The New Scarlet Letter

ATHEISM: AN INTRODUCTION
OVERVIEW

 What is atheism?
 Why have faith?

 What does “God” mean?

 Is God necessary?
DEFINITION

a·the·ism [ey-thee-iz-uhm]from the Greek atheoi

(ἄθεος) n : disbelief in the existence of a
supreme being or beings.
"Is [God] willing to prevent
evil, but not able? then is
he impotent. Is he able, but
not willing? then is he
malevolent. Is he both able
and willing? whence then
is evil?“
-Epicurus
CHRISTIANS MARTYRED AS ATHEISTS
OTHERS TORMENTED FOR THEIR FAITH
MODERN SECULARISM
DISBELIEF IS DISBELIEF

"I contend we are both

atheists, I just believe in
one fewer god than you do.
"I contend we are both atheists, I just believe in one fewer
When you understand why
god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all
youthedismiss all gods,
other possible the you
other
will understand why I dismiss
possible
yours." gods, you will
understand why I dismiss ...Stephen F Roberts
yours."
- Stephen Roberts
GODS YOU DON’T WORSHIP
WHAT IS AN AGNOSTIC?
ag·nos·tic [ag-ˈnäs-tik,] from the Greek agnōstos
unknown, unknowable, n : a person who holds
the view that any ultimate reality (as God) is
unknown and probably unknowable.
GNOSIS: KNOWLEDGE
THOMAS HUXLEY

I have by nature and disposition the

greatest possible antipathy to all the
atheistic and infidel school.
Nevertheless I know that I am, in spite of
myself, exactly what the Christian would
call, and, so far as I can see, is justified
in calling, atheist and infidel. I cannot
see one shadow or tittle of evidence that
the great unknown underlying the
phenomenon of the universe stands to
us in the relation of a Father who loves
us and cares for us as Christianity
asserts.
ATHEISM IS NOT KNOWLEDGE

 Atheists do not know

 Atheists do not believe they know

 Atheists do not believe

…that there is no God.

THE AGNOSTIC CLUB

Faith: Belief without

evidence in what is told
by one who speaks
without knowledge, of
things without parallel.
– Ambrose Bierce
KNOW WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW
WHAT ATHEISTS DON’T BELIEVE
ATHEISM IS NOT BELIEF

I mean by intellectual
integrity the habit of
deciding vexed questions
in accordance with the
evidence, or of leaving
them undecided where
the evidence is
inconclusive.
- Bertrand Russell
SKEPTICISM AS VIRTUE

I can't say that faith

healing has never
worked or that it
doesn't ever work. All I
can say is my
experience is 100%
failure.
- James Randi
SEVEN DEADLY SINS/SEVEN VIRTUES
 Self Control / Gluttony
 Generosity / Greed
 Love / Envy
 Kindness / Wrath
 Humility / Pride
 Zeal / Sloth
 Temperance / Lust
^ & FAITH
FRANÇOIS-MARIE AROUET (aka VOLTAIRE)

French
Writer/Philosopher/Libertarian
1864 - 1778
FAITH ABSENT EVIDENCE?
According to the bible…

…each of these guys had solid proof.

WHY IS GOD HIDING?
WHICH GOD?

Literalism?
WHICH GOD?

Figurative?
WHICH GOD?

Deism?
WHAT IS GOD?
DEFINING GOD

[I]f the word God is not to

become completely
useless, it should be used
in the way that people have
generally understood it: to
denote a supernatural
creator that is appropriate
for us to worship.
- Richard Dawkins
DEFINING GOD

It is impossible to go on to
infinity in necessary things
which have their necessity
caused by another.
- Thomas Aquinas
A NECESSARY BEING?

Infinite regress – (philosophy, logic) n : a causal

relationship transmitted through an indefinite
number of terms in a series, with no term that
begins the causal chain.

–Drawing Hands by M. C. Escher, 1948

GODLESS CAUSES

Superstring theory (physics) n : any of a number

of competing theories which posit
multidimensional potential realities which
attempt to reconcile quantum mechanics and
general relativity.

A computer-generated rendering of a multi-

dimensional geometry.
THE KALĀM COSMOLOGICAL ARGUMENT

 Existence requires causation

 The universe exists

 The universe had a cause

Paley’s Watchmaker Argument

Every indication of contrivance, every
manifestation of design, which existed in
the watch, exists in the works of nature;
with the difference, on the side of nature, of
being greater or more, and that in a degree
which exceeds all computation.
– William Paley, Natural Theology (1802)
GENERAL RELATIVITY

The most beautiful thing we

can experience is the
mysterious. It is the source
of all true art and science.
He to whom this emotion is
a stranger, who can no
longer pause to wonder
and stand rapt in awe, is as
good as dead: his eyes are
closed.
- Albert Einstein
CONSERVATION OF ENERGY
CONSERVATION OF ENERGY
UNNECESSARY COMPLICATIONS

Entities must not be Why is there something

multiplied beyond necessity. rather than nothing?
- William of Ockham - Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz
THANK YOU