Uploaded December 2020 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Atheists claim that atheism is merely a lack of belief. With this move, they try to rid themselves of the responsibility to back up their position with evidence and arguments. What they don’t seem to know, however, is that philosophical scholarship does not agree with their lack-of-belief definition. On the contrary, in this video, I will show that the world’s most authoritative dictionaries and encyclopedias of philosophy define atheism as an actual belief, an actual claim. Not only that but they even actively argue against the notion of atheism as a mere lack of belief. The definition of atheism is a perennial topic in apologetics and debates between atheists and Christians. So, check out this video and find out why atheism really does make a claim!
IMPORTANT EDIT: With the help of my friend Gergely Nagy (a Ph.D. student in theology), I realized that the Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy does, in fact, include the lack of belief definition, contrary to what I express in the video. I realized that when accessing the Oxford Dictionary online (I have a subscription) the Dictionary does not immediately open up its full definition. The immediate definition given is the one rendered in the video. However, the lack of belief definition is also added and I didn’t take not of that when doing my research. This means that my claim that the Oxford Dictionary of Atheism and the Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy are at odds with each other is wrong. It also means that Oxford scholarship and the two dictionaries mentioned do endorse the lack of belief definition. I sincerely apologize for this mischaracterization and thank Gergely for helping me put the record straight.
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SLAVERY in the BIBLE: THIS is what you NEED to KNOW – Interview with PAUL COPAN: youtu.be/-CIeBCv_h2A
Why ATHEISM Really IS a BELIEF (and the LOGICAL Problems of Saying it’s NOT)!: youtu.be/730ZdM-k1vk
Atheism is NOT a LACK of Belief in 40 Dictionaries! SORRY, Atheists!: youtu.be/yOL8X8sixlA
My interview with PAUL COPAN on the WEIRDNESS of the OLD TESTAMENT: youtu.be/bk27AO9lryU
My Interview with WILLIAM LANE CRAIG on CHRISTIAN EXCLUSIVISM: youtu.be/7wGswSbXYmk
RELIGIOUS Beliefs are NOTHING BUT the Result of EVOLUTION!: youtu.be/ulM-rNj6wuI
@Rationality Rules is WRONG About MATH and GOD: youtu.be/dC7UAMwLfqE
On the Crusades, Corruption in the Church and other Religious Evils - youtu.be/5TAYu8RM1jM
Belief in God is just a Psychological Crutch - DEBUNKED: youtu.be/9sfhMGwOl1k
Rationality Rules and the Great Cost of the Kalam - DEBUNKED: youtu.be/TeWCOLbUTVw
The Problem of Evil Assumes God's Existence: youtu.be/nwCtgQ71KV4
Why Evolution Does NOT Support Atheism: youtu.be/-jYFtVIXXhA
Why There is No Meaning in Atheism: youtu.be/IbY8JyhFY0s
What is Deflate: youtu.be/fwkK1C7Cfmw
Atheists claim that atheism is merely a lack of belief. With this move, they try to rid themselves of the responsibility to back up their position with evidence and arguments. What they don’t seem to know, however, is that philosophical scholarship does not agree with their lack-of-belief definition. On the contrary, in this video, I will show that the world’s most authoritative dictionaries and encyclopedias of philosophy define atheism as an actual belief, an actual claim. Not only that but they even actively argue against the notion of atheism as a mere lack of belief. The definition of atheism is a perennial topic in apologetics and debates between atheists and Christians. So, check out this video and find out why atheism really does make a claim!
IMPORTANT EDIT: With the help of my friend Gergely Nagy (a Ph.D. student in theology), I realized that the Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy does, in fact, include the lack of belief definition, contrary to what I express in the video. I realized that when accessing the Oxford Dictionary online (I have a subscription) the Dictionary does not immediately open up its full definition. The immediate definition given is the one rendered in the video. However, the lack of belief definition is also added and I didn’t take not of that when doing my research. This means that my claim that the Oxford Dictionary of Atheism and the Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy are at odds with each other is wrong. It also means that Oxford scholarship and the two dictionaries mentioned do endorse the lack of belief definition. I sincerely apologize for this mischaracterization and thank Gergely for helping me put the record straight.
---- YOU MIGHT ALSO ENJOY ----
SLAVERY in the BIBLE: THIS is what you NEED to KNOW – Interview with PAUL COPAN: youtu.be/-CIeBCv_h2A
Why ATHEISM Really IS a BELIEF (and the LOGICAL Problems of Saying it’s NOT)!: youtu.be/730ZdM-k1vk
Atheism is NOT a LACK of Belief in 40 Dictionaries! SORRY, Atheists!: youtu.be/yOL8X8sixlA
My interview with PAUL COPAN on the WEIRDNESS of the OLD TESTAMENT: youtu.be/bk27AO9lryU
My Interview with WILLIAM LANE CRAIG on CHRISTIAN EXCLUSIVISM: youtu.be/7wGswSbXYmk
RELIGIOUS Beliefs are NOTHING BUT the Result of EVOLUTION!: youtu.be/ulM-rNj6wuI
@Rationality Rules is WRONG About MATH and GOD: youtu.be/dC7UAMwLfqE
On the Crusades, Corruption in the Church and other Religious Evils - youtu.be/5TAYu8RM1jM
Belief in God is just a Psychological Crutch - DEBUNKED: youtu.be/9sfhMGwOl1k
Rationality Rules and the Great Cost of the Kalam - DEBUNKED: youtu.be/TeWCOLbUTVw
The Problem of Evil Assumes God's Existence: youtu.be/nwCtgQ71KV4
Why Evolution Does NOT Support Atheism: youtu.be/-jYFtVIXXhA
Why There is No Meaning in Atheism: youtu.be/IbY8JyhFY0s
What is Deflate: youtu.be/fwkK1C7Cfmw
