2007-07-28 16:05:55 · 42 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
NO!!
2007-07-28 16:07:35 · answer #1 · answered by Lesson Learned 2 · 10⤊ 1⤋
No. It is not. There is a difference between religion and spirituality. One can have both at the same time, but Atheism is not religious, it is purely spiritual in nature. Here's the "secret"... spiritualism does NOT require belief in any God Being whatsoever. It only requires personal understanding of universal Mysteries. Religion, on the other hand, requires a belief in some "higher" God Being, because a third party authority says you must.
[EDIT]
There have been several assertions that Atheism is "lack of belief". This perception is patently untrue. Please think about what you're saying here... because the truth of the matter is that Atheists *believe* that there is *no God*. How is that "lack of belief"???
Again, religion is not *just* about a requirement of some sort of belief being present. It is about agreement with a third party's authoritative belief system. This makes Atheism a nonreligion. Likewise, spirituality isn't just about belief not being required, it is about personal understanding of a belief system. This makes Atheists quite spiritual people.
2007-07-28 16:14:07 · answer #2 · answered by 'llysa 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Atheism is a belief system, not a religion. Religions concern b beliefs about the supernatural, including rituals and worship of the supernatural.
Atheists believe that there is no supernatural. We do not worship, and we do not have rituals.
If atheism is a religion, then baldness is a hair color. If atheism is a religion, then everyone in the world is a hobbyist with respect to stamps. You either have a stamp collecting hobby, or a not-stamp-collecting hobby.
2007-07-28 16:16:14 · answer #3 · answered by Jim L 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No. Break down the word. A, without. Theism, religion. Atheism, means without religion. I like to refer to myself as a humanist as apposed to an atheist. Tells more what I am than what I am not. By the way, I adhere to many of the teachings of Buddhists which like atheism is not a religion by definition. Many of the same values as when I was a christian but without the belief in god or another deity. But I don't really like being in groups so I don't call myself a Buddhist either. I do admire them though. Not as violent a history as Christians and Muslims and such.
2007-07-28 16:14:14 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, it's not. It Is a religious view, but is no more a religion than polytheism. Religions are much more complex than a mere opinion (for lack of a better word) of whether God exists or not. If atheism is a religion, than Islam, Judaism and Christianity are all one religion because they are all monotheistic. It's simply too broad to be defined as a religion. If you added more to it, such as a moral code, or other teachings, such as evolution, then you have a religion, such as Secular Humanism, which is atheistic, but less broad.
2007-07-28 16:19:47 · answer #5 · answered by YouCannotKnowUnlessUAsk 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Nope.
re·li·gion –noun 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.
atheism: lack of belief in the existence of a supreme being or beings.
Atheism doesn't explain how the universe was created (it just denies that a god did it). It obviously has no superhuman agencies involved. There are no devotional or ritual observances, either.
Sorry, buddy. No cigar. Atheism is not a religion.
2007-07-28 16:11:48 · answer #6 · answered by N 6 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Calling atheism a religion is the fundies' way of "leveling the playing field." They believe they can discredit atheism by accusing it of being what *they* are. They can't deal with the rational high ground that atheists hold in discussions about origins, evolution, prayer in schools, creationism in schools, etc. So like I said to someone else, it is a kind of Hermannesque comment, like "I'm rubber, you're glue. It bounces off of me and sticks on you." You know, intellectual stuff like that.
2007-07-28 16:12:00 · answer #7 · answered by Brant 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
No. Atheism is to believe in no religions at all. how is that a religion? It is just a ethic but not a religion.
2007-07-28 16:14:46 · answer #8 · answered by ? 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
No, religion requires belief. Atheisim is a lack of belief.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source
re·li·gion /rɪˈlɪdʒən/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[ri-lij-uhn] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun 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.
4. the life or state of a monk, nun, etc.: to enter religion.
5. the practice of religious beliefs; ritual observance of faith.
6. something one believes in and follows devotedly; a point or matter of ethics or conscience: to make a religion of fighting prejudice.
7. religions, Archaic. religious rites.
8. Archaic. strict faithfulness; devotion: a religion to one's vow.
—Idiom9. get religion, Informal. a. to acquire a deep conviction of the validity of religious beliefs and practices.
b. to resolve to mend one's errant ways: The company got religion and stopped making dangerous products.
2007-07-28 16:18:56 · answer #9 · answered by SonoranDesertGirl 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Atheism is the state where you have not yet asked yourself "what is the meaning, the purpose of my life?". Then you may go into spirituality without never go through religion.
2007-07-28 16:10:35 · answer #10 · answered by Kumari 3 · 1⤊ 3⤋
No. It isn't. Think of it like this, if I came to you and told you that there were invisible turtles living in your backyard, and you didn't believe me, would you call that non-belief a RELIGION? Would you say it takes FAITH to not believe there are invisible turtles living in your backyard? Of course not. It's the same thing for us. Your God is YOUR God. It's YOUR religion, it's YOUR belief. It has nothing to do with me. My not believing your stories of a magical being is not a religion, and it doesn't take "faith" for me not to believe in YOUR God. No offense, but we actually find it very arrogant to have people say that it's SO difficult to NOT believe in your God, that non-belief has to actually be a RELIGION, or that it takes FAITH to not believe it.
2007-07-28 16:12:14 · answer #11 · answered by Jess H 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋