If you ask most atheists why they believe what they believe, they should be able to come up with at least one key reason for why they believe that atheism is true. Being able to back up your position with a well-thought argument is key if you want your beliefs to be respected.
So, that being said, what is the best atheist argument?
The best (and most common) argument for atheism is the problem of evil. Namely, if God exists and he created the world, why would he allow so much evil to happen? Even devout religious followers struggle with this question, so it’s a great argument to explain your belief in atheism.
Below, I’ll further expound on this argument and explain why it’s so powerful. However, it’s not the only atheist argument that’s worth mentioning.
In this post, I’ll outline some of the most powerful reasons that you can use to defend your atheistic worldview.
Let’s dive in!
Top Arguments For Atheism
When most people tell me that they’re religious, agnostic, or atheist, I like to quiz them about their beliefs. I don’t do this to be contrary, but rather to help them better define their own beliefs and articulate them to others. For the true atheists out there (or the agnostic atheists who are still on the fence), these are some of the best arguments that you can use to defend your belief.
1) There Isn’t Enough Hard Evidence For Atheism
If you take a look at the top quotes made by famous atheist writers and speakers like Richard Dawkins, you’ll find a common theme- there simply isn’t enough evidence to believe in the first place.
To be honest, what else can you expect. The very cornerstone of theism and religion is faith. If you look at the Oxford Dictionary definition for faith (in regards to religion), it states:
- Faith: A strong belief in God or in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof.
That should tell you everything that you need to know about religion. Basically, if you haven’t had a profound or enlightening spiritual experience, then there’s little to no physical evidence that a higher power exists.
2) Evil Has Been Done In The Name of Religion
One of the most common criticisms of Christianity by atheists is to point out all of the evil that’s been done in the name of religion. Just look at the Spanish Inquisition, where countless innocents were brutally tortured and executed in the name of God. Another example could be the way in which Atlantic slave traders would use select Bible verses to justify enslaving humans or how radical Jihadists commit mass murders in the name of pursuing a holy war.
3) There’s Historical Evidence That Religious Leaders Have Lied
There are countless examples of how religious leaders have lied to cover up atrocities or outright manipulated holy texts to further their own goals. One of the best examples of this is how kings would put religious leaders on their payroll and ask them to manipulate holy texts to allow them a divorce or to justify some other less-than-savory goal they had.
Recently, the Roman Catholic Church underwent a huge scandal regarding pedophilia. This scandal showed that Church leaders knew about many of the horrible events that happened and tried to cover up the stories or silence those who were speaking out.
4) Why Would God Allow Bad Things To Happen?
At the beginning of the post, I explained that one of the simplest and most powerful arguments for atheism is that if God actually existed, then why do all these bad things happen in the world? The easiest answer to this question is that God doesn’t exist. Because if some benevolent God did exist, there’s no way that he would allow the death and destruction that happens on a day-to-day basis.
5) Science Explains More Than Religion Does
It’s jokingly said that atheists worship science. While this isn’t exactly true, we certainly hold science in the highest regard. Science involves creating laws and theories about how the universe operates.
These laws have been tested and tried to be true again and again. Even widely accepted theories present strong evidence. This is the beauty of the scientific method.
In contrast, religion explains little or nothing about how the world works. They merely write it off as “God’s mysteries.” What type of an answer is that?
Final Thoughts
You should never feel the need to justify your beliefs to others. However, it’s never a bad idea to have a solid argument for why you believe in what you believe in. Not only will it make your beliefs more credible but it will also help you to better understand why you think the way you do.