Atheism 101

An Atheist’s World View: 15 Principles

By James E Archer

Note: the following is a brief outline of a talk I give on Atheism.

I. The Material World

A. Fundamental Principle of Atheism: There are no spiritual forces in the universe (1)

B. Atheists do not worship the devil. (2)

C. Life is physical matter in a biological configuration (3)

D. There are deep properties of matter (4)

E. Death is real (5)

II. Determining Truth

A. There are no good illusions: Atheism requires courage (6)

B. Principle of Rationality: Truth is determined by logic and evidence (7)

C. A mystery is not a miracle (8)

III. Ethics

A. Ethics derives from human nature and social discourse (9)

B. Religion does not promote ethical behavior. (10)

C. Atheists cannot avoid responsibility for their actions. (11)

D. Atheism promotes a respect for nature and humanity. (12)

E. Atheism promotes social action for a better world (13)

IV. Being an Atheist

A. Atheism is a powerful liberating experience (14)

B. Atheism is fun. (15)