The ongoing verbal battle between religion and atheism has gone on for years as society has moved away from the traditional to the contemporary. Both entities have caused commotion as people identify as one or the other or somewhere in the middle. Dictionary.reference.com defines religion as “A set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature and purpose of the universe … and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.” The online resource also defines atheism as “The disbelief in the existence of a supreme being or beings.” Although there are atheists and religious people who are mindful of others that think differently from them, there will always be those extremists who are adamant about their beliefs or lack thereof. These radicals will always be heard the loudest.
To me, atheism is not the lack of a belief in a higher power but the acknowledgement that there is no higher power. Vocal atheists use science and logic to counter the arguments maintained in the biblical agenda. What I find strange is that some atheists will engage in debates with religious folks in an effort to convince them that there is no God(s). Why are atheists defending their lack of belief in a god(s) by trying to convert believers into non-believers? It’s as if they are treating their atheism as a religious entity in itself. The only difference is that their religion lacks an all-powerful being to worship.
I am someone who grew up in a religious household during my formative years, but since have shied away from organized religion. Although I retain a belief in a higher power, I understand why one might not be a fan of organized religion or believe in their god(s). I have often found that many atheists were once theists at one point and have found, what they deem to be, a more “logical” path. Even so, they behave in the same manner of condescending behavior towards those that believe otherwise. In the end, it seems that theists are not the only ones that are adamant about defending their “faith.”
