Is Atheism a religion?

Logical Fallacy

spannerotoole wrote: »

Without absolute proof its a position that is taken on blind faith. I don't believe in the young earth stuff, but i do believe that everything was created.

Everything was created. I don't think you will find anyone here who says everything wasn't created.

What's mostly at question with regard to Atheism is the mechanism of creation.

biko

Atheism is like a religion is like Scientology is like a religion.

Squeeonline

biko wrote: »

Atheism is like a religion is like Scientology is like a religion.

but atheism isn't a cult.

or is it?

biko

I was think more like neither is a real religion.
Guess that joke backfired on me

Galvasean

celticcrash wrote: »

Our Richard who are`nt in heaven.
Dawkins be your name.
The king dont cum.
Your will be done.
On earth as it is`nt in heaven.
For give us this thread. Our daily post.
And dont forgive us ourtreaspasses as
we blast those with piss who tresspass against us.
And lead us to coke and hookers
but deliver us from modarators.
Richard.

Huhu huh huh.... :pac:

Doctor DooM wrote: »

Do Galvasean and I really have to do the Transformers-religion-as-a-parody-of-real-religion thing AGAIN?

spannerotoole wrote: »

but the fact remains that everything is faith based, for example, i have faith that the earth will complete another rotation around the sun, i have faith that my bus will come, i have faith that our politicians will screw things up in a completely new and original manner, but i could be wrong on all of these things, the same way you could be wrong about there being no god(s).

Since you previously said atheism is a religion because atheists believe there is no God do you, by that very same logic, think believing the Earth revolves around the sun is a religion? Do you believe waiting on a bus is a religion? Do think believing in the ineptitude of politicians is a religion?
Because, frankly, that's a load of bollocks.

The Mad Hatter

Galvasean wrote: »

Huhu huh huh.... :pac:

That's how we know the conception was immaculate.*









*Yes, pedants, I know that this is not what immaculate conception refers to.

Undergod

Ellis Dee wrote: »

Atheism is a refusal/failure/inability/unwillingness to believe the unbelievable. Atheists believe only things that can be observed or detected with the senses or instruments.:rolleyes:

SOME atheists are described by that. In the technical sense, we've got to remember there are atheists who believe in magical nonsense, they just don't believe in deities.

Logical Fallacy

Undergod wrote: »

SOME atheists are described by that. In the technical sense, we've got to remember there are atheists who believe in magical nonsense, they just don't believe in deities.

One of the funniest incidents I have had regarding Atheist is an very loud and aggressive atheist who told us all he was an atheist because he didn't believe in "fairy tales and bull****" and kept talking about how much he loved science.

He owned a Homeopathy shop.

lulz.

Squeeonline

if it was profitable, and he was able to make money from peoples' gullibility then awesome. As long as he knows that homeopathy is largely a pile of ****.

Logical Fallacy wrote: »

One of the funniest incidents I have had regarding Atheist is an very loud and aggressive atheist who told us all he was an atheist because he didn't believe in "fairy tales and bull****" and kept talking about how much he loved science.

He owned a Homeopathy shop.

lulz.

Michael Nugent

Malpaisian wrote: »

Is Atheism a religion? Discuss!

Atheism is a religion like I am the egg man.

They are the egg men.

I am the walrus, goo goo gajoob.

Awopbopaloobop alopbamboom.

joseph brand

Logical Fallacy wrote: »

One of the funniest incidents I have had regarding Atheist is an very loud and aggressive atheist who told us all he was an atheist because he didn't believe in "fairy tales and bull****" and kept talking about how much he loved science.

He owned a Homeopathy shop.

lulz.

He probably doesn't 'buy' into the whole alternative medicine crap himself, but knows that other eejits do.

I'd guess he looks like this, when a customer arrives into his fine establishment:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKUOB8MN4Kc

joseph brand

spannerotoole wrote: »

but the fact remains that everything is faith based, for example, i have faith that the earth will complete another rotation around the sun, i have faith that my bus will come, i have faith that our politicians will screw things up in a completely new and original manner, but i could be wrong on all of these things, the same way you could be wrong about there being no god(s).

If I wanted to troll, as an undercover Atheist, highlighting the way creationist christians think talk rubbish, I'd probably post in a similar style to yours above.

I can tell that you are joking, it's so obvious.

Turtwig

joseph brand wrote: »

If I wanted to troll, as an undercover Atheist, highlighting the way creationist christians think talk rubbish, I'd probably post in a similar style to yours above.

I can tell that you are joking, it's so obvious.

It seems you still have some faith in humanity.

GET HIM!!

Whelpling

Michael Nugent wrote: »

It is a significant mistake to see the creation of community as a property of religion that atheists are replicating.

I'd agree, if I weren't attempting to counter the oft-held belief of the religious that us atheists must be religious since we gather to discuss our 'faith' that gods do not exist. Which is of course not the case. They are often confused (or at the very least pretending to be confused), about our need or desire to 'congregate'. I have heard it said by some formerly-religious atheists (I don't have references, sorry - forum posts, blog comments and such) that they find the atheist and/or humanist gatherings that they go to can act as a replacement for the 'community' feeling they once got from church. I don't think that atheists are 'replicating' what religions do, but for some they certainly seem to 'fill the hole' so to speak, in this particular context.

I like your rephrasing better for almost all other contexts, though, and I see why you posted the correction.

Michael Nugent wrote: »

I would rephrase [...] to something like this:

One thing that people and other animals do very well is to create communities for themselves. Religions and atheist groups and nations and tribes and tennis clubs and residents associations and internet discussion boards and troops of apes and pods of dolphins and herds of elephants are examples of that very positive aspect of living together.

Also, the creation of communities has negative effects as well as positive ones.

Whelpling

spannerotoole wrote: »

you could be wrong about there being no god(s).

Atheism is not a belief that there are no gods. It's a lack of belief that there are gods. The semantic difference is subtle but significant. The first is a position of faith, really. The second is a reasoned statement founded in a lack of evidence for the existence of any of the thousands of gods that have been alleged to exist over our recorded history.

endacl

OK. Enough. I've cracked. Atheism is totally a religion. We're all secret followers of the Great Athie. Well, not secret as such any more, since I've spilled the beans. I'll probably be excommunicated at the next AGM. There are several holy books, with humorous titles. I can't remember the titles offhand, but I can assure you they are funny. Maybe some of my fellow Athie-ists will help out in this regard. Likewise with many of our edicts and commandments, which I've also forgotten.

Well done OP. We are exposed for the religion we are....

Whelpling

endacl wrote: »

OK. Enough. I've cracked. Atheism is totally a religion. We're all secret followers of the Great Athie. Well, not secret as such any more, since I've spilled the beans. I'll probably be excommunicated at the next AGM. There are several holy books, with humorous titles. I can't remember the titles offhand, but I can assure you they are funny. Maybe some of my fellow Athie-ists will help out in this regard. Likewise with many of our edicts and commandments, which I've also forgotten.

Well done OP. We are exposed for the religion we are....

Don't forget the funny handshake. We have a funny handshake.

endacl

Whelpling wrote: »

endacl wrote: »

OK. Enough. I've cracked. Atheism is totally a religion. We're all secret followers of the Great Athie. Well, not secret as such any more, since I've spilled the beans. I'll probably be excommunicated at the next AGM. There are several holy books, with humorous titles. I can't remember the titles offhand, but I can assure you they are funny. Maybe some of my fellow Athie-ists will help out in this regard. Likewise with many of our edicts and commandments, which I've also forgotten.

Well done OP. We are exposed for the religion we are....

Don't forget the funny handshake. We have a funny handshake.

Bugger. The handshake. I always forget the handshake....

Michael Nugent

Whelpling wrote: »

Atheism is not a belief that there are no gods. It's a lack of belief that there are gods. The semantic difference is subtle but significant.

Well, atheism can mean either of these concepts. It is one of many words that has multiple meanings.

Whelpling wrote: »

The first is a position of faith, really. The second is a reasoned statement founded in a lack of evidence for the existence of any of the thousands of gods that have been alleged to exist over our recorded history.

Believing that there are no gods is not a position of faith. It is a reasonable belief that is consistent with the most reliable available evidence. I think too much is often made of (and too much conceded by) emphasising the semantic difference between the two concepts.

Michael Nugent

Whelpling wrote: »

I'd agree, if I weren't attempting to counter the oft-held belief of the religious that us atheists must be religious since we gather to discuss our 'faith' that gods do not exist. Which is of course not the case. They are often confused (or at the very least pretending to be confused), about our need or desire to 'congregate'.

That's fair enough. I think the best way to counter it is to remind them that it is a human need (indeed a need of conscious beings) and not a religious need.

Whelpling wrote: »

I have heard it said by some formerly-religious atheists (I don't have references, sorry - forum posts, blog comments and such) that they find the atheist and/or humanist gatherings that they go to can act as a replacement for the 'community' feeling they once got from church. I don't think that atheists are 'replicating' what religions do, but for some they certainly seem to 'fill the hole' so to speak, in this particular context.

And perhaps we need to remind some atheists of the distinction too

Whelpling

I'll leave you and others to their own definitions then, Michael. You're right. I should have stated that to me, my personal atheism doesn't equate to "I believe no gods exist", but is rather "I do not believe that any gods exist".

If I had to answer yes or no to the question "do you believe that no gods exist" it would be a yes, of course. But for explaining my views on a discussion forum, I tend to get a little more semantically nuanced. Particularly if that nuancing will better aid me in putting a point across - in this case, the point that atheism is absence of belief, not belief itself (hard, when you say "I believe...). Colour me a pedant!

CajunPenguin

It's not, but it might as well be. Atheists going on about how organised religion is evil are stupid, atheism is a community of people with a set of views, no different to a religion. All atheists are roughly the same. If you saw the South Park episode about the future where everyone is atheist you'll probably notice the subtext. It's pointing out that the stereotypical atheist (and there's an alarming amount of them) is a self righteous douchebag who thinks he's so very smart for being converted, when at the end of the day it was a change in opinion and nothing more. They're still people and they're no better or worse than theists. I wrote a post about it on reddit. Those atheists are ****ing psychos, they missed the point completely and kept quizzing me about the bible. Fortunately the community on boards is much nicer and less insane "burn down these motha****in churches" people. Think about it atheists, how many of your mates are catholic or protestant or whatever? you wouldn't buy into the stereotype that declan moffat from Navan is a crazy right wing conservative who hates gays, blacks and women (and if your friend is like this he's you're weird) just because he has a trivial difference to you

Whelpling

omg go to bed

Whelpling

CajunPenguin wrote: »

Think about it atheists, how many of your mates are catholic or protestant or whatever?

My mother is C of E
My father is non-denominational Christian
My grandparents are Catholic on one side, Protestant on the other
My partner is a lapsed Catholic
My best friend is a Jehovah's witness
Among my closest friends there are born again Christians, Anglicans, Pagans, Catholics and a woman who thinks she channels spirits. And a couple Atheists.

What insight do you have about me now that I answered your question?

Michael Nugent

CajunPenguin wrote: »

atheism is a community of people with a set of views, no different to a religion.

On that basis, people who like banana sandwiches are a community of people with a set of views, no different to a religion.

So are people who don’t like banana sandwiches.

And everyone is in multiple religions based on any and all of the views about anything they share with any and all other people.

CajunPenguin wrote: »

All atheists are roughly the same.

No we're not. Some of us are in the atheist religion that likes banana sandwiches, and some of us are in the atheist religion that doesn't like banana sandwiches.

You've a lot to learn about us.

Whelpling

I belong to a sub-cult. We like toasted banana sandwiches.

dead one

Atheist are very religious when it comes to defend their faith. I am saying a very deep thing, It needs wisdom to understand it. If you can't understand then don't waste your time by quoting me.

HUNK

dead one wrote: »

Atheist are very religious when it comes to defend their faith. I am saying a very deep thing, It needs wisdom to understand it. If you can't understand then don't waste your time by quoting me.

I quoted you anyway for the lulz.

Whelpling

dead one wrote: »

Atheist are very religious when it comes to defend their faith. I am saying a very deep thing, It needs wisdom to understand it. If you can't understand then don't waste your time by quoting me.

Did you forget to include this very deep thing you're saying?

dead one

Whelpling wrote: »

Did you forget to include this very deep thing you're saying?

did you forget you're quoting me in a topic "Is atheism a religion"... you've proved my point. It's called wisdom. You want us to show that "atheism isn't a religion"... It makes your desires religious... The purpose of your wishes is same i.e religious one...... Why do you care if atheism is religion or not...