[grandpa]

Quote by: Branden I don't believe that there is a necessary connection between the two. Of course it is true that some atheists will be anarchists, vice versa, and that some will have similar views; however, I believe that would be true of nearly any two systems of ideas (that aren't overtly contradictory).

It is true that there is no absolute link between the two. In fact, Rudolf Rocker noted that "atheism...need by no means be associated with libertarian ideas. It has a libertarianm influence only when it recognizes the inner connection between religion and politics in their utmost profundity, and finds for the possessors of temporal power no greater justification than for the authority of God."

However, as the Anarchist FAQ explains:

...why do so many anarchists embrace atheism? The simplest answer is that most anarchists are atheists because it is a logical extension of anarchist ideas. If anarchism is the rejection of illegitimate authorities, then it follows that it is the rejection of the so-called Ultimate Authority, God. Anarchism is grounded in reason, logic, and scientific thinking, not religious thinking. Anarchists tend to be sceptics, and not believers. Most anarchists consider the Church to be steeped in hypocrisy and the Bible a work of fiction, riddled with contradictions, absurdities and horrors. It is notorious in its debasement of women and its sexism is infamous. Yet men are treated little better. Nowhere in the bible is there an acknowledgement that human beings have inherent rights to life, liberty, happiness, dignity, fairness, or self-government. In the bible, humans are sinners, worms, and slaves (figuratively and literally, as it condones slavery). God has all the rights, humanity is nothing.

Infoshop.org - An Anarchist FAQ - A.2 What does anarchism stand for?

I think a little bit about me might help the discussion:
With some things I am relatively closed-minded, and religion is one of them. And, honestly, I'm getting increasingly close-minded regarding authoritarian ideals. I have had contact with other philosophies and all fall short of basic libertarian principles. It would be wonderful if authoritarianism ended up working, IF we could bring back everyone and everything it has ruthelessly destroyed. You see, because I realize that's not likely to happen, I don't place faith in the miracles commonly promised by authority, nor do I wish to see any class of rulers. That's why, as far as I'm concerned, atheism and anarchism are nearly synonymous with each other.

To quote Rocker again:

Once the victor has tasted the sweets of power and learned to value the economic advantages which it gives, he is easily intoxicated by his practice of power. Every success spurs him on to new adventures, for it is in the nature of all power that its possessors constantly strive to widen the sphere of their influence and to impose their yoke on weaker peoples. Thus gradually a separate class evolved whose occupation was war and rulership over others. But no power can in the long run rely on brute force alone. Brutal force may be the immediate means for the subjugation of men, but alone it is incapable of maintaining the rule of the individual or of a special caste over whole groups of humanity. For that more is needed; the belief of man in the inevitability of such power, the belief in its divinely willed mission. Such a belief is rooted deeply in man's religious feelings and gains power with tradition, for above the traditional hovers the radiance of religious concepts and mystical obligation. This is the reason why the victors frequently imposed their gods upon the vanquished, for they recognised very clearly that a unification of religious rites would further their own power. It usually mattered little to them if the gods of the vanquished continued to be on show so long as this was not dangerous to their leadership, and so long as the old gods were assigned a role subordinate to that of the new ones. But this could only happen when their priests favoured the rulership of the victors or themselves participated in the drive for political power, as often happened. Thus it is easy to prove the political influence on the later religious forms of the Babylonians, Chaldeans, Egyptians, Persians, Hindus, and many others. And just as easily can the famous monotheism of the Jews be traced to the struggle for the political unification of the arising monarchy. Religion and Politics

Grandpa h.