Atheism Flashcards
Intro-projective explanation
Identifies ways in which humans project their fears anxieties and subconscious feelings into the object of their worship
Feuerbach I
Religion is a fundamental expression of humans deepest wishes and feelings
“Religion is a dream of the human mind”
By studying God a person can find more about a human being
The human is God
Religion is a sociological cultural and psychological-no room for supernatural
Projective explanation
Feuerbach II
Humans have three attributes: reason love and will. These have been projected onto God
With social progress religion should disappear
God devalued humans in that good things were attributed to God and not humans
Durkheim I
Functionalist
Religion services to unite and preserve the community
Societies divide the world into sacred and profane
Ordinary objects can create powerful emotions of respect
These objects must represent something (totems)
What the objects represent is the collective conscience: shares beliefs Norms and values
Intro-function
A functional explanation identifies the function it serves in society which might have nothing to do with the existence of God
Durkheim II
He saw religion as a force that creates a sense of moral obligation to adhere to society’s demands
Durkheim was not concerned with religious experience but rather the communal bonds to which religious activities lead
Durkheim III
Studied aboriginal clans (totemism) the totems represent society and God
The clan and God are one and the same-there’s no separate entity called God
God doesn’t exist simply by virtue of religious belief and practise
What does exist is a unified social system which believes that it owes its being to God
The deities worshipped are projections of power of society
Criticisms of Feuerbach
Religion has not died out even though we do live in a more atheist society
If we made God, why did we make him so distant? Surely we’d have made him more reachable
Is atheism his own projection? Is it not as much as a fantasy as believing in a God
Criticism of Durkheim
Religious believers distinguish between membership of their religious community and belief in God. Their loyalty is to God, not to the community
The theory doesn’t explain how relief is leaders are sometimes prepared to go against the norms
Society constantly changes-beliefs about the nature of God are timeless and unchanging
Dawkins
Well known atheist more accurately described as an anti-theist.
Opposes the existence of God and the position of religion and religious authorities
Religion is the great cop-out
4mainobjectives
1
Religious belief is not necessary
The Darwin theory of evolution makes belief in God unnecessary. The fact that humans exist is remarkable enough coincidence without needing and mystical significance.
Religion is completely superseded by science.
4mainobjections
2
Virus of religion
Faith discourages independent thought
Sees religion as a means to justify inhuman acts against humanity. Says judeo-Christian scriptures give evidence of a religion based on evil.
Islam and evangelical Christianity to children educates prejudice and ignoring
Critiques of Darwin I
Rev Melvin Tinker- Dawkins exhibits all the characteristics of those he so despises-vehemence, narrow-mindedness and intolerance. He is a fundamentalist of the science kind
Critiques of Dawkins II
Wilson-in assuming God should be probably by evidence, he misses the point. God is not someone for whom a scientist needs to prove evidence for.
Critiques of Dawkins III
Dawkins is guilty of tarring the whole of religion which is not only unfair but disregards instances where religion helps people
