Atheism

Atheism

As Gallagher (1995) writes, "atheism is an outright denial of the existence of god, often implying a conscious and intellectually grounded choice." (p.11). Intellectual as it may seem, but the definition of Atheism does not say what an atheist does believe in, how he lives or what values he accepts. The one, who calls himself a true atheist, however, is bound to have an idea of God's existence whose he denies. In reality behind modern atheism, lies what Bonhoeffer (recited in Rahner, 1973) called "the adulthood of man" (p.52). A man's intellectual choice that in this life he has to create without divine help and intervention, and whatever must become of this world is his own responsibility. A man becomes independent, is aware of the ability to explore, control and know this world better and deeper, whereas, religion, in atheist's point of view, would limit the human possibility of belief to destiny which cannot be changed, challenging, and in some way contain the strive for greatness. But what is Religion - a set of rules, looked after by an unknown entity that controls over the universe and judges people by their actions - or - a set of rules and guidelines made up for universal policing that brings fear into people through the means of anger of the higher being? In contrast with the obvious impossibility of reaching a satisfactory definition of religion by attempting a minimal or fundamental description of the object of faith, there is a trend to define religion by one or other expression of human abilities. "Religion is a basic commitment of a human's belief in it, for a greater cause, a central and dominant orientation of human activity, a supreme dominant motive derived from a supreme value." (Rahner, 1973, p. 21)

Modern man does not feel threatened by religion anymore as it can be seen through the statistics of church attendance decreased over the years (http://www.churchsociety.org/issues_new/ church/stats/iss_church_stats_attendance.asp#ASA). Where there is a real threat he wants to face it courageously, with a will to make this life more secure and with manly acceptance of what happens to be man's lot: death, illness, and weakness. More intellectual atheists believe in man's own hands to accept it as the task of his life. In a man-made world, the blame is now put on the men and one expects help from them. For any man, in today's world, the most immediate existential needs must be met within the