atheist teachings

dawkins + scientific explanation

As a scientist and a supporter of evolutionary biology, Dawkins argues that the long process of evolution, and mechanisms such as the selfish gene, clearly contradict aspects of religious belief

Christianity regards human beings as a unique part of God’s creation, with a spiritual dimension, but biology suggests that they can be understood simply as highly developed mammals
Dawkins argues that science is based on observation whereas religion is fanciful. He refers to belief in God as a delusion, and calls it a ‘fixed false belief’

dawkins + sociological criticism

Dawkins has also argued that religious belief is dangerous and he has encouraged fellow atheists to unite in opposition to the influence of religion in public life
In education, he condemns the scope given to religions to engage in what he believed is indoctrination. He believes that if children are educated in the faith of their parents this can dull their ability to be critical and open minded

In political life, Dawkins has argued that religious beliefs can act as a barrier to the free society and to progressive policies
- He cites, for example, religious opposition to gay rights and to effective birth control, as areas in which false

religious beliefs can regress social attitudes

WEAKNESS of dawkins:

Dawkins has been accused of scientific fundamentalism. This suggests that he tends to hold his scientific ideas with the same kind of certainty that he criticises in religion

- His fixed allegiance to Darwinism, for example, can be said to run counter to the open and questioning method that is favoured by most scientists

Some critics also argue that his attack on religion is not based on a careful and thorough understanding of theology and religious belief
Some of the debate with Dawkins concerns whether science is simply able to replace religion, whether it provides all the answers that human beings seek about the meaning of life. Many contemporary Christians point to the limitations of science and suggest that religion and philosophy can contribute alongside science to the task of investigating the nature of human existence

hitchens as an athitheist

Hitchens described himself as an antitheist, as well as an atheist, taking the view that the influence of religious ideas in politics and society was insidious and dangerous
He posited that organised religion is ‘violent, irrational, allied to racism, tribalism, and bigotry, invested in ignorance and hostile to free inquiry, contemptuous of women and coercive toward children’

He says that religion is often a form of totalitarianism, because it creates a fixed set of ideas and values that are imposed on people and which restrict personal freedom and intellectual creativity
He argued in favour of the goals of the Enlightenment, and that the basis of progress in a free society is freedom of thought and the pursuit of scientific research and discovery

religion + hostile to disease treatment

• He writes that many Muslims saw the polio vaccine as a conspiracy, and thus allowed polio to spread

• -  He discusses the Catholic Church’s response to the spread of HIV in Africa, telling people that condoms are

  ineffective, which, he argues, contributed to the death toll

• -  He notes that some in both Catholic and Muslim communities believe irrationally that HIV and HPV are

  punishment for sexual sin, particularly homosexuality

mcgrath

• rejects D’s assertion, arguing that numerous reasonable people converted as adults (e.g. athony flew, himself)

• science + religion can coexist

• agrees that it is necessary to critique religion

• children should be taught fairly, not his athiest fundamentaalism

disillusionment with some aspects of trad religion

some people maintain that they are Christian but distance themselves from many of the traditional beliefs that they view to be oppressive and outdated

- They may join more liberal churches and adopt an ethic that focuses more on the teachings of Jesus (agape) and situation ethics rather than divine command ethics or natural moral law

The acceptance that some elements of religion can be damaging and should be rejected, but that not all of religion is like this

- One can choose the to follow and accept the parts of religion which have meaning and benefit to them

hardline atheism

hard line atheism would involve a complete rejection of the christian religion in response to many of its teachings being outdated and oppressive

An insistence that all of religion is negative, if not completely dangerous