Atheism is not a religion, just like theism is not a religion. It is not a set of beliefs as religion is defined. Religions such as Christianity and Judaism claim to follow the teaching of God. These teachings are the religion, God is not the religion.
2007-10-13 09:36:51 · 18 answers · asked by ML 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Science has nothing to do with atheism.
2007-10-13 09:45:56 · update #1
Because they don't understand what atheism really IS. For example, it has NOTHING to do with how life came to be, or the Big Bang, Evolution, etc. It is ONLY the disbelief in gods. Everything else falls under some other label.
2007-10-13 09:46:21 · answer #1 · answered by gelfling 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Atheism, as a philosophical view, is the position that either affirms the nonexistence of gods or rejects theism. When defined more broadly, atheism is the absence of belief in deities, alternatively called nontheism. Although atheism is often equated with irreligion, some religious philosophies, such as secular theology, or some varieties of Theravada Buddhism, lack belief in a personal god.
Many self-described atheists are skeptical of all supernatural beings and cite a lack of empirical evidence for the existence of deities. Others argue for atheism on philosophical, social or historical grounds. Although many self-described atheists tend toward secular philosophies such as humanism and naturalism, there is no one ideology or set of behaviors to which all atheists adhere.
The term atheism originated as a pejorative epithet applied to any person or belief in conflict with established religion.With the spread of freethought, scientific skepticism, and criticism of religion, the term began to gather a more specific meaning and was sometimes used as a self-description by atheists.
Just because no one see's something dosen't mean it is not true. Theories have to go through the scientific process and be confirmed by other scientists to be even accepted as a possible theory. Which is more reasonalbe then just saying, "This book is true", with no questions asked. The burden lies on the believer to prove his beliefs. You can't use the argument that since you can't prove that something dosen't exsist that it must be true. On the other hand there is proof with science, observed by real people, not fabled characters. Being atheist dosen't mean you have to use science as a way to back why you don't believe. Many don't in fact. Just try to be open minded.
Peace.
2007-10-13 17:33:03 · answer #2 · answered by cipher_52 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Atheism is a religion like bald is a hair color.
Atheism is a religion like not collecting stamps is a hobby.
Some Christian Nationalists will claim that atheism is a religion, so they can use the "separation of church and state" argument to "ban" teaching the "religion"of athiesm in schools, or the "infiltration" of atheism in the gov't.
That argument falls flat on TWO accounts. First off, Christian Nationalists do NOT want church and state separated.
Second, not having formal worship of God in public schools, is NOT the same thing as teaching atheism.
They know d--- well that atheism isn't a religion, but some will claim that is is, if it suits their purpose.
2007-10-13 16:52:01 · answer #3 · answered by queenthesbian 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't think most people think of atheism as a religion. Atheism is simply the belief that there are no gods or a position that rejects theism.
2007-10-13 16:42:34 · answer #4 · answered by Dan H 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Atheism is a religious choice, a conviction. Atheism is not a religion in the strictest sense, but they do have beliefs and creeds which is not very different then religious people. Their creeds are just different.
2007-10-13 20:07:41 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it's because many religious people have compressed their mind into such a tiny worldview that they truly cannot conceive of an alternate way of thinking. Like, if somebody had only ever eaten fruit, and they were told about meat, it would be very difficult for them to understand it in non-fruit-based terms (especially if they had no interest in expanding their dietary knowledge anyway).
2007-10-13 16:54:58 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
>Why do people consider atheism to be a religion?
Mostly it's the theists who call atheism a religion. They do this in an attempt to make atheism sound no more logically valid than theism. Like most arguments they use in favor of theism, this argument doesn't actually work.
2007-10-13 16:40:04 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 2⤋
Atheism is considered a religion because it generates the worship (promotion, adoration) of self, and the human race.
2007-10-13 16:57:28 · answer #8 · answered by Bob L 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Atheism as a religion is a contradiction in terms.
2007-10-13 16:50:33 · answer #9 · answered by Queen of the Jungle 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Atheism is the negation of the existence of any God.
Regardless of which religion.
2007-10-13 16:43:14 · answer #10 · answered by PragmaticAlien 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋