The Roots and History of Atheism Quiz

Answer: Atheos

The word 'atheism' originates from the Greek word Atheos. Atheos means 'without gods'.

Answer: 528 BC

Gautama Buddha was once known as the Prince Siddhartha. He was banned from going out of the palace by his father, so he never knew anything about the world outside. However one day, when his father was out, he summoned his charioteer and rode into the world where he saw four different sights-an old man, a sick man, a corpse and an ascetic.

Then, he vowed to live as an ascetic, so as to escape disease, old age and death. He sat under a Bodhi (pipal) tree for 49 days, meditating, and then attained Enlightenment. From then on, he became known as Gautama Buddha.

Answer: Nalanda

Nalanda University was one of the most famous universities of the time. Students use to come from all over the world to learn. Carvaka school was founded by Carvaka, author of the Barhaspatya sutras. Mimamsa school had its foundation based on the writings of Jaimini. Samkhya school had its principal text written by Ishvara Krishna.

These three schools were completely atheistic in nature and belief, not in God, but in the dual existence of nature and spirit.

Answer: Diagoras

Diagoras was born in the 5th Century BC in Melos. He criticized religion and the Eleusinian Mysteries, which were based on religion. He was then forced to flee from Athens, and ultimately died in Corinth. The Eleusinian mysteries were held every year in Eleusis, ancient Greece, for the worshipers of Demeter.

Answer: 865 AD

Abu Bakr (also know as Rasia) often criticized religion harshly. In his work, 'The Prophets' Fraudulent Tricks', he stated 'On what ground do you deem it necessary that God should single out certain individuals [by giving them prophecy], that he should set them up above other people, that he should appoint them to be the people's guides, and make people dependent upon them?'.
He often considered Prophets devious and tortuous, who had psychological problems. He went as far as commenting on the Koran, the Muslim's holy book, by saying 'You claim that the evidentiary miracle is present and available, namely, the Koran. You say: "Whoever denies it, let him produce a similar one." Indeed, we shall produce a thousand similar, from the works of rhetoricians, eloquent speakers and valiant poets, which are more appropriately phrased and state the issues more succinctly. They convey the meaning better and their rhymed prose is in better meter. ... By God what you say astonishes us! You are talking about a work which recounts ancient myths, and which at the same time is full of contradictions and does not contain any useful information or explanation. Then you say: "Produce something like it"?!'.
(These quotes are taken from 'http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_ibn_Zakariya_al-Razi#On_Religion')

Answer: Hrafnkell

Hrafnkell was a famous Icelandic chieftain. The medieval Icelandic tale, Hrafnkell's Saga, says how Hrafnkell became an atheist, after his being captured by Þorgeirr, a powerful chieftain. As his temple burned, he stated 'I think it is folly to have faith in the Gods'.

Answer: France

Atheism is derived from the word 'athéisme' which originated in France in the 16th Century. It is a belief that God does not exist.

Answer: EV Ramaswamy Naicker

EV Ramaswamy fought against the Indian caste system (it was divided into four castes with Brahmins being at the top of the pyramid and Sudras and the bottom), and openly made the Indian god Ram wear a garland of slippers.

Answer: George Smith

An implicit atheist does not have the belief in him that God exists, but is not conscious of it, whereas an explicit atheist consciously defies theistic beliefs.

Answer: De facto atheist

Dawkins quashed claims that he was an explicit atheist by pronouncing himself a de facto atheist. He defies any belief that God exists but does not consider himself an explicit atheist, but rather in between explicit and implicit atheism. He is the author of 'The God Delusion', 'The Selfish Gene', 'Climbing Mount Improbable', and 'The Blind Watchmaker' among others.