The religion of Christianity and the belief of atheism are two of the most prevalent belief sets in the world, and yet the two beliefs are almost completely incompatible. Although there are many fundamental differences between the beliefs of Christianity and Atheism, there are a few subtle similarities.

Christianity is a monotheistic religion, meaning that it believes in one God. Christianity believes that God is all powerful and created the universe. Christianity differs from many other monotheistic religions in that it believes in a “personal God,” one who can and does take part in relationships with humans. The Christian faith revolves around the belief in God’s son Jesus. In Christianity Jesus is said to have been born as a human on earth, and to have led a perfect life, teaching about God. He then was executed by the Jewish leaders for blasphemy. Christians believe that Jesus’s death paid for the wrong doings of the world and opened up heaven to mankind. Jesus was then said to have come back to life, and to have returned to heaven.

Contrary to Christianity, Atheism is the belief that there is no God or gods. Although there is no specific set of beliefs shared by all Atheists, many Atheists have similar beliefs concerning religion and the universe. A large majority of Atheists use science to explain the universe, and many think that religion is harmful to society. Their arguments for this include the idea that religion prevents people from spending their life wisely, and that religion is unscientific and irrational. These atheists often point out that religious wars and persecution have been the cause of much human suffering.

The huge differences in the beliefs about God in atheism and Christianity carry over into their beliefs about the purpose of life. Christians believe that your life on earth determines where you go when you die, and that through faith in Jesus, and in some branches of Christianity good works, entry into heaven can be obtained. Atheists do not believe in a higher purpose or an afterlife, and this affects their beliefs about how life should be spent. Typically, atheists believe that people should lead an ethical life, and that through science people can solve the world’s problems. Despite the obvious differences between the two, there are some similarities. Atheism and Christianity both promote a “moral life,” but what this means differs between the two religions. The biggest similarity is the importance of life on earth in both beliefs. Both atheist’s and Christians believe that your life is hugely important and that it should be spent wisely. Christians believe that this life determines how you spend eternity, and atheists believe that this is the only time you get.

Many people follow the beliefs of atheism or Christianity, yet the two are almost complete opposites. There are colossal differences in their beliefs, and they are mutually exclusive by definition. However, even with these obvious differences, atheism and Christianity share a few important characteristics, allowing them to coexist.