What is Atheism?

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Why do people believe—or not believe—in God?

Is atheism simply “not believing,” or is it something more complex than we often think?

In this post, we will explore:
  1.  what atheism actually is,
  2.  why people identify as atheists, and
  3.  some of the most common misconceptions surrounding atheism.
Our goal here is not to persuade, but to clarify—to help us think more carefully about beliefs and worldviews.

1. What is Atheism?

Essentially, atheism refers to the absence or rejection of belief in God or deities. Take note that it is not a religion, a moral code, or a complete worldview, but a position on one specific question: Does God exist?

And this is where confusion often arises.

Atheism is frequently confused with agnosticism, but the two address different things. Atheism concerns belief—whether or not one believes in God. Agnosticism concerns knowledge—whether we can know for certain whether God exists.

Thus, it is possible for someone to be an agnostic atheist: a person who does not believe in God but also claims no certain knowledge of God’s existence.

Atheism has several important distinctions, such as:
  • Weak or negative atheism, which simply means lacking belief in God; and
  • Strong or positive atheism, which involves the claim that God does not exist.
  • There is also apatheism, or the attitude that the question of God’s existence simply does not matter.

2. Why Do People Identify as Atheists?

People arrive at atheism for many reasons, and it is important to avoid oversimplifying them.

Some cite a lack of convincing evidence for divine beings. Others point to philosophical arguments about the nature of evil, suffering, or coherence. Still others grow up in secular environments where belief simply is not assumed.

What is crucial to understand is that atheism is not nihilism; it does not automatically dictate a person’s meaning, values, or ethics. Atheists can—and often do—ground morality in reason, empathy, social cooperation, or human well-being.

In other words, atheism answers only one question: whether or not God exists. Everything else—purpose, ethics, politics—varies widely among individuals.

3. Common Misconceptions about Atheism

Let’s address a few common misconceptions surrounding atheism.

Atheists have no morals

This is false. Moral reasoning does not require belief in a god. Ethical systems like humanism, virtue ethics, and consequentialism provide moral frameworks grounded in reason and human experience.

Atheism is a religion

Again, no. Religions typically involve worship, rituals, sacred texts, and institutions. By definition, atheism involves none of these.

Atheists are anti-religion

Yes, some are, but many are not. Just like religious believers, atheists hold a wide range of attitudes toward religion, and being against it is only one of them.

4. Summary

Atheism refers to the absence or rejection of belief in God or deities. It is not a religion, a moral system, or a complete worldview, but a position on the question “Does God exist?”. Atheism should be distinguished from agnosticism, which concerns what can be known rather than what is believed.

People identify as atheists for varied reasons, including philosophical arguments, evidential concerns, or cultural context. Importantly, atheism does not imply nihilism or immorality, nor is it necessarily against religion.

Clear definitions and careful distinctions help foster more informed and respectful discussion about belief and nonbelief.

References

Draper, Paul. "Atheism and Agnosticism." Edited by Edward Zalta. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Summer 2022. https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/sum2022/entries/atheism-agnosticism/.

McCormick, Matt. “Atheism.” Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. https://iep.utm.edu/atheism/.

Nielsen, Kai. "Atheism." Encyclopedia Britannica. December 12, 2025. https://www.britannica.com/topic/atheism.

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