Often there is great misunderstanding about what the term Atheist and other related terms actually mean. Just like the term Christian, Atheist can be divided into many subcategories. We will try to clarify the various categories to improve understanding of what they truly mean.

        Freethinker is a good catch-all word that refers to all people who reject religious teachings. Freethinkers seek truth on their own, and will look at all claims of divinity with a critical eye. They are also called Skeptics. In the past, theistic religions used the terms Infidel and Heretic as derogatory terms to describe non-believers, but the freethinking community has taken these words for their own, and many are now proud to wear those labels along with Freethinker and Skeptic. The three main categories of Freethinkers are Deists, Agnostics, and Atheists.

       A Deist is a person who rejects religious teachings, but who nevertheless believes in some sort of god or superhuman explanation for the world. A few Deists believe in an “interactive” god who can intervene directly in the world, but most don’t. Most Deists are also Naturalists, i.e. they believe in natural explanations instead of the supernatural for the occurrences in the world. One subset of Deism is Pantheism, which states that all of the universe is god, or the direct expression of god’s intent.

       The term Agnostic refers to those who don’t know if there is or isn’t a god. There are two main types of Agnostics, Weak Agnostics and Strong Agnostics. A Weak Agnostic would say that they don’t know if god exists or not. A Strong Agnostic would say that they can’t know if god exists or not. There is a third, somewhat tongue-in-cheek group that calls themselves the Apathetic Agnostics. Not only don’t they know if god actually exists, they don’t really care if he exists or not. If you want to get really technical, “Agnostic/Gnostic” refers to knowledge, while “Atheist/Theist” refers to belief, so they aren’t technically exclusive. But we’ll go with the more common usages.

        Atheists come in two main flavors as well: Weak Atheists who don’t have a belief in a god, and Strong (or Positive) Atheists who believe there are definitely no gods. It’s a little more subtle than the split for Agnostics. Atheists sometimes recognize a third group as well, Apatheists (apathetic Atheists), who don’t believe in god but don’t really care about the whole issue. Beyond these classifications, Atheists (and sometimes Agnostics and Deists) have several significant subsets of beliefs and outlooks on life. A Humanist is one who believes in the positive power of Humanity to do good in the world. A Rationalist believes in the use of reason to solve problems. A Naturalist (or Materialist) rejects all supernatural claims for the actions of the universe. The Nihilist minority believes that all life is pointless, and that none of it will matter after we are dead. Objectivists, followers of the philosophy of author Ayn Rand, state that truth is objective and not subject to the desires of man, reason is the only way to perceive the world, and each person should act in their own self-interest without infringing on the rights of others.

       There are also several main “religious” groups that have Atheist or other Freethinker members. The Unitarian Universalist Church attracts Deists, Agnostics and Atheists alike, and occasionally even Wiccans or those subscribing to other belief systems. Their services include teachings from Christian, Jewish, and Humanist points of view, and tend to be very general, positive, and welcoming. They are much less dogmatic and more morally true (i.e. based upon sympathy) than traditional churches, but some adherents cling to theistic beliefs. This can cause strife between groups of members. Buddhism also teaches of a world without gods, although its emphasis on transcendence and reincarnation remains supernaturalistic.

       The largest and most organized of the naturalistic groups dedicated to Atheists and/or Agnostics is Secular Humanism, which has basic tenets of belief very similar to those in this book, with only some minor differences. Secular Humanism has a positive, human-oriented world view. It has ministers, called Officiants or Celebrants, who serve in the same capacity as any priest, minister, or rabbi. They officiate at naming ceremonies, weddings, and funerals. Secular Humanism also has a list of 21 affirmations, and a declaration that contains ideals in 10 subject areas to promote. Most of the affirmations and ideals fit well into the Five Tenets of the Good and Moral Atheist, but are considerably more specific. However, there are a few teachings in Secular Humanism which go a bit beyond the basic moralities and teachings of Atheism and Humanism. Their affirmations include statements supporting the arts as much as science, and a commitment to negotiation and compromise. While these last two are noble goals, they also are outside the scope of Atheism or Morality. They run a bit closer to the political doctrine of the Left.

       Although most if not all Secular Humanists would certainly be Good and Moral Atheists, it is not necessary to support the arts, to believe in compromise with other cultures/governments, or to follow Left-leaning politics in order to be a Good and Moral Atheist. One may subscribe to many of the political leanings of the Right (excluding the emphasis on religion, of course), and still be true to Atheism and Humanism. Such a person might not fit in well with the Secular Humanism movement, but they could still be a Good and Moral Atheist. But on a final note about Secular Humanism, we would like to applaud their impressive efforts to create a positive and inclusive alternative to theistic religion, and acknowledge that writing such a book as this one would not be possible without their background. Secular Humanism is, to date, the single best alternative to traditional religion.

       Other groups have followed the lead of the Secular Humanists, while trying to retain the comfortable feel of a traditional religion. There are groups such as Humanistic Judaism (a fairly large following in the United States), Christian Humanism, and there is even a small movement working on Islamic Humanism. Such groups retain their traditional holidays, while giving new, rational explanations of the historical events that brought about those holidays.

       Various “non-religious” Atheist groups exist throughout the world as well. These groups meet for social or educational purposes, but usually don’t have a counterpart to a minister or priest. One of the earliest forms of such groups can be found in the Ethical Societies of the American Ethical Union, founded in 1876. Followers of the philosophy of Ayn Rand meet in Objectivist “salons” in many localities. Many other non-religious groups (along with Secular Humanists) affiliate under such other umbrella organizations as the American Atheists, the Atheist Alliance International, or the International Humanist and Ethical Union. Other groups are organized a little more informally, through the Atheist Meetup group website.

       There are internet forums that serve as online communities for Atheists and other Freethinkers. As of the writing of this book, the largest of these is the Internet Infidels Discussion Forum (www.iidb.org) on the Secular Web, with thousands of regular visitors. And, there is also an internet movement, the Brights, that seeks to influence society in general. One of their goals is to introduce the term “Bright” to describe all strict Naturalists, whether they are Atheist, Agnostic, or even possibly Deist, and to gain recognition as a political constituency. Also, there is a movement at universities in the United States to encourage skeptical inquiry by organizing campus-level student groups such as the Campus Freethought Alliance (started in 1996) and the Secular Student Alliance (since 2000).

       Information about contacting the above-mentioned groups and many other groups and sites of interest to Atheists can be found in the Book of Resources, in the Testament of Life. There, we provide websites, addresses, and descriptions of each group.

       Finally, we will categorize the philosophy of this book. The Bible of the Good and Moral Atheist espouses a Humanist, Naturalist, Rationalist point of view. We recognize the strength of the framework of religion, and seek to use it to promote a positive and moral future based upon understanding and rationalism. We understand that Rationalists need not be confined to one particular part of the political spectrum. We are tolerant and accepting of those who cling to the beliefs of traditional religions, and we will gladly work with them toward a moral society and the betterment of humanity. However, we seek to enlighten those who are searching for true answers. This book is not associated with any particular Atheist creed or organization or political viewpoint. Its goal is to give the reader a guide to a more personal form of Atheism, resources for finding the Atheistic viewpoint and structure that best suits them (and for finding groups of like-minded thinkers), and to assist in understanding and coping with life in the absence of a belief in a god. Those who subscribe to the philosophy of The Bible of the Good and Moral Atheist will loosen the shackles of supernatural belief, while strengthening their own morality and virtuousness.