If Faith is "Belief without Evidence" then is Atheism a religion?

Question

Richard Dawkins, a leading scientific atheist believes that religion is a belief or set of beliefs for which there is no proof, such as the belief in a God or gods (God being undefined and unproven by scientific methods as Mr Dawkins says). Then, since the existance of God either as the creator of the universe or in any other form such as the Flying Spagetti Monster cannot be proven is Atheism therefore a religion because there is no proof that God does Not exist seeing that it (the belief that there is No God) has no tangible proof? Is Atheism therefore a religion by Mr Dawkins definition? With the 'faith' that there is no god?

As a US Chess Federation coach I understand the rules of logic. I am using definitions given by atheists and ask a question to clarify and instead of answering my question, most atheists give me more questions and insult me. Perhaps I don't want to be an atheist because of the rudeness and lack of straightforwardness. Why can't you give me an honest answer? With an IQ of 168 there is a chance that I might understand logic. Give me a logical response PLEASE.

So then, before the invention of the airplane there was no evidence of airplanes. Therefore airplanes did not exist. Why do they now exist? It is by 'faith' which is the belief that they do exist even when they obviously don't. This is the process of invention, the workings of faith (imagination) in conjunction with the work that is required. By extrapolation then I deduce the existance of God.

hot carl sagan - My question is a simple 'If / Then' logical inquiry. It is simple, direct and to the point. The definition given by Mr Dawkins is NOT an accurate and exhaustive definition of the word 'Faith'. However, to avoid further confusion, I use your definition anyway and by your definition it would seem that Atheism is a religion because Atheists state that there is no God but provide no proof to support this statement. You even go to the extent to further assert that your statement "There is no God" can NOT be proven. Therefore you have a 'belief without evidence'. Therefore, it would appear, by your own definition, that Atheism is a religion. I asked the question to clarify. How does this violate the rules of Logic? If you wish to prove something you need proof. My proof is that since there is a universe, some 'God' must have made it. Can you disprove my theoretical model? What 'evidence' can you provide. Is this not the scientific method? What does a Pink Unicorn prove?

Answer 1

I think we have 'faith' and 'religion' a bit at cross purposes here don't we?
I am atheist,I don't pretend to know anything about Richard Dawkins or his definitions on the meaning of 'faith'' belief' or 'religion'!
To me (simpleton that I am) religion is the worship of a superhuman controlling power. Faith means (to me) reliance, or trust ! Belief just means accepting as true as in 'think' or even 'suppose'!
Now all these words can be jumbled up to imply whatever you, Richard Dawkins or whoever wants to make of them, but it all seems simple enough to me.
But to get back to what appears to be the main point to your question, is atheism a religion? A simple enough question once we get rid of all the 'red herrings' for example how does one become "A leading scientifcate atheist"???
I am not a 'leading' anything, I dont belive in God, I have no objection or axe to grind with anyone that does belive in any God.
I have many objections to 'religions' all at odds with each other, why oh why cant folk just belive in their God and pray as they want, they do not need all these leaders and teachers to do that do they???? So my short answer is NO atheism is certainly not a religion. Took me some time to get to my point but I made it!!!

Answer 2

Well, I'm Buddhist, and I take things in a very logical way. I mean, I don't try to determine if God is real or not. I love ideas from all religions. The only thing that bothers me is how people use and manipulate these religions to force it upon other people. Don't go on too logically about atheism being a religion. Religion is only a word. Everyone believes in something. No one can go without believing in anything. Everyone has similar truths. We feel, see, touch, smell, hear, and taste. Why are we so different? Because the human mindset works that way. I like not to look at people according to religion but as the people they are. And I don't agree with the girl who answered with-- "They don't accept the fact they have to face God" or something of that sort. Believing in God is not the only way. If God saw his people forcing their ideas into others' throats by wars and fighting, I'm pretty sure he won't be too happy.

Answer 3

No, you can chase your tail around all you want but atheism is just a lack of belief in God.
The basis of the scientific method is doubt. I know that religious type people don't understand that very well.
Science does not provide ultimate answers, just better answers. It is concerned with what works more than with the ideal.
Think about Isaac Newton and his theories of gravity and motion. They were pretty good ideas, very good answers that worked for a few hundred years. Now think about Einstein and his theories about gravity, motion and time. These ideas go past Newton's ideas. They answer problems Newton never knew about. The big problem they addressed was the fact that the speed of light is a constant value. Einsteins theory of relativity contains Newton inside of it. Relativity would not have been possible without Newton getting us to where we could find out about the speed of light, impossible without Newtons math known as Calculus. But Newton's theory never would have got us to the moon, we would have missed. Relativity got us there, and also let us put up satellites, thank it for modern communications around the world.
We could never have made the computer or the atom bomb without Quantum mechanics, again, not an answer to the ultimate question.
Just one more step in getting it less wrong.
Einstein's ideas are over seventy years old and I would expect a new set of problems to come up soon, and that would mean a new theory.
Your religious Idea of God is well over two thousand years old, possibly three or four thousand. If you look at it over time you can see the changes and modifications. From the very human type God in the Garden of Eden to the amorphus invisible Super Spirit of the times of Vespasian.
Just more steps in getting it less wrong. They did not know any better back then. To deal with Cosmology using Newton you would be about three hundred years out of date. To deal with the world using the bible puts you about three thousand years out of date. Two thousand years out with the "New" testament and about seventeen hundred years with the Koran.
Welcome to the modern world, where they are getting it a lot less wrong.

edit to detail. You can extrapolate anything you like but where is your evidence, and how does it help you understand anything. There were no airplanes because there was no available tech to build one. I can extrapolate an Invisible Pink Unicorn. So what?

and your claims about IQ or being a chess coach not only are irrelevant but they lack credibility.

Answer 4

I find it easier, and requireing no faith at all, to believe that some things don't exist. As some have pointed out, if you want to establish a postive fact, then you have the burden of proof.
Some things, however, are negated as a priori impossible. The invisible pink unicorn, six-sided squares, an omnipotant, omniscient, omnibenevolent god that allows evil, that jesus ( as having the attributes that the fundies tell us) could suffer ( he allowed it like a sub), could be killed ( more like suicide by cop, he must have let it happen), that he could have been betrayed ( without being party to it), are all impossible.
Logic has not proven the lack of godhood in the universe. It does not even prove that Jesus is not god. What it does prove is that it is not Jesus as the Fundies percieve him.

Ramen

Answer 5

For about the 10th time in 2 days: You don't need evidence for nothing. Nothing is just that, nothing, the opposite of something. There is no evidence for nothing. That's why atheists don't believe in something, lack of evidence. No faith necessary

If you want to debate you should understand the rules of logic. You're doing a disservice to people who don't know any better.

Later:
If you understand logic, why does your question violate one of it's simplest to understand rules? The answer I gave you is logical, you just don't like it. And the airplane analogy? How does that have any bearing on the situation? Maybe it would be apt if people could design and build a functional god. See the problem with your thinking? My IQ is 169.

Answer 6

Many people with strongly religious viewpoints insist on seeing atheism as a religion.

Most atheists are actually quite comfortable with the uncertainty. We just see no evidence for anything that makes sense to us to define as 'god.' Many of us only call ourselves atheist because so much of the rest of the world defines themselves in terms of religion.

It is far better to think of this worldview as outside of religion.

Answer 7

That's a nice argument, but unfortunately it is baseless. You cannot prove a negative - the burden of proof is on the positive assertion. In other words, atheism is not necessarily 'faith' in the strict sense. It does not take faith to reject the idea that my TV set is alive, or that my cat is really Albert Einstein. Still, it seems logical to me that agnosticism makes more sense than atheism...

Answer 8

BELIEF IN NEW HEAVENS AND NEW EARTH IS NOT WITH OUT EVIDENCE

Adam died in the day he sinned in, age 930 is 70 years less 1000 years. He lived in a life sustaining earth that was lost in the flood. For the promise of eternal life for man there has to be the life sustaining earth and it involves the heavens. Heaven earth and the world is made new.

Isa.65:16 That he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from mine eyes.
Isa.65:17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

Answer 9

Pythagoras' Theory is a formula.

Humanism is a movement.

Altruism is a philosophy.

Athiesm is a mixture of a formula, a movement and a philosophy. Not a religion. Nice try.....

Answer 10

I think that being an atheist has to do more with pride than anything. God does exist and atheists don't like the idea that one day we're all going to have to answer to God.