Definitions are an essential part of any meaningful discussion.
An atheist is defined as:
(1) a person who agrees with those Greeks who 2500 years ago declared that "no gods or goddesses exist"
(2) a person who does not believe in the existence of gods, goddesses, fairies, spirits, angels, ghosts, trolls, leprechauns, bunyips, nymphs, etc.

One can take a nominal figure and say that humans have conceived of at least 10,000 gods. Christians say that 9,999 of these are false -- atheists reject the whole 10,000.

'God' with the capital 'G' is an arrogant English invention made popular by the authorised version of the Bible. The New English Bible is correct when it speaks of 'the god Yahweh'. This is the god of the Jews, Christians and Moslems. However, Yahweh was adopted by the Hebrew tribes from the ancient Canaanites as shown by the excavations at Ebla.

Everyone is born an atheist, i.e. without belief in any god. It is an accident of birth which determines the indoctrination of becoming a Hindu, a Moslem, a Jew or any of a multitude of Christian denominations. It is easy to teach a child to believe in Santa Claus, fairies, gods, heaven, hell or whatever. To induce belief in something false, untrue or irrational is a very serious matter. Religion is primarily a matter of infant brainwashing continued endlessly generation after generation with no one thinking to check the basic claims. The environmental culture and peer pressure reinforces the home indoctrination. Whenever there is bereavement or emotional trauma people are vulnerable to the inroads of religion and the evangelistic crusades are aimed at the teenage young people.

During their years at school students, particularly those interested in science and biology, begin to realise that the Bible is in error in a number of ways, e.g. humankind has developed over millions of years and not the 6000 years as stated in the Bible. Death could not have come through the 'fall' of Adam and Eve as organisms have been dying for millions of years as shown by the deposits of oil and coal.

Common sense dismisses the story of Noah's Ark as a primitive myth and the idea of sacrificial offerings and atonement are unworthy of a good god. It is possible to be punished for another person's wrongdoing but guilt cannot be transferred. When the immoral story of Adam and Eve is seen as a folk tale then the idea of 'original sin' disappears together with the need for a saviour.

The stories of the birth of Jesus must be rejected because they are contradictory, immoral and contrary to biology. Virgin births were 'par for the course' 2000 years ago.

Belief in the 'Second Advent' is contrary to the gospel of love. How could a god of love come to earth with a two-edged sword and cast the bulk of humankind into everlasting torment of fire?

The idea that love can be commanded is diametrically opposite to the nature of love and must be rejected.

There is no valid reason to believe in the existence of any god. So-called 'sacred books' have no validity and no argument for the existence of any god stands up under investigation, e.g. the argument that there must be a creator greater than humans can be extended ad infinitum.

The argument for a benign creator collapses when one realises that the most numerous organisms are the viruses and bacteria which are predominantly harmful or when one considers the morality of creating such terrible things as smallpox, malaria, elephantiasis, etc.

When someone declares that a particular god, angel, fairy, spirit, etc. exists, then the onus is on them to prove it.

NO DEFINITION OF A GOD STANDS UP TO SCRUTINY. A god with the attributes stated in the Bible is ridiculous, e.g. an eye that was infinite in size would occupy the same infinite space as the foot. The result would have to be an infinitely large homogenous mass.

Atheists see religious beliefs as contrary to the observable facts, e.g.
(1) The universe was not created 6000 years ago.
(2) Humans have evolved over millions of years.
(3) As the story of Adam and Eve is a myth then the need for atonement is fiction.

Religion is a prime cause of conflict in the world today, e.g. Christians v. Moslem in Lebanon: Jews v. Moslem in Israel: Moslem v. Orthodox Christians in Cyprus: Moslem v. Hindu in India: Protestant v. Catholic in Ireland etc, etc.

Atheists deplore the indoctrination of children either with religion or politics and see it as a gross infringement of the rights of helpless children.

There are very few absolutes in the natural laws -- maximum velocity and minimum temperature.

It is difficult to conceive of any absolutes in regard to moral laws which are dependent on the particular situation. As a community we make the rules for our roads, our foods, our games, our governments, etc. Atheists extend this rule-making to include our personal and social behaviour.

Christianity depends on two beliefs:
(1) That the Biblical god Yahweh exists.
(2) That humans, alone of all animals, have a nebulous something called a 'soul'.

Atheists see no evidence to support either belief.

All beliefs should be capable of being justified. If the existence of any god was proved then there would be no argument. Humans have nothing to gain from belief in falsehoods.

There can be no knowledge of what is good for human apart from knowledge of reality and human nature. There is no way in which this knowledge can be acquired except through reason.

Irrationality is destructive to human life.

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September 1989

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