Atheists, if every country in the world were secular, would you not be as critical of religion as you are now?

Question

In other words: are you opposed to religion or people who use religion to dominate politics?

I agree with you all the way huffyb

and Shell Answer Man, I'm not old enough to vote and I'm not Christian (at least not by choice)

anyway my point was that I think most Atheists are opposed to other religions because they don't like having those religions forced onto them in the form of laws. For the most part it looks like I'm right.

Answer 1

People should be free to believe in whatever faith or religion they choose to.Trouble only arises when they try to insist everyone else should believe the same way--or when their way of thinking actually affects the rest of society--like lobbying politicians to enact laws based on the religious superstitions--like blocking stem cell research.

Answer 2

But isn't atheism itself a belief system (and thus a religion - yes, check "religion" on dictionary.com) and wouldn't making the world "secular" be a case-in-point of using a religion to dominate politics? I don't see how to reconcile this conundrum. It would seem the only way to avoid this is to allow everyone to use their personal belief systems in making political choices. That's the whole point of democracy, isn't it?

Update: Someone emailed me in response to my answer: "Atheism is a DISbelief in the existence of a supreme being or beings. Not a belief. And I don't belive [sic] there is no god, I KNOW there is no god."

I believe this illustrates my point better than I ever could have. It is a logical fallacy to believe you can prove a negative. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negative_proof

Thus it is impossible to ever "know there is no God." This good person that took time to write to me is in fact someone that has a very deep faith in their belief system. A belief system is a religion by definition. Thus atheism is a faith based religion, just like all religions. There was never any difference. (I'm sure this person will now call me names, which is the atheistic equivalent to condemning me to hell for holding a point of view different from them.)

Those that want religion to keep out of politics are guilty of the very thing they accuse religious people of. They are trying to force their religious views via legislation.

There is only one possible solution to this conundrum. Stop trying to force your views on others through legislation. Encourage everyone everywhere to use their belief system (i.e. their religion) to vote their conscience. Allow the democratic system to work through what is best for all. It's as simple as that.

Answer 3

I'm opposed to religion in general, but I oppose it fiercely because it is an important social problem.

In a perfect world, religious people would have no political power to impose their religion, but they would still be annoying. It would be sort of like how goofy New Agers today have ridiculous beliefs that I harshly reject (and I've had some fairly spirited arguments with New Agers before, though they didn't put up much of a fight).

Answer 4

I'm not opposed to religion at all... just the closed mindedness that it promotes. So pretty much just opposed to religion in politics. When scientific advancement cannot progress because a politician uses his religious beliefs to enact laws preventing study/advancement regardless of the fact that no harm is done to anyone... then i have a huge problem. Hmmm... sounds similar to a current politician doesn't it?

Answer 5

I don't care about every country, I only care about mine which has been drifting towards theocracy - that ain't right and there are better countries when it comes to keeping religion out of politics - the UK, for instance, Germany. I can't, for one, believe we've still got people thinking they have a right to get their government to tell a pregnant woman she can't have an abortion. That battle's over, the right "lost" and they need to stop viewing that as an open issue that just needs another few thousand hours of open debate to settle it in their favor. Christ, even Catholic countries are turning over on that issue. Your job as a voter is not to sick your government on people who disagree with your morality.

Okay, that's today's rant and now I'm ranted out.

Answer 6

I am opposed to people who use religion to dominate politics. I really don't care what Christians believe. It's when they force their beliefs on me and everyone else I get pissed.

Answer 7

My friend turned an atheists and he hates religion now because throughout history religion tend to dominate politics.

Answer 8

I am opposed to people who want to force their religion on anyone else.

Not an atheist, and YES I wish the world was secular.

Answer 9

Definitely the incursion of religion into government policy. Telling other people that they must be required by law to follow the dictates of a religion that they do not adhere to absolutely fries me. And because I'm gay, I mean that literally.

Answer 10

If religion were not a threat to me politically, I would likely be much less opinionated about it. This includes our own country's laws and religious exclusionary practices.