Atheism is a lack of belief in a supernatural deity or intelligent creator or personal god or whatever you want to call it. It can even be considered taking a position on the question of the existence of any gods, even if that position is simply saying, "I don't hold that particular belief." Christians make the mistake of thinking that because the idea of god is a developed concept in the world and that because the majority of people accept this concept in different forms to explain their existence and the existence of things around them that it is a self evident fact.
They fail to realize that because spirituality is seen to be such a "personal" thing... it has mostly become immune to criticism over the years at least in the eyes of the general public and the media at large. Most people seem to think that spirituality and religion is personal and isn't even to be discussed, much of the time. Therefore religion is not open to a critical, rational evaluation of its tenants, rules or claims. Or maybe the chicken laid the egg first, I guess I don't really know.
But there's nothing necessarily wrong with ideologies in society. It just so happens that many of them are completely irrational and not based in reality at all. Some are even dangerous. It's not such an evil thing even for atheism to be associated with ideology, as long as we understand that atheism itself is not an ideology. It is not a religion. It is not an ideology. At most it is a position, even if that position simply entails choosing not to believe in something.
They fail to realize that because spirituality is seen to be such a "personal" thing... it has mostly become immune to criticism over the years at least in the eyes of the general public and the media at large. Most people seem to think that spirituality and religion is personal and isn't even to be discussed, much of the time. Therefore religion is not open to a critical, rational evaluation of its tenants, rules or claims. Or maybe the chicken laid the egg first, I guess I don't really know.
But there's nothing necessarily wrong with ideologies in society. It just so happens that many of them are completely irrational and not based in reality at all. Some are even dangerous. It's not such an evil thing even for atheism to be associated with ideology, as long as we understand that atheism itself is not an ideology. It is not a religion. It is not an ideology. At most it is a position, even if that position simply entails choosing not to believe in something.
“Love is the only bow on Life’s dark cloud. It is the morning and the evening star. It shines upon the babe, and sheds its radiance on the quiet tomb. It is the mother of art, inspirer of poet, patriot and philosopher.
It is the air and light of every heart – builder of every home, kindler of every fire on every hearth. It was the first to dream of immortality. It fills the world with melody – for music is the voice of love.
Love is the magician, the enchanter, that changes worthless things to Joy, and makes royal kings and queens of common clay. It is the perfume of that wondrous flower, the heart, and without that sacred passion, that divine swoon, we are less than beasts; but with it, earth is heaven, and we are gods.” - Robert. G. Ingersoll
It is the air and light of every heart – builder of every home, kindler of every fire on every hearth. It was the first to dream of immortality. It fills the world with melody – for music is the voice of love.
Love is the magician, the enchanter, that changes worthless things to Joy, and makes royal kings and queens of common clay. It is the perfume of that wondrous flower, the heart, and without that sacred passion, that divine swoon, we are less than beasts; but with it, earth is heaven, and we are gods.” - Robert. G. Ingersoll
