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[[Image:Stalin-140508 27880t.jpg|right|200px|thumb|[[Joseph Stalin]] was a [[militant atheism|militant atheist]] who maintained that God did not exist.<ref>[https://www.icr.org/article/stalins-brutal-faith/ Stalin's brutal faith] by  Paul G. Humber, M.S.</ref>]]

[[Image:Stalin-140508 27880t.jpg|right|200px|thumb|[[Joseph Stalin]] was a [[militant atheism|militant atheist]] who oppressed non-atheists.<ref>[https://www.icr.org/article/stalins-brutal-faith/ Stalin's brutal faith] by  Paul G. Humber, M.S.</ref>]]

'''Strong atheism''' (sometimes called "positive [[atheism]]" by its adherents), is a type of [[atheism]] that asserts the absolute doctrine that there are no gods. It is different from [[Weak Atheism|weak atheism]], in which the atheist claims only that there is insufficient evidence that any god exists.

'''Strong atheism''' (sometimes called "positive [[atheism]]" by its adherents), is a type of [[atheism]] that asserts the absolute doctrine that there are no gods. It is different from [[Weak Atheism|weak atheism]], in which the atheist claims only that there is insufficient evidence that any god exists.

Strong atheists use three types of arguments:

Strong atheists use three types of arguments:

* '''Semantic apologetics''': Arguing that religious language is meaningless, and therefore beliefs based on that language are not justified;  

* '''Semantic apologetics''': Arguing that religious language is meaningless, and therefore beliefs based on that language are not justified;  

* '''Incoherency apologetics''': Arguing that religious concepts are self-contradictory, and therefore cannot possibly be true;

* '''Incoherency apologetics''': Arguing that religious concepts are self-contradictory, and therefore cannot possibly be true (see also: [[Atheism and incoherency]]);

* '''[[Materialist]] apologetics''': Arguing that because religion contradicts science, science must reject religion;

* '''[[Materialist]] apologetics''': Arguing that because religion contradicts science, science must reject religion;

== Strong atheism is the position taken by leading encyclopedias of philosophy ==

== Strong atheism is the position taken by leading encyclopedias of philosophy ==

Atheism, as defined by the ''[[Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy]]'', the ''[[Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy]]'', and other [[philosophy]] reference works, is the denial of the existence of [[God]].<ref>Multiple references:

Atheism, as defined by the ''[[Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy]]'', the ''[[Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy]]'', and other [[philosophy]] reference works, is the denial that [[God]] exists.<ref>Multiple references:

*Smart, J. J. C. (August 8, 2011). [http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/atheism-agnosticism "Atheism and agnosticism"]. ''The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' (Spring 2013 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.).  

*Smart, J. J. C. (August 8, 2011). [http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/atheism-agnosticism "Atheism and agnosticism"]. ''The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' (Spring 2013 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.).  

*[https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/atheism "{{sc|atheism}}"] (n.d.). ''Merriam-Webster Dictionary'' [online]. "Definition of {{sc|atheism}} '''1 a''': a lack of belief or a strong disbelief in the existence of a god or any gods '''b''': a philosophical or religious position characterized by disbelief in the existence of a god or any gods [example sentences omitted] Origin and Etymology of {{sc|atheism}} Middle French ''athéisme'', from ''athée'' atheist, from Greek ''atheos'' godless, from ''a-'' + ''theos'' god"; [https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/god "{{sc|god}}"] (n.d.). ''Merriam-Webster Dictionary'' [online]. "Definition of {{sc|god}} '''1''' ''capitalized'': the supreme or ultimate reality: such as '''a''': the Being perfect in power, wisdom, and goodness who is worshipped as creator and ruler of the universe" [definitions 2 and 3 omitted.] Retrieved on April 22, 2018.  

*[https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/atheism "{{sc|atheism}}"] (n.d.). ''Merriam-Webster Dictionary'' [online]. "Definition of {{sc|atheism}} '''1 a''': a lack of belief or a strong disbelief in the existence of a god or any gods '''b''': a philosophical or religious position characterized by disbelief in the existence of a god or any gods [example sentences omitted] Origin and Etymology of {{sc|atheism}} Middle French ''athéisme'', from ''athée'' atheist, from Greek ''atheos'' godless, from ''a-'' + ''theos'' god"; [https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/god "{{sc|god}}"] (n.d.). ''Merriam-Webster Dictionary'' [online]. "Definition of {{sc|god}} '''1''' ''capitalized'': the supreme or ultimate reality: such as '''a''': the Being perfect in power, wisdom, and goodness who is worshipped as creator and ruler of the universe" [definitions 2 and 3 omitted.] Retrieved on April 22, 2018.