The absence of belief in or denial of the existence of God or gods. Atheism ranges from simple lack of belief to active assertion that deities do not exist.
From Greek 'a-' (without) + 'theos' (god) + '-ism' (doctrine). Originally used as an accusation against early Christians by Romans who saw them as rejecting traditional gods, the term evolved to describe non-belief in any deities.
Ironically, early Christians were called 'atheists' by Romans because they rejected the traditional pantheon! The term has been both accusation and identity throughout history, from ancient philosophers like Democritus to modern thinkers who see science as replacing supernatural explanations.
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