Is atheism a religion?

Nilloc James · Post by **Nilloc James** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 7:28 pm

In many places I have seen theists claim atheism is just as much as a religion as any existing one.

Question for debate:
Is atheism a religion?

MY view is summarized by this quote:

Calling Atheism a religion is like calling bald a hair color. - Don Hirschberg

But I want to know other peoples opinions.

theAtheistofnoIllusions · Fri Jul 24, 2009 11:24 pm

No an obsession is on the mind constantly, intrusively. When one cannot help but think about the subject, one is obsessed. When one thinks of something very often and devotes himself to it, bases his ethics upon it, one can be said to have a religion.

McCulloch · Post by **McCulloch** » Sat Jul 25, 2009 7:48 am

theAtheistofnoIllusions wrote:No an obsession is on the mind constantly, intrusively. When one cannot help but think about the subject, one is obsessed. When one thinks of something very often and devotes himself to it, bases his ethics upon it, one can be said to have a religion.

How can it be said that anyone can base his ethics on the non-existence of God?

theAtheistofnoIllusions · Sat Jul 25, 2009 4:10 pm

How can one still hold the illusion of ethics or morals after one has accepted the non-existence of God?

McCulloch · Post by **McCulloch** » Sat Jul 25, 2009 10:52 pm

theAtheistofnoIllusions wrote:How can one still hold the illusion of ethics or morals after one has accepted the non-existence of God?

How can obedience or subservience to a God who rewards his followers eternally properly be called morals? "Love your neighbor or burn in hell!" It would seem quite self serving to then love your neighbor if you believed what Matthew said that Jesus taught.

We have a sense of morals or ethics because we have evolved as social animals with big brains. The principles of empathy and fairness, upon which all ethics and morals are based on, have a significant evolutionary advantage.

theAtheistofnoIllusions · Sun Jul 26, 2009 6:41 pm

And your actions, are they so different? When have you done "Good", when doing "Good" meant giving up any possible reward for yourself?

I recognize the necessity for morals, I just reject the notion that they are anything but illusions.

Furrowed Brow · Post by **Furrowed Brow** » Mon Jul 27, 2009 9:01 am

theAtheistofnoIllusions wrote:And your actions, are they so different? When have you done "Good", when doing "Good" meant giving up any possible reward for yourself?

I recognize the necessity for morals, I just reject the notion that they are anything but illusions.

Ceratinly some moral systems are pro-social rules but not sure morals are a necessity. Kind of agree morals are an illusion if you mean universal immutable rules. Such a morality is indeed an illusion...as far as I can tell.

Enemy Anemone · Post by **Enemy Anemone** » Fri Sep 11, 2009 4:14 pm

No. No belief is required to know that gods do not exist. You have failed to address any of the points I raised. If atheism is a religion, then not believing in Santa Claus is a religion. You do not describe any other dismissal of a claim on the grounds of lack of evidence as a religious belief. Why would you then apply that term to atheism? As much as you can know anything, you can know that gods do not exist. The chances that they do exist are the same chances that any other evidence-less thing exists. Technically they could exist, but just as knowing your entire family will not spontaneously combust tomorrow morning is not a religion, atheism is not a religion.

theAtheistofnoIllusions · Sat Sep 12, 2009 4:43 pm

You misunderstand the Atheist position. An Atheist, like the Christian, can "know" next to nothing.

Where they differ is that the Atheist believes that there is no God(s) and the Christian believes there is one God.

He has the belief that there is no God(s) and will necessarily act on this belief. This belief will (if he is an honest atheist) affect his decisions, will change how he views the world and his fellow humans.

A religion is a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature and purpose of the Universe. If an Atheist denies that God is the cause, and instead establishes another cause, if he denies that the nature is ordered but is instead chaotic, if he denies any purpose but that which he chooses, than he has used his Atheism like a religion.

His Atheism is his religion.

Any honest atheist is an honestly religious person.

But then, an honest atheist is about the hardest thing in the world to find. I'm about as close as it comes and I'm lying 50% of the time.

JoeyKnothead · Post by **JoeyKnothead** » Sat Sep 12, 2009 7:02 pm

From Page 5 Post 48:

theAtheistofnoIllusions wrote: A religion is a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature and purpose of the Universe. If an Atheist denies that God is the cause, and instead establishes another cause, if he denies that the nature is ordered but is instead chaotic, if he denies any purpose but that which he chooses, than he has used his Atheism like a religion.

His Atheism is his religion.

I'd say religion is a melding of a philosophy, and attempts to explain the world around us.

Of course we will all act on our beliefs, but to equate atheism with a religious position is a bit off. The atheist, by definition, lacks belief in a god or gods. The philosophy comes separate, and not intertwined with the core atheist position.

theAtheistofnoIllusions wrote: Any honest atheist is an honestly religious person.

But then, an honest atheist is about the hardest thing in the world to find. I'm about as close as it comes and I'm lying 50% of the time.

I can tell.

Having to distinguish between an "honest atheist" and an "atheist" in order to impart a religious position confirms for me you are lying about atheists, and their beliefs.

Enemy Anemone · Post by **Enemy Anemone** » Sat Sep 12, 2009 8:54 pm

Exactly. You utterly missed the point. There is no "belief" that there are no gods. There is only the knowledge that nothing exists until it is proven to exist. As much as you can know something does not exist, you can know gods do not exist, otherwise asserting that Santa Claus or gremlins do not exist would also be a religion.