Is atheism like religion?

Question

All answers welcome on both sides of the issue.

Just to clarify I wasn't asking if it is a religion but is it like religion.

Answer 1

It is a belief system, but It is more of a philosophy than a theology.

Answer 2

No, it is not. Atheism has no tenets or creeds or doctrines. The only thing that an atheist has in common with other atheists by definition of the word is no belief in a god or gods.

Some believe in an afterlife, some don't. Some believe in aliens, some don't. Some might even believe in fairies for all I know.

Atheists do *tend* to be rational thinkers, and many are former theists who became atheists through rational thought.

Answer 3

Atheism is a "position".
It is a parking of the mind, a comfortable standstill of the soul, a very comfortable retreat of the thinking and of the worries generated by our brains about our origins, our fate (metaphysics)etc... and a refusal of fairy tales explanations (religions) of the humankind.
It is not a religion. A religion is a prison of the whole entity of the individual that makes an "adept" -slave- out of him.
Atheism is an "evasion".

Answer 4

I would say that the thing that makes atheism most unlike a religion is that it is not centralized in any way. We don't believe in God, and similarities break down from there. There's not a single reason that all of us accept for not believing in God, we don't have any kinds of rituals, and there is no specific set of guidelines for morals or conduct.

Answer 5

I feel that anyones chosen ethos in life is like a religion....the word religion is often linked with worship of a God of some kind. But the ethics and moral code we live by is our chosen path and may or may not be governed by any inputfrom a God.

Answer 6

Not at all, it's the complete opposite. But i've met more likeable aithiests than i have christians or muslims, not putting those religions down im just telling it like i see it. Be a good person and enjoy yourself. As long as you're not degrading yourself or other people, you'll get through life in one piece.

Answer 7

No. people seem to have this view that athieists are organised, we all meet at a shopping centre on a Sunday to spend money or swap wives or something.

For me, athieism is a rejection of a belief ( the invisible sky fairy) rather than acceptance of anything in it's place.

Answer 8

It can be. Most atheists would say that they have no religion, but it is still possible to be dogmatic about your lack of belief. For example, in some communist countries, belief in God is discouraged while belief in the party is enforced. This results in a state of brainwashing and dogmatism which is very similar to religion.

Answer 9

Oh most definitely. Atheists are just as small-minded and bigoted as some of the religious groups they attack. Wish they didn't have to keep trying to prove themselves. Anyone religious or not that has to keep hammering the point, is obviously quite insecure in their own beliefs

Answer 10

Atheism is a faith, because the atheist BELIEVES there is no god. Atheists have the strongest faith of all believers, becasue their faith demands that they ignore all the evidence to the contrary. It is not a religion, because it has no rites or sacraments. Atheist fundamentalists believe they have a duty to force their beliefs on other people and to slag off, insult and abuse anyone that refuses to believe as they do.

Answer 11

NO, atheism is not like a religion. Everything else is like a religion except atheism. This is what I think.