atheism
No deities exist
Atheism is the absence of belief in gods, or the active belief that no gods exist.
The two senses differ: one is simply lacking theistic belief, the other is a positive claim.
Atheism contrasts with agnosticism, which holds that the existence of gods is unknown or unknowable.
Her atheism developed gradually after years of questioning her faith.
Lack of religious faith
- unbeliefLack of faith
- doubtLack of firm belief
- rejectionDenial of acceptance
- denialRefusal to accept reality
godlessness · irreligion · apostasy · deconversion · questioning · incredulity · repudiation · renunciation
Lack of firm belief
- questioningSeeking answers through inquiry
- scrutinyClose, careful examination
- debunkingProving claims false
- inquiryRequest for information
evidence · falsifiability · pseudoscience · demythologization · deconstruction · analysis · investigation · challenging
Worldview excluding the supernatural
- materialismPrioritizing goods over spirit
- physicalismAll is matter
- existentialismPhilosophy stressing self-created meaning
- nihilismRejection of objective meaning
absurdism · rationalism · empiricism · positivism · scientism · realism · determinism · monism
State of being apart
- pluralismCoexistence of differing views
- nonreligiousNot involving worship
- unchurchedNot belonging to congregation
- worldlyExperienced in practical affairs
temporal · civic · disestablishment · freethought · liberalism · modernity · enlightenment · humanism
One lacking religious faith
- disbelieverOne who denies truth
- freethinkerRejects doctrine for reason
- secularistAdvocate for nonreligious governance
- humanistEthics-focused secular philosopher
infidel · heathen · apostate · heretic · blasphemer · nones · unaffiliated · skeptic
British evolutionary biologist
- HarrisScottish textile origin
- activismDirect effort for reform
- secularizationReligion losing social significance
- deconversionAbandoning religious belief
Hitchens · outreach · community · advocacy · visibility · discrimination · representation · organization
nonbelief
Lack of religious faith
denial · godlessness · irreligion · apostasy · deconversion · questioning · incredulity · repudiation · renunciation · abandonment
doubt
Lack of firm belief
- questioningSeeking answers through inquiry
- scrutinyClose, careful examination
- debunkingProving claims false
inquiry · evidence · falsifiability · pseudoscience · demythologization · deconstruction · analysis · investigation · challenging · freethought
naturalism
Worldview excluding the supernatural
- materialismPrioritizing goods over spirit
- physicalismAll is matter
- existentialismPhilosophy stressing self-created meaning
nihilism · absurdism · rationalism · empiricism · positivism · scientism · realism · determinism · monism · antitheism
separation
State of being apart
- pluralismCoexistence of differing views
- nonreligiousNot involving worship
- unchurchedNot belonging to congregation
worldly · temporal · civic · disestablishment · freethought · liberalism · modernity · enlightenment · humanism
nonbeliever
One lacking religious faith
- disbelieverOne who denies truth
- freethinkerRejects doctrine for reason
- secularistAdvocate for nonreligious governance
humanist · infidel · heathen · apostate · heretic · blasphemer · nones · unaffiliated · skeptic · rationalist
Dawkins
British evolutionary biologist
- HarrisScottish textile origin
- activismDirect effort for reform
- secularizationReligion losing social significance
Hitchens · deconversion · outreach · community · advocacy · visibility · discrimination · representation · organization · debate
- ismscapitalism, socialism, communism, anarchism, racism
- Ideasidealism, materialism, empiricism, rationalism, liberalism
- philosophiesempiricism, stoicism, nihilism, idealism, materialism
- -ismsatomism, postmodernism, feminism, Marxism, Darwinism
- Faith and Sciencefaith and reason, intelligent design, creationism, creation science, evolution debate
- philosophical conceptsdoubt, nihilism, rationalism, existentialism, empiricism
atheismtheism
Belief in deity
belief in God · monotheism · polytheism · religious belief · deism
atheismreligion
System of spiritual belief
piety · godliness · religiosity · devoutness · faith