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A rational person does not "choose" to believe something simply because evidence points that way. Once a person realizes that a belief is clearly supported by the facts, there is no further step which we could call "choice" that is needed for a person to have the belief.

be willing to accept a belief as a rational and logical conclusion from the available information.

we are indirectly responsible for the beliefs we do and do not hold because we are directly responsible for the actions we take which do or do not lead to beliefs.

there can be no rational argument that a just God would send a person to hell if they had investigated and simply failed to find sufficient reason to believe.

Sometimes, we may value a comforting lie over a harsh truth

while we may be willing to allow others to believe a lie for their peace of mind, it is rare to find anyone who does not doggedly believe that they must always believe things that are truthful.

the simple absence of belief in gods — aside from being the default position — is automatically justified and made credible so long as theists are not successful in making a credible case for their god.

Atheists vary as much in their beliefs and attitudes as theists do. If you know that a person is an atheist, then you know that he or she lacks belief in gods — nothing more, nothing less.

It is an approach to life that tries to be positive, rational, realistic, and open-minded

humanists are committed to promoting human values, human understanding, and human development

Humanists also emphasize the importance of self-determination - the right of individuals to control their own lives, so long as they do not harm others

people create their own meaning and purpose in life

The most important moral and political concepts of the modern era have developed out of humanistic thinking

humans have a moral responsibility towards the rest of the natural world

One political view that secular humanists do share is unswerving support for democracy, freedom, and human rights

all beliefs are fallible and provisional, and that diversity and dialogue are essential to the process of learning and developing

Humanists are staunch supporters of freedom of religion, belief, and conscience, as laid out in both the U.S. Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. These rights protect the freedom of religious belief equally with the freedom of nonreligious belief, the freedom of religion equally with the freedom from religion.

Separating church and state doesn't mean that the state promotes atheism and humanism, but that it provides equal protection to all beliefs

the vibrant movement that champions a moral approach to living based on reason and happiness is alive and growing

I try to give equal time to all the gods that I don't believe in.

Religion is a huge force in the world. Good, bad or mixed, it's inescapable.

When something is a major component of the Human Condition, it's notable.

None.

wanted to make you and your children believe this too and were willing to change laws, education and polices to force this

how long would it take before you started speaking out?

Like all conscientious people who care about what goes on in the world, we are all struggling to define the best way for us to live.

There are good things in the world and there are bad things in the world. What is good and bad, and in what degree, depends on your perspective.

When it happens publicly, it is generally regarded by atheists as either gauche or extreme.It seems most extreme when it enters into political or other ostensibly secular arenas, like school.

the strengths of these secular institutions depends widely on the separation of religious and secular activities and ideologies

this resembles a backslide into barbarism and ignorance

For the atheist, it is a frightening prospect that people want to hinder education or freedoms based on Biblical writings.

if I did not care about the world, I would have nothing to say about God.

Both I, and the most extreme fundamentalist, want only to live in the best way we know how.

As an atheist, I personally have no qualm with any belief in a deistic God.

When I see people pushing other people around, trying to take away their rights of people, or hurting people in some way, I get angry.

For this atheist, it isn't about God, it's about how we treat people.

There is an unfortunate crossover with religion and social justice.

I am only concerned with the ways in which religion, as I see the world, hurts the vision I have of how we should best live. There are grave incompatibilities with that vision.

I don't believe in spirits, or souls, or gods or reincarnation. I do believe in finding meaning, in finding the "path to the self", and finding the best way to live in this world.

hope for the future elevation of humanity to freedom, to the best possible health and cooperation

There is beauty and wisdom in every belief system, but also there is ugliness and ignorance to be found, and I see it as a detriment to humanity if we simply avoid the hard work of re-examining those parts, and simply allow people to say "It is God's will, we've got a book that says so."

What am I talking about? Subjugation of women, ostracism of homosexuals, teaching creation myths as science to children, circumcision of boys by Jews, of girls by certain sects. From the eyes of an atheist, doing these things in 2012 is an archaic nightmare. Allowing these things to happen out of a fear of offending people is a most ludicrous failure of humanity.

a human person wrote any words in any book ever written. There are no gods, no sons of gods, and no prophets. To hold another person hostage for words written by a man, who possessed all the frailties we have today, but had far less knowledge, seems a dangerous and singularly terrible act to condone in this time. We know there is no basis for it, and it is frightening to see those who are willing to commit violence and abuse in the name of God and call it "good".

it seems simply like folly or madness

They had a belief that their view of the world was the right one, just as I have a view of the world that I believe is the right one.

To the atheist, it resembles a wave of madness taking over people.

Approach with caution and come with gifts

I know a lot about "this God" theists believe in

It is always good to engage your mind in an intellectual exercise

I was once a believer

I'm more certain on my position now that I ever was when I believed in god

it helps me refine my thoughts

often I find myself discussing something with a theist who has a strong intellect - and this is entertaining in the same way a sports person, or chess player, enjoys meeting their match or better; it gives me a chance to stretch and test myself - see where I might need to improve my "game".

All we do is try and unpack the reasons behind things

After unpacking these reasons the conclusion is baffling; These things are done, people are tortured, children are abused all in the name of a story.

I find belief in god and other supernatural entities an interesting human and social phenomenon.

Religion teaches to be satisfied with not understanding.

Religion teaches to not question authority.

Religion teaches a twisted concept of evidence and logic.

Religion advocates intolerance.

Religion promotes immorality.

Religion promotes inaction.

Religion inhibits progress.

I talk about the silly, stupid and vicious things that some people who claim to believe try to impose on the rest of us.

And sometimes I applaud the wonderful things that people of good character and religious belief do

What people do in this world matters.

Think of it as self defense.Atheists don't talk about their views until religious people refuse to shut up about theirs.

surrounded by theists trying to ram their beliefs down everyone else's throats, incorporating their religion into the government and legal system, corrupting the educational system by blurring the difference between fact and belief, and murdering and hurting people in the name of their "god"

Why should anyone assume that if one disbelieves in something, especially something that a lot of other people keep saying they believe in, one should not talk about it?

Why do anti-war people talk so much about war if they don't believe in war? Pretty much the same reason for atheists and talk about god.

I only really talk about it when someone else brings it up. Since I live in the United States, this happens about every ten minutes.

large percentages of each country believes in some God

They have TV shows to broadcast their beliefs

billboards

huge gatherings

radio shows

You have people standing in the street, shouting at you, telling you how you are going to hell

You have religious people questioning evolution, preaching creationism, questioning the Big Bang and promoting God-magic.

some people still insist in teaching their children that an invisible being thought the universe into existence, and that believing this is more rational than to trust science's explanation of the same event

Religion is stepping on my toes - a response is pretty much expected don't you think?

if 'talking about God' means 'talking about theology,' then Atheists totally have a right and a commission to do so, because theology can be done by both adherents and non-adherents

Atheists have been portrayed as belligerent, annoying twerps who need to be quiet; when, in reality, their calling out religion needs to be applauded. This is the 21st century—a supposedly new era—and Atheists are doing a good job of calling out politicians and leaders who cannot and will not rationalize their decisions outside of a faith context.

So many people do boneheaded things in the name of God, both those doers and their God need to be called out...and that calling out is often done by Atheists.

I, for one, find religion/mythology fascinating.

bad things religion pushes and endorses

we do not have to believe anything on insufficient evidence

the harms it can bring

that is a serious problem

Atheists do not keep talking about god. They keep getting asked about it

it's a part of our history and culture that is hard to ignore

we don't like being lied to

there's no reason to believe it

try to reason

Humanism aims at the fullest possible development of every human being

Humanism supports democracy and human rights

rights to individual self-determination, human rights and freedom of belief

a life stance rooted in rational thinking

Humanism insists that personal liberty must be combined with social responsibility

The similarities between the beliefs and values of the different groups - even ‘secular’ and ‘religious’ Humanists - is more fundamental and more important than the different groups

humanism Humanism is a democratic and ethical life stance, which affirms that human beings have the right and responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives. It stands for the building of a more humane society through an ethic based on human and other natural values in the spirit of reason and free inquiry through human capabilities. It is not theistic, and it does not accept supernatural views of reality. See also the Amsterdam Declaration.

Humanism is undogmatic, imposing no creed upon its adherents. It is thus committed to education free from indoctrination.

fundamental principles of modern Humanism

an alternative to dogmatic religion

Humanists promote free inquiry which is the basis of the scientific spirit

Humanism ventures to build a world on the idea of the free person responsible to society, and recognises our dependence on and responsibility for the natural world

seeks to use science creatively

Humanism is rational

Amsterdam Declaration

where people do feel that their beliefs are ‘Humanist’ they should use the word

humanist A person who adheres to or advocates humanism, a democratic and ethical life stance, which affirms that human beings have the right and responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives.

Humanism is ethical. It affirms the worth, dignity and autonomy of the individual and the right of every human being to the greatest possible freedom compatible with the rights of others.

Humanists believe that the solutions to the world's problems lie in human thought and action

Humanism recognises that reliable knowledge of the world and ourselves arises through a continuing process. of observation, evaluation and revision.

ethics grounded in human values

Humanists aim for a social order in which individual freedom and dignity, social justice, fundamental rights and the rule of civilised law are protected

the outcome of a long tradition of free thought

human beings have the right and responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives

Humanism is a democratic and ethical life stance

Humanism advocates the application of the methods of science and free inquiry to the problems of human welfare

the official defining statement of World Humanism

human rights Universal rights to which every person is entitled

rationalism The view that knowledge is aquired through reason, without the aid of the senses. Perhaps the best example of such knowledge would be mathematical knowledge, but rationalists typically argue that many other important truths can also be grasped by reason.

Humanists have a duty of care to all of humanity including future generations.

fundamentals of modern Humanism

freethought An intellectual and cultural movement. A freethinker is a religious unbeliever who forms his or her judgments about religion using reason rather than relying on tradition, authority, faith, or established belief.

justified by a moral standard that stands above the laws of any individual nation

secularism A neutral attitude, especially of the State, local government and public services, in matters relating to religion; non-religious rather than anti-religious.

Humanists believe that morality is an intrinsic part of human nature based on understanding and a concern for others, needing no external sanction.

Humanists consider human experience to be the only source of knowledge and ethics

It stands for the building of a more humane society through an ethic based on human and other natural values in the spirit of reason and free inquiry through human capabilities

the application of science and technology must be tempered by human values

Humanism values artistic creativity and imagination and recognises the transforming power of art. Humanism affirms the importance of literature, music, and the visual and performing arts for personal development and fulfilment.

Humanists believe in intellectual integrity, and do not allow custom to replace conscience

Science gives us the means but human values must propose the ends

skeptic A philosophical position in which people choose to critically examine whether the knowledge and perceptions that they have are actually true, and whether or not one can ever be said to have absolutely true knowledge

rationalist Rationalists believe that reason alone is sufficient to gain knowledge of the world.

Humanism is a lifestance aiming at the maximum possible fulfilment through the cultivation of ethical and creative living and offers an ethical and rational means of addressing the challenges of our times

Humanism can be a way of life for everyone everywhere

utilising free inquiry, the power of science and creative imagination for the furtherance of peace and in the service of compassion

we have the means to solve the problems that confront us all

We have a world to change. We need your help to change it!

reification is the attribution of concrete characteristics to an abstract idea

atheists aren't necessarily making any particular claims about the world.

no one need deny any particular theistic beliefs in order to be an atheist, they only need to not believe in any gods, whatever their reasons or attitudes.

Just because an atheist believes something doesn't mean that that belief is so connected to atheism that, in order to justify atheism, the belief in question needs to be justified.

evolution describes how life has developed over time, not how it originated.

There are theists who accept the explanation of evolution, and theists who do not. There are atheists who accept the explanation of evolution, and atheists who do not.

So atheism is not inherently dependent upon evolution

Theists will commonly ask "Well, where did the universe come from?" Like the atheist reaction to evolution, we can approach this question with: "I don't know. So what?" Unless a person's atheism is dependent upon a particular description of the origin of the universe, they neither need to know the answer to the theist's question nor do they need to support any particular answer.

The only possible origin for the universe which is incompatible with my atheism is that of a creation by a god. This, of course, would be for the theist to demonstrate - and if they cannot, my atheism remains, whatever the real origin is. I do not need to account for this "real origin" in order to account for my atheism.

Theists need to explain and account for their god, because that's what theism is: belief in a god.

I hold a wide variety of beliefs

my atheism is not about the universe

are atheists required to disprove theistic claims? In general, no.

the burden of proof is on whoever is making the claims.

This is sometimes on the atheist, if they choose to deny something specific.

Only after the theist has presented coherent and rational arguments might the atheist need to explain why she does not accept them.

Just because the atheist happens to disagree with the theist on other issues does not mean that the atheist needs to justify these other beliefs in order to justify atheism.

If the discussion is about the existence of gods, then that is where it must be kept.

One can be praised for acquiring beliefs through having gone to the trouble of studying, researching, and making a genuine attempt to gather as much information as possible.

atheism is the only possible position I can have given my present state of knowledge

it is more important to try and encourage skepticism and critical thinking in people rather than to try and simply "convert" them

not by choice but instead simply because belief is no longer possible

Or maybe he might have made it so that evil didn't exist in the first place?

If God was all-loving, all-knowing, and all-powerful, surely he could have found a way to prevent that tragedy, if only to avoid the suffering

Science adjusts its views based on what's observed. Faith is the denial of observation so that belief can be preserved

I'm fine with God not helping, considering he's sort of... not there. Or at the very least, malevolent enough to stand by even while people feverishly pray and go unanswered, who lets horrible things happen and does nothing. If he's really so petty to abandon suffering people because people won't worship him, then I would rather not have him here.

So we have an omnipotent, omniscient and omnibenevolent god willing to kill people to get them to listen, but he can't just reveal himself to prove his own existence? What does that say about him?

try and encourage skepticism and critical thinking in people

an atheist, not by choice but instead simply because belief is no longer possible

caused by variations which exist within a species due to differences in the genetic makeup of its individual members

This causes some individuals to be more likely to thrive in a given environment, and to produce offspring similar to themselves

new species typically develop very quickly within a small, peripheral group which is isolated from the main "tribe" and subjected to different environmental stressors

long periods of relative stability of a given species. These periods were broken by short periods of rapid change.

The origin of the universe and and its changes over time are called cosmology.

Research into the origin of the first form of life is called abiogenesis, and is not part of evolution.

Evolution really only deals with species of living -- or once living -- biological species

animals which are better able to reach maturity and propagate

an: ..."extensive explanation developed from well-documented, reproducible sets of experimentally-derived data from repeated observations of natural processes."

Charles Darwin, the person who founded the theory of evolution in the mid 19th century, believed that humans are not the descendents of apes. Rather, apes and humans had a common ancestor.

Darwinism is not the theory of evolution

In reality, the discovery of genes and DNA as well as over a century of work by biologists, palentologists, and others have extensively modified his original teachings.

The diversity of life on earth is the outcome of evolution

Evolution of species has no specific goal

Evolution is largely guided by environmental factors

the processes of science are characterized by asking questions, proposing hypotheses, and designing empirical models and conceptual frameworks for research

The scientific method is self-correcting

Scientists' understanding of evolution and its processes change as new evidence become available

Essentially every modern biologist accepts that evolution happened; the fact of evolution is not widely debated

scientists do debate the "patterns, mechanisms and pace" of the evolutionary processes

new concepts for useful research

Since the existence of gods, goddesses and pantheons of deities can neither be proven nor disproved, and cannot be detected or measured, the scientific method has nothing to say on their existence

Non-scientific beliefs should not be taught in the science classroom

Humanists have successfully developed moral and ethical systems which are independent of divine revelation

Systems of morality and ethics can be developed through mutual agreement much like we develop laws and social customs

based upon common needs that humans have for survival, security, personal growth and love

Humans are social animals who can make the greatest achievements through mutual cooperation

reasonable

effective

lead to self esteem

consistent with one's natural feelings of caring, compassion and sympathy

do not lead to condemnation or rejection

accepted

a belief in the scientific method as the best way to determine truth

philosophical and educational in nature