Atheism

Many people seem to act as if they knew everything about atheism, many others call it a 'religion'. While there is an incremental multitude of people who have their own opinions about atheism, it is a fallacy to associate atheism with any religion or faith.

Misconceptions about Atheism

Some common misconceptions about atheism are given below, and these are a result of either ignorance or lack of knowledge:
1. Atheism is a religion.
2. Atheism has no morals or ethics
3. Atheists don't think properly. (Well at least they don't think the way people, mostly theists, want them to)
4. Atheists don't use brains.
5. Atheists are confused/need guidance.

This is a never ending list of misconceptions sprouting from carelessness and cognitive dishonesty. There is a handful of hard-headed people who refuse to admit when they are wrong. When free thinkers (including atheists) ask simple questions about their respective religion, they show abrupt belligerence or start refuting facts. There is also another approach the moderate ones use: justifying everything. This justification is nothing but a failed attempt of factual subterfuge.

What is Atheism?

Atheism is simply a lack of belief. It is lack of faith in existence of Gods. Atheists don't believe in existence of any God - they deny God's existence. 

The word 'Atheism' consists of two parts

1. "a-"
2. "theos"

Both these words root from Greek: "a" meaning "without" and theos meaning "God"

God may include a deity from the Abrahamic God, Roman Gods, Flying Spaghetti Monster (FSM), or any other deity from both monotheistic and polytheistic religions and cults. 

Atheism is complete denial in belief 

Atheists do not follow any religion or sect, let alone other faiths. Associating atheism with belief is just a fallacious misconception. 

"There is no God" is the final verdict of atheists, simple as that. 

There is either the existence of one thing, or no existence which makes it an 'absence'.  

Some people have faith, they have religion: existence of belief.

Atheists don't particularly have any faith in supernatural deities and beings: absence of belief 

There is light, or no light. Dark is just the absence of light. Similarly, atheism is 'lack of belief in God'. This is not to construe atheism as being dark, religion being the light, or vice versa. This was a simple analogy to help understand, while theists always use this analogy with a bigger form to prove God's existence. That other matter will be discussed in other posts.

Atheism is not a religion

As I've just explained, Atheism is no religion, it is far from being a religion. Some people are in a fix while trying to understand atheism. So they end up deeming it a religion. Religion requires one to have unshakeable, unwavering faith/conviction/belief (whatever you name it). On the contrary, Atheism requires nothing of you. Atheism is not a belief system, but only a lack of that belief system; people who share this thought are termed as atheists. This does not make it any religion.

Atheism and Thought

Rational thought is the basis of atheism. Atheists think harder and harder to seek out the truth. Atheists are certainly not gullible to have delusional beliefs. They do their homework before refutation and research with facts in mind. The research method is the same scientific method based on "doubt". This doubt leads to thinking, observation and collection of facts while making hypotheses and speculations. Atheism requires careful contemplation and critical scrutiny to analyze facts with rationality. This immensity of thought is what unravels the most astonishing and unexpected discovery of facts(they may be wrong, they may be right), We are seekers of the truth, truth as it reveals itself. We reach out to receive our understanding of that 'reality' and truth. Atheists use their thoughts to pursue that truth, they are rich in imagination and also skeptical. Skepticism is what we all need to find out truth. Atheists and rational thinkers are never afraid to ponder and speculate, but they are very careful when it comes to distinguishing speculation from fact. 

Accepting Facts and Atheism

Atheists are never too afraid to say NO when they are wrong, or too flustered to admit they are wrong. They are skeptical about the very nature of their own facts, so precaution and carefulness is not crucial, it is indispensable. 

When facts are provided with proper evidence, atheists are convinced. But when justifications are provided in the stead, they have no choice but to refute. 

When you are supposed to say NO, you must. There is no maybe. 

Evidence and logical explanation would suffice when claiming something. The burden of proof lies on the one making the claim. Objectivity is a must. 

I tried to cover many aspects of atheism in a single post, but there is room for more and I consider it inappropriate to include them in this post. You are invited to ask as many questions as you like. We'll have more discussions on important subject matters.