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[[File:Antony flew.jpg|thumbnail|150px|right|200px|The philosopher and [[ex-atheists|ex-atheist]] [[Antony Flew]], who was one of the most prominent atheist academics in the world before adopting [[deism]], said about the [[New Atheism|new atheist]] [[Richard Dawkins]]: “The fault of Dawkins as an academic…was his scandalous and apparently deliberate refusal to present the doctrine he appears to think he has refuted in its strongest form”.<ref>[http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/opinion/ten-years-on-from-that-book-of-atheistic-faith-the-god-delusion-1-7496360 Ten years on from that book of atheistic faith, the God Delusion] by Mike Taggart</ref>]]

[[File:Antony flew.jpg|thumbnail|150px|right|200px|The philosopher and [[ex-atheists|ex-atheist]] [[Antony Flew]], who was one of the most prominent atheist academics in the world before adopting [[deism]], said about the [[New Atheism|new atheist]] [[Richard Dawkins]]: “The fault of Dawkins as an academic…was his scandalous and apparently deliberate refusal to present the doctrine he appears to think he has refuted in its strongest form”.<ref name="newsletter.co.uk">[http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/opinion/ten-years-on-from-that-book-of-atheistic-faith-the-god-delusion-1-7496360 Ten years on from that book of atheistic faith, the God Delusion] by Mike Taggart</ref>]]

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

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

*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.).  

The term [[apologetics]] comes from the Greek word apologia  (from Greek ἀπολογία), which means "speaking in defense".  

The term [[apologetics]] comes from the Greek word apologia  (from Greek ἀπολογία), which means "speaking in defense".  

[[Atheology]] is a resistance or aversion to [[theology]].<ref> [https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/atheology Atheology], Collins dictionary</ref> Atheological arguments are arguments against the existence of God (see also: [[Rebuttals to atheist arguments]] and [[Responding to atheists]] and [[Atheism#Analysis of atheism and common objections to atheism|Analysis of atheism and common objections to atheism]]).   

[[Atheology]] is a resistance or aversion to [[theology]].<ref>[https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/atheology Atheology], Collins dictionary</ref> Atheological arguments are arguments against the existence of God (see also: [[Rebuttals to atheist arguments]] and [[Responding to atheists]] and [[Atheism#Analysis of atheism and common objections to atheism|Analysis of atheism and common objections to atheism]]).   

The majority of philosophers of religion, or those who have extensively studied the issue of the [[Arguments for the existence of God|existence of God]], are [[theism|theists]] (72 percent).<ref>[http://www.strangenotions.com/atheist-scientists/ Does it matter that many scientists are atheists?]</ref>  

The majority of philosophers of religion, or those who have extensively studied the issue of the [[Arguments for the existence of God|existence of God]], are [[theism|theists]] (72 percent).<ref name="strangenotions.com">[http://www.strangenotions.com/atheist-scientists/ Does it matter that many scientists are atheists?]</ref>  

There is a considerable body of evidence and argumentation for the existence of God and for the validy of [[Christianity]] (see: [[Arguments for the existence of God]] and [[Christian apologetics websites|Evidence for Christianity]] and [[Rebuttals to atheist arguments]]).  

There is a considerable body of evidence and argumentation for the existence of God and for the validy of [[Christianity]] (see: [[Arguments for the existence of God]] and [[Christian apologetics websites|Evidence for Christianity]] and [[Rebuttals to atheist arguments]]).  

''See also:'' [[Richard Dawkins quotes]] and [[Feminist quotes about Richard Dawkins]]

''See also:'' [[Richard Dawkins quotes]] and [[Feminist quotes about Richard Dawkins]]

The philosopher and [[ex-atheists|ex-atheist]] [[Antony Flew]], who was one of the most prominent atheist academics in the world before adopting [[deism]], said about the [[New Atheism|new atheist]] [[Richard Dawkins]]: “The fault of Dawkins as an academic…was his scandalous and apparently deliberate refusal to present the doctrine he appears to think he has refuted in its strongest form”.<ref>[http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/opinion/ten-years-on-from-that-book-of-atheistic-faith-the-god-delusion-1-7496360 Ten years on from that book of atheistic faith, the God Delusion] by Mike Taggart</ref>

The philosopher and [[ex-atheists|ex-atheist]] [[Antony Flew]], who was one of the most prominent atheist academics in the world before adopting [[deism]], said about the [[New Atheism|new atheist]] [[Richard Dawkins]]: “The fault of Dawkins as an academic…was his scandalous and apparently deliberate refusal to present the doctrine he appears to think he has refuted in its strongest form”.<ref name="newsletter.co.uk"/>

== Counter-apologetics ==

== Counter-apologetics ==

''See also:'' [[Counter-apologetics]]

''See also:'' [[Counter-apologetics]]

[[File:Sam Harris-2010.jpg|thumbnail|280px|right|The atheist [[Sam Harris]] quipped about [[William Lane Craig]] that he was "The one [[Christian apologetics|Christian apologist]] who seems to have put the fear of God into many of my fellow atheists".<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpM0D-MHyzs William Lane Craig Puts the Fear of God in Atheists], video clip of the [[William Lane Craig vs. Sam Harris debate]]</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqaHXKLRKzg The God Debate II: Harris vs. Craig], University of Notre Dame YouTube channel</ref>]]

[[File:Sam Harris-2010.jpg|thumbnail|280px|right|The atheist [[Sam Harris]] quipped about [[William Lane Craig]] that he was "The one [[Christian apologetics|Christian apologist]] who seems to have put the fear of God into many of my fellow atheists".<ref name="youtube.com">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpM0D-MHyzs William Lane Craig Puts the Fear of God in Atheists], video clip of the [[William Lane Craig vs. Sam Harris debate]]</ref><ref name="The God Debate II: Harris vs. Craig">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqaHXKLRKzg The God Debate II: Harris vs. Craig], University of Notre Dame YouTube channel</ref>]]

Within the endeavor of criticism of religion, [[counter-apologetics]] is a field of thought that criticizes religious [[apologetics]].  

Within the endeavor of criticism of religion, [[counter-apologetics]] is a field of thought that criticizes religious [[apologetics]].  

The atheist [[Luke Muehlhauser]], defines counter-apologetics as "a response to [[Christian apologetics]]...examining the claims and tactics of Christian apologists and then equipping [a thinker] with [[skepticism|skeptical]] responses to them"<ref>Muehlhauser, Luke (March 26, 2010), "[http://commonsenseatheism.com/?p=7867 Counter-Apologetics: What is Counter-Apologetics?]", Common Sense Atheism (blog)</ref>

The atheist [[Luke Muehlhauser]], defines counter-apologetics as "a response to [[Christian apologetics]]...examining the claims and tactics of Christian apologists and then equipping [a thinker] with [[skepticism|skeptical]] responses to them"<ref>Muehlhauser, Luke (March 26, 2010), "[http://commonsenseatheism.com/?p=7867 Counter-Apologetics: What is Counter-Apologetics?]", Common Sense Atheism (blog)</ref>

Atheist apologetics have been very ineffective. The atheist [[Sam Harris]] quipped about [[William Lane Craig]] that he was "The one Christian apologist who seems to have put the fear of God into many of my fellow atheists".<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpM0D-MHyzs William Lane Craig Puts the Fear of God in Atheists], video clip of the [[William Lane Craig vs. Sam Harris debate]]</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqaHXKLRKzg The God Debate II: Harris vs. Craig], University of Notre Dame YouTube channel</ref>

Atheist apologetics have been very ineffective. The atheist [[Sam Harris]] quipped about [[William Lane Craig]] that he was "The one Christian apologist who seems to have put the fear of God into many of my fellow atheists".<ref name="youtube.com"/><ref name="The God Debate II: Harris vs. Craig"/>

Luke Muehlhauser wrote:

Luke Muehlhauser wrote:

=== Inadequacy of counter-apologetics ===

=== Inadequacy of counter-apologetics ===

The majority of philosophers of religion, or those who have extensively studied the issue of the [[Arguments for the existence of God|existence of God]], are [[theism|theists]] (72 percent).<ref>[http://www.strangenotions.com/atheist-scientists/ Does it matter that many scientists are atheists?]</ref>  

The majority of philosophers of religion, or those who have extensively studied the issue of the [[Arguments for the existence of God|existence of God]], are [[theism|theists]] (72 percent).<ref name="strangenotions.com"/>  

There is a considerable body of evidence and argumentation for the existence of God and for the validy of [[Christianity]] (see: [[Arguments for the existence of God]] and [[Christian apologetics websites|Evidence for Christianity]]).  

There is a considerable body of evidence and argumentation for the existence of God and for the validy of [[Christianity]] (see: [[Arguments for the existence of God]] and [[Christian apologetics websites|Evidence for Christianity]]).