I always understood religion as a belief in a "God" but since atheist don't believe in god, would you consider it a religion? Please give reasons why or why not.
2007-06-13 04:18:59 · 24 answers · asked by Tiffany R 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Dear, its not a religion. Its a non-belief. A choice. A huge lack of faith, and a way of life that puts man higher than God. To be honest, I pity those who do not believe, because one day, they will need to answer to God why they didnt believe. I would hate to be in their shoes on that day.
2007-06-13 04:26:37 · answer #1 · answered by Daniel R. 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
You are right in saying that atheists do not belief in a God. In that way it can't be a religion, because it just contains all the people who doesn't believe in a god. It is used as a convenient term in some surveys about religion for all the people who would answer 'no religion'.
However there are certain atheist who are religious, eg. Buddhists. Although they do not believe in any god, they still carry out worships, have traditions beliefs, and other conditions that qualify them as a religion.
As for the atheists that fall under 'no religion', they do not have any organized supernatural beliefs. Atheists organizations are not places of worships or indoctrination, but are just places that launches awareness campaigns, and places where atheists can find support against discrimination as well as to know that they are not alone.
2007-06-13 08:17:08 · answer #2 · answered by Jan C 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Buddhism doesn't have a god, yet it is considered a religion. However, they recognise a higher plane - maybe that's why? I think that a belief in a life after death, be it in this world or another, makes a religion.
Atheist literally means 'not theist' - not a believer in god. I would count Atheism as a belief because they do believe something (they believe a god does not exist), but not as a religion because of the belief that this is it.
2007-06-13 04:31:04 · answer #3 · answered by Devolution 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Some Buddhists are atheists (they don't believe in God) but they have a religion. Buddhists have rituals and practices, and supernatural beliefs, so they count as a religion, even though some of them do not believe in God.
Atheism itself is NOT a religion. It cannot be a religion. However a small percentage of atheists may have a religion... a godless religion like certain types of buddhism, but a religion nonetheless.
2007-06-13 04:27:55 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Atheism is not a religion.
The definition of religion is:
1. a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.
2. a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects: the Christian religion; the Buddhist religion.
3. the body of persons adhering to a particular set of beliefs and practices: a world council of religions.
Although Atheists share a common belief (a lack of belief in deities) we do not participate in rituals and our beliefs vary widely.
You stat that you always understood religion as a belief in a "God" but that is slightly untrue (refer to the definition above). To be a Theist means that you believe in a God, gods, godesses, or deity.
The defintion of a Theist is:
1. the belief in one God as the creator and ruler of the universe, without rejection of revelation (distinguished from deism).
2. belief in the existence of a god or gods (opposed to atheism).
In summation to answer your quesiton, Atheism is not a religion. The reason Atheism is not a religion is not because Atheists don't believe in God, however. The reason it is not classified as a religion is because it does not match the defition above. Meaning we do not have rituals, tradition, or sects.
2007-06-13 04:31:13 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
In order for it to be a religion it would have to have tenets, rules, and/or laws. It does not.
To call yourself an Atheist is easy, you simply do not believe in god or gods. Most true Atheists also do not accept that anything supernatural or paranormal is real either.
Asides from that we are all very different, unlike members of a religion who all think alike on every subject and are terrified to ask questions about their own beliefs.
2007-06-13 06:29:46 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nope it is just a philosophical belief that their is no god as far as I am concerned.
A religion is a set of beliefs and practices generally held by a community, involving adherence to codified beliefs and rituals and study of ancestral or cultural traditions, writings, history, and mythology, as well as personal faith and mystic experience.
some people will say it is up for debate however I would argue that religions require a degree of faith and no faith is required to not believe in something
2007-06-13 04:24:55 · answer #7 · answered by John C 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
beleif in anything is a relegion, wether or not there is a deity. a set structure with things that are right or wrong as a way to live your life can be concidered a religion
but, you can take into account that some people think you have to wait untill some one finds a way to get tax breake from it. so if there is a church of atheism and the heads of the church get a tax break then most deffinatly
2007-06-13 04:25:29 · answer #8 · answered by s_an_dubois 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I suppose "Atheist-ism" would be the worship or spiritual emulation of Atheists. Congrats, you just made up a religion, go apply for tax-exempt status.
2007-06-13 04:23:09 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
1. Atheism is the lack of belief in deities.
2. Atheism does not always suggest non-religion.
2007-06-13 04:22:39 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋