Aton/Aten belief system has banned everything connected to myths, magic, and witchcraft. 'All the formulas, and gadgets related to magic were burned. Jinns, satans, monsters, spirits, demi-gods, demons, even Osiris was burned to ashes.' Akh-en-aton accepted the energy of the sunlight as the source of life on earth, and worshipped this energy as a symbol of his god's power. He boasted his happiness caused by the 'creation', and his Ma'at (honest and just) life. Despite all the richness and extravagance that could be seen in the art of the Amarna period there was no other representation or a personal image of the Sun-God Aten/Aton. Because Akh-en-aton did not allow the making of the idols or images of the Sun-God. The king said that the real god has no form, and kept his position until the end of his life. A last point: There was an absolute silence about Osiris and the kingdom of the dead.
Despite the fact that Akh-en-aton has banned all the other gods and insisted on his Sun-god as the sole god to be worshipped, (in other words he was really a monotheist), he was accused first with anti-theism then with atheism. Egyptian pharaoh Akh-en-aton is the first registered atheist in the history of mankind. Although Akh-en-aton has worshipped the sole god, the Sun-god Aten/Aton, he was accused by his son in law Tut-ankh-aton- who replaced him - with atheism, because he has rejected the official gods. Tut-ankh-aton's name was changed to Tut-ankh-amen as the belief system of Aton was abandoned following the death of Akh-en-aton. Here is a hymn which expresses the basics of the Aton/Aten cult:
- "..How manifold it is, what you have made!...
- O sole god, like whom there is no other!
- You created the world according to your desire,
- While you were alone;
- All men, cattle and wild beasts,
- Whatever is on earth, going on its feet,
- And whatever is on high flying with its wings
- The countries of Syria and Nubia, the land of Egypt,
- You settled every man in his place,
- You supplied their necessities,
- Everyone has his food, and his time of life is reckoned.
- Their tongues are separate in speech,
- And their natures as well;
- Their Skins are distinguished,
- As you distinguished the foreign peoples...
- ...there is none other that knows you,
- Save your son Nefer-kheperu-Re Wa-en-Re,
- For you have made him well versed in your plans and in your strength."
(Believers of believes system today may find some of the exact attributes of their god in this hymn). But, Aten cult/belief system did not enjoy popularity, and most probably was limited to the close circle around the pharaoh. A period of anarchy followed until the year 1350 B.C. when general Haremhab/Horemheb reestablished the order. In this interim period the old belief systems were reintroduced, and Aten belief system was abandoned. Akh-en-aton's capital city was demolished and looted and Akh-en-aton was treated like an ordinary criminal, omitted from the king lists, and became 'that criminal Akh-en-aton.'
Since Akh-en-aton all those who have rejected or opposed the official gods in Egypt, Greece or Rome were accused of atheism. Socrates, Anaxagoras, Diagoras, Protagoras and others thinking like them were amongst those who were accused of atheism. The idea of monotheism which had risen with Akh-en-aton had to stay in darkness for a long time. Some scholars find the origin of the sole god, the father god of the codebooks of today believes system, in Egypt, in the Aton belief system. Some western historians maintain that next believes system had got the idea of the sole god from Akh-en-aton.
