], Russian Orthodox Christian
*Nursultan Nazarbayev, Muslim
*[[Anne Rice]], believes in Jesus Christ and God, but no longer considers herself a Christian
*[[Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn]], Russian Orthodox Christian
*[[Enoch Powell]], politician, Christian

== Evidence related to Antony Flew's Conversion to theism/deism ==
[[File:Richard Carrier.jpg|thumbnail|165px|right|[[Richard Carrier]] ]]
[[Athanatos Christian Ministries]] wrote concerning the book ''A Defense of the Integrity of Antony Flew's "There is a God" From His Own Letters'' by Anthony Horvath:
{{cquote|Famed atheist Antony Flew stunned the world with his repudiation of atheism in favor of deism about 2004 but the reasons for his change were unclear. Finally, in 2007, Flew released his book ''There Is a God: How the World’s Most Notorious Atheist Changed His Mind'' in an attempt to set the record straight.” It was immediately challenged by hostile atheists on a number of grounds, not all of them very charitable. One of the challenges was put forth most prominently by [[PZ Myers]] and [[Richard Carrier]]: Flew had lost his mind; the arguments weren’t his at all, but rather were the product of manipulating Christian apologists.

There is just one teensy-weensy problem with this line of attack. In 2006, before it was even known to the world that Antony Flew would be releasing a book, a Christian apologist and author by the name of Anthony Horvath (Athanatos Christian Ministries) was in correspondence with Dr. Flew. Horvath wrote Flew specifically to ask him to commit his current positions and arguments to written form because even then there was much speculation. The answer was that the book was already in the works!

The correspondence was brief but turns out to be decisive against those claiming that “There is a God” did not reflect Flew’s actual positions. In this e-book, Horvath releases copies of the original letters along with his lengthy rebuttal to Richard Carrier’s assertions. To date, though Carrier has been made aware of that rebuttal, no answer has been received. And no wonder: these letters settle the matter once and for all.

For those interested in the best evidence and primary sources in coming to their conclusions, these letters by Flew will be instrumental.<ref>[http://athanatosministries.org/store/products/a-defense-of-the-integrity-of-antony-flews-there-is-a-god-from-his-own-letters ''A Defense of the Integrity of Antony Flew's "There is a God" From His Own Letters''] by Anthony Horvath, Publisher: Athanatos Christian Ministries, September 3, 2011</ref>}}

== Recommended books ==

* ''Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life'' by C.S. Lewis, Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich (March 23, 1966), ISBN-10: 0156870118, ISBN-13: 978-0156870115

*''There is a God: How the World's Most Notorious Atheist Changed His Mind'' by Anthony Flew (2007) with Roy Abraham Varghese (ISBN 978-0-06-133529-7)

*''A Defense of the Integrity of Antony Flew's "There is a God" From His Own Letters'' by Anthony Horvath, Publisher: [[Athanatos Christian Ministries]], September 3, 2011<ref>[http://athanatosministries.org/store/products/a-defense-of-the-integrity-of-antony-flews-there-is-a-god-from-his-own-letters ''A Defense of the Integrity of Antony Flew's "There is a God" From His Own Letters''] by Anthony Horvath, Publisher: [[Athanatos Christian Ministries]], September 3, 2011</ref>

== See also ==

*[[Resources for leaving atheism and becoming a Christian]]
*[[Christian apologetics|Evidence for Christianity]]
*[[Ex-atheist testimonies of Christians]]
*[[Ex-agnostics]]
*[[Books on the causes of atheism]]

== External links ==

*[http://www.crosswalk.com/blogs/christian-trends/why-are-so-many-former-atheists-coming-to-christ.html Why are So Many Former Atheists Coming to Christ?]
*[http://www.shockawenow.net Resource created by an ex-atheist]

[[Category: Atheism]]

{{Nb Atheism}}

== Notes ==
{{reflist|2}}

White primary

2015-08-30T19:05:58Z

Humanperson:

The term [[white primary]] referred to a rule which took away the authenticity of legal [[African American]] votes - and thus discouraged African American voting. The [[Democratic Party]] in some Southern states adopted rules which prohibited African American party membership.[http://plainshumanities.unl.edu/encyclopedia/doc/egp.law.054]
The rules were adopted by some southern states after a similar voting exclusion clause, the [[grandfather clause]] was judged unconstitutional. The [[United States Supreme Court]] ruled the white primary was unconstitutional in the 1944 case ''[[Smith v. Allwright]]''.

[[Category: United States Politics]]

White supremacy

2015-08-30T19:01:12Z

Humanperson:

'''White supremacy''' is a [[racist]] ideology which asserts that [[white people]] (often known as '[[Aryans]]', although not in the Indo-Iranian sense) are somehow "better" than people of other races. These feelings can range from mild (personal bigotry) to extreme (advocating political and social dominance for white people, or ethnic cleansing). White supremacism is often associated with [[Nazism]].

White supremacism as a movement in the United States was most recently closely associated with four groups, [[Aryan Nations]], the [[National Alliance]], the [[Creativity Movement]], and [[White Aryan Resistance]], as well as many smaller, often short-lived groups. All four of these groups peaked in the 1980s-90s and are now in disarray. Aryan Nations, in particular, attempted to unite disparate elements of white supremacism around the [[Christian]] Identity belief system. Another group, the [[Ku Klux Klan]], which has existed in some form since [[Reconstruction]], is also closely associated with white supremacism. Creativity, which is espoused by the Creativity Movement, is an [[atheistic]] white supremacist movement.<ref name="Atheistic">{{cite web|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=HB1wyFPRGm4C&pg=PA23&dq=atheism+white+supremacy&hl=en&ei=Re-OTfbHHuuD0QHOycm1Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CEgQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=atheistic&f=false|title =The new white nationalism in America: its challenge to integration|publisher = [[Cambridge University Press]]|quote=For instance, Ben Klassen, founder of the atheistic World Church of the Creator and the author of ''The White Man's Bible'', discusses Christianity extensively in his writings and denounces religion that has brought untold horror into the world and divided the white race.|accessdate = 2011–03–27}}</ref><ref name="Religion">{{cite web|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=RonIunZ521sC&pg=PA247&dq=atheism+white+supremacy&hl=en&ei=u_OOTaGaM6Xi0gHJztygCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CDYQ6AEwAzgK#v=onepage&q&f=false|title =Contemporary voices of white nationalism in America|publisher = [[Cambridge University Press]]|quote=World Church of the Creator, an organization that espouses an atheistic and white supremacist religious philosophy known as Creativity.|accessdate = 2011–03–27}}</ref><ref name="Atheism">{{cite web|url = http://books.google.com/books?id=rBgn3xB75ZcC&pg=PA493&dq=competing+atheistic+white+racist+movement&hl=en&ei=5uWOTeSkCamw0QH7m92bCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=competing%20atheistic%20white%20racist%20movement&f=false|title =The World's Religions: Continuities and Transformations|publisher = [[Taylor & Francis]]|quote=A competing atheistic or panthestic white racist movement also appeared, which included the Church of the Creator/ Creativity (Gardell 2003: 129–134).|accessdate = 2011–03–27}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Black supremacy]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Atheism}}

[[Category:Civil Rights]]
[[Category:Political Movements]]
[[Category:Racism]]

Talk:Atheism is a religion

2015-08-27T04:42:54Z

Humanperson:

Suggest retitling to "Atheism as a religion" and request for proof that the theory of evolution is an Atheist doctrine. [[User:Barikada|Barikada]] 18:40, 17 January 2008 (EST)

Atheism is as much a religion as not collecting stamps is a hobby --[[User:Hadron|Hadron]] 05:42, 23 February 2008 (EST)

== If atheism is a religion... ==

...does that mean that it's impossible for a person to not have a religion? [[User:JohnMcL|JohnMcL]] 19:34, 9 August 2011 (EDT)
:"But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes. You're gonna have to serve somebody, Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord. But you're gonna have to serve somebody." - Bob Dylan [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] 17:26, 10 November 2014 (EST)

== Smartt's "Criteria" ==

Daniel Smartt suggests that Ninian Smart's list can be used as criteria which define worldviews as religions. This seems like a misreading of Smart, who instead offers the list as the things we should look at when analyzing worldviews, religious or secular. In other, he meant for his list to be applied to secular worldviews as a way of understanding them, but not so that we can define them as religions. You can read it [http://books.google.com/books?id=14j2UrLCi64C&pg=PA130&lpg=PA130&dq=ninian+smart+narrative&source=bl&ots=Hq3WwG_mVT&sig=j-8FpwSdqohURYodSdcl46erSJY&hl=en&sa=X&ei=FgybT6zxIc-_gAe864X6Dg&ved=0CCoQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=ninian%20smart%20narrative&f=false here] on page 2:.

(This is another person) I agree with the person above me; the criteria are obviously meant for both religious and secular worldviews, so anything that fills the criteria is not necessarily a religion. If it were just for religion, it would be missing something sort of...uh...important for religions: belief in something supernatural? Without that, you could could argue almost anything as a "religion"; Boy Scouts of America, for example. It has Narrative (campfire stories, mission statement, camp history), Experiential (there's a lot of personal experience to be had in the organization, which can be life-changing or personality-changing things), Social (BSoA has leaders), Ethical (from the BSoA website: "A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent." sounds like they encourage ethical behavior to me), Ritual (graduation ceremony), and Material (Camp grounds are a gathering place, American Flag is respected). Nothing doctrinal (at least nothing concerning the "nature of reality") but hey, 6 out of 7 isn't bad, eh, since you don't need all 7 to qualify. I believe my Public School also qualifies as a religion, since we have narrative (school history, we have a wall dedicated to artifacts and stories from the beginnings of the school), experiential (I have life changing experiences here), Social (We have the principal and faculty as leaders), Ethical (we have a code of character and conduct that is stressed every day, etc.), Doctrinal (We have a philosophy class where we discuss the nature of the universe or whatever), Ritual (Graduation), and Material (the school building where we gather, as well as the monument to the school founder and the artifacts on the history wall). The point is that there are plenty of things that qualify that don't involve the supernatural, which is one of the key points of religion. But as I said, those criteria aren't meant as qualifiers for a religion, but a worldview.

That said, Atheism doesn't even qualify as a worldview, as none of the things you mentioned are actually valid qualifications for each criterion. The difference between the qualifiers used for religions (rituals, beliefs, narratives, ethics, etc.) and the ones you used for Atheism, is that the religious ones are part of the religion by definition. The ethics outlined in the bible are the official "Christian" ethics, the rituals and narratives are all essential parts of Christianity. Alternatively, Atheism is simply the lack of belief in a God. Anything else beyond that can be described as "Atheistic" in the sense that they don't involve God, but they are not purely Atheist things to do and are not essential parts of Atheism. If you are Atheist you do not have to believe the theory of evolution is true, and not all Atheists do. You do not have to reject God to be an Atheist. That assumes you believe in God in the first place. A person raised as a hermit in the woods would never have the experience of "rejecting God". So you could believe evolution is false, never "reject God", not go to Atheist gatherings (or even know that they occur), never know about any prominent Atheists, never spend time considering the ultimate nature of reality or convincing yourself of the non-existence of God or that faith is illegitimate, never get married, not be concerned about the religion vs. secular nature of your funeral, and not believe that nature is sacred, and you can still be an Atheist. The only thing involved in Atheism is not believing religious claims of a God. Yes you can argue that some things are Atheistic, but that ultimately just means they don't involve God, not that they are a "part of Atheism" or what have you. In essence, you don't have to do anything to be an Atheist. There are no positive beliefs, rituals, or experiences that are a central part of Atheism. If you are not religious, you are Atheist by default.

—Glenwing

P.S. Here's another way of thinking about it. What if you don't believe in Christanity or any other religion. And then you also reject Atheism as well. You don't believe evolution, don't attend any Atheist conventions, etc. What are you then? Nothing? Yes. We have a term for that. It's called Atheism. Without Theism. Without Religion. Yes it's true that many atheists share beliefs on topics, but that is ultimately meaningless as those things still aren't essential to what atheism really is and what it is to be an atheist.
::::User: Williagz's suggestions re: Smartt were added. See material [http://conservapedia.com/Talk:Atheism/archive21#Misrepresentation_and_Misspelling_of_Ninian_Smart HERE] [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] 04:58, 28 May 2012 (EDT)

== Essay? ==

Shouldn't this be an essay? [[User:AndrewLe|AndrewLe]] 10:53, 27 July 2014 (EDT)
:Why? [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] 11:39, 27 July 2014 (EDT)
::Because it is the exposition of a point of view, not an encyclopedic article. [[User:AndrewLe|AndrewLe]] 11:50, 27 July 2014 (EDT)
::::Atheism meets the criteria of a religion (the 7 criteria). The article is not going to be labeled an essay. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] 13:02, 27 July 2014 (EDT)
:::::Your choice. But it ''is'' an essay nonetheless. [[User:AndrewLe|AndrewLe]] 13:13, 27 July 2014 (EDT)
AndrewLe, your first post on the talk page in the form of a question didn't exactly impress me. It appeared as if you could not defend your stance and/or possessed intellectual sloth. Subsequent posts confirmed this matter. Declaring an accusation to be true and showing it to be true are two different matters.

By the way, do you have any proof and evidence that atheism is true? Christianity [http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/09/evidence-for-christianity-websites-and.html has abundant proof and evidence] that it is true. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] 13:34, 27 July 2014 (EDT)
:AndrewLe, why don't you provide proof and evidence that atheism is not a religion? That would have been the most reasonable thing to do when posting to this talk page. I don't think you can do it because atheism is a religion and meets Ninian Smart's criteria of a religion. In addition, atheism lacks proof and evidence that it is true and requires blind and unreasonable faith. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] 13:51, 27 July 2014 (EDT)
::I never said atheism is true, and I never said atheism is not a religion, so I have no obligation to support either of those positions. My concern is limited to the ''form'' of this article, not its content. At [[Conservapedia:Essays]] it says, "Unlike articles, essays may represent a particular point of view." [[Atheism is a religion]] represents a particular point of view on an issue that is the subject of debate (as is stated in its first sentence). It is an essay. [[User:AndrewLe|AndrewLe]] 15:58, 27 July 2014 (EDT)
::::AndrewLe, are you an atheist? If so, what proof and evidence do you have that atheism is true? By the way, I changed the beginning of the article. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] 17:28, 27 July 2014 (EDT)

== Evidence that many atheists are in fact religious ==

Arguing for or against biological evolution is not an argument for or against the existence of a deity - it is only an argument for or against the assertion that the earth is both young and that observable lifeforms were created and have always existed in its present form. The fact that even atheists who accept evolution believe it is evidence against the existence of a deity is evidence of a persistent strain of irrational thinking among many of them. [[User:Tollerson|Tollerson]] 16:45, 10 November 2014 (EST)

== Atheist Cults ==

There are two sections in this article named Atheist Cults, one is an actual section, with a link to [[Atheist cults]], the other is simply a "See Also." Are there any objections to me removing the "See Also" section? [[User:IHop|IHop]] 09:39, 7 January 2015 (EST)
:Fixed. Thanks. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] 15:54, 7 January 2015 (EST)

== What about the etymology of "religion"? ==

Are people to just disregard the proper definition of "religion", and follow Smart and Smartt's definition, whose definition actually applies to ''everything''? It looks like Smartt didn't really put much thought into defining what religion ''is'', but rather, the result of what religion tends to leave behind (particular worldviews and systems), which seems like his definition would make Conservatism, Liberalism, charity, work, joining any group, (etc), a religion. However, if a person looks at the etymology of the word "religion", the Latin origins seem to be pretty clear. "Re-" is the prefix which means "again", and "ligare", coming from "ligo", means "to bind" or "to connect" (think of "ligaments", which "connect" bones). Clearly, the obvious definition of "religion" for all of human history has been that religion "reconnects" a person with God.

I would assume that's why the word "irreligion" is used so frequently on this website to refer to atheists, since the prefix "ir-" means "to negate". "Irreligion" would, therefore, be the negation of religion. So logically, my follow-up question would be this, "Why does this website refer to atheists as 'irreligious' (the negation of religion), while equally calling atheism a religion in several places?" That is both a positive and negative assertion, which is, fundamentally, a contradiction that should be reconciled.

We could also look at the word "atheism" for a better understanding. It's found in the Bible as "atheos", in the Greek form ''(Ephesians 2:12 - remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world)''. The prefix "a-" means "without", and "theos" means "God". Although the literal English translation would be "without God", the interpretation would be "Godless".

When a person correctly understands the etymology of the words "religion" and "atheism", based on both their historical Roman and Biblical origins , I think it becomes clear that atheism isn't a religion, but used to define people who don't express a belief in God, ''(and consequently, a desire to have a relationship with that God,)'' as opposed to those who do. If my understanding is correct, however, then Smart and Smartt would be disregarded, along with any assertions that atheism is a religion. Personally, I don't think Smart and Smartt were very smart to construct this argument and push it to people, since it seems to me that they failed to understand what the words even meant.

Thoughts? [[User:Humanperson|Humanperson]] ([[User talk:Humanperson|talk]]) 01:48, 16 August 2015 (EDT)

:Re- also means "back" so I have understood "religion" to mean that which "binds back" one to one's faith. I also read that the ancient Greeks didn't have a word for "religion", and that it was a Roman concept.

:People speak colloquially about someone being "religious" when they only mean the religion usually and conspicuously practiced in the United States. I for one think the article adds to the thinking of many about atheism. So I won't go out of my way to criticize the article even though I don't totally agree with all of it. [[User:VargasMilan|VargasMilan]] ([[User talk:VargasMilan|talk]]) 06:28, 16 August 2015 (EDT)

::Well, I'm sorry if I'm not convinced. Lots of people also confuse the words "there", "their", and "they're". Just because the public tends to misunderstand and confuse words doesn't mean anything. The adjective "religiously" developed out of an observation of religious behavior, although it was never the most fitting adjective. More appropriately, the adjective "religiously" means "obsessively religious". But, what happens when a person acts "obsessively irreligious"? The adjective "religiously" no longer applies. To say that someone is "religiously irreligious" might sound cute, and people understand what it means, but the meaning directly contradicts itself, resulting in an irreconcilable oxymoron. The notion that "atheism is a religion" is a mistake, due to ignorance, as I've plainly spelled out. If there were any validity to it, then it would have to be acknowledged, but: "truth is, by nature, self-evident. As soon as you remove the cobwebs of ignorance that surround it, it shines clear." - Mahatma Gandhi [[User:Humanperson|Humanperson]] ([[User talk:Humanperson|talk]]) 23:09, 26 August 2015 (EDT)

:::There may be some truth to that. Didn't the Supreme Court go astray when it regarded "atheism" and "Christianity" as just two religions among many instead of regarding Christianity and its holy book as the basis of the United States government? [[User:VargasMilan|VargasMilan]] ([[User talk:VargasMilan|talk]]) 23:44, 26 August 2015 (EDT)

::::Well, I see that people believe the Supreme Court ruled Secular Humanism as a religion in the Torcaso v. Watkins trial ''(I'm thinking that's what you're referring to?)''. (Opinion:) It seems that Humanism would more appropriately be labeled a "philosophy" or a "way of life", but the SCOTUS shouldn't ever rule it to be a religion. In Torcaso v. Watkins, they granted Humanist organizations religious-based tax exemptions. ''In my own opinion'', that shouldn't be the case, because it denies logic; on the flip-side, I don't understand why religious-based organizations get tax exemptions or protections, anyway. I don't know what the most appropriate course of action is, but if we're going to tax organizations, then it seems they should all be taxed fairly - whether religious, political, philanthropic, educational, entertainment, social, etc. The only fair alternative is to not tax any of them.

::::''In my own opinion (which is irrelevant), same-sex marriage may be Constitutional, but I don't see how ObamaCare is. It's not that I have any vendetta against the ACA, and I've seen it has helped many people, it's just that I don't see how it's considered Constitutional to enforce it. Being human, the SCOTUS is susceptible to mistakes, too, but America has a tendency to learn from our mistakes and rectify them.'' However, considering that Freemasonry is the basis of the US government (which is a pretty inclusive group), I can understand why the SCOTUS wouldn't have considered the Bible as the cornerstone. I've read some of the Freemason documents, and they don't take kindly to Atheists. However, even though all of the Founders were religious of some sort (whether Christians or Deists), establishing a secular nation was the only way to protect Theists of all sorts, as to avoid preferential treatment. It seems that even the Supreme Court Justices were ignorant of the meaning of the words; else, they deliberately ignored the meaning to protect people.

::::Still, is it wise to keep this perspective on this website? Andy thinks highly of himself, but this article (and other assertions on the site) seems kind of embarrassing. It's certainly their choice, whatever they decide, but I try to promote reason, even where people disagree with me. I hope this hasn't caused any ill feelings. [[User:Humanperson|Humanperson]] ([[User talk:Humanperson|talk]]) 00:41, 27 August 2015 (EDT)

Talk:Atheism is a religion

2015-08-27T04:41:29Z

Humanperson:

Suggest retitling to "Atheism as a religion" and request for proof that the theory of evolution is an Atheist doctrine. [[User:Barikada|Barikada]] 18:40, 17 January 2008 (EST)

Atheism is as much a religion as not collecting stamps is a hobby --[[User:Hadron|Hadron]] 05:42, 23 February 2008 (EST)

== If atheism is a religion... ==

...does that mean that it's impossible for a person to not have a religion? [[User:JohnMcL|JohnMcL]] 19:34, 9 August 2011 (EDT)
:"But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes. You're gonna have to serve somebody, Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord. But you're gonna have to serve somebody." - Bob Dylan [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] 17:26, 10 November 2014 (EST)

== Smartt's "Criteria" ==

Daniel Smartt suggests that Ninian Smart's list can be used as criteria which define worldviews as religions. This seems like a misreading of Smart, who instead offers the list as the things we should look at when analyzing worldviews, religious or secular. In other, he meant for his list to be applied to secular worldviews as a way of understanding them, but not so that we can define them as religions. You can read it [http://books.google.com/books?id=14j2UrLCi64C&pg=PA130&lpg=PA130&dq=ninian+smart+narrative&source=bl&ots=Hq3WwG_mVT&sig=j-8FpwSdqohURYodSdcl46erSJY&hl=en&sa=X&ei=FgybT6zxIc-_gAe864X6Dg&ved=0CCoQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=ninian%20smart%20narrative&f=false here] on page 2:.

(This is another person) I agree with the person above me; the criteria are obviously meant for both religious and secular worldviews, so anything that fills the criteria is not necessarily a religion. If it were just for religion, it would be missing something sort of...uh...important for religions: belief in something supernatural? Without that, you could could argue almost anything as a "religion"; Boy Scouts of America, for example. It has Narrative (campfire stories, mission statement, camp history), Experiential (there's a lot of personal experience to be had in the organization, which can be life-changing or personality-changing things), Social (BSoA has leaders), Ethical (from the BSoA website: "A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent." sounds like they encourage ethical behavior to me), Ritual (graduation ceremony), and Material (Camp grounds are a gathering place, American Flag is respected). Nothing doctrinal (at least nothing concerning the "nature of reality") but hey, 6 out of 7 isn't bad, eh, since you don't need all 7 to qualify. I believe my Public School also qualifies as a religion, since we have narrative (school history, we have a wall dedicated to artifacts and stories from the beginnings of the school), experiential (I have life changing experiences here), Social (We have the principal and faculty as leaders), Ethical (we have a code of character and conduct that is stressed every day, etc.), Doctrinal (We have a philosophy class where we discuss the nature of the universe or whatever), Ritual (Graduation), and Material (the school building where we gather, as well as the monument to the school founder and the artifacts on the history wall). The point is that there are plenty of things that qualify that don't involve the supernatural, which is one of the key points of religion. But as I said, those criteria aren't meant as qualifiers for a religion, but a worldview.

That said, Atheism doesn't even qualify as a worldview, as none of the things you mentioned are actually valid qualifications for each criterion. The difference between the qualifiers used for religions (rituals, beliefs, narratives, ethics, etc.) and the ones you used for Atheism, is that the religious ones are part of the religion by definition. The ethics outlined in the bible are the official "Christian" ethics, the rituals and narratives are all essential parts of Christianity. Alternatively, Atheism is simply the lack of belief in a God. Anything else beyond that can be described as "Atheistic" in the sense that they don't involve God, but they are not purely Atheist things to do and are not essential parts of Atheism. If you are Atheist you do not have to believe the theory of evolution is true, and not all Atheists do. You do not have to reject God to be an Atheist. That assumes you believe in God in the first place. A person raised as a hermit in the woods would never have the experience of "rejecting God". So you could believe evolution is false, never "reject God", not go to Atheist gatherings (or even know that they occur), never know about any prominent Atheists, never spend time considering the ultimate nature of reality or convincing yourself of the non-existence of God or that faith is illegitimate, never get married, not be concerned about the religion vs. secular nature of your funeral, and not believe that nature is sacred, and you can still be an Atheist. The only thing involved in Atheism is not believing religious claims of a God. Yes you can argue that some things are Atheistic, but that ultimately just means they don't involve God, not that they are a "part of Atheism" or what have you. In essence, you don't have to do anything to be an Atheist. There are no positive beliefs, rituals, or experiences that are a central part of Atheism. If you are not religious, you are Atheist by default.

—Glenwing

P.S. Here's another way of thinking about it. What if you don't believe in Christanity or any other religion. And then you also reject Atheism as well. You don't believe evolution, don't attend any Atheist conventions, etc. What are you then? Nothing? Yes. We have a term for that. It's called Atheism. Without Theism. Without Religion. Yes it's true that many atheists share beliefs on topics, but that is ultimately meaningless as those things still aren't essential to what atheism really is and what it is to be an atheist.
::::User: Williagz's suggestions re: Smartt were added. See material [http://conservapedia.com/Talk:Atheism/archive21#Misrepresentation_and_Misspelling_of_Ninian_Smart HERE] [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] 04:58, 28 May 2012 (EDT)

== Essay? ==

Shouldn't this be an essay? [[User:AndrewLe|AndrewLe]] 10:53, 27 July 2014 (EDT)
:Why? [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] 11:39, 27 July 2014 (EDT)
::Because it is the exposition of a point of view, not an encyclopedic article. [[User:AndrewLe|AndrewLe]] 11:50, 27 July 2014 (EDT)
::::Atheism meets the criteria of a religion (the 7 criteria). The article is not going to be labeled an essay. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] 13:02, 27 July 2014 (EDT)
:::::Your choice. But it ''is'' an essay nonetheless. [[User:AndrewLe|AndrewLe]] 13:13, 27 July 2014 (EDT)
AndrewLe, your first post on the talk page in the form of a question didn't exactly impress me. It appeared as if you could not defend your stance and/or possessed intellectual sloth. Subsequent posts confirmed this matter. Declaring an accusation to be true and showing it to be true are two different matters.

By the way, do you have any proof and evidence that atheism is true? Christianity [http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/09/evidence-for-christianity-websites-and.html has abundant proof and evidence] that it is true. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] 13:34, 27 July 2014 (EDT)
:AndrewLe, why don't you provide proof and evidence that atheism is not a religion? That would have been the most reasonable thing to do when posting to this talk page. I don't think you can do it because atheism is a religion and meets Ninian Smart's criteria of a religion. In addition, atheism lacks proof and evidence that it is true and requires blind and unreasonable faith. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] 13:51, 27 July 2014 (EDT)
::I never said atheism is true, and I never said atheism is not a religion, so I have no obligation to support either of those positions. My concern is limited to the ''form'' of this article, not its content. At [[Conservapedia:Essays]] it says, "Unlike articles, essays may represent a particular point of view." [[Atheism is a religion]] represents a particular point of view on an issue that is the subject of debate (as is stated in its first sentence). It is an essay. [[User:AndrewLe|AndrewLe]] 15:58, 27 July 2014 (EDT)
::::AndrewLe, are you an atheist? If so, what proof and evidence do you have that atheism is true? By the way, I changed the beginning of the article. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] 17:28, 27 July 2014 (EDT)

== Evidence that many atheists are in fact religious ==

Arguing for or against biological evolution is not an argument for or against the existence of a deity - it is only an argument for or against the assertion that the earth is both young and that observable lifeforms were created and have always existed in its present form. The fact that even atheists who accept evolution believe it is evidence against the existence of a deity is evidence of a persistent strain of irrational thinking among many of them. [[User:Tollerson|Tollerson]] 16:45, 10 November 2014 (EST)

== Atheist Cults ==

There are two sections in this article named Atheist Cults, one is an actual section, with a link to [[Atheist cults]], the other is simply a "See Also." Are there any objections to me removing the "See Also" section? [[User:IHop|IHop]] 09:39, 7 January 2015 (EST)
:Fixed. Thanks. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] 15:54, 7 January 2015 (EST)

== What about the etymology of "religion"? ==

Are people to just disregard the proper definition of "religion", and follow Smart and Smartt's definition, whose definition actually applies to ''everything''? It looks like Smartt didn't really put much thought into defining what religion ''is'', but rather, the result of what religion tends to leave behind (particular worldviews and systems), which seems like his definition would make Conservatism, Liberalism, charity, work, joining any group, (etc), a religion. However, if a person looks at the etymology of the word "religion", the Latin origins seem to be pretty clear. "Re-" is the prefix which means "again", and "ligare", coming from "ligo", means "to bind" or "to connect" (think of "ligaments", which "connect" bones). Clearly, the obvious definition of "religion" for all of human history has been that religion "reconnects" a person with God.

I would assume that's why the word "irreligion" is used so frequently on this website to refer to atheists, since the prefix "ir-" means "to negate". "Irreligion" would, therefore, be the negation of religion. So logically, my follow-up question would be this, "Why does this website refer to atheists as 'irreligious' (the negation of religion), while equally calling atheism a religion in several places?" That is both a positive and negative assertion, which is, fundamentally, a contradiction that should be reconciled.

We could also look at the word "atheism" for a better understanding. It's found in the Bible as "atheos", in the Greek form ''(Ephesians 2:12 - remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world)''. The prefix "a-" means "without", and "theos" means "God". Although the literal English translation would be "without God", the interpretation would be "Godless".

When a person correctly understands the etymology of the words "religion" and "atheism", based on both their historical Roman and Biblical origins , I think it becomes clear that atheism isn't a religion, but used to define people who don't express a belief in God, ''(and consequently, a desire to have a relationship with that God,)'' as opposed to those who do. If my understanding is correct, however, then Smart and Smartt would be disregarded, along with any assertions that atheism is a religion. Personally, I don't think Smart and Smartt were very smart to construct this argument and push it to people, since it seems to me that they failed to understand what the words even meant.

Thoughts? [[User:Humanperson|Humanperson]] ([[User talk:Humanperson|talk]]) 01:48, 16 August 2015 (EDT)

:Re- also means "back" so I have understood "religion" to mean that which "binds back" one to one's faith. I also read that the ancient Greeks didn't have a word for "religion", and that it was a Roman concept.

:People speak colloquially about someone being "religious" when they only mean the religion usually and conspicuously practiced in the United States. I for one think the article adds to the thinking of many about atheism. So I won't go out of my way to criticize the article even though I don't totally agree with all of it. [[User:VargasMilan|VargasMilan]] ([[User talk:VargasMilan|talk]]) 06:28, 16 August 2015 (EDT)

::Well, I'm sorry if I'm not convinced. Lots of people also confuse the words "there", "their", and "they're". Just because the public tends to misunderstand and confuse words doesn't mean anything. The adjective "religiously" developed out of an observation of religious behavior, although it was never the most fitting adjective. More appropriately, the adjective "religiously" means "obsessively religious". But, what happens when a person acts "obsessively irreligious"? The adjective "religiously" no longer applies. To say that someone is "religiously irreligious" might sound cute, and people understand what it means, but the meaning directly contradicts itself, resulting in an irreconcilable oxymoron. The notion that "atheism is a religion" is a mistake, due to ignorance, as I've plainly spelled out. If there were any validity to it, then it would have to be acknowledged, but: "truth is, by nature, self-evident. As soon as you remove the cobwebs of ignorance that surround it, it shines clear." - Mahatma Gandhi [[User:Humanperson|Humanperson]] ([[User talk:Humanperson|talk]]) 23:09, 26 August 2015 (EDT)

:::There may be some truth to that. Didn't the Supreme Court go astray when it regarded "atheism" and "Christianity" as just two religions among many instead of regarding Christianity and its holy book as the basis of the United States government? [[User:VargasMilan|VargasMilan]] ([[User talk:VargasMilan|talk]]) 23:44, 26 August 2015 (EDT)

::::Well, I see that people believe the Supreme Court ruled Secular Humanism as a religion in the Torcaso v. Watkins trial ''(I'm thinking that's what you're referring to?)''. (Opinion:) It seems that Humanism would more appropriately labeled a "philosophy" or a "way of life", but the SCOTUS shouldn't ever rule it to be a religion. In Torcaso v. Watkins, they granted Humanist organizations religious-based tax exemptions. ''In my own opinion'', that shouldn't be the case, because it denies logic; on the flip-side, I don't understand why religious-based organizations get tax exemptions or protections, anyway. I don't know what the most appropriate course of action is, but if we're going to tax organizations, then it seems they should all be taxed fairly - whether religious, political, philanthropic, educational, entertainment, social, etc. The only fair alternative is to not tax any of them.

::::''In my own opinion (which is irrelevant), same-sex marriage may be Constitutional, but I don't see how ObamaCare is. It's not that I have any vendetta against the ACA, and I've seen it has helped many people, it's just that I don't see how it's considered Constitutional to enforce it. Being human, the SCOTUS is susceptible to mistakes, too, but America has a tendency to learn from our mistakes and rectify them.'' However, considering that Freemasonry is the basis of the US government (which is a pretty inclusive group), I can understand why the SCOTUS wouldn't have considered the Bible as the cornerstone. I've read some of the Freemason documents, and they don't take kindly to Atheists. However, even though all of the Founders were religious of some sort (whether Christians or Deists), establishing a secular nation was the only way to protect Theists of all sorts, as to avoid preferential treatment. It seems that even the Supreme Court Justices were ignorant of the meaning of the words; else, they deliberately ignored the meaning to protect people.

::::Still, is it wise to keep this perspective on this website? Andy thinks highly of himself, but this article (and other assertions on the site) seems kind of embarrassing. It's certainly their choice, whatever they decide, but I try to promote reason, even where people disagree with me. I hope this hasn't caused any ill feelings. [[User:Humanperson|Humanperson]] ([[User talk:Humanperson|talk]]) 00:41, 27 August 2015 (EDT)

Talk:Atheism is a religion

2015-08-27T03:09:43Z

Humanperson: "atheism is a religion" is an immediate oxymoron, when someone understands the meaning of the words (and not how people misuse the words)

Tianjin

2015-08-16T05:51:57Z

Humanperson:

[[Image:Tianjin CHINA..jpg|left|200px]]
'''Tianjin''' ([[Chinese]]: 天津; [[Hanyu pinyin]]: Tìānjīn; [[Wade-Giles]]: Tientsin) is a major port city and municipality of northern [[China]]; it is the port for [[Beijing]]. The population of the municipality is 10.2 million and of Tianjin city proper, 5.6 million. Tianjin is a direct controlled municipality, meaning that the Chinese Central Government directly governs it.

Tianjin was founded during the [[Sui Dynasty]] at the northern end of the [[Grand Canal]] and became a major trading center. The Treaty of Tianjin at the conclusion of the [[Second Opium War]] in 1858 opened the city to foreign trade and residence, and a number of quasi-colonial foreign concessions were established by the [[United Kingdom]], [[France]], [[Belgium]], [[Germany]], [[Austria-Hungary]], the [[United States]], [[Russia]] and [[Japan]]. In 1870 rumors that French missionaries were kidnapping and killing Chinese orphans led to the [[Tianjin Massacre]], in which the main [[Catholic]] church and monastery were destroyed and priests, [[nun]]s and converts killed. Tianjin was occupied by Boxer forces during the 1900 [[Boxer Rebellion]], and suffered great destruction. It was occupied by Japan between 1937 and 1945, and in 1949 was occupied by the Communist-led [[Chinese People's Liberation Army]].

There was a massive explosion at the Tianjin port in Mid-August 2015. It claimed the lives of over 100 people and was thought to be caused by inadequate Chinese safety standards, relating to the safe storage of hazardous materials.

[[Category:Chinese Cities and Towns]]

Talk:Atheism is a religion

2015-08-16T05:48:42Z

Humanperson: An opinionated question, looking at the etymology, as well as historical and Biblical understanding of the definitions.

Talk:Bernie Sanders

2015-08-14T18:23:03Z

Humanperson: Question about ethnicity and religion

A real American hero - God bless you, Bernie. --[[User:Huey gunna getcha|Huey gunna getcha]] 23:04, 16 March 2007 (EDT)

Ok, I don't really know how this is supposed to go... Bernie grew up in a Jewish household, but he claims to be "not religious". His faith is listed as "Judaism", but that entails all sorts of religious aspects. Should his ethnicity instead be listed as "Jewish", but religion listed as "None", since he's effectively secular? http://www.worldreligionnews.com/religion-news/judaism/jewish-american-bernie-sanders-is-socialist-but-not-religious [[User:Humanperson|Humanperson]] ([[User talk:Humanperson|talk]]) 14:23, 14 August 2015 (EDT)