Atheism

[Anon Sequitur]

Do you believe atheism to be a religion? Why or why not?

 

[awitch]

Atheism is not a religion. It is the assertion that no deities exist, which I suspect is due to the lack of any empirical evidence. Other than that, atheists, as I understand them, do not have any official "atheistic ideology" to which they all subscribe.

 

[Koensayr]

It depends on how you define "religion" I guess. I typically believe religion is just a series of beliefs about the supernatural and since atheism is a series of beliefs about the supernatural, namely, that they don't exist, then it is a religion - just not a god-based religion like Christianity or Islam.

As an aside, out of curiosity I Googled the phrase "Is atheism a religion?" and it seems that many atheists are abhorrent of such a claim and defend atheism as not being a religion as though their lives depended on it. IMHO, atheism requires just as much faith - if not more - than the god-based religions.

 

[selfintercession]

I'd say it's the absence of religious belief. Actually, that's pretty much the literal meaning of the word.

 

[arunma]

Which atheist are we talking about? There are atheists who are atheists for reasons of pure apathy. Likewise there are atheists who are evangelical and religious. These are the guys who listen to "sermons" by Richard Dawkins and take notes, who attend meetings with other atheists, and who build their philosophy of living around their atheism. In some sense they derive their identity from their atheism. And this is what distinguishes such an atheist from a person who is equally involved in, say, the local bird-watching club. I would say that this type of atheist is most certainly practicing a religion.

 

[Dark_Lite]

Atheism itself is not a religion. It's just someone who has a lack of belief in deities.

Now, on the other hand, there are people who turn it into a religion. See above post by arunma!

 

[selfintercession]

Which atheist are we talking about? There are atheists who are atheists for reasons of pure apathy. Likewise there are atheists who are evangelical and religious. These are the guys who listen to "sermons" by Richard Dawkins and take notes, who attend meetings with other atheists, and who build their philosophy of living around their atheism. In some sense they derive their identity from their atheism. And this is what distinguishes such an atheist from a person who is equally involved in, say, the local bird-watching club. I would say that this type of atheist is most certainly practicing a religion.

So Christians who only go to church at Christmas are part of a non-religious type of Christianity? Just because you do or don't participate in formalities and meetings doesn't have any real bearing on whether you can be called "religious" or not. You're thinking of a very narrow definition of the word, and religion is not the same thing as being involved in meetings and/or clubs.

 

[morningstar2651]

Do you believe atheism to be a religion? Why or why not?

Atheism is no more a religion than monotheism, pantheism, or polytheism.

 

[selfintercession]

Wow... I've been away for a long time. I'd completely forgotten that there were allowing heathens to be mods now

Agreed though

 

[morningstar2651]

On the other hand, most Buddhists I've met are atheists and they're religious people, but atheism isn't their religion.

Which atheist are we talking about? There are atheists who are atheists for reasons of pure apathy. Likewise there are atheists who are evangelical and religious. These are the guys who listen to "sermons" by Richard Dawkins and take notes, who attend meetings with other atheists, and who build their philosophy of living around their atheism. In some sense they derive their identity from their atheism. And this is what distinguishes such an atheist from a person who is equally involved in, say, the local bird-watching club. I would say that this type of atheist is most certainly practicing a religion.

Indeed. Religion means to be bound together in belief and has the same root word as ligature and ligament. In this example, the person is following someone else's beliefs. It ceases to be simply the denial of belief in deities - the person chooses to follow someone else's belief that there are no deities.

 

[Caitlin.ann]

Atheism is not a religion.

 

[Garyzenuf]

I don't know if it should be classed as a religion or not, it seems the main difference between my atheism and others religion is they are religious 24/7, while I only practice the 'faith' of atheism when I'm around them.

*

 

[MewtwoX]

Not a religion.

Atheism is merely one philosophical position on an aspect of metaphysics.

 

[Anon Sequitur]

Atheism is not a religion. It is the assertion that no deities exist, which I suspect is due to the lack of any empirical evidence. Other than that, atheists, as I understand them, do not have any official "atheistic ideology" to which they all subscribe.

Since there is no empirical evidence, how do you support the assertion that no dieties exist?

"Lack of evidence is not proof of non-existence"-Carl Sagan

 

[Anon Sequitur]

It depends on how you define "religion" I guess. I typically believe religion is just a series of beliefs about the supernatural and since atheism is a series of beliefs about the supernatural, namely, that they don't exist, then it is a religion - just not a god-based religion like Christianity or Islam.

What exactly is it regarding the supernatural that atheists believe?

As an aside, out of curiosity I Googled the phrase "Is atheism a religion?" and it seems that many atheists are abhorrent of such a claim and defend atheism as not being a religion as though their lives depended on it. IMHO, atheism requires just as much faith - if not more - than the god-based religions.

Why does atheism require just as much faith-if not more- than the god based religions? Atheism is not the belief that God does not exist. Atheism is the lack of belief in the existence of God. The difference is sublte, but it is there.

 

[Anon Sequitur]

Which atheist are we talking about? There are atheists who are atheists for reasons of pure apathy. Likewise there are atheists who are evangelical and religious. These are the guys who listen to "sermons" by Richard Dawkins and take notes, who attend meetings with other atheists, and who build their philosophy of living around their atheism. In some sense they derive their identity from their atheism. And this is what distinguishes such an atheist from a person who is equally involved in, say, the local bird-watching club. I would say that this type of atheist is most certainly practicing a religion.

I would agree. They feel it is something to pride themselves on, and it makes them smarter than "the mindless God-worshippers" they see in society. Personally, I feel that is wrong, and those "atheists" are no better than the "mindless God-worshippers" they so despise.

 

[Anon Sequitur]

Atheism is no more a religion than monotheism, pantheism, or polytheism.

Why is this? Theism states God/Gods exists whereas atheism is the lack of belief in those Gods.

Please note, atheism is not the belief God does not exist. That would be incredibly stupid. Why? There is no way to support it,(for how can you provide evidence of something that does not exist?) and you base it on as much faith as the belief God does exist. A very common misconception.

 

[Legion.As.One]

How can atheisim be a religion? A-theism... a.k.a. against-theisim....

 

[morningstar2651]

How can atheisim be a religion? A-theism... a.k.a. against-theisim....

No. The a- doesn't mean "against".

a- "without" + theos "a god"

 

[morningstar2651]

Why is this? Theism states God/Gods exists whereas atheism is the lack of belief in those Gods.

Please note, atheism is not the belief God does not exist. That would be incredibly stupid. Why? There is no way to support it,(for how can you provide evidence of something that does not exist?) and you base it on as much faith as the belief God does exist. A very common misconception.

None of them are religions. Buddhism is an atheistic religion. Christianity is a monotheistic religion.