Nine Types of Atheism

by Perry Hall

1. Emotional Atheism: Many have experienced personal harm in their lives. They are dealing with the “problem of evil”, not from a philosophical perspective, but from daily pain. For example, the loss of a child, parent, or spouse.
2. Hypocritical Religious Atheism: This paradox in terminology comes from their experience of judgmentalism within churches. For example, “If that is what God does to you, I don’t want anything to do with your God.” Also, this often leads to changing God: “That might be the way your God is, but my God is not like that!”
3. Intellectual Scientific Atheism: This approach stems from one steeped in evolutionary Darwinism and related ideas. They might say, “The Bible and Science disagree with one another, and we know science is fact.” (I heard this doing campus evangelism).
4. Intellectual Philosophical Atheism: This comes from studying Philosophy, usually at college. Universities often require a “Humanities” class, and one choice is “Philosophy 101”. Many professors are atheists, and they will try to influence their children. My mother would not have claimed to be “smart”, but she what she lacked in higher education she made up for in common sense and wisdom. Intelligence is more than a college degree. My mother commented on a preacher who became an atheist (and later became a believer again): “He studied himself right out of the Bible.” This approach comes from one educated in philosophy. A philosophical approach will include debunking the classical arguments for the existence of God and the “Problem of Evil,” or identifying flaws in the classical arguments for God's existence, such as the Cosmological or Teleological Arguments.
5. Passive Religious Atheism: Families and churches cannot remain passive in biblically responding to current cultural trends. If people hear issues discussed outside the church but are not equipped by the church and their families, this can lead to falling away. Having said that, parents cannot rely upon the church to do all the teaching. Most religious teaching must take place in the home. This is another reason why it is important who we marry. We are marrying someone who will be raising our children!
6. Cultural Atheism: With a world turning more and more to a different moral system (i.e., immoral or amoral), people (mostly young people) are thinking, “If I have to believe that gay marriage, transgender living, and such are oppositional to biblical morals, then I choose not to believe in such an intolerant God.” This leads to not believing God exists or not believing the God that exists.
7. Mob Mentality Atheism: Some just go along to get along, following what is current, popular, and gets them accepted. Teens might be more affected by this than by most of the other possible reasons. Peer pressure is powerful and can be both negative and positive. Some parents think they have to go to churches with children of their own children's age. Surrounding ourselves and our children with the right people is no guarantee either. Consider Judas.
8. Anthropocentric Atheism: Look at the accomplishments of “Man.” Pride in mankind can lead to the question, “If we can do anything, what do we need God for?”
9. Practical Atheism: These people still believe in God, but their lives are lived without thought towards serving God in humility. This can have a profound negative effect on others, especially children.