If Atheism is not considered a "religion" why are they in this section?

Question

The majority of people who answered my last question seemed to feel that Atheism is a non-belief in a God, afterlife, worship of a higher power, and prayer of some kind. At least that is what I got from many of the answers. Therefore, if this is true, why would they be in the religious and spirituality section? I don't necessarily believe that all Atheists (non-believers) are bad people. They simply do not have the same beliefs as a Christian, and therefore I think that you will find that most Christians think they are wrong. But I have to wonder if those who do not have some type of religion, be it Christianity, Buddhism, Hindu, Wicca, whatever it may be, then why are they in here discussing religion, other than to either stir up trouble, try to make people question their own religion, or make a mockery out of others religious beliefs?

They make the same comments and ask the same questions, but really don’t seem to want to hear an answer.

Why are Christians shoving their religion down others throats?-- Well, not all do, but those who come across that way are simply trying to spread the word of their religion.

Why are Christians so close-minded?-- Well, our beliefs tell us that we are not to be open minded to any beliefs that contradict what the Bible teaches us. So being open minded to any beliefs that are not part of the teachings of God, is not something that we believe God wants us to be. This is not being judgmental, if we are simply following what God wants or what he tells us is right or wrong. This however, does not mean that we are unwilling to listen to a person of another religion tell us about what they believe, it simply means that we are only curious, not looking to change our beliefs. Out of curiosity I asked a question about what exactly Wicca was. I just was curious to know if what I had heard was true.

If a non-believer would ask a question or answer one, without cursing and making downright, mean and nasty comments, then others who believe differently would be more willing to at least have a mature discussion or debate with them. I truly have not seen any “religion” on here be as mean or nasty as some (not all, but some) Atheists are.

Answer 1

Atheism is not a religion. You can be religious/spiritual without believing in a god. Many Buddhist are atheists.

EDIT: This isn't a section just for theists to discuss things. Anyone can ask about religions if they want to.

Answer 2

Again, go look a couple pages back, resolved or unresolved questions. This is the 6th question I've seen in the hour I have been here about the same topic. Stop making your fingers bleed.

"They make the same comments and ask the same questions, but really don’t seem to want to hear an answer. " You wouldn't believe how many christians I have seen do this, more than athiests and of any other religion combined.

I am an atheist, I have seen many christians and many muslims be more hateful.

Answer 3

Your questions show up on the front page, not just this section. I find this type of thought interesting. I enjoy reading and studying all kinds of mythology, not just christian.

We ask these questions to understand your mindset. If someone asks "why christians shove their religion on people"? its because they've hit a limit for being preached to usually.

The answer you give about closed mindedness is one of my biggest fascinations with people of faith. You state quite clearly that you'll listen, but with a closed mind. That is akin to putting blinders on a horse...yeah, he can turn his head and see something different, but he'll just keep plodding forward. Even if you believe creation over evolution, don't you feel that your faith/religion should grow and evolve from a logical (not emotional) debate? Are you so afraid of change that you can't accept the fact that someone else, regardless of who, may be right?

It seems to me that many (not all mind you) people of faith tend to be very sensitive, and take logic as being mean. I'll give you the fact that there are going to be trolls, but please, don't mistake anyone who has a dissenting view as being "mean and nasty". And before you claim that no other "religion" is as mean and nasty as atheism, could you please explain to me how a man of god (priest, minister, preacher, etc...) would tell a 5 year old child he was damned to hell, simply because his parents weren't married?

Answer 4

Atheism is represented in the Religion and Spirituality section for two main reasons:

1. Because some Atheists are spiritual.
2. Because like Moral Relativism is discussed on Ethics boards, so too is Atheism discussed on Religion and Spirituality boards.

Its a question on the usefulness of religion and spirituality, if one is dealing with a typical Materialist Atheist.

Answer 5

Because atheism is a belief about the higher order of things which we all know is inarguable there. Atheism says it's just a bunch of meaningless laws of causality that make up everything, but it's still a rational of temporal existance, though it kinda skirts the problem of consciousness ;).

Something I noticed about your post though...you said the Bible says not to pay attention to anything that contradicts what the Bible says, but the Bible contradicts itself. Thats similar the the paradoxial statement "I always tell the truth, but I am lying". If you were perhaps more open minded about new ideas, so long as the new ideas keeps true to the core of your beliefs, the intent of the Bible, then you would do adapt better in the constantly changing world in which we find ourselves. The Bible always teaches compassion. Practice compassion and you will do well in all things.

Answer 6

I'm an atheist , and the reason I might answer a religious questions is because I am looking at all the questions under society and culture. So if a question grabs my attention. I will answer it. I find it funny how you think a christian shoving religion down someones throat is excusable and an atheist making you question your belief is not . How hypocritical . Also , if you don't want to hear every ones answer maybe you should not use yahoo answers.

Answer 7

I'm agnostic. I don't believe that the Christian God or the Muslim, Hindu, etc. is the true God; but logic forces me to accept that the concept of God could never be disproven. At the heart of Atheism is the blind faith that God could not exist without human knowledge. Some people have defended Atheism on the grounds of inconsistancies in the Bible, Koran, etc, but this is irrelevent to Atheism. Atheism makes the definative statement that God does not exist. Proving a negative typically relies on some measure of faith, but in the case of Atheism it takes complete blind faith.

For example, we cannot prove that the government wasn't behind 9/11, but we can say that it would be nearly impossible to conceal such a plot (which would involve hundreds of people) from the press. So we have a little faith there. In the case of God, to prove that God does not exist would require blind faith, since if God is omnipotent then God could certainly pull a fast one on thousands of teenagers with too much makeup. (even if gothic chics are, for some reason, the hottest women in the world)

So, as a doctrine it does not adhere to logic, and in fact, forces one to suspend logic in order to accept it. In this type of situation where a believer is forced to rely on faith, we generally refer to it as a religion or a philosophy. So in my book (and I'm not the brightest guy in the world) its a religion. Kinda like creationism (no disrepect intended), it may be true, but it doesn't qualify as anything but religion.

Alot of times Atheists will be disrepectful of another religion because they haven't put as much thought in to things as they should have, and they compensate by taking an aggressive posture. This is common in religion: the Taliban, the God hates gays protesters, etc. etc.

This is not intended to be disrespectful of Atheists. One of the best qualities of most atheists is thier willingness to debate their beliefs.

Answer 8

This is the religion and spirituality section, and there are plenty of spiritual atheists (Buddhists come to mind). In addition, a person doesn't have to believe in something to discuss it. I talk to my sister about Santa Clause all the time. It's called becoming educated.

And it's obvious that you do believe that atheists are bad people because you support a god who believes we should suffer for eternity for not believing in him. I've said it before, I would die for your right to believe in whatever you want to believe in, but Christians believe we deserve eternal suffering for disagreeing with them.

Answer 9

Why?, to discuss religion, just like you are. You do not need to subscribe to a belief to have a desire to understand it.

And I had asked many religious questions that were not insulting or rude, but not suprisingly I received many hateful christian responses.

Do you think when we ask a serious question we like getting "You're going to hell" from every theist that responds?

Answer 10

I'm also not a scientist but there's nothing stopping me from going over to the Science board if I wish.

Religion is a big part of everybody's life, including those who want no part of it. I have as much right to be here as anybody else.

And you ain't heard nuthin' until you've heard some of the godfearin' folk on this board, sister. Take my word for it.