Is Catholicism compatible with atheism?

Question

I ask this 'cause my dad is catholic but he doesn't believe God exists

Answer 1

Sounds like your dad has the catholic religion and not the catholic faith
Sure, there's a difference

Answer 2

Sure, why not?

I mean, except for the part about believing in God. I don't know, is that an important part of being Catholic?

Maybe he could accept Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior, but only in the metaphorical sense, since Jesus has been dead for the past 2000 years.
And he could accept Papal infallibility, so long as the Pope only says things that are accurate.
And he could accept the literal transubstantiation of the Host: the communion wafers transform into Jesus' body through a really weird, but totally rational and scientific, process involving quantum mechanics and photon torpedos.

See? No conflict.

Answer 3

No.

Catholics believe in God.

A summary of Catholic beliefs is contained in the Nicene Creed (from the year 325):

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in being with the Father. Through Him all things were made. For us and our salvation He came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit, He was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate; He suffered, died, and was buried. On the third day He rose again in fulfillment of the scriptures: He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son, He is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

For a complete description of what Catholics believe, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/index.htm

With love in Christ.

Answer 4

I would say you can continue to observe the traditions of catholicism and be an atheist, but i wouldn't necessarily say that you can be a catholic and an atheist simultaneously. Catholicism kind of demands a belief in a very specific god.

Answer 5

I think your father is very confused.

The very first line of the creed, the statement of Catholic beliefs is "I believe in one God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth".

A person cannot state they are Catholic if they do not believe God exists.

Answer 6

Your dad says he is catholic because that is the label his parents bestowed upon him. To actually be catholic you have to believe in the christian god. If he does not believe in the christian god he is not catholic.

Answer 7

He may have been Batised a Catholic but no he is not now a Catholic if he dosen't believe in God

May God bless you

Answer 8

Read catholic history.
Read where they got some of there rituals and holidays.
It is compatible to some paganism.
Many catholics don't follow christian beliefs.

Answer 9

Then he is not really Catholic, nor does he really get why one would be Catholic

Answer 10

hmmm so he's a secular catholic. interesting.
He just likes ritual and the social aspects of church.

There are secular catholics and jews...but very few secular protestants or muslims. why is that?