Why call atheism a religion?

Question

The main argument I come across goes something like this:

"Atheists BELIEVE that god doesn't exist. They have FAITH in that BELIEF. If they have FAITH and BELIEF, that makes atheism their religion!".

Well... on the basis of that logic... my religion is Houseism.

I BELIEVE that the television show House is the best program currently being aired (I don't actually think that, I think it's really dang great, but for the purposes of this analogy, let's pretend I BELIEVE it's the best). I BELIEVE this and have FAITH in that belief.

Now... this "religion" of mine doesn't seem to include any of the necessary elements of a true religion, namely:

Belief in supernatural beings
Sacred vs profane objects, places, times
Ritual acts focused on sacred objects, places, times
Moral code with supernatural origins
Characteristically religious feelings
Prayer and other forms of communication
A worldview & organization of one's life based on the worldview
A social group bound together by the above

However, Houseism (as well as atheism) would supposedly be considered a religion based solely on BELIEF and FAITH. If not, it has to be considered as such only when the necessary standards are met.

If you wish to assert that Houseism and atheism are religions, please do so at this time.

If you wish to attempt to explain how Houseism and atheism qualify by meeting the listed criteria, please do so at this time.

If you wish to declare that Houseism and atheism are not religions, please do so at this time.

Thank you.

Bright Eyes, I'm NOT calling it a religion. I'm asking why OTHERS might call it a religion (as others often do). In fact, the details beneath the question pretty thoroughly explain why I DON'T consider it a religion. Read the whole question and all the details before berating people for something they didn't do.

Eaglemyrick, apparently you didn’t bother to read beyond the initial concept of “belief and faith” as the sole qualifiers. Once again, if that’s ALL of the requirements, then you concede that Houseism is also a religion.

Flyersbible, I’m sure there are courts that have ruled that way. In fact, I think I’ve read about it. But please... for the sake of this discussion… please demonstrate the “system” of beliefs associated with atheism because atheism is “without belief in a god or gods”. Anything beyond that is up to the individual. There is no collective, there is no organization, there is no cohesive group with choreographed moves & prayers, no unifying worldview, no “atheist ritual” or “sacred atheist objects”. To what “system” do you refer?

Nikki, that’s not the most accurate definition, and if you’re eager enough, break down the word for yourself. The prefix “a-“ means, in this context, “without”. “Theism” is defined as “belief in a god or gods”. Put them together, see what you get.

Someone, they’re called religions because they qualify. See qualifying criteria above.

Richard, I haven’t stated that “atheists claim a religion”. I asked why other folk consider atheism itself to be a religion.

Richard, a cause, principle, or activity pursued with zeal or conscientious devotion doesn't refer to religion in the sense that it does with Christianity. Religion, in the context of definition 4, would be used for exaggerating the significance of the enjoyment or habit in which one engages.

Like "jogging is my religion... I do it every day religiously".

It's not meant to imply that "jogging" or anything else applicable by the standards of this definition should be considered categorically equivalent to organized religion.

Matt: No, being without belief in a deity is not a belief. I'm fairly certain that's pretty self explanatory.

Also, saying "the nonbelief counterpart of religion is religion" is about as logical as saying "a person who likes sports is a sports fan and a person who doesn't like sports is also a sports fan as they are the counterpart to the sports fan".

Oh, and per your question: it's a religious statement ONLY in that it is pertaining to the subject of religion. That doesn't make the person making the statement inherently religious for asking.

klilly, the point I was trying to get across, the point you obviously missed, was that belief and faith ALONE do not a religion make. "Truly believing" and "having faith" aren't enough to justify religious categorization. All religions possess nearly all or all of the necessary requirements listed above. You can't say the same for mere "lack of belief".

Answer 1

Atheism is simply the ABSENCE of belief in god(s). It can only be considered to be a religion in the sense that one mignt consider NOT collecting stamps to be a hobby.

There are a small proportion of Atheists who hold the 'strong atheist' position. They go beyond just NOT believing in god, and go so far as to BELIEVE that god DOES NOT exist. They are the exception, though, rather than the rule.

Answer 2

I believe that you are correct. Houseism is not a religion in the most common sense of the word.

I have never met an atheist who claimed that atheism was a religion. If you have then you need to ask. If you did ask and they gave a answer similar to your rant above, then you are correct in your analysis and the "atheist" needs to do a little more logical thinking.

You may be confused about this topic due to the misinformation of the person you heard this from. Most atheists do not claim a religion. The confusion may come from the fact that the United States government started listing Atheism as an option on official forms. Perhaps they should have used "None."

From the American Heritage Dictionary (for the word Religion)
1a. Belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe. b. A personal or institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship. 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. 4. A cause, principle, or activity pursued with zeal or conscientious devotion.

The fourth definition could be used by an atheist. Your list of what a religion is is based upon your assumptions and training and is not looking at the word "religion" in the broadest sense of the word.

Answer 3

The idea is that any metaphysical belief is a religion. Guess what? The next step anyone on this board will take may or may not be onto solid ground, even if that ground was solid 10 minutes ago. It's metaphysical faith that says taking that step is OK. Faith makes me believe in evidence, but it is educated faith.

Faith in something that reason should overrule is the problem. Judeo-Christian- Islamic faith is only possible through ignorance, usually self chosen. Psuedo-intellectual ideas like Intelligent Design, substatiating God by pointing to the holes in science, make this obvious. If such a "believer" learns more, they will necessrily diminish that God, since there will be less holes to fill.

Science itself is metaphysical; all evidence is based on observation, and we have no workable theory of consciousness (the observer). I'll still keep my faith in science.

Answer 4

I cannot say about houseism, However in atheism, the reason it is considered a religion, is because the BELIEVE, and the FAITH have to do with a GOD. It takes just as much actual faith to believe in the non-existence of some sort of higher being (especially in the light of the discoveries of dimension's higher than our own... i.e a sideways axis in time, or being able to freely move along our own time axis.)

Because it is what you truly Believe it is a religion. If you TRULY believed in houseism, then yes, it could be considered your religion, but you would then have to extend houseism, as a religion is a self-perpetuating Mime (program) that runs in the human Mind

On a side note - Agnostic's is also a religion, which is ill-defined simply as "the process of searching for a religion,"

Answer 5

Some people say that it takes a lot of faith to believe in nothing. I say atheism is not religion but wanna be's of a man made cult. religion is a belief system therefore atheism does not exist. An atheist is an unbelieving sinner that couldn't stay strong in the battle of spiritual fitness with GOD. There is nothing deep about being an atheist so no one holds these people in high regard like they think.
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Answer 6

From what I have read here on answers, many of the Atheist dislike or even hate organized religion. They don't believe in Spirituality because then they would have to consider the Christian view of God. They have no faith or believe, they just are. Also, I keep wondering why Atheist are even in this category based on what I have read from their answers. Is it because they hate us Christians so much they wish to antagonize us, or because they have no where else to say what they want to say so they say it here. God Bless!!

Answer 7

I am an atheist.

I beleive that Atheism shoud be called a religion....that way, we would also be allowed the same benefits that religious institutions are allowed - namely tax-exempt status. Then, we could shirk our responsibility for paying taxes, and we could start schools specializing in spreading KNOWLEDGE AND INTELLIGENCE instead of dogma and blind faith....

After all, we all know that the idea of God is a silly notion and that he does not exist....but can we prove this? No, we cannot - therefore, we BELEIVE God doesnt exist.....we have a certain faith (for lack of a better word) that he does not exist. So, why not refer to it as a religion, gain tax expemt status, and then spread the good knowledge?

Answer 8

Nope. you're puzzling church and faith. Atheism isn't a church, it is the absence thereof, whether it is a faith. faith (as a common noun) isn't something greater or decrease than a series of ideals grounded upon an theory which isn't falsifiable. Neither theism nor atheism is falsifiable.

Answer 9

I call it a religion when referring to it because I don't really know what else to call it. I don't think of it as a religion, though I can see how others might. After all, it is reflective of my beliefs towards the creation of the world and divinity and all that jazz.

Answer 10

I see what you're saying. I prefer to call atheism a "religious philosophy" for that reason--it's a philosophy about whether anything spiritual exists. "Belief" is good, too. But it's not at all a religion.

Houseism is a belief in the superiority of a TV show used to illustrate a point. :-) I'm a 4400ist using that definition.

Answer 11

lol - I am a non-beleiver and I fully agree with you :-)

. Theists believe in the existence of one (or several) deity (ies);
. Atheists believe in the non-existence of deity(ies);
. Non-theists don't care about the existence or non-existence of deity(ies).


I long thought that I was an atheist, because I first thought that:

"atheist = someone who doesn't belong to any kind of religious nor spiritual movement".

But actually, some atheists do believe in the concept of "god", of its non-existence. Not really coherent. In my view, these aren't real atheists but anti-theistic agnostics.

Those labels are so incomplete & boring.

I am a non-believer, fan of planetology (exact that studies any kind of planets).