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| Atheism is NOT a religion | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Dec 19 2005, 12:12 AM (1,155 Views) | |
| Glitch | Dec 19 2005, 12:12 AM Post #1 |
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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:
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| jelly belly | Dec 19 2005, 12:17 AM Post #2 |
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The SZ asshole
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who said it was a religion? |
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| Juano | Dec 19 2005, 12:18 AM Post #3 |
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Juano
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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 | Dec 19 2005, 12:31 AM Post #4 |
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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.
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 | Dec 19 2005, 12:36 AM Post #5 |
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That one guy
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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 | Dec 19 2005, 12:40 AM Post #6 |
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The SZ asshole
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lets see the exact meaning of religion...
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 | Dec 19 2005, 12:44 AM Post #7 |
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Juano
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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 | Dec 19 2005, 12:46 AM Post #8 |
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Lord of all things corn.
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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 | Dec 19 2005, 01:00 AM Post #9 |
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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 | Dec 19 2005, 01:07 AM Post #10 |
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Lord of all things corn.
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You have a point but Buddhism does qualify as a religion because (according to Dictionary.com) 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 So in a sense you are right but as it said those people would not describe themselves as atheists. |
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| Lividiom | Dec 19 2005, 01:19 AM Post #11 |
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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.
Just as Catholics and Muslims generally don't refer to themselves as monotheists. |
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| Mistress Kame | Dec 19 2005, 01:27 AM Post #12 |
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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 | Dec 19 2005, 01:34 AM Post #13 |
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The only requirement to being atheist is not believing in God(s). The rest is up to the person. |
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| Corey89 | Dec 19 2005, 04:34 PM Post #14 |
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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 | Dec 19 2005, 05:22 PM Post #15 |
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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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