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Atheism is NOT a religion
Topic Started: Dec 19 2005, 12:12 AM (1,155 Views)
Glitch
Blasphemer
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Atheism is not a religion. This guy can explain it much better than I can:

http://www.abarnett.demon.co.uk/atheism/atheismreligion.html
(check out some of the other articles on there if you have time, they're all very interesting)

To sum up his arguments:

  • Atheism is the lack of religion. If you believe in any religion then you cannot be considered an Atheist. Therefore, Atheism cannot possibly be a religion.
  • Atheists do not simply choose to believe that a God does not exist, we know that a God does not exist. This is for the same reasons that you cannot have a square circle. Religion requires belief and faith, and Atheism requires no faith.
  • For example: if someone asks you whether you believe that unicorns exist, do you say that you believe that unicorns don't exist, or you don't think that unicorns exist? They're two different answers. If you say that you believe that unicorns don't exist, does that mean you're a member of the no-unicorn religion? Is it a matter of faith that unicorns don't exist?
  • Another example: If you don't believe in the Hindu god Ganesh, does that mean that you're part of the non-Ganesh religion? Shall I come with you to your non-Ganesh church services tomorrow?
  • If my denial of your religion is a religion, then your denial of all other religions is a religion as well. Then, along with being a member of Christianity, you are also a member of the non-Islam, non-Hindu, non-Buddhist, non-Shinto, non-Jewish, non-Chinese Traditional, etc faiths.
Atheism is not a religion, it is the lack of religion! Atheism can no more be considered a religion than unemployment can be considered a job.
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jelly belly
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The SZ asshole
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who said it was a religion?
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Juano
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Juano
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n.ick
Dec 18 2005, 09:17 PM
who said it was a religion?

I have to agree.

If you believe in nothing, then you have no religion. Having basic beliefs isn't a religion.

So yeah, 100% agreed.
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Curare
laaaaaaax.
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This would be true, if every religion was centered around a god. But they all aren't. Atheism is NOT the lack of religion. It is the lack of belief in a god.

Atheism requires as much faith as any religion. You have to have faith in your belief that there is no god, and that what you believe is true.

Quote:
 
If my denial of your religion is a religion, then your denial of all other religions is a religion as well. Then, along with being a member of Christianity, you are also a member of the non-Islam, non-Hindu, non-Buddhist, non-Shinto, non-Jewish, non-Chinese Traditional, etc faiths.


Obviously, you think that is ridiculous, but that's exactly how it works. If you believe in one thing, you don't believe in another. Therefore, you believe that you don't believe, so you do believe in that lack of belief. In short, you believe in something. lol.

A lack of belief of a religion is believing that the religion is either wrong, or just doesn't exist. Faith is required in that belief. Therefore, you can say atheism is a religion.
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Locke
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ForceEight
Dec 18 2005, 10:31 PM
This would be true, if every religion was centered around a god. But they all aren't. Atheism is NOT the lack of religion. It is the lack of belief in a god.

Atheism requires as much faith as any religion. You have to have faith in your belief that there is no god, and that what you believe is true.

Quote:
 
If my denial of your religion is a religion, then your denial of all other religions is a religion as well. Then, along with being a member of Christianity, you are also a member of the non-Islam, non-Hindu, non-Buddhist, non-Shinto, non-Jewish, non-Chinese Traditional, etc faiths.


Obviously, you think that is ridiculous, but that's exactly how it works. If you believe in one thing, you don't believe in another. Therefore, you believe that you don't believe, so you do believe in that lack of belief. In short, you believe in something. lol.

A lack of belief of a religion is believing that the religion is either wrong, or just doesn't exist. Faith is required in that belief. Therefore, you can say atheism is a religion.

I think you can only call it a religion if you use one of the less popular definitions of the word.

1. Belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe.
2. A personal or institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship.
2. The life or condition of a person in a religious order.
3. A set of beliefs, values, and practices based on the teachings of a spiritual leader.
4. A cause, principle, or activity pursued with zeal or conscientious devotion.

Because any other definition of the word implies a spiritual belief, which is exactly the convictions which athiests deny.

Therefore, in most circumstances, I would agree that atheism is not a religion, but rather a philosophy.
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jelly belly
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lets see the exact meaning of religion...
Quote:
 
re·li·gion  Audio pronunciation of "religion" ( P )  Pronunciation Key  (r-ljn)
n.

  1.
        1. Belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe.
        2. A personal or institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship.
  2. The life or condition of a person in a religious order.
  3. A set of beliefs, values, and practices based on the teachings of a spiritual leader.

So its safe to say that you have some sort of spiritual leader in order to be religious, correct?
Atheism is the disbeleif of a god, spiritual leader, whatever you want to call it, therefore atheism is not a religion in itself, its the lack of one, and thats that.

*edit* well locke totally beat me to it...
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Juano
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n.ick
Dec 18 2005, 09:40 PM
lets see the exact meaning of religion...
Quote:
 
re·li·gion  Audio pronunciation of "religion" ( P )  Pronunciation Key  (r-ljn)
n.

  1.
        1. Belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe.
        2. A personal or institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship.
  2. The life or condition of a person in a religious order.
  3. A set of beliefs, values, and practices based on the teachings of a spiritual leader.
  4. A cause, principle, or activity pursued with zeal or conscientious devotion.

So its safe to say that you have some sort of spiritual leader in order to be religious, correct?
Atheism is the disbeleif of a god, spiritual leader, whatever you want to call it, therefore atheism is not a religion in itself, its the lack of one, and thats that.

*edit* well locke totally beat me to it...

What's odd is that I just thought of, believing in nothing is a belief, so you could classify it as a religion. But I sort of found that ridiculous. So I'm not going to contradict myself, and agree with Locke, XD.
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Maiz
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My friend was just talking about this, weird.

Anyway I completely agree. To be a part of a religion you must believe and have faith in something. That guy has some very good points.
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Lividiom
Member
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Nobody said it was a religion. However, it is not a lack of religion either. Really, it's simple:

Atheistic: Having no God
Monotheistic: Having one (1) God
Polytheistic: Having two (2) or more Gods

Atheism is made up of the root word "theism" and the prefix "a".

the·ism
n.

Belief in the existence of a god or gods, especially belief in a personal God as creator and ruler of the world.

a-1 or an-
pref.

Without; not: amoral.


Therefore, atheism means "without a God". In which case, any religion "without a God" can be considered an atheistic religion. Just the same, the belief that there is no God or afterlife is also atheistic.

For example, Buddhism.
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Maiz
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Lividiom
Dec 18 2005, 11:00 PM
Nobody said it was a religion. However, it is not a lack of religion either. Really, it's simple:

Atheistic: Having no God
Monotheistic: Having one (1) God
Polytheistic: Having two (2) or more Gods

Atheism is made up of the root word "theism" and the prefix "a".

the·ism
n.

    Belief in the existence of a god or gods, especially belief in a personal God as creator and ruler of the world.

a-1 or an-
pref.

    Without; not: amoral.


Therefore, atheism means "without a God". In which case, any religion "without a God" can be considered an atheistic religion.

For example, Buddhism.

You have a point but Buddhism does qualify as a religion because (according to Dictionary.com)
Quote:
 
A set of beliefs, values, and practices based on the teachings of a spiritual leader.
They may not believe in a god but they believe in the teachings of a spiritual leader. There is not spiritual leader in Atheism, it's just people not believing in God.

Edit:
More Quotes :/

Wikipedia
 
Although atheists often share common concerns regarding evidence and the scientific method of investigation and a large number are skeptics, there is no single ideology that all atheists share.  Additionally, there are atheists who are religious or spiritual, though many of these would not describe themselves as atheists.
So in a sense you are right but as it said those people would not describe themselves as atheists.
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Lividiom
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CornLord
Dec 19 2005, 05:07 AM
Lividiom
Dec 18 2005, 11:00 PM
Nobody said it was a religion. However, it is not a lack of religion either. Really, it's simple:

Atheistic: Having no God
Monotheistic: Having one (1) God
Polytheistic: Having two (2) or more Gods

Atheism is made up of the root word "theism" and the prefix "a".

the·ism
n.

    Belief in the existence of a god or gods, especially belief in a personal God as creator and ruler of the world.

a-1 or an-
pref.

    Without; not: amoral.


Therefore, atheism means "without a God". In which case, any religion "without a God" can be considered an atheistic religion.

For example, Buddhism.

You have a point but Buddhism does qualify as a religion because (according to Dictionary.com)
Quote:
 
A set of beliefs, values, and practices based on the teachings of a spiritual leader.
They may not believe in a god but they believe in the teachings of a spiritual leader. There is not spiritual leader in Atheism, it's just people not believing in God.

According to your black and white definition, Buddhism is a religion (as you seem to have established yourself). Now I will say this again, atheism is not a religion and I never made that implication. Atheism, monotheism, and polytheism are not religions. You can follow the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama and believe that when you die you will be reincarnated according to your karma and you will be an atheist. You can believe that all life ends at death and...you're an atheist. Any belief denying the existance of Gods is atheistic.

Quote:
 
Wikipedia
 
Although atheists often share common concerns regarding evidence and the scientific method of investigation and a large number are skeptics, there is no single ideology that all atheists share.  Additionally, there are atheists who are religious or spiritual, though many of these would not describe themselves as atheists.
So in a sense you are right but as it said those people would not describe themselves as atheists.


Just as Catholics and Muslims generally don't refer to themselves as monotheists.
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Mistress Kame
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And that whole faith thing via atheism confuses me. Fine, Atheism isn't an organized religion, I'm down with that. But... don't yall put your faith in science that it is correct, or was atheism created to disreguard science as well?
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Myriad
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Mistress Kame
Dec 18 2005, 10:27 PM
And that whole faith thing via atheism confuses me. Fine, Atheism isn't an organized religion, I'm down with that. But... don't yall put your faith in science that it is correct, or was atheism created to disreguard science as well?

The only requirement to being atheist is not believing in God(s). The rest is up to the person.
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Corey89
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Am I still an atheist if I worship Darwin with an animal sacrifice every full moon?
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petey
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Quote:
 
Am I still an atheist if I worship Darwin with an animal sacrifice every full moon?



nope. then you're an evolutionist, and I may start another debate by saying this, but I think evolution is a religion.
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