Who We Are

We are an independent community of over 37,000 Atheists, Agnostics, Skeptics, Freethinkers, Secular Humanists and Non-Religious people who participate on kiva.org, the world leader in crowdsourced and peer-to-peer microfinance.

Atheist

An Atheist is a person who does not believe in gods or supernatural beings.

Atheism is not a belief system or a religion.  “Atheists come in a variety of shapes, colors, beliefs, convictions, and backgrounds.  We are as unique as our fingerprints.”

Atheists do, of course, have many beliefs.  As Kiva Atheists we believe that microfinance is one way to help alleviate world poverty.

Notable Atheists

Ayaan Hirsi Ali (Somali-born activist, writer and politician)

Sigmund Freud
(Austrian Neurologist, Founding Father of Psychoanalysis)

Peter Singer (Australian moral philosopher, author, professor)

Agnostic

An Agnostic is a person who asserts that the existence or non-existence of any gods, as well as other religious and metaphysical claims, is unknown or unknowable.

Agnosticism is about knowledge rather than belief.  It is possible for both atheists and theists to be agnostic.

Notable Agnostics

Thomas Huxley
(English Author and Biologist)

Warren Buffet
(American businessman, investor, philanthropist)

Albert Einstein
German-born Theoretical Physicist and Philosopher of Science.

Skeptic

A Skeptic is a person inclined to question or doubt accepted knowledge, facts or opinions.

Skepticism is the process of applying critical thinking and the scientific method to determine validity.

Notable Skeptics

Sam Harris (American neuroscientist, philosopher, author)

Michael Shermer (American science writer, historian, editor)

Harry Houdini (Hungarian-American stunt performer, magician)

Freethinker

A Freethinker is a person who forms opinions on the basis of reason, science and logic, independently of tradition, authority or established belief.

Freethinkers include atheists, agnostics and secular humanists.

Notable Freethinkers

Thomas Jefferson (American revolutionary leader, scientist, skeptic, political philosopher, and third president of the United States.)

Voltaire
(French Enlightenment writer, historian and philosopher)

Isaac Asimov (Russian-American scientist, writer, historian)

Secular Humanist

A Secular Humanist is a person who follows a progressive philosophy of life that, without supernaturalism, affirms an individual’s ability and responsibility to lead a meaningful, ethical life of personal fulfillment that aspires to the greater good of humanity.

Notable Secular Humanists

Paul Kurtz (American professor, writer, publisher)

Gloria Steinem (American feminist, journalist, and social and political activist)

Steven Pinker (Canadian-born U.S. experimental psychologist, cognitive scientist, linguist, and popular science author)

Non-Religious People

A Non-Religious is a person who lives life in the absence of religion or with an indifference towards religion, a rejection of religion, or hostility towards religion.

Notable Non-Religious People

Charles Darwin (English naturalist and geologist)

Benjamin Franklin (American statesman, scientist, writer, printer)

Steven Hawking (English author, professor, physicist)

Sources and Additional Information:

American Atheists
Freedom From Religion Foundation
American Humanist Association
http://www.atheists.org/activism/resources/what-is-atheism
http://atheism.about.com/od/aboutatheism/a/BeginnersBasics.htm
http://www.superscholar.org/features/influential-atheists/
http://atheistempire.com
http://brainz.org/50-most-brilliant-atheists-all-time/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_agnostics
http://atheism.about.com/od/aboutagnosticism/a/what.htm
http://atheism.about.com/od/aboutagnosticism/a/Agnosticism-Beginners-Basic-Facts.htm
http://projectinterfaith.org/page/agnostic
https://humanism.org.uk/
http://ffrf.org/component/k2/item/18391-what-is-a-freethinker
http://skeptoid.com/skeptic.php
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-shermer/what-is-skepticism-anyway_b_2581917.html
http://www.jmarkgilbert.com/atheists.html
http://www.nobeliefs.com/freethinkers.htm
http://www.pluralism.org/resources/tradition/atheism.php
https://humanism.org.uk/humanism/humanism-today/non-religious-beliefs/

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