Is Atheistism a Religion (read the whole question, please)?

Question

According to http://www.dictionary.com, one of the many definitions for religion is "something one believes in and follows devotedly; a point or matter of ethics or conscience:"

For an example of this definition, it uses "to make a religion of fighting prejudice."

By this definition, isn't Atheistism a particular religion of those that do not believe in a god and base many decisions in their life and reactions to others on this belief?

Respectful answers only, please. I am not looking for hateful responses, simply the definition of a particular term in different people's eyes.

Answer 1

Atheism by its own nature is the rejection of religion. It is the rejection in the belief of any sort of deity.

That however, does not mean that faith is not a requirement of atheism. In this sense, atheism can be considered a faith, in so much that it takes as much hope and belief in the nonexistence of God as it does to affirm the existence of God.

For this reason historically there are very few people who are actual atheists. While they may be highly critical of religion, they are unwillingly to take the faith that is necessary in both theism and atheism, and instead remain agnostic.

-Kerplunk288

Answer 2

Atheism is not an organization. We don't have churches, or gatherings.

The definition you chose could apply to anything. In fact, many people on YA have made a religion of answering questions. Is Yahoo answers a religion? OR is answering questions a religion? No. This definition just compares the fervent nature of religions to anything else that is fervent.

And still, atheists aren't terribly fervent about their beliefs.

Atheism is not a religion. To call atheism a religion would be like calling Health a disease.

Answer 3

You didn't start well by calling it atheistism. I'll be generous and assume that was a typo.

You presumably only cite ONE definition of religion because the others, about deities, supernatural occurrences and ritual, don't apply to atheism (or atheistism).

Atheism is the non-belief in gods. Do you think that non-belief in leprechauns is a religion?

Answer 4

As an Atheist, I think; Religion is believing in a god or gods. Atheist do not belief in gods and reject the existence of gods. In my opinion Atheism is not an religion. But those questions are pure semantics and not relevant to any discussion. Be good be nice.

Answer 5

I don't believe in or devotedly follow atheism. As soon as someone gives me even the slightest reason that a god might exist, I would cease to be an atheist.

The best way I've heard it put is "Atheism is as much a religion, as not playing golf is a sport."

Answer 6

No, but Christianitism is.

Keep in mind that what you read is only one out of many definitions, not to mention an atheist may not even fit into that category (doesn't really believe in atheism, it's just the lack of belief in God that makes someone an atheist.)

Answer 7

Atheistism

Answer 8

I suspect that "atheistism" would refer to a religion built around the worship of atheists. That doesn't strike me as very logical.

Although "atheism" is a belief, and humans make most of their decisions based upon a background of assumptions that might be called beliefs, atheism is not particularly "something one believes in and follows devotedly; a matter of ethics or conscience."

One cannot make make many decisions based on a belief in the absence of an entity. "Fighting prejudice" can be seen as a positive point of view, and as such something around which one can build a course of action. The absence of a belief in God is a void, a negative space, and as such, is unlikely, except in the persons of "militant atheists," to prompt a course of action.

I think an analogy would be to think of someone building a religion upon the fact that there is no Santa Claus. The absence of Santa is not sufficient to support the weight of a church.

Answer 9

The definition is wrong.
It was obviously written by someone who is religious, because brainwashing makes one unable to comprehend the idea of not believing in a 'higher power.'

Here is a fitting analogy that I read here on Y.A. :

"Saying atheism is a religion, is like saying NOT collecting coins is a hobby"- unknown Y.A. contributor

Answer 10

You've posted this twice. I haven't read the paragraphs once, just the question. I don't regret any decisions I make, for I can not change them. Why should I worry over the past?