Apostasy
From Wikinfo
[[es:Apostas�a]]
Apostasy (Greek απο, apo, "away, apart", στασις, stasis, "standing") is the renunciation of one's religion. It is customarily considered a vice, a corruption of the virtue of piety in the sense that when piety fails, apostasy is the result. However, most converts to a new religion can also be considered apostates from a previous belief. The word is also used to refer to renunciation of belief in a cause other than religion.
One who is guilty of apostasy is an apostate, or one who apostatises. In Islam, along with certain other faiths, the punishment for apostasy is death.
Atheists and agnostics use the term deconversion to describe loss of faith in religion. Freethinkers do not see it as a loss. They see it as gaining rationality and respect for the scientific method. Anecdotal evidence suggests that losing faith can be a psychologically difficult experience. There is empirical evidence that people who have strong religious faith and regular attend church services are happier than people who do not.
See also:
References
- Adapted from the Wikipedia article, "Apostasy" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostasy, used under the GNU Free Documentation License
