Nonbeliever
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A nonbeliever is a person who lacks a belief in a certain claim. Nonbelievers say that opinions should be formed on the basis of science, logic, and reason, and should not be influenced by authority, tradition, or other dogmas. Nonbelievers tend to have logic-seeking personalities and are unable to believe in anything that is not supported by evidence. Nonbelievers may question religious doctrine, but are not necessarily antireligious.
Socrates was one of the first nonbelievers of whom there are records; he questioned the legitimacy of the beliefs of his time in the existence of the various gods.
Non-believers are often unable to believe in anything that is not supported by evidence. Although they may question religious doctrine, it does not mean they are necessarily antireligious or opposed to religion. However, believers and non-believers may use logic, which can bring power and value to both believers and nonbelievers. It is power to a believer because what a believer believes makes sense for them, and it is what they practice.
Secularity is increasing while Americans are falling out of belief. There are several reasons for rejection of faith in the younger than the older groups of nonbelievers. The younger ones want to try a different form of belief from which they grew up in or maybe they are just searching for romance rather than god. Whereas older people may also want to venture into a different belief because they are not comfortable in the religion they are currently in.[1]
Religion contains many elements that complicate decision-making. Austin Cline’s article “Why Not Believe? Reasons Why Atheists Don’t Believe in Gods” shows how a lack of faith can stem from the question of why god allows pain and suffering to exist.
Types of nonbelievers
According to Zuckerman in "The Religious Identification Survey" (2008), "10% of Americans are atheists and 8% are Agnostic. Also, 15% of Americans now claim no religion at all. Parade magazine reports that 20 percent do not practice any religion and 22% didn't have any religion in their lives." Robert Putnam describes three kind of nonbelievers (the growth of religiously unaffiliated Americans): atheists, agonistics, and liminals. An atheist is a person who has no belief in god or gods, an agonistic is a person who believes that no God or Gods exist, and a liminal is a person betwixt and between religious beliefs (with the word meaning one foot in and one foot out in Latin).
Matt Slick mentions strong, weak, and militant atheists. Strong atheists truly believe that in their eyes God does not exist. The weaker atheist believes there might be a God. While the militant atheists are little in number, their comments are often aggressive and insulting.
Agonistic people claim neither faith nor disbelief in God. They believe there is nothing known or can be known of the existence of God or anything beyond material. They are not atheist, but have little difference in viewpoints claiming the existence or nonexistence of God. It is not a full religion like Judaism, Christianity, or Islam. Most agnostics say that scientists have tried for many millennia to prove God’s existence. In the article, "Agnostic Manifested!" Thomas Huxley states, "Agnosticism does not contend there are no certainties. It simply resists unwarranted, untested, or untestable certainty. Since before quantum physics uncertainty was the groundwork of being. They show respect and celebrate uncertainty. Most of all they don’t fear uncertainty."[2]