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Atheism is NOT a religion
Topic Started: Dec 19 2005, 12:12 AM (1,159 Views)
BonE_
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nice info, i never really knew about athiesm
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Glitch
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Lividiom
Dec 19 2005, 12:00 AM
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.

You seem to be extremely zealous in your linguistics. You're forgetting one important thing though: the meaning of a word is based on how people use it. The term "kick the bucket", for example, did not mean anything more than a foot motion against a metal pail until people used the phrase as a euphemism for death. Likewise, no matter the linguistic origins of the word "atheism", atheism as society defines it and as used in this debate refers to the lack of belief in any religion or religious concepts.

Also, I really don't get why some people cannot understand that science is not a religion. Ask any intelligent person: religion requires FAITH. Science requires no faith. Science is based on empirical evidence and logical analysis of observations. It requires no faith, therefore it cannot possibly be a religion.
This is one of the reasons intelligent design should not be taught in science classes: it requires faith. One of the requirements of science is that it has to have solid evidence supporting it and has to be logical, and intelligent design doesn't meet those requirements (to an educated person). But that's a whole other debate.
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Curare
laaaaaaax.
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Glitch, I agree with you on that last post (other than that atheism =/= science, so...), but you really need to tone down your bias against whatever the topic if you want anyone to respect your opinion.
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Glitch
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ForceEight
Dec 19 2005, 05:25 PM
Glitch, I agree with you on that last post (other than that atheism =/= science, so...), but you really need to tone down your bias against whatever the topic if you want anyone to respect your opinion.

I'm sorry, but there is no such thing as bias when it comes to a debate. Bias is used to refer to a party that is supposed to be neutral, such as a judge. I don't really see how it could be used in the context of a debate, since the whole point of a debate is to have opinions and try to convince others of your opinion. And if you want me to tone down my opinions, I'm sorry, but I can't. It's what I believe :)

Also, about your idea that atheism = science, it's not. I could be an atheist who follows no religion at all yet deny that science is true at all either. Granted, most Atheists today are proficient in science, but by no means is atheism equal to science.
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Curare
laaaaaaax.
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Glitch
Dec 19 2005, 05:36 PM
ForceEight
Dec 19 2005, 05:25 PM
Glitch, I agree with you on that last post (other than that atheism =/= science, so...), but you really need to tone down your bias against whatever the topic if you want anyone to respect your opinion.

I'm sorry, but there is no such thing as bias when it comes to a debate. Bias is used to refer to a party that is supposed to be neutral, such as a judge. I don't really see how it could be used in the context of a debate, since the whole point of a debate is to have opinions and try to convince others of your opinion. And if you want me to tone down my opinions, I'm sorry, but I can't. It's what I believe :)

Also, about your idea that atheism = science, it's not. I could be an atheist who follows no religion at all yet deny that science is true at all either. Granted, most Atheists today are proficient in science, but by no means is atheism equal to science.

I think you have my definition of bias misunderstood, but I accept your idea of opinions.

Also, I'm saying that atheism is not equal to science, which is what you seemed to be saying in your previous post.
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Glitch
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ForceEight
Dec 19 2005, 05:54 PM
I think you have my definition of bias misunderstood, but I accept your idea of opinions.

Also, I'm saying that atheism is not equal to science, which is what you seemed to be saying in your previous post.

Sorry for misunderstading. Freaking double negatives :P
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Lividiom
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Glitch
Dec 19 2005, 10:20 PM
Lividiom
Dec 19 2005, 12:00 AM
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.

You seem to be extremely zealous in your linguistics. You're forgetting one important thing though: the meaning of a word is based on how people use it. The term "kick the bucket", for example, did not mean anything more than a foot motion against a metal pail until people used the phrase as a euphemism for death. Likewise, no matter the linguistic origins of the word "atheism", atheism as society defines it and as used in this debate refers to the lack of belief in any religion or religious concepts.

Also, I really don't get why some people cannot understand that science is not a religion. Ask any intelligent person: religion requires FAITH. Science requires no faith. Science is based on empirical evidence and logical analysis of observations. It requires no faith, therefore it cannot possibly be a religion.
This is one of the reasons intelligent design should not be taught in science classes: it requires faith. One of the requirements of science is that it has to have solid evidence supporting it and has to be logical, and intelligent design doesn't meet those requirements (to an educated person). But that's a whole other debate.

It's common sense, Glitch.

First, "kick the bucket" is an idiom. Not a word.


You are suggesting; regardless of the etymology, logical usage compared to related words (monotheism, polytheism), and linguistics that atheism means a "lack of religion". Am I correct?

Ok.

Then what is Buddhism? A Buddhist is neither mono or poly theistic. Do you know what that makes him?

An atheist.


Everone has to be one of the three. You are referring to the figurative war between Christians and atheists and a common misconception. They are atheists not because they "lack faith in any religion or religious concepts" but because they "lack a God". A misunderstanding isn't made correct by being popular.
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Numb
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Glitch
Dec 18 2005, 09:12 PM
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.

I agree with you actually, religion is worshipping someone, and since Atheists don't worship anyone, it isn't a religion. Why people keep referring to it as that is beyond me.
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Glitch
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Quote:
 
First, "kick the bucket" is an idiom. Not a word.

I never said it was a word. I referred to it as a "phrase" in my post, and I don't think that's an incorrect way to refer to it.

Quote:
 
You are suggesting; regardless of the etymology, logical usage compared to related words (monotheism, polytheism), and linguistics that atheism means a "lack of religion". Am I correct?

Yes. That's exactly what I'm saying.

Quote:
 
Ok.

Then what is Buddhism? A Buddhist is neither mono or poly theistic. Do you know what that makes him?

An atheist.


Everone has to be one of the three.

Untrue.
1. Ask any Buddhist whether he's an Atheist, and he'll tell you no, he's a Buddhist. Have fun trying to convince him he's an Atheist
2. A Buddhist is neither mono- nor poly-, therefore that makes him non-monotheistic and non-polytheistic. That does not make him an atheist.
Just because I don't have one job and I don't have multiple jobs doesn't mean I'm unemployed. I could be a student: most people consider student a valid "occupation" nowadays, but it certainly doesn't have a salary.

Quote:
 
You are referring to the figurative war between Christians and atheists and a common misconception. They are atheists not because they "lack faith in any religion or religious concepts" but because they "lack a God". A misunderstanding isn't made correct by being popular.

I'm sorry man, but apparently the rest of the world disagrees with you. Have fun trying to convince everybody of your ways using the Latin roots of words!
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Numb
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Glitch
Dec 19 2005, 06:26 PM
Ok.

Then what is Buddhism? A Buddhist is neither mono or poly theistic. Do you know what that makes him?

An atheist.


Everone has to be one of the three.

I'm not an atheist. I do practice buddhism, it is in no way atheism.
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Drew
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I do not have any opinoin on this, but this is what my teacher told us...today actually.

Athiest: It is a religon because they believe in 0 Gods.

There has to be an integer...


I got that Mr. Thompson... :rolleyes:
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Lividiom
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Numb
Dec 20 2005, 01:40 AM
Glitch
Dec 19 2005, 06:26 PM
Ok.

Then what is Buddhism? A Buddhist is neither mono or poly theistic. Do you know what that makes him?

An atheist.


Everone has to be one of the three.

I'm not an atheist. I do practice buddhism, it is in no way atheism.

As do I, that's why I'm using it as an example.

http://atheism.about.com/od/religionnonreligion/a/theism.htm


Quote:
 
Many types of Buddhism, for example, are effectively or explicitly a-theistic, either rejecting gods or simply not bothering with them in any fashion. Although Buddhism is perhaps the best known atheistic religion, there are others, such as Jainism and some mystical forms of Hinduism.
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wareagle11
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why does it matter what it is classified as?

the lack of believing in God isnt the lack of religion, but i dont see why it matters..
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Shadyballa8D12
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Atheism is a religion.

They believe to not believe.
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Glitch
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Shadyballa8D12
Dec 20 2005, 10:55 PM
Atheism is a religion.

They believe to not believe.

You obviously know nothing about Atheism. If eternal paradise were as easy as switching my beliefs, why do you think I'm still an Atheist? Because I can't suddenly abandon Atheism, because I don't believe that religion is untrue, I know that religion is untrue.
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