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Question

As always, I ask that anyone who does not wish to contribute any intelligent and/or enlightening information to find somewhere else to rant.
I've been considering this point for a few days now. I asked a question on here the other day about how Atheists explain our existence. The answer I got was evolution. Darwin's theory of evolution states that all of the species of animals and plants that exist today developed through gradual evolutionary changes dictated by the law of survival of the fittest. Intelligent Design says that God created evolution. From all of that I reason that Atheism is an absence of religion. However, this brings up another interesting point. If Atheism is the absence of religion, should it be covered under the constitutional right to freedom of religion? And, if it should, then we must conclude that evolution should be banned from schools as it is the method with which a constitutionally recognized and protected religion explains our existence. Thoughts?

I'd like to thank everyone for participating in this civilized discussion. I gave a positive vote to everyone who voiced their opinions and views in an appropriate manner, regardless of what those opinions were. This, as we all know, gives you an extra point. Thanks Again Guys & Gals.

Answer 1

This is a very good point, and i have actually researched it before. In the Freedom of Religion amendment, there are two clauses: the establishment clause, and the free excercise clause. The establishment clause is the separation of church and state, or in other words, the government cannot establish or promote any one relgion. In the free excercise clause, the government cannot ban any one religion. Oddly enough, atheism is only considered a religion in the free excercise clause, and not in the establishment clause. This is a sort of loophole that allows the religion to establish atheism in schools, without going against our rights to freedom of religion. Pretty messed up, huh?

Answer 2

Actually, atheism isn't behind evolution. Not all atheists believe evolution is correct, though admittedly most do. Evolution is like any other scientific theory such as plate tectonics or global warming. Why should every scientific theory you disagree with be called a religion?

Actually, Darwin himself mentioned God in "The Origin of the Species" which is his book about evolution, the one that started this whole controversy.

I explain sunlight as energy traveling from the nearest star - I am an atheist - does that mean it should not be taught in school? Atheists do not have supernatural things to explain life with so they use what everybody has - reason and science. Science comes from observations using empirical evidence. Science is not a religion.

Atheism is protected by default because we are protected against the formation of a mandatory state religion. We have the right to not worship your God. We are not required to worship as you do. That is the protection - the protection isn't just the of the ability to worship what we want but also to not worship what we don't want to. You should be happy about this - you are protected from being forced to worship anything. You'd feel differently about this if you were a minority.

Answer 3

Freedom of religion also means not having to believe in religion (and the Supreme Court has upheld this view). Further, I have read a text book for creation science (the basis for intelligent design, also a ruling by the federal courts) and creation science is very explicit in stating that Hinduism, Buddhism, and other religions are NOT creation science and ARE covered by evolution. If this is the case, removing evolution would, in a legal view (by creation science's own admission) , be a banning of other constitutionally protected religions. Christianity is not constitutionally recognized (nor is any religion), but is protected as is any other religion and atheism.

Answer 4

No, atheism is a lack of religion, and not a religion. If I don't have a bag, I do not have a not-bag that could be classified as a type of bag.

Evolution is not a tenant of atheism, but a scientific theory that is supported by evidence from many different fields of science. Atheists tend to support evolution, because they like empirical evidence (which religion lacks). The theory of evolution is built from a whole lot of evidence from many different fields in science.

Intelligent Design doesn't 'teach' anything. There is nothing scientific about it. It was recently determined in the US Supreme Court that Intelligent Design is only a religious belief, and has no science. They borrow the theory of evolution and then tack on that there must be a Creator, without any proof or evidence. That is not the scientific method, and does not belong in a science classroom.

Everyone who says evolution is only a theory needs to remember that gravity is only a theory. They are both based off of facts, but the actual mechanism used to describe them is theoretical.

Answer 5

You have a logic flaw, several in fact. One as you say, Atheism is not a religion. next Atheism is not about or part of Evolution fact or the theory of what the fact of evolution means or how it operates. Evolution is science. pure and simple. Do you want to quit teaching all sciences. Good luck on your kids finding a job using scripture to diagnose computer glitches or research medicines. Lets ban all maths while we are at it.

Answer 6

I think that evolution is still taught in schools because of the scientific proof--you know, those half-man, half-ape skeletons.
Now it could very well be that those were actually full-fledged monkeys and in no way human, but since we didn't live back then, we will never know.
I am a creationist, but I believe that evolution does exist to some degree. You can't deny it. Evolution is all around you.

And if you look at the word "atheist" and break it down to its roots:
a=no/not
theism=religion
atheism=no religion.

Answer 7

Schools do not teach atheism, they teach science. The theory of evolution is the only viable non-religious explanation for the creation of life on earth. Your argument makes no more sense than saying that if a religion advocated brushing your teeth, you should not teach brushing your teeth in school.

The term"constitutionally recognized religion" is a misnomer. The constitution specifically does not recognize any religion.

Answer 8

No, this is wrong and doesn't make much sense to be honest. Atheism is the absence of a belief in God. Furthermore, science and atheism are not synonymous. Neither science nor atheism is a religion. By that logic you are saying that nothing should be taught in schools about the origins of life.

Answer 9

I think that the reason that evolution is still taught in school is that some how school systems need to explain in both science and history classes how we are here. Now I went to catholic school system in grade school and high school. I learned about the catholic way of how earth was created but I also learned every other main thoughts about evolution and how things are. I think that this is the best way for things to be. This way people are not wondering about other ways people think. Why they can not have all the thoughts there for the students to learn about would be better in my mind that way whatever you believe you will understand about what other people are thinking and why they think that way instead of judging them. I think this is the main problem with most all disagreements. I believe that if people would understand what reason people have to believe they are right that at least there would be less fighting over things that if people just listened with out judging would not end in hate.

Answer 10

My body is primarily made of water. Water contains hydrogen and oxygen. Hydrogen comes from compacted neutron cell divisions when helium is condensed by evaporation. Oxygen is constructed through the kinetic momentum of vectors soaking up the residual mass of the hydrogenated cells after evaporation.

Why is that process left out of the Bible? The authors of the Bible allege they heard the direct, literal 'word of God'. The Bible is detailed extremely simply. "God said let there be light and there was light". Do you think God said to Moses "There is light because I said so. Now write that down in a book called the Bible"?

Atheism is a premise based on the rejection of blind faith a source of inspiration. Atheism is a belief based on quantifying measureable data. Atheism is not an absence of religion, but an acceptance of evidence-based logic.