Atheism

Which of the following statements best characterizes the state of atheism in ancient Greece and Rome?

Accusations of godlessness were more common in ancient Greece and Rome than actual atheists.

Which best describes the main contributions of Rene Descartes and John Locke to the history of atheism?

Both philosophers advocated a form of radical doubt that prioritized reason over faith.

Your friend argues that religion is about which path one takes to God. To which religion could you point to disprove your friend's claim?

Buddhism

Why is Buddhism frequently discussed in arguments about whether atheism is a religion?

Buddhism challenges our definition of religion because it is relatively disinterested in gods.

Which of the following statements best summarizes Karl Marx's critique of Christianity?

Capitalism alienates us from our true humanity and Christianity serves to mask that alienation by turning the untold suffering it causes into something the working class could endure.

In a 2011 Gallup poll, which country had the most atheists?

China

Which of the following statements best describes Confucius's attitude toward gods and spirits?

Confucius performed prayers and sacrifices, but refused to speculate about gods or spirits.

Nathan does not believe in the Bible and does not believe God hears Christians when they pray. But he does believe there is a God because something must have created the universe. Which term best describes Nathan's views?

Deist

Which of the following statements about African American skeptics and freethinkers is MOST accurate?

It is a stereotype that African Americans are especially religious.

Which religion has been described as "God-saturated atheism"?

Jainism

Which of the following statements best characterizes the religious views of Thomas Jefferson?

Jefferson's views were complicated and defy easy categorization.

Who was the MOST politically influential atheist of the nineteenth century?

Karl Marx

Accusations of godlessness were more common in ancient Greece and Rome than actual atheists.

Machiavelli saw Christianity as an important tool for achieving political goals.

In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, female atheists were seen as uniquely threatening by their Christian opponents. Who was described as "the most hated woman in America"?

Madalyn Murray O'Hair

What was "new" about the New Atheist movement?

New Atheist questioned the value of religious tolerance.

What is one factor that has contributed to more young Americans describing themselves as "spiritual but not religious"?

Political debates have caused being religious to be associated with conservative politics.

What is a sign that atheists are still not fully accepted in America?

Recent surveys have found that only about half of American citizens say they would be willing to vote for an otherwise qualified atheist for president.

Which of the following statements best summarizes Sigmund Freud's The Future of an Illusion?

Religious teachings are false, but they reflect the oldest and most urgent wishes of human beings.

Why did British philosopher A. J. Ayer claim the idea that God exists is "nonsensical"?

Statements are only meaningful if they can be verified and nothing can prove or disprove the existence of God.

A sociologist completes a survey asking people in every country what religion they are. Based on these responses, he concludes with certainty that there are very few atheists in the world. Which response provides the best assessment of the sociologist's conclusion?

Survey data is unreliable because some countries pressure citizens toward atheism and other countries stigmatize those who openly profess atheism.

Which of the following statements best characterizes the attitudes of French revolutionaries toward religion?

The French Revolution de-Christianized France but replaced Christianity with civil religions.

Imagine you're helping to organize a conference on atheism. Based on known issues with such conferences, which of the following is a potential problem that might arise?

The conference could become dominated by speakers who are white and male.

Which of the following statements best characterizes the significance of the Scopes "Monkey Trial" of 1925?

The trial was an embarrassment for religious fundamentalists, who withdrew from national politics until the 1970s.

Which statement best summarizes the position of the Muslim philosopher Averroes (1126-1198)?

The universe is eternal and has always existed. Therefore, reason dictates that God could not have created it.

Thomas Jefferson once wrote the following about Protestant Reformer John Calvin: "He was indeed an Atheist . . . If ever man worshipped a false god, he did." What does this quotation reveal about how the word "atheist" has been used?

The word "atheism" has often stood in for an accusation of heresy rather than an identity.

Why are early Daoist writings such as the Daodejing and the Zhuangzi relevant to the history of atheism?

These texts emphasized human flourishing and were largely indifferent to gods or the afterlife.

How did medieval theologians such as Thomas Aquinas and Duns Scotus indirectly contribute to the rise of religious skepticism?

They used reason to argue for the existence of God. But in doing so, they showed that the idea of a personal God described in the Bible cannot be proved through reason.

People disagree was as to whether atheism should be considered a religion. Which of the positions below is the most defensible?

This question depends on the facts of any given case because what atheists believe and do varies from person to person and from group to group.

Who claimed that the four sources of religion are "opinion of ghosts, ignorance of second causes, devotion toward what men fear, and taking of things casual for prognostics."

Thomas Hobbes

Who described the Bible as "the word of a demon" in his book The Age of Reason?

Thomas Paine

Which of the following statements best characterizes atheist attitudes toward ritual?

Though some atheists see no need for rituals, others argue that rituals are a basic human need and that atheists should be free to create rituals for weddings, funerals, and other life events.

The Greek philosopher Protagoras wrote, "Concerning the gods I am unable to discover whether they exist or not, or what they are like in form; for there are many hindrances to knowledge, the obscurity of the subject and the brevity of human life." Which term best describes Protagoras's views?

agnosticism

The belief that humans cannot know whether God exists can be described as

agnosticism.

Carl does not believe in God or anything supernatural and is angered that millions of people live their lives in fear that they will go to hell. He feels that raising children to be religious is actually a form of child abuse because it indoctrinates them into views that are harmful and dangerous. Which term best describes Carl?

anti-theist

An intellectual tradition of independent inquiry based on logic, reason, and science rather than religious authority can be described as

freethought.

Sarah believes ordinary people are amazing. She wants everyone to live a life of happiness and dignity and has faith that people are intelligent, courageous, and resourceful enough to create a better world for everyone. Which term best describes Sarah?

humanist

Which term refers to the view that everything is caused by and composed of natural entities that can be studied scientifically?

naturalism

Tim's friend asks him to "swear to God." Tim declines and says he can't say that he believes in God. Which term best describes Tim?

negative atheist

Baruch Spinoza claimed there was no distinction between God and nature and that there is only one substance in the universe, which he called "Deus sive natura" ("God or nature"). Which label best characterizes Spinoza?

pantheist

Rachel has considered the philosophical arguments for God's existence and believes they are logically flawed. She is certain God does not exist. Which term best describes Rachel?

positive atheist

Your friend asks you why you are bothering to take a class on world religion in college because, as the world advances in science, religion is no longer important. Which term describes your friend's claim about the future of religion?

secularization theory

Which movement affirmed human progress, religious tolerance, science, and reason?

the Enlightenment

In which text is the hero told, "The gods gave death to man and kept life for themselves"?

the Epic of Gilgamesh

What sacred text did the Lokayatas describe as "the prattling of knaves, characterized by the three faults of untruthfulness, internal contradiction, and useless repetition"?

the Vedas

Which request might someone put in his or her will as an expression of his or her atheism?

to have his or her body donated to science

Which of the following statements best characterizes the contributions of Ludwig Feuerbach's The Essence of Christianity?

Feuerbach argued that "God" is actually a way of talking about human dignity and what is best in humanity.

Who wrote the lines, "'Whither is God?' he cried; 'I will tell you. We have killed him—you and I. All of us are his murderers. . . . God is dead'"?

Friedrich Nietzsche

Which of the following statements best describes Jennifer Hecht's ideas about suicide?

Hecht believes there are historical and philosophical reasons not to commit suicide.

Which statement best characterizes why Bobby Henderson founded the Church of Flying Spaghetti Monster?

Henderson created a deliberately silly explanation for the world to demonstrate why intelligent design should not be taught in a science class.

Which of the following atheistic activities MOST resembles a "secular religion"?

During the Cultural Revolution in China, citizens were expected to honor Chairman Mao by regularly performing a "loyalty dance."