Atheism (Greek, atheos, "without God") is a word that was originally used in Greece of those who, even though they believed in the God of heaven, did not believe in the gods of the Greek and Roman state. Socrates was executed for atheism because he sought to expose the evil of these demonic "gods." Justin Martyr wrote, "Thus we are called atheists. And we admit that in respect of such supposed gods as those we are atheists: but not in regard to the most true God..." (Apologia I, vi). Atheism is the religion that says "no God."

Until the nineteenth century, the word atheist was used of those who thought that the existence of God was an unprovable thesis. Then came the term agnostic, originating with Thomas Huxley (1825-1895). An agnostic claims that the existence of God is unknowable. Madalyn Murray O'Hair, in a debate with James D. Bales said, "An agnostic is an atheist with no guts." Clarence Darrow once said, "I am an agnostic; I do not pretend to know what many ignorant men are sure of."

In recent news, Texas authorities believe that they have found the remains of the famous atheist Madalyn Murray O'Hair, who has been missing since 1995. In September of that year, Ms. O'Hair vanished, along with her son Jon Garth Murray, granddaughter Robin Murray-O'Hair and $629,500 from the treasuries of atheist organizations that she founded. Her reputation grew in the wake of her 1963 Supreme Court case of Murray v. Curlett, which along with two other significant cases, resulted in the high court's decision to prohibit prayer in public schools. Ms. O'Hair was proud to be known as "America's most hated woman." By 1977, however, a diary entry shows a much lonelier view, where she wrote repeatedly, "Somebody, somewhere, love me." The name of the well-known atheist still produces excitement when uninformed people get worked up over false rumors of a supposed FCC petition (RM 2493) limiting or eliminating religious programming. These rumors are revived every few years.

Atheism is a foolish religion. The psalmist wrote, "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God" (Psalm 14:1). The words "There is" are in italics in the KJV meaning they were supplied by the translators. The text actually reads, "The fool hath said in his heart, no God." Why is one who affirms, "There is no God" a fool? There are many reasons. Here I will mention only three:

First, contrary to principles of logic and science, the atheist must believe that "something" (life) came from "nothing" (non-living matter). This is impossible.

Second, atheists believe that the entire universe accidentally began from a submicroscopic particle of matter.

Third, atheists believe that life, human consciousness and moral sensitivity all came from a tiny speck of inorganic self-created matter. Foolish indeed!