-3-
ATHEISM I
Atheism
Although theism is the negation of theism, it comes in different tones.
To define atheism simply as the absence of theistic beliefs can be too broad and misleading, because not all who do not hold theistic belief can be properly called atheist. Moreover, there are those who hold non-theistic religious beliefs.
Similarly, there are those such as deistis or pantheist who
believe that God exits but reject the theistic God.
Also, a distinction has been made between those who clearly reject the existence of God arguing that God does not exist and those who simply do not believe in God. Such a distinction sometimes expressed in terms of positive atheism and negative atheism.
Atheism can therefore be said to find it real strength primarily in
its rejection of the God of theism.
Materialism and Atheism
For materialism, which argues that everything is material, the universe is eternal, infinite and therefore uncreated, is considered as one of the oldest forms of atheism.
Materialism defends the view that everything is material in nature and that everything can be explained by reference to matter and material qualities.
In so doing, materialism is a clear rejection of the idea that there is an immatterial being who is creater of the universe ex nihilo.
Materialism has its difficulties, given the fact that it is a hard task
to prove that only material things exist.
First of all, materialism has to prove that matter is eternal and necessary. Becuase it implies that the universe has no beginning.
However, given some scientific theories suchas big bang, it is more plausible to think that the universe has a beginning, therefore not eternal.
