is atheism a religion?

Question

what must an atheist have faith in?

Answer 1

Atheism, in its broadest sense, is the absence of theism (the belief in the existence of deities). This encompasses both people who assert that there are no gods, and those who make no claim about whether gods exist or not. Narrower definitions of atheism, however, typically label as atheists only those people who affirmatively assert the nonexistence of gods, and classify other nonbelievers as agnostics or simply non-theists.

Many people who self-identify as atheists do tend to share common skeptical concerns regarding the evidence (or lack of evidence) of the world's many deities and creation stories as well as questioning the goodness and morality of religions that have brought us such things as holy wars and inquisitions. Yet while some adhere to philosophies such as humanism, naturalism and materialism, there is no single ideology that all atheists share, nor does atheism have any institutionalized rituals or behaviors. Indeed, atheism is inspired by many rationales, encompassing personal, scientific, social, philosophical, and historical reasoning.

Although atheism is commonly equated with irreligion in Western culture, some religious beliefs (such as some forms of Buddhism), though not often so identified by the adherents, have been described as atheistic.

Answer 2

It depends on your definition of religion. I've always understood religion to be a set of values or beliefs, regardless of how they are developed. If we define it that way, atheism is a religion just as any other belief. And just like the adherents to any other set of beliefs, atheists will represent a whole spectrum of actual beliefs, some of which fit the traditional atheist belief system, and others of which will be farther removed. Regardless, an atheist must believe on faith that God does NOT exist. While the absense of a god is perhaps easier to justify in the absence of evidence, it still is not a given.

Simply put, atheism is no more provable or scientific than theism. It's just a more common default.

Answer 3

Atheism is not a religion
They have faith in everything that some others would have faith in. Their friends and family. Some are better people than religious people, they don't hate other religions and would never go to war over religious beliefs. They live their life being the best for themselves and the family they were raised by.

Answer 4

Technically Atheism can't be a religion.
According to the dictionary, religion means:
"1.Belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe.
2.The life or condition of a person in a religious order.
3.A set of beliefs, values, and practices based on the teachings of a spiritual leader. (spirituality=of a supernatural being or the church)
4.A cause, principle, or activity pursued with zeal or conscientious devotion."

Basically it states that you have to believe in a supernatural force that creates or governs, or a spiritual leader of sorts.
Since technically atheists don't believe in any type of spirituality or supernatural forces, then they can't be a religion .
Look the words up in the dictionary, if you don't believe me!

PS. Agnostics are also defined as "not believing there is evidene to prove there is or isn't a god; no definite opinion about a superior being"
Not all atheists are selfish

Answer 5

Atheism is the conviction that there is no God, unlike an agnostic who says that it is an unanswerable question.It is the direct opposite of theistic religion and every bit as much an act of faith. that explains why theists and atheists get along so well and are almost always found on the same page

Answer 6

I would say that atheism is a religion, in the sence that the atheist has faith in the absence of god from reality. It really depends on what definition of religion you use. One definition according to Merriam-Webster is "a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith." In that definition then yes atheism is a religion.

Answer 7

An atheist has faith that there is no 'higher being' to have faith in.

"Religion" is mostly about following a set of rules ...as in 'he went to church religiously'. Many believe that following these rules makes them better individuals, or saves them.

"Faith" is a direct belief in a higher being, that devotion to the higher being is what helps or saves them.

As a corollary to the question, an agnostic doesn't know and doesn't care if there is anything else beyond the physical world.

Answer 8

Atheism is no religion. Religion is a system of beliefs that people make up for themselves to explain what they don't understand; the problem with it is, once religion has explained it in its own terms, the religious people become closed minded to any other possibilities, like how it really works. So what you end up with is all these people who insist that lightning is the anger of God and refuse to believe that lightning is static discharge equalizing electrical forces between the storm cloud and the ground.

Answer 9

no. atheism is not a religion. It is a disbelief in God. If you are an atheist, you do not believe in anything you cannot see for yourself. Of course, God has proven he is there, but you are not looking or listening, so you do not belive. Ask the question, how did this come to be, and is there proof? Science has been proving God exists for years.

Answer 10

Religion is a framework of views that answers the questions of why we are here, where did we come from, where are we going, and what should we be doing?

It's kind of a cosmology. So yes, many atheists are actually religious--that is, they have beliefs based on answers to questions that cannot be answered solely by science and logic. Only in their case they do not believe in a god.