improved Tenets of Atheism
1. The universe is a great, uncaused random accident. No metaphysical will or instruction preceeded the universe which could have caused it. No 'purpose' exists outside of it. The Big Bang theory assumes a cause and was first proposed by a priest, which is unpalatable. Consequently atheism is moving past that theory to the Universal wave function theory among others. These theories postulate an uncaused universe.
2. Rejection of the Christian concept of free will, and free will as a suitable explanation for the existence of evil.
A developing concept among atheists is that human behavior is ultimately controlled by genes, by brain neurochemistry, and by interactions with the environment. In its most extreme form, determinism completely denies the existence of human free will. There is quite a bit of difference of opinion here among atheists.
3. Salvation through technology, leading toward transhumanism. In the absence of Providence, man must assume the role of Creator and tweak his own biology rather than leave the future to random possibilities.
4. The belief that the primary cause of war is theistic religion. Conflict theory that proposes genetic, economic or political root causes of war are completely ignored among the most ardent atheists.
5. The belief or propensity to postulate that the history of science is a simple story of rationality prevailing over theism. Like oil and water, they do not mix. For example, the Church was the root cause of the Dark Ages and not the collapse of the Roman Empire.
6. The atheist believes that love is merely an adapted chemical reaction in the brain. Any further meaning is something that an atheist may choose to humor himself with.
7. For utilitarian reasons of quality of life, the atheist invents moral rules by which a community should be governed, subjectively justifying that set of morals as well as humanly possible. Sometimes, the atheist postulates that morality is genetically inherited.
The list is not exhaustive and needs further work. But, in a nutshell, that's my articulation of atheist religion.
1. The universe is a great, uncaused random accident. No metaphysical will or instruction preceeded the universe which could have caused it. No 'purpose' exists outside of it. The Big Bang theory assumes a cause and was first proposed by a priest, which is unpalatable. Consequently atheism is moving past that theory to the Universal wave function theory among others. These theories postulate an uncaused universe.
2. Rejection of the Christian concept of free will, and free will as a suitable explanation for the existence of evil.
A developing concept among atheists is that human behavior is ultimately controlled by genes, by brain neurochemistry, and by interactions with the environment. In its most extreme form, determinism completely denies the existence of human free will. There is quite a bit of difference of opinion here among atheists.
3. Salvation through technology, leading toward transhumanism. In the absence of Providence, man must assume the role of Creator and tweak his own biology rather than leave the future to random possibilities.
4. The belief that the primary cause of war is theistic religion. Conflict theory that proposes genetic, economic or political root causes of war are completely ignored among the most ardent atheists.
5. The belief or propensity to postulate that the history of science is a simple story of rationality prevailing over theism. Like oil and water, they do not mix. For example, the Church was the root cause of the Dark Ages and not the collapse of the Roman Empire.
6. The atheist believes that love is merely an adapted chemical reaction in the brain. Any further meaning is something that an atheist may choose to humor himself with.
7. For utilitarian reasons of quality of life, the atheist invents moral rules by which a community should be governed, subjectively justifying that set of morals as well as humanly possible. Sometimes, the atheist postulates that morality is genetically inherited.
The list is not exhaustive and needs further work. But, in a nutshell, that's my articulation of atheist religion.