1. Atheism is not a system of morality.
This means that atheists such as Stalin did not get their morality from atheism. Atheism is not nor should it ever be considered a system of morality.
2. Atheism is not a spiritual position.
An atheist doesn't need to not believe in an afterlife (there are many Buddhist-atheists for example). An atheist can maintain some spiritual beliefs, and as long as they don't believe in a god/gods, they can consider themselves to be atheist. Many atheists do not believe in a soul and/or the afterlife, but that does not mean all atheists hold such a position.
3. Atheism is not a scientific stance.
No matter what an atheist claims, atheism is not a scientific stance. What I mean by this is that an atheist does not need to believe in things like the Big Bang, biological evolution, and a round earth. Many of those that argue against the atheist position claim that all atheists believe these things, and while that may be typically true, it misses the point of what atheism is. A person can believe in the Big Bang, biological evolution, and a round earth and be a Christian (many Christians believe such things). The "you believe it all came from nothing" argument regularly comes about due to a misconception of what atheism is. If someone refers to themselves as an atheist this only means that they do not believe in a god/gods, and nothing more.
4. Atheism is not a political ideology.
Being an atheist does not mean you need to be a liberal. On many issues I find myself to be liberal, and many issues I find myself to be conservative. An atheist can be a conservative (Christopher Hitchens for example). This seems obvious, but many argue that all atheists are pro-life, anti-gun rights, pro-healthcare etc. For example -- I am pro gun-rights, pro-life, but also pro-government ran healthcare. It seems many people over simplify the political-views of the atheist community to have all atheists fit into a neat pro-choice, anti-gun rights, pro-democrat package, which is simply untrue (the atheist community is much more complex than that).
5. Atheism is not a religion.
I hear this claim made often, that atheism is a religion, and it takes faith to be an atheist. This is so obviously untrue, and this is because atheism has nothing that is descriptive of a religion. While many atheists may share many common beliefs, this does not mean those beliefs are exclusive to atheism (other than a god/gods not existing). Atheism is not a belief, it is a non-belief, and obviously it cannot be considered a religion anymore than having brown hair can be considered a religion.
I will probably add new things about what atheism is not. Essentially atheism is nothing but a non-belief in a god/gods, and it is disturbing to see some that are trying to turn it into something more. Such as people that are trying to make atheism a political position (which is insane, and destructive, which I will get into later down the road).
This means that atheists such as Stalin did not get their morality from atheism. Atheism is not nor should it ever be considered a system of morality.
2. Atheism is not a spiritual position.
An atheist doesn't need to not believe in an afterlife (there are many Buddhist-atheists for example). An atheist can maintain some spiritual beliefs, and as long as they don't believe in a god/gods, they can consider themselves to be atheist. Many atheists do not believe in a soul and/or the afterlife, but that does not mean all atheists hold such a position.
3. Atheism is not a scientific stance.
No matter what an atheist claims, atheism is not a scientific stance. What I mean by this is that an atheist does not need to believe in things like the Big Bang, biological evolution, and a round earth. Many of those that argue against the atheist position claim that all atheists believe these things, and while that may be typically true, it misses the point of what atheism is. A person can believe in the Big Bang, biological evolution, and a round earth and be a Christian (many Christians believe such things). The "you believe it all came from nothing" argument regularly comes about due to a misconception of what atheism is. If someone refers to themselves as an atheist this only means that they do not believe in a god/gods, and nothing more.
4. Atheism is not a political ideology.
Being an atheist does not mean you need to be a liberal. On many issues I find myself to be liberal, and many issues I find myself to be conservative. An atheist can be a conservative (Christopher Hitchens for example). This seems obvious, but many argue that all atheists are pro-life, anti-gun rights, pro-healthcare etc. For example -- I am pro gun-rights, pro-life, but also pro-government ran healthcare. It seems many people over simplify the political-views of the atheist community to have all atheists fit into a neat pro-choice, anti-gun rights, pro-democrat package, which is simply untrue (the atheist community is much more complex than that).
5. Atheism is not a religion.
I hear this claim made often, that atheism is a religion, and it takes faith to be an atheist. This is so obviously untrue, and this is because atheism has nothing that is descriptive of a religion. While many atheists may share many common beliefs, this does not mean those beliefs are exclusive to atheism (other than a god/gods not existing). Atheism is not a belief, it is a non-belief, and obviously it cannot be considered a religion anymore than having brown hair can be considered a religion.
I will probably add new things about what atheism is not. Essentially atheism is nothing but a non-belief in a god/gods, and it is disturbing to see some that are trying to turn it into something more. Such as people that are trying to make atheism a political position (which is insane, and destructive, which I will get into later down the road).
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