WHAT IS ATHEISM?

Atheism is one thing: It's a lack of belief in Gods.

Atheism is not an affirmative belief that there is no God, nor does it answer any other question about what a person believes. It is simply a rejection of the assertion that there are Gods. Atheism is too often defined incorrectly as a belief system.

To be clear: Atheism is not a disbelief in Gods or a denial of Gods; it is a lack of belief in Gods

Older dictionaries define atheism as a [Belief that there is no God]. Clearly, theistic influence taints these definitions. The fact that dictionaries define Atheism as [There is no God] betrays the monotheistic influence, without monotheistic influence, at least the definition will be [There are no Gods].

Atheism is not a belief system nor is it a religion.

While there are some religions that are atheistic (certain sects of Buddhism, for example), that does not mean that atheism is a religion. Similarly, many “interfaith” groups will include atheists. Again, this does not mean that atheism is a religious belief.

Although the fact that atheism is not a religion, at the same time atheism is protected by many of the same constitutional rights that protect religion. However, that does not mean the atheism is itself a religion, we want to consolidate our (lack of beliefs) to be protected in the same way as the other religious believers.

Some groups will use words like Agnostic, Humanist, Secular, Bright, Freethinker, or any other terms for self-identification. Those words are perfectly fine as self-identification, but we strongly advocate using the word that people understand. Atheists don’t use those terms to disguise his/her atheism or to shy away from the word which some think has a negative connotation.

We should use the terminology that is most accurate and that answers the question that is being asked, and we should use the term that binds all of us together. If you call yourself a humanist, a freethinker, a bright, or even a “Cultural Catholic”* and lack belief in a God, you are an atheist, don’t shy away from the term embrace it.

[Cultural Catholic] Is a belief in which the culture, traditions, rituals and norms of Catholicism are accepted, but the existence of God is rejected.