Free speech and the challenging of ideas is key. We respect you, but not necessarily all your ideas. A search for evidence
▪ Atheism searches for evidence and faces the resulting truth. We believe in what is reasonable and rational. God or gods do not exist
▪ Concepts of gods are myths created by humans.
▪ There are not two separate realms (the natural and the supernatural), but one (the natural)
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▪ The idea of a supernatural god who created the world, created us, has a holy book, sets rules, intervenes in the world and provides an afterlife, is all fiction. It is not possible to know for sure that god doesn't exist, but evidence and reason lead to the position that it is extremely unlikely that one does - de facto atheism. Humans have fabricated religion
▪ Religions’ own descriptions of their god/s, creation, prophets, holy books, morality, afterlife is all made up by humans without evidence.
▪ Religious texts are a jumble of superstitions, fables, fiction and some snippets of fact. They are not as claimed by the religion and are therefore highly misleading. They must be criticized, challenged and, where appropriate, satirized or denounced.
▪ Religious beliefs do not exist in isolation but are propagated from one person to another, in virtually all cases by childhood indoctrination.
▪ Religious organizations and communities must not receive privileges and immunities, such as tax benefits and protection from criticism or satire, which are denied to the non-religious population.
▪ Life as we know it was created by natural selection, discovered by Charles Darwin. Morality exists independently of religion
▪ Morality has been formed by Natural Selection as the best way to behave for the survival of the group.
▪ There is no divine moral authority.
▪ Although atheism is not in itself a source of morality, it frees morality from corruption by religion.
▪ Morality
▪ The religious inculcation and indoctrination of children corrupts their morality. Children are not born with any religious beliefs or affiliations; these are imposed. Religion inhibits rational thought
▪ Religion is based upon irrationality, superstition and unsubstantiated beliefs.
▪ Religion encourages and perpetuates prejudice, ignorance and intolerance.
▪ Religion inhibits critical thinking, discourages scientific enquiry and restricts human progress.
▪ Beliefs must be based on evidence.
