Atheism

History of Atheism

Most Atheists attribute their history to the Greek and Roman philosophers Epicurus, Democritus, and Lucretius. These philosophers are considered the first Atheist writers, even though they did not state that gods did not exist, but simply said that gods were not involved in the life of humans. During the 18th and 19th centuries, philosophers like Thomas Hobbes started doubting the literal value of religious books. Ludwig Feuerbach believed that God was invented by humans. In the late 19th century, Atheism experienced a rise in popularity because of the spread of Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution and other scientific advancements that questioned religion. Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche declared that God was killed by humanity and so people could not believe in God. Writers, like George Eliot, joined in saying that the Bible contained too much hostility. The 19th century brought the rise of the secularist movement, which was against the involvement of the Church in state affairs. In the meantime believers of Atheism were being imprisoned.