A Brief History and Beliefs of Atheism

Atheism Atheism is the belief in the absence of god or gods and that death marks the end of an individual’s existence. Given that they do not believe in the existence of a god or gods, their ethical goals are determined by secular, or nonreligious, aims and concerns; they are in complete control of their destiny. Most Atheists attribute their history to the Greek and Roman philosophers Epicurus, Democritus, and Lucretius. Even though they did not actually state that god or gods did not exist, they are considered the first Atheist writers. They merely stated that gods were not involved in the life of humans.

However, Richard Dawkins is a well-known atheist and regarded as the father of modern Atheism. Over the years, there was a rise in Atheist believers. Thomas Hobbes doubted the literal value of religious books in the 18th and 19th centuries, Ludwig Feuerbach believed that God was invented by humans, and in the late 19th century, it rose again due to Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution and other scientific advancements that came around. The secularist movement, also in the 19th century, came about to eradicate church involvement in state affairs. The reasons behind an individual’s beliefs in Atheism are usually personal.

Many may choose to follow it because they feel that other religions are illogical and that there is not enough support to prove the existence of any god or gods. Additionally, they feel that religion brings about struggle and separation and weaken human rights and impede scientific research. In Atheism, they celebrate birth, marriage, and death. Naming ceremonies welcome babies into the world and family and friends attend. When people get married, it is a non-religious joining; it is extremely personal and reflects no religious rituals or any godly existence.

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All of their ceremonies are all personal and solidify their belief that they do not require gods or holy writings to dictate their lives or public/personal affairs. While researching Atheism, I was a little skeptical; I have not always heard the best about atheists. The reason I picked this “religion”, or lack there-of, is because no one in class did a presentation on it and I was disappointed. I know that what I knew about it was most likely all biased opinion on a belief that many people hate. I was surprised at what I found and glad that I picked it. Atheism, I believe, is highly misunderstood, and hough followers do not have a belief in god or gods, they do, from what I understand, have faith. Faith in themselves. They believe in themselves to be strong enough to develop their own moral compass with out a guideline. I find that empowering. The way that they celebrate birth and marriage was beautiful in its own unique way. They personalize everything, and that makes everything so much more intimate and precious. I am not going to convert or anything like that, but I have developed a deeper understanding for a belief that I had once held in contempt.

I hate to say that, but I really did, and I am happy to announce that I have educated myself for the better. Candomble An African-Brazilian religion, Candomble has about two million followers. It is a combination of various beliefs, also known as a syncretic religion. It contains elements of Christianity, particularly of Catholicism, but at its core are the traditional African beliefs of Yoruba, Fon, and Bantu. Roughly translated, Candomble means “dance in honor of the gods”, which explains why dance and music play such significant roles in this religion.

They worship God, or Oludumare, and deities called orixas that serve Oludumare. They express themselves through dance and music and have no holy scriptures. Its roots can date back to slavery times in Brazil, and ever since then, it has develop into a very popular religion there, namely in Salvador da Bahia. Some followers want to rid the religion of its Christian “taint” and return it to its uncorrupted form. In Candomble, good and bad does not exist but bad acts do have their consequences.

Each persons goal is to fulfill and carry out their own individual destiny which is controlled by the orixas. Orixas can be defined as ancestors, both recent and ancient. They are also regarded as spirits that can connect humans to the spirit world. A person’s personality is a reflection of his or her own orixa. A group or orixa’s are called Baba Egum, who regulate the moral code or guarantee the continuity of morals from one generation to the next. In Candomble, worship takes place in the form of dances and songs, which allow the orixa’s to enter their body.

Both priests and priestesses lead them. Women play a significant role; women who are called “mothers of the holy one” lead services and train others to become priestesses. Temples, or terreiro, are their sacred places of worship and they have indoor and outdoor sections and designated places for the gods. Candomble is a very spiritual religion that solidified its beliefs while being pressed down by the shackles of slavery. I did not intend to do my second religion on Candomble, but when I stopped to look at it, I absolutely caught my interest.

I liked how the orixa’s could link humans to the spirit world; I have always been interested in that kind of stuff. I found this religion to be inspiring and exciting because it is an oral religion and so there are no written scriptures or books. I find it exciting because it is so highly centered on dance and music; more so than any other religion that I have come across. I cannot say that I had a biased opinion when coming into this religion, because I did not even know it existed. I enjoyed learning about it and from what I understand; the followers are very enthusiastic about their religion and remembering their ancestors.

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