Atheism Facts & Worksheets

Atheism is the criticism and denial of metaphysical beliefs in god or spiritual creatures. As such, it differs from theism, which asserts the reality of the divine and frequently strives to show its presence. The term “atheist” refers to someone who denies to believe in gods.

See the fact file below for more information on Atheism, or you can download our 26-page Atheism worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

BACKGROUND

• The term “atheism” is derived from the Greek a-, a prefix meaning “without,” and theos, which means “god,” which makes “without gods” or “godless.” It also meant “impious” in Ancient Greece.
• Atheism casts a broader net and rejection of all belief in “spiritual beings.” Atheism is also opposed to religion, as religion is a belief in spiritual things.
• Atheism exists in different forms, convictions, and backgrounds, but all atheists reject such beliefs.
• Atheism is separated from agnosticism, which holds that there is no way to know whether gods exist. Being agnostic does not imply that one rejects or believes in god. Some agnostics believe in god, while others are atheists.

HISTORY

Early Indian Religions

• Atheistic schools of thought can be found in early India, dating back to the ancient Vedic religion. 
• The Charvaka, known as Lokāyata school, is presumed to be India’s most overtly atheistic school of thought. This school of Indian philosophy is categorized as heterodox since it rejects the authority of the Vedas.
• Classical Samkhya and Purva Mimamsa are two Indian philosophies that are widely considered atheistic.

Classical Antiquity

• Western atheism has its origins in pre-Socratic Greek philosophy.
• Pre-Socratic Atomists Democritus explained in strictly scientific terms and regarded religion as a human reaction to natural occurrences. 
• Religious skepticism persisted into the Hellenistic period. Epicurus, one of the most influential Greek thinkers during this time, advocated a materialistic philosophy based on Democritus, in which the rules of chance regulated the world without the necessity for supernatural intervention.
• Throughout classical antiquity, the definition of “atheist” evolved when Theodosius I made Christianity the state religion of Rome in 381, heresy (contrary belief or viewpoint to conventional religious theology) became a severe sin.

Early Middle Ages to the Renaissance

• During the Early and Middle Ages in Europe, atheistic beliefs were uncommon; metaphysics and theology were the primary religious pursuits.
• William of Ockham fostered anti-metaphysical inclinations, claiming that the divine essence could not be instinctively or logically understood by human intelligence. This viewpoint was advanced by Ockham’s followers. 
• The consequent divide between religion and reason impacted subsequent radical and reforming theologians like John Wycliffe, Jan Hus, and Martin Luther.
• The Renaissance significantly broadened the scope of free thinking and skepticism. Individuals such as Leonardo da Vinci explored experimentation as a way of explanation and resisted religious authority’s arguments. 

Early Modern Period

• According to historian Geoffrey Blainey, the Reformation prepared the way for atheists by challenging the authority of the Catholic Church, which “quietly inspired other thinkers to challenge the authority of the new Protestant churches.” 
• Deism gained influence in France, Prussia, and England. It was publicly advocated by intellectuals like John Toland, who coined the term “pantheist” in the late 17th century.
• Atheism gained popularity in the later part of the 19th century as a result of the impact of rationalistic and freethinking philosophers. 
• Many well-known German philosophers of the time, such as Ludwig Feuerbach, Karl Marx, and Friedrich Nietzsche, rejected religion and questioned the existence of gods.

Since 1990

• Official atheism began to form in Eastern Europe and Asia, notably under the leadership of Communist China under Mao Zedong and the Soviet Union under Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin.
• The League of Militant Atheists was founded during the Soviet Union’s atheist and anti-religious policies, which included numerous legislative acts, the ban on religious instruction in schools, and other measures.
• Naturalists and materialistic monists such as John Dewey believed that the natural world was the foundation of everything, rejecting the existence of god and immortality.

Other Developments

• Madalyn Murray O’Hair, one of the most influential American atheists, initiated the 1963 Supreme Court case Murray v. Curlett, which prohibited compulsory prayer in public schools.
• The atheist feminist movement became concerned with combating sexism and sexual harassment within the atheist movement. Jennifer McCreight formed Atheism Plus, or A+, a movement within atheism that “applies skepticism to everything, including social issues” in August 2012.
• Anne Nicol Gaylor and her daughter, Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-founded the Freedom From Religion Foundation in the United States, which advocates for the separation of church and state.
• The first atheist monument on American government land, a 1,500-pound granite seat and plinth, was unveiled in 2013 in the Bradford County Courthouse in Florida.

TYPES

Implicit and Explicit Atheism

• George H. Smith coined the words “implicit atheism” and “explicit atheism” to distinguish between different varieties of atheism. 
• Implicit atheism occurs when someone does not believe in god because they are unfamiliar with the notion of god. Explicit atheism occurs when someone intentionally decides not to believe after knowing about the concept.

“Weak” and “Strong” Atheism

• Strong atheism is the firm belief that there is no god. 
• Weak atheism is any form of atheism in which a person does not believe in any gods but does not necessarily state that they do not exist.

ATHEISM IN SOCIETY

• It is (or was) a crime in many locations to make the concept of atheism public. Examples include claiming that the Bible or Qur’an cannot be accurate or speaking or writing that there is no god.
• Muslim apostasy, becoming an atheist or believing in a god other than Allah, can be dangerous in areas populated by orthodox Muslims. Many religious courts have used the death sentence to punish this behavior. Atheism is still illegal in several nations.
• Laws in many countries, mainly in the Western world, safeguard atheists’ right to communicate their beliefs (freedom of speech). In international law and treaties, freedom of religion includes the freedom not to have faith.
• Atheists are statistically unfavored around the world. Non-atheists appear to instinctively regard atheists as prone to unethical behavior. Furthermore, according to a Pew Research Center report from 2016, 15% of French people, 45% of Americans, and 99% of Indonesians specifically believe that a person must believe in god to be moral. 

ARGUMENTS

• Epistemological. Skepticism, based on David Hume’s theories, claims that certainty about anything is unattainable, and hence one can never know for definite whether or not a deity exists. Hume, on the other hand, thought that such unobservable metaphysical ideas should be disregarded as “sophistry and illusion.” The attribution of agnosticism to atheism is debatable.
• Metaphysical. Atheists use naturalism to define the philosophical belief that all that exists is inherently natural and that there are no supernatural events. Naturalism focuses on how science can fully explain the universe using physical laws and natural phenomena.
• Logical. Some atheists believe that many conceptions of gods are endowed with logically contradictory features. Such atheists present deductive arguments against god’s existence, claiming that specific characteristics, such as perfection, creator status, omnipresence, omnipotence, omnibenevolence, personhood, non-physicality, justice, and mercy, are incompatible. 
• Religion as a reductionist concept. According to Ludwig Feuerbach and Sigmund Freud, god, and other religious beliefs are human constructions created to meet various psychological and emotional demands or needs or a projection mechanism from the ‘Id’ omnipotence. 

Atheism Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Atheism across 26 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Atheism. The term “atheist” refers to someone who denies to believe in gods.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

1. Atheism Facts 
2. Atheism Notes
3. History Talk
4. Identifying Types
5. Not Here!
6. Where Do I Sit?
7. Symbols
8. Up For The Challenge
9. Atheist VS Agnostic
10. Thinking Hats
11. K-W-L

Frequently Asked Questions

What is atheism?

Atheism is the absence or lack of belief in the existence of deities or gods. An atheist is someone who does not hold a belief in any gods or divine beings.

Is atheism a form of belief?

No, atheism is not a form of belief. It is the absence of belief in gods. While some atheists may hold other beliefs or philosophies, atheism itself is simply a response to the question of belief in deities.

Do atheists deny the possibility of the existence of gods?

Atheism does not necessarily deny the possibility of the existence of gods; rather, it lacks belief in gods due to insufficient evidence or arguments. Atheists typically require evidence or logical reasoning to support the existence of any claim, including the existence of gods.

Can atheists be moral or have a sense of morality?

Yes, atheists can be moral individuals. Morality is not dependent on religious belief but can be derived from various ethical frameworks, such as secular humanism, utilitarianism, or consequentialism. Many atheists hold moral values and act ethically based on empathy, reason, and a consideration for the well-being of others.

Are atheism and science inherently linked?

Atheism and science are not inherently linked, although they can be related. Atheism is a position on the existence of gods, while science is a methodology for understanding the natural world through empirical investigation. While many atheists may value scientific inquiry and critical thinking, atheism itself does not require adherence to any particular scientific viewpoint. It is possible to be an atheist without having an extensive understanding of science or vice versa.

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