Do atheists have to believe in evolution and science in general?

You're right, there's nothing you can say about an atheist for sure, other than he or she lacks a belief in deity. That's all the word "atheism" means.

As for why a number of atheists (myself included) seem to be so big into science, I think anybody who takes the subject of religion seriously is somebody who wants to learn about world they see around themselves. Science gives answers. Though I personally don't think it's the one and only way to get answers. For example, I don't consult the scientific method on every little thing I do.

I certainly wouldn't say atheism is inseparable from science, since there are plenty of credible scientists out there who aren't atheists. They simply know how to separate the religion and philosophies in their personal life from their work. Obviously not all Christians are Biblical literalists.

I don't think that to be an atheist yo have to believe in evolution. I think you just have to believe that God does not exist.

Theoretically, a person can exclude God as an answer to "How did we get here?" and NOT need to answer with "evolution". A "possible" answer is that our universe is inside some higher life form's science project. (like an ant farm) Maybe there's an 8th grader out there with a name we couldn't begin to pronounce who set up our laws of physics, gravity, etc. Maybe it's not even a good enough project to finish in the top three at his school. Maybe he's in remedial science class. But to be an atheist, I just think you have to believe that he's not a God.

Atheists can do what they like. They/we don't HAVE to do anything. But there's a high chance that they've rejected religion because it simply isn't supported by the same kinds of evidence that arise from science. In case you haven't noticed, the VAST majority of theists accept most of what science has demonstrated to be true - they only hold out against the things that challenge their faith - so atheists are only a LITTLE bit more in favour of computer-using, cellphone-owning, medicine-needing theists. Science delivers.

You re a bit confused here, I think.

Atheism is a lack of belief in god or gods, that simply says what we don t believe.

And, strictly speaking, the word "atheist" can apply to everyone from Ayn Rand to Richard Dawkins to Raeliens to Buddhists to Scientologists to people who think Religion is a plot by the reptilian overlords to commies to people who are unaware of religion at all to rocks.

And THAT, my freind, is the thing; how can all those people believe the same thing? They don t. Because the word only tells you what we DON T believe, and even there is a little vague. That s why we have The Dawkins Scale.

Having said that, a lot of atheists believe in Science, Logic and reason. Evolution is a field of science. And, since you can t prove a negative, it is not Theist s job to disprove Evolution and it s not our job to disprove gods. It s our respective jobs to prove the thing we believe, not disprove the thing we deny. Much easier that way, assuming the thing you believe in does indeed exist.

Atheism is no inseparable from science,but without religion science offers the only explanation for the universe.

Atheists don't 'have' to do anything. We just have the non-belief in gods in common.

This atheist prefers science. But not all do. And she knows many religious scientists.

We don't need to justify anything to anyone, if we choose to look at science then thats our perogative.

Why do religious people refer to a book for guidance?

Well there are questions that everyone asks. But without "God did it" to answer most of an atheists hard questions, they search to more logical solutions.

In general my experience with most atheists, they are as inumerant and as distant from the sciences as most other American are.

HTH

Charles

Is atheism inseparable from science?

- It's COMPATIBLE w/ science.