Atheism is a Religion


re·li·gion

re·li·gion [ri líjjən]
(plural re·li·gions)
n
1. beliefs and worship: people's beliefs and opinions concerning the existence, nature, and worship of a deity or deities, and divine involvement in the universe and human life

2. system: an institutionalized or personal system of beliefs and practices relating to the divine

3. personal beliefs or values: a set of strongly-held beliefs, values, and attitudes that somebody lives by

4. obsession: an object, practice, cause, or activity that somebody is completely devoted to or obsessed by

example:"The danger is that you start to make fitness a religion."


5. christianity monk's or nun's life: life as a monk or a nun, especially in the Roman Catholic Church


[12th century. Via French < Latin religion- "obligation, reverence"]


-re·lig·ion·less, , adj
get religion (informal) U.S. to stop flouting the rules, regulations, customs, and expectations of society to become a believer or join a religious organization, and, usually, start to lead a life that follows its teachings
Encarta ® World English Dictionary © & (P) 1998-2005 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

also from miriam webster

Definition of RELIGION
1a : the state of a religious <a nun in her 20th year of religion> b (1) : the service and worship of God or the supernatural (2) : commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance
2: a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices
3archaic : scrupulous conformity : conscientiousness
4: a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith



by definition four,, atheism is indeed a religion in modern culture


based on etymology though, religion would be about divinity

According to the philologist Max Müller, the root of the English word "religion", the Latin religio, was originally used to mean only "reverence for God or the gods, careful pondering of divine things, piety" (which Cicero further derived to mean "diligence"). [9] [10] Max Müller characterized many other cultures around the world, including Egypt, Persia, and India, as having a similar power structure at this point in history. What is called ancient religion today, they would have only called "law". from http://wapedia.mobi/en/Religion#1.

I have to laugh here because I was just going to say:

Yes atheism is a religion, but it could hardly be called an "organized religion" since atheists have widely diverging views.

But then I realized that's true of Christians too.

When it comes to weak atheists:
Is the lack of belief in a deity a 'cause' ?
Is the lack of belief in a deity a 'principle' ?
'Cause it sure ain't 'a system of beliefs'.


Hmm... same is true of strong atheism.
Is an active disbelief in a deity a 'cause' ?
Is an active disbelief in a deity a 'principle' ?
An active disbelief in a deity is not a system of beliefs'.


Also, atheism is only sometimes held to with ardor and faith... (I suppose one could say the same of theism!).


It seems to me that neither 'theism' nor 'atheism' are inherently 'religions'.

I doubt anyone reading these forums has ever had an Atheist 'missionary' knock at their front door trying to convert them to Atheism or asking for money for 'God's Work'. As opposed to Fundies who are constantly being door-to-door pains-in-the-arse.

Believers are FAR too concerned about what Unbelievers do or don't believe and by trying to make them fit into their OWN image of themselves, they are engaging in nothing but narcissism.

BTW? "Praying" for the souls of Athiests is ALL ABOUT the militant Christian's self-- it's their form of Political Correctness.


-Kerry O.

WELL - even though I'm an athiest I admit I have a couple beliefs.

For example: I BELIEVE that prayer was meant to be a private matter between God and an individual. Not something to be done in public.

While that doesn't come close to the many beliefs Christians hold - at least a few of them might think I'm in good company...

Matthew 23:14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

Matthew 6:5 and when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

Matthew 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

Matthew 14:23 and when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

Matthew 26:36 Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.

Mark 1:35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

Mark 6:46 And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray.

Luke 18:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. (11) The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. (12) I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. (13) And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. (14) I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Atheism by the definition of the word means no belief in greater than self creatures or spirits.

It is hard to place atheism into a religious category.

I know that the religious want to believe it is just a form of belief that is on this planet to test their belief because they believe their religion/belief is supposed to be tested to prove to the greater than self beings that they are worthy of greater than self being's favor.

And if religion wasn't a public issue ie used to create laws to torture and kill humans. The religious people wouldn't even know that atheism existed because there would be no conflict.

This truly does fly in the face of Christians who push for public prayer in schools.

Or public prayer of any kind for that matter.

Based on the verses you've posted here this is a direct violation of what the Lord Jesus directed people to do.

And it takes a non-believer to point this out to so-called "believers"?

It's utterly ridiculous when you stop and think about it. These so-called "Christians" are actually pushing to do things that Jesus himself rejected. They want to be like the hypocritical Pharisees and do it in Jesus' name.