It has occurred to me that Atheists are so sure of their own believes that they do not see them as a belief but as fact. This is clearly a fallacy as like all religions there is no infallible proof, there are an abundance of unexplained problems such as where the original energy to create the universe came from and why it should explode, how life as complex as it is should form at all and why and how it should evolve beyond recognition if it's original form. Atheism is also based upon people's belief in an ideology. This ideology is based upon people's theories about how we came to be, so they are essentially made up. This ironically is what atheists accuse (other) religions of being, and they themselves are obviously believing something made up!
Do you think Atheism is a religion?
If not then justify why a belief system based on ideology which has been created to explain our existence is not a religion, as to be a religion there need not be a God.
2007-11-04 05:21:28 · 37 answers · asked by Josh R 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
"A religion is a set of common beliefs and practices generally held by a group of people, often codified as prayer, ritual, and religious law. Religion also encompasses ancestral or cultural traditions, writings, history, and mythology, as well as personal faith and mystic experience. The term "religion" refers to both the personal practices related to communal faith and to group rituals and communication stemming from shared conviction." [quote wikipedia]
The shared conviction is in science, the faith is that science is correct, the history etc is the history of science. Notice in the definition it says "often codified as prayer, ritual, and religious law." the "often" in this is clearly stating that though often the case that these exist they are not required.
2007-11-04 05:29:03 · update #1
The belief that there is no God requires faith, faith in however you justify that view. For the majority that is through science for others it would be through personal judgement.
Atheism proliferates with the "guise" that is not a religion, but that title is misleading as to what it is all about. Justifying and explaining our worldly existence.
2007-11-04 05:38:38 · update #2
Atheism is NOT a religion. First off, all of the ideologies you mentioned are not prerequisites to being an atheist. All atheist means is that one does not possess belief in the supernatural. That's all.
2007-11-04 05:28:04 · answer #1 · answered by Harry 5 · 6⤊ 0⤋
No I don't think atheism is a religion. The definition of an atheist is simply someone who doesn't believe in a god or some higher unknown power. The absence of a belief in "god" would be no different than the absence of belief in trolls and fairys and unicorns. People that deny that unicorns are real would not be considered religious. Religions are ususually associated with a higher power and, more importantly to argue the difference with atheism, are usually an organized group of people with practices and agreed upon ideas. I would imagine very few atheists are a part of an organized atheist group. As for the science aspect, I don't think most would say the theories on the formation of the universe and life are "facts". They are theories that can never be proven, but as far as theories go I would say that these theories, of course not 100 % correct, are probably a bit closer to way actually transpired than many religious explanations of the origins of life and the universe. I think it is a stretch to say my belief stated above is a religious belief, or blind faith in science. I would speculate that most atheists have a more moderate view like myself.
2007-11-04 05:47:36 · answer #2 · answered by luke 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No. A hundred times no.
Having seen some of your answers to other questions, it surprises me that your thinking is so muddled.
Atheism is NOT a belief system. It is simply NOT believing that there is a god. Just the same as you do not believe in the tooth fairy or the easter bunny.
Most people, I think, who do not believe in a god try and adopt rational thought processes. That is not ideology, it is evidence based. Sometimes right, sometimes wrong or misunderstood, but such people are usually willing to adapt their viewpoint if better evidence or a more accurate theory comes along.
It is not a religion. It is a process.
2007-11-04 09:43:33 · answer #3 · answered by davidifyouknowme 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Atheism is not a religion. Nor is science.
Religion is based on faith, which by definition means accepting something that cannot be proven, even things that absolutely defy sense. For example, we know that human beings cannot walk on water, yet Christians believe that Jesus did so because of the power of a divinity that cannot be seen or measured.
Science is based on observable facts. Anything that cannot be seen or measured has no relationship to science. The scientific method is based is based on testing theories by looking for measurable results that would show the theory is wrong. If you have a scientific theory, you confirm it by trying to *disprove* it. If every experiment under every circumstance upholds the theory, then it is accepted.
Beliefs that are accepted by faith cannot be tested in this way. You believe them because you believe them, that's all. It does a disservice to religion to attempt to force it into the same frame of reference as science.
Atheists simply do not accept belief systems that are unavailable to testing against the reality that we know.
2007-11-04 05:34:46 · answer #4 · answered by Traveler79 2 · 4⤊ 0⤋
a·the·ist: –noun a person who denies or disbelieves the existence of a supreme being or beings.
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.
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.
First of all as the definition says an Atheist denies or disbelieves the existence of a supreme being or beings. So already Atheism is not a religion.
Second A Religion is defined as a belief in how man was created or some other form of non-scientific intervention in which humanity came to be. Atheist believe in evolution in most cases or choose not to care how we came into existence.
Atheists have no book, code, or rules to live by, dictated to us by an imaginary being, so another check for not a religion.
Atheists have no body of persons adhering to a particular set of beliefs and practices: a world council of religions.
Atheists do not practice religious beliefs or ritual observance of faith.
Atheists do not share in any beliefs other than god does not exist not following anything devotedly, we have no set point or matter of ethics or conscience.
Also, probably most importantly we do not need "Faith" in science, Science is fact that is what makes it science.
2007-11-04 05:44:19 · answer #5 · answered by Hugh G. Rection 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
There is a significant difference between faith in religion
and faith in science. First of all if you disproof a theory
it's considered crap and needs to be improved. That's
a hell of a major difference to religion. Science modifies
the theory to match reality. Religion modifies reality to
fit the "theory". Faith in science is based on proofs and
disproofs. Faith in religion is based on nothing but claims.
A scientific theory is nothing made up from nothing. It's
based on observation and a mathematical and/or physical
model behind it which can be true or false. Religion on
the other hand is based on said claims with no way to
proof or disproof. Basically because there is one very
important thing missing that science has. Substance.
2007-11-04 05:59:54 · answer #6 · answered by Alex S 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If you have science and material evidence, you don't need faith because you can run experiments and examine real things to determine what's real and what's not. And then science is peer reviewed to make sure your theory isn't just made up. The scientific method is the antithesis of faith.
Atheism is not a religion because it only means that you don't believe in God. There are no other belief contingencies, rituals and holey texts that you find in religion.
2007-11-04 05:30:14 · answer #7 · answered by Subconsciousless 7 · 6⤊ 0⤋
Atheism is not a religion. Period. Of course atheists think that their beliefs are facts, everyone thinks that their beliefs are facts. And anyway, all facts come from theories that were proven to be more that theories. The only reason that you cannot explain how the earth was created is because it was so long ago, and because there were so many ways of how it could happen. That's no reason to discount atheists for their beliefs, because everyone chooses what they think, they just chose the rational versus religious path.
2007-11-04 05:28:55 · answer #8 · answered by katty claire 4 · 7⤊ 0⤋
You do science a great disservice. Science is the pursuit of truth by means of investigating the universe and an attempt to unravel the mysteries of our existence. Science is flexible and always open to new ideas and theories. It is a truly noble and worthy activity which brought great benefits to mankind.
Compare this to religion. Almost the opposite of science, religion relies on unquestioning, blind obedience to archaic, superstitious beliefs. Historically, deviation from these beliefs have most often been met with violence and intolerance.
2007-11-04 05:41:32 · answer #9 · answered by Druidus 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
religion means a personal connection with spirituality (something atheists by definition lack) - NOT a beleif system (if that were so, political persuasions, philosophies and interpretations of history would all be "religions," among many others. spirituality is the one element that differs from other life philosophies to create religion, organized or not).
most atheists are willing to reconsider their stances if evidence ever turns up, so they are lot as set in their ways as dogmatic religions; you lose that point as well.
ADDED: The wikipedia definition can be used to justify anything as a religion. If I and 5 other people believe that Mabel's Diner has the greatest muffins in the universe, and ritualistically gather there for morning coffee and muffins, that is a 'religion.'
Hogwash.
Generally, people who try to redefine nonspiritual schools of thought or philosophy into 'religion' are trying to drag them down to a level where they can be more readily dismissed/discredited, or at least recast as a near-"equal" rival. It seems inherently dishonest to me to rank any school of thought thast relies on evidence on the same level as any other that relies merely on opinion.
2007-11-04 05:26:37 · answer #10 · answered by kent_shakespear 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋