Portrait of Paul-Henri Thiry, Baron d'Holbach (1723 - 1789) was an early advocate of atheism in Europe. Atheism, as defined by the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, the Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, and other philosophy reference works, is the denial of the existence of God.[1] See also: Definition of atheism Dr. Joseph Thomas Kennedy declared: “ | The truth of God's existence is the benchmark from which all landmark's are located. The truth of God's existence is the foundation on which all truth rests. God existed before evil existed, and God will exist after evil is annihilated. To deny the existence of God is an act of insanity so severe that God says that person is a fool (Psalm 14:1; 53:1).[2] | ” | | Unlike Christianity, which is supported by a large body of sound evidence, atheism has no proof and evidence supporting its ideology (see: Attempts to dilute the definition of atheism). See also: * Arguments for the existence of God * Christian apologetics * Rebuttals to atheist arguments * Atheism and deception ## Contents * 1 Atheism and epistemology * 2 Atheism and irrationality * 3 Atheism and debate * 4 See also * 5 External links * 6 Notes ## Atheism and epistemology[edit] A common and legitimate criticism of the atheist worldview is that atheism is irrational.[3] Atheism provides no ultimate starting point for knowledge (see: Atheism and knowledge).[4] In addition, atheism lacks proof and evidence that it is a valid worldview (see: Attempts to dilute the definition of atheism). For more information, please see: Atheism and epistemology ## Atheism and irrationality[edit] See also: Atheism and irrationality A common and legitimate criticism of the atheist worldview is that atheism is irrational.[5] In short, atheism is a fundamentally incoherent worldview with a number of inconsistencies.[6] See also: * Atheism and irrationality * Irreligion and superstition ## Atheism and debate[edit] The Oxford University Professor Daniel Came wrote to the New Atheist and evolutionist Richard Dawkins:: "The absence of a debate with the foremost apologist for Christian theism is a glaring omission on your CV and is of course apt to be interpreted as cowardice on your part."[7] See also: Atheism and debate In relation to atheism debates, although atheists commonly claim there are reasonable arguments for atheism, the quality of atheist debate has been quite poor from the proponents of atheism. See: Rebuttals to atheist arguments and Atheism debates In addition, prominent atheists and evolutionists have established a reputation of dodging debates (see: Atheism and cowardice). For example, in 2012 both the weak atheist/agnostic Richard Dawkins and the British Humanist Society dodged debates with Dr. William Lane Craig. Also, due to Christian creationists generally winning creation vs. evolution debates in the 1970's and 1980's atheists tend to dodge creation vs. evolution debates. Richard Dawkins has established a reputation of avoiding his strongest debate opponents. The cowardice associated with atheism has become so obvious that it is making newspaper headlines.[8] On May 14, 2011, the British newspaper The Daily Telegraph published a news story entitled Richard Dawkins accused of cowardice for refusing to debate existence of God.[9] In The Daily Telegraph article Dr. Daniel Came, a member of the Faculty of Philosophy at Oxford University was quoted as writing to Richard Dawkins concerning his refusal to debate Dr. William Lane Craig, "The absence of a debate with the foremost apologist for Christian theism is a glaring omission on your CV and is of course apt to be interpreted as cowardice on your part."[10] ## See also[edit] * Distrust of atheists * Atheism and deception * Atheist indoctrination * Atheism and naiveté/gullibility * Atheist hypocrisy * Atheism and morality * Atheist population and immorality * Half truths and evasions at secular funerals * Atheism and meaninglessness * Atheism and postmodernism * Atheism and satanic deception * List of atheist and agnostic pseudosciences * Evolution as a secular origins myth * Evolution and Cases of Fraud, Hoaxes and Speculation * Evolution, Liberalism, Atheism, and Irrationality * Atheism statistics * Atheism is a religion * Atheist factions * Atheist cults ## External links[edit] * An examination of atheism's truth claims * 7 Brutal Truths About Atheism * Three Paradoxes of Atheism Videos: * The truth about atheism ## Notes[edit] 1. ↑ Multiple references: * Smart, J. J. C. (August 8, 2011). "Atheism and agnosticism". The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2013 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.). Retrieved July 17, 2014. * Sarfati, Jonathan, Ph.D. (23 June 2007). "Atheism is more rational?". Retrieved July 17, 2014. See Creation Ministries International, Jonathan Sarfati. * Day, Donn R. (2007). "Atheism - etymology". Retrieved July 15, 2014. 2. ↑ Quote of the Christian creationist Dr. Joseph Thomas Kennedy 3. ↑ Atheism by Matt Slick * Putting the Atheist on the Defensive by Kenneth R. Samples, Christian Research Institute Journal, Fall 1991, and Winter 1992, page 7. * Atheists don’t own reason by Tom Gilson * Why the Burden of Proof is on the Atheist by Professor Ralph McInerny * Theism, Atheism, and Rationality by Alvin Plantinga * The Irrational atheist: Dissecting the Unholy Trinity of Dawkins, Harris, and Hitchens by Vox Day, Benbella Books, Dallas, TX, 2008 , ISBN 1933771364; ISBN 978-1933771366 4. ↑ The Epistemological Argument against Atheism 5. ↑ Atheism by Matt Slick * Putting the Atheist on the Defensive by Kenneth R. Samples, Christian Research Institute Journal, Fall 1991, and Winter 1992, page 7. * Atheists don’t own reason by Tom Gilson * Why the Burden of Proof is on the Atheist by Professor Ralph McInerny * Theism, Atheism, and Rationality by Alvin Plantinga * The Irrational atheist: Dissecting the Unholy Trinity of Dawkins, Harris, and Hitchens by Vox Day, Benbella Books, Dallas, TX, 2008 , ISBN 1933771364; ISBN 978-1933771366 6. ↑ * 10 atheist inconsistencies * William Lane Craig on Scientific Naturalism \- video * Why atheism is inconsistent by Dr. Scott Sullivan (podcast), August 19th, 2014 * The Summit Lecture Series: Scientific Naturalism Worldview with J.P. Moreland, part 1 * The Summit Lecture Series: Scientific Naturalism with J.P. Moreland, part 2 * The Summit Lecture Series: Scientific Naturalism with J.P. Moreland, part 3 * The Summit Lecture Series: Scientific Naturalism Worldview with J.P. Moreland, part 4 * The Incoherence of Atheism \- video by Ravi Zacharias * The incoherence of atheism * More on inconsistent atheists * The Atheist's Fatal Flaw: Exposing Conflicting Beliefs by Norman Geisler and Daniel J. McCoy, Baker Publishing Group, June 2014 7. ↑ Richard Dawkins accused of cowardice for refusing to debate existence of God, The Daily Telegraph, May 14, 2011 8. ↑ * Christian Philosopher William Lane Craig Is Ready to Debate, but Finds Few Challengers * Richard Dawkins accused of cowardice for refusing to debate existence of God 9. ↑ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/8511931/Richard-Dawkins-accused-of-cowardice-for-refusing-to-debate-existence-of-God.html 10. ↑ Richard Dawkins accused of cowardice for refusing to debate existence of God, The Daily Telegraph, May 14, 2011