Is atheism a religion?

Crono

Lifer
Aug 8, 2001
23,720
1,503
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The question is not meant to attack anyone, just to see viewpoints from different people. Please explain your answer and provide your background (whether you are an atheist, agnostic, religious, etc). Please, no flaming each other; let's try to keep this as civil as possible. If I should add additional poll options, let me know.
 

yllus

Elite Member & Lifer
Aug 20, 2000
20,577
432
126
It does promote irrational belief. Disbelief in something that can never be proven is hardly more logical than believing in it.
 

irishScott

Lifer
Oct 10, 2006
21,562
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0
Not really. A religion involves a set of moral values enforced by some sort of punishment (divine or mortal) for not following those values. As previously mentioned, Atheists are also disorganized.

Personally, I'm of the persuasion that god = nature. I leave open the possibility of things such as intelligent design (and thus other religions being right), but I give these possibilities a slim chance at being true. Thus I am something of a Gaean/Agnostic hybrid.
 

DougK62

Diamond Member
Mar 28, 2001
8,035
6
81
Originally posted by: yllus
It does promote irrational belief. Disbelief in something that can never be proven is hardly more logical than believing in it.

LOL. That's the dumbest thing I've read in quite some time...

 

tersome

Senior member
Jul 8, 2006
250
0
0
Originally posted by: yllus
It does promote irrational belief. Disbelief in something that can never be proven is hardly more logical than believing in it.

FSM much? :confused:
 

Zysoclaplem

Diamond Member
Sep 26, 2003
8,799
0
0
Originally posted by: yllus
It does promote irrational belief. Disbelief in something that can never be proven is hardly more logical than believing in it.

Disbelief in something that "hasn't" been proven, not "can never be."
I would say it's very rational to believe something false until you see it yourself, especially something like God. Otherwise, you are merely going on hearsay, which is often times unreliable.
 

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
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Originally posted by: Kanalua
Yes. I would say a cult, even...

Science bless you...

Agreed. I put it right next to scientology. Very cultish and fanatical.

May the sciene be with you brother.
 

royaldank

Diamond Member
Apr 19, 2001
5,440
0
0
I don't believe in god. I don't really believe in trying to find out what that makes me. Atheist, Agnostic, who knows? I don't nor do I care.

I do what I think is right and wrong. I treat others as I want to be treated. That pretty much sums up my religous beliefs.

I would say lots of "atheist" are this way. They just don't care enough to be a religion. That's like saying the sky is blue and trying to get together with other folks each week that think the sky is blue. What's the point?
 

yllus

Elite Member & Lifer
Aug 20, 2000
20,577
432
126
Originally posted by: DougK62
Originally posted by: yllus
It does promote irrational belief. Disbelief in something that can never be proven is hardly more logical than believing in it.

LOL. That's the dumbest thing I've read in quite some time...
Then you must read only intelligent things.

When you're pontificating about the existence of Object X, saying, "No! X definitively does not exist!" is hardly better than, "Yes! X definitively does exist!" Neither side can perform tests to determine the existence or nonexistence of Object X, so what exactly is an athiest basing his/her claim upon?

Or to rephrase the above, regarding the more logical position of weak agnosticism:
The principle of weak agnosticism is not about a belief in God or a disbelief in God but about the belief in the statement "God exists" or the belief in the statement "God does not exist". Given that, to a weak agnostic, nothing has been shown to support either statement conclusively, the only conclusion that can be drawn is that the data is inconclusive and believing in either is a leap of faith.
 

mugs

Lifer
Apr 29, 2003
48,920
46
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Atheism is a religious belief. It is not a religion. Although with many people it resembles one.
 

JackBurton

Lifer
Jul 18, 2000
15,993
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It's not a freakin' religion. The only reason people say it is a religion is because they want to put it on the same playing field when arguing about religion. Atheism is a belief, that's it. And like it has been said, belief does not equal religion. MOST people believe there is no Big Foot, and most likely would ridicule someone who DOES believe in BF. Is the non-believing group then considered a religion? No.
 

Ausm

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
25,213
14
81
I know I hate religious zealots MORE then any atheist Zealot I have ever met.

I hope that helps.


Ausm
 

CKent

Diamond Member
Aug 17, 2005
9,020
0
0
Depends on your definition of religion. It's a valid belief, certainly, and like religions we should have the freedom to believe it.
 

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
Originally posted by: JackBurton
It's not a freakin' religion. The only reason people say it is a religion is because they want to put it on the same playing field when arguing about religion. Atheism is a belief, that's it. And like it has been said, belief does not equal religion. MOST people believe there is no Big Foot, and most likely would ridicule someone who DOES believe in BF. Is the non-believing group then considered a religion? No.

Psychology refutes your statement. Humans have a basic need for religion. It's just how the brain works.

Atheism is just an extent of this belief system and a means to connect with and congregate with other people who share similar beliefs. You see it all over this board and any other board. It's the exact same kind of behavior as any other religion. So to deny that it isn't a religion is just foolish and ignorant of the facts. Open minded and free thinking people see it for what it is - another religion following the same path as every other religion.
 

Tom

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
13,293
1
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Originally posted by: Zysoclaplem
Originally posted by: yllus
It does promote irrational belief. Disbelief in something that can never be proven is hardly more logical than believing in it.

Disbelief in something that "hasn't" been proven, not "can never be."
I would say it's very rational to believe something false until you see it yourself, especially something like God. Otherwise, you are merely going on hearsay, which is often times unreliable.


I think the most rational solution would be to not have an opinion about things that no one knows anything about.

So, if that is correct, atheism isn't the most rational answer, believing that something does not exist because you can't see it, isn't the same thing as not having an opinion.

 

yllus

Elite Member & Lifer
Aug 20, 2000
20,577
432
126
Originally posted by: Tom
Originally posted by: Zysoclaplem
Originally posted by: yllus
It does promote irrational belief. Disbelief in something that can never be proven is hardly more logical than believing in it.

Disbelief in something that "hasn't" been proven, not "can never be."
I would say it's very rational to believe something false until you see it yourself, especially something like God. Otherwise, you are merely going on hearsay, which is often times unreliable.
I think the most rational solution would be to not have an opinion about things that no one knows anything about.

So, if that is correct, atheism isn't the most rational answer, believing that something does not exist because you can't see it, isn't the same thing as not having an opinion.
:thumbsup:
 

datalink7

Lifer
Jan 23, 2001
16,765
6
81
Originally posted by: spidey07
Originally posted by: JackBurton
It's not a freakin' religion. The only reason people say it is a religion is because they want to put it on the same playing field when arguing about religion. Atheism is a belief, that's it. And like it has been said, belief does not equal religion. MOST people believe there is no Big Foot, and most likely would ridicule someone who DOES believe in BF. Is the non-believing group then considered a religion? No.

Psychology refutes your statement. Humans have a basic need for religion. It's just how the brain works.

Atheism is just an extent of this belief system and a means to connect with and congregate with other people who share similar beliefs. You see it all over this board and any other board. It's the exact same kind of behavior as any other religion. So to deny that it isn't a religion is just foolish and ignorant of the facts. Open minded and free thinking people see it for what it is - another religion following the same path as every other religion.

I've never "connected" or "congregated" with other Atheists. I don't seek them out... in fact I don't think I have a single friend who is an Atheist.

By the way, this thread is going places:roll:
 

randay

Lifer
May 30, 2006
11,018
216
106
Originally posted by: datalink7
Originally posted by: spidey07
Originally posted by: JackBurton
It's not a freakin' religion. The only reason people say it is a religion is because they want to put it on the same playing field when arguing about religion. Atheism is a belief, that's it. And like it has been said, belief does not equal religion. MOST people believe there is no Big Foot, and most likely would ridicule someone who DOES believe in BF. Is the non-believing group then considered a religion? No.

Psychology refutes your statement. Humans have a basic need for religion. It's just how the brain works.

Atheism is just an extent of this belief system and a means to connect with and congregate with other people who share similar beliefs. You see it all over this board and any other board. It's the exact same kind of behavior as any other religion. So to deny that it isn't a religion is just foolish and ignorant of the facts. Open minded and free thinking people see it for what it is - another religion following the same path as every other religion.

I've never "connected" or "congregated" with other Atheists. I don't seek them out... in fact I don't think I have a single friend who is an Atheist.

By the way, this thread is going places:roll:

Ill be your friend.