When did Atheism become a religion?

Question

Seeing that there are multiple posts promoting Atheism on a religion board, does that mean it is now classified as a religion?

Answer 1

it's not a religion. It's a classification of people who do not follow disorganized religion.

Answer 2

I believe the majority of Atheists don't believe Atheism is a religion, but then again, I dont think that most Atheists really care. A religion can be classified as anything from a group of friends who worship a stalk of corn to a guy with obsessive compulsive disorder.

A religion doesn't have to have ANYTHING to do with God(s) or Church(s).

Religion: something one believes in and follows devotedly; a point or matter of ethics or conscience

Answer 3

Atheism is just an opinion like any other religion and in that sense you can consider it to be a religion. However religion typically requires a deity (or deities) and atheism is disbelief in deities, atheism cannot be classified as a religion.

Answer 4

About as soon as it became established, *for some*
There is hardly anything that human beings cannot treat as a religion, irrespective of its status seen by those more dispassionately involved.

Football teams and sport in general is quite popular.
Any cause that can make a good campaign (crusade?).
Model railways to minature poodles.
What ever a person makes as their "thing to live for".

That won't exclude atheism, but neither does it define it.
I'm an atheist but it's not my religion. Neither as my chief point of focus, nor as to how I came to that stance.

I spend more time on my model railways than my atheism

Answer 5

This is the definition of religion: Belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe. Since atheists do not believe in or accept the idea of a supernatural power, how then can it be a religion? Why don't you lobby YA for an "athiest" board if it bothers you so much?

Answer 6

Atheism IS a religion because it's just as dogmatic as any other religion. It pronounces as knowledge and truth something that cannot be proven, as do religions. "God doesn't exist" is a statement that can't be proven, just as "God exists" is. Therefore, atheism has always been a religion. Agnosticism, on the other hand, is not.

Answer 7

I'd say more of a religious preference rather than a religion...but, it's starting to go towards religion.
Atheists are now starting to make websites, forum's and blogs where people talk about God (or the disbelief of, I should say). There are even Atheists summer camps starting for kids. And, their starting to ask for "donations" for the "cause." Yep...sounds like it's about to be a religion to me.

~Take Care~

Answer 8

The best comparison I've ever heard is that calling atheism a religion is like calling bald a hair color.

Answer 9

Atheism IS a religion--
Although many claim you cannot prove there is a God, can you prove that there's NOT a God? Of course not!! Because it's outside of science, and is therefore is an opinion held BY FAITH, not scientific facts.

Answer 10

It didn't.....but it should be,Atheism is the thinking mans philosophy one in which objectivity,education,and an understanding of ones ethnocentrism enable us to live a credible life without need to worry about judgement,dishonesty and self delusion. Religion is the adult pursuit of the of childly years of self moderation.

Answer 11

Well I don't know WHEN it happened but we all know WHERE it happened!

I forgot not everyone is a mind reader. I meant out here of course.

Or at a guess, I'd say about 3 days after Y!A opened to the public. Or more specifically the R&S room.