Atheism, from the
Greek word atheos (without God), is an attitude that denies or disbelieves in
God’s existence; accordingly, no intelligent creator, no divine lawgiver, no
ultimate judge of humanity’s actions, and nothing above or beyond this closed,
natural, physical world exists. The universe, and all its creatures and
wonders, arose randomly out of matter. It did not need a creator. Atheism
offers no definition or meaning of the word ‘God.’ In the rejection of God as
real, this is regarded as the job of the believers.
Atheism views anything supernatural or
transcendent as inaccessible to the human mind, and therefore unknowable,
unprovable, and ultimately impossible. It believes only in empirical facts and
science.
Generally, atheists look upon the idea of God
as a product of human weakness, a moral crutch, an ancient myth, or a fantasy
figure concocted by primitive minds to function as a comfort factor, a
mass-controlling tool, or an attempt to explain the workings of nature. They
regard God as unnecessary or something that does not have any power over them
and cannot affect their lives in any way.
Neither on the basis of logic nor science can
atheism prove with certainty its main claim, the non-existence of God. Still,
it places the burden of the proof on those who make the positive assertion that
God exists. Atheist positions fall into two broad categories: one category
lacks compelling evidence, and the other finds the evidence illogical or
contrary to God’s existence and eventually assumes that nothing worthy of the
title ‘God’ exists.