How do Atheists feel about the Religious Presidential Candidates calling Atheism a religion of not believing?

Question

This is the Presidential Candidates, mostly Mitt Romney saying this. How can there be a Religion of Atheism or a Religion of Secularism?? doesnt make sence. I was just wondering how offended Atheists were about that. Between Mitt and Hucklebee it seems like a battle of the religions instead of a presidential campaign

Answer 1

cross of backwards to the beginning of the sentence all words including not ..whats left is the communication...all thats left is"believing"

Answer 2

I feel insulted and a little angry, but I try not to let it bother me. Just about all of the candidates (Democrats as well, although in a less extreme and overt fashion) are doing this, playing to what they perceive as the voter base -- American adults who call themselves religious and are imagined to want a "person of faith" in any position of political leadership. Republicans assume that conservative Christians are more solidly a GOP voting bloc, so the Republican candidates are more over-the-top than Democrats in their disgusting religious pandering.

But these American adults, ON AVERAGE, have religious beliefs (or say that they have religious beliefs -- a subtle difference) that are non-specific and a "faith" that is 3,000 miles wide and half an inch deep. The regular church-goin,' prayin' "fundagelicals" get all the press. But I would say that at least a slim majority of the American voters who label themselves as religious or Christian don't attend church regularly and don't know or think much about the doctrines (e.g., the Nicene Creed) of the denomination in whiich they claim membership. These middling, lip-service-paying "religious" Americans also know very little about other religions, religious history, or the real history of the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. They profess belief primarily for social and emotional reasons, as protective coloration or to "belong." They go along to get along and to show themselves as trustworthy and cooperative members of their communities.

Atheism is a religion in the same way that not collecting stamps is a hobby (said James Randi). Or in the same way that baldness is a hair color. "Secularism" isn't a religion either, but secularism or secular humanism is a worldview and a personal philosophy. There's just no element of the supernatural in it. And a philosophy or social system that doesn't involve a belief (or a profession of belief) in supernatural agents or forces cannot be a "religion." To claim otherwise and to label atheism or "secularism" as a religion is just fatuous, inflammatory rhetoric.

Answer 3

Atheists sued in federal court in Wisconsin to be classified a religion so it would have the same protection under the First Amendment.

If you don't want to be a religion take it back to court get the decision repealed and give up the religious protection, that simple.

Until then you can't complain if someone calls it a religion because that is how it is legally classified.


My question would be is this really your only or biggest issue with Romney or Huckabee, if so. . . . WAKE UP!

Answer 4

Atheists don't believe. They know.

If theists propose a theory and they can't prove it, it remains unproven and therefore speculation. It is impressive fiction unless it can be proven fact. This is the way logic works.

Atheists, on the other hand just have to say the existence of God is unproven and therefore all preaching that is based on it is also unproven, or fiction.

But being correct doesn't always make you popular.

- And being popular is what most people want.

Answer 5

while somebody says Atheism is a faith in spite of the only connecting settlement with all Atheists being the non-lifestyles of a God, remind them that it follows by way of that Theism is a faith in spite of their basically connecting point of view being that there is a God. If Atheism is a faith, all Theists are of a similar faith, which makes each Theist to blame of helping Suicide bombing and desirous to overthrow u.s. for the appreciate of Allah. while they inform you it extremely is ridiculous because of the fact many Theists carry diverse perspectives, tell them a similar of Atheists. There extremely isn't any thank you to spin it that calls Atheism one blended faith without asserting a similar of Theism, condemning them to be to blame for helping all the evil faith has accomplished.

Answer 6

Makes me glad I'm an Ocean away in the opposite hemisphere.

Oh well, atheists are pretty close in number to fundamentalists and growing at a faster rate so in a few decades the problem of religion in the US should start to vanish.

Just like it has in the rest of the developed world.

Answer 7

I don't know any Atheists, but a religion does not necessarily mean believing in a God or Deity or
a Church of anything, but means people who believe that there is no God and that makes them religious in their own thinking so, therefore, that makes Atheism a Religion of Not Believing!!

Answer 8

Yes, and I believe it was Romney who said a we can't have freedom/liberty without religion. These guys are really losing it while trying to pander to the religious right. While I've been a loyal democrat for a long time, I had rspect for the republican party until the religious right got its hooks into them and distorted their ideology.

Answer 9

I'm just offended that there are religious presidential candidates..... seems like a major violation of the constitution when you know these guys are going to rule by their own religious beliefs which will undoubtedly affect the different religious beliefs of others.

Answer 10

it shows how confused and just plain IGNORANT they are. what an embarassment...

those candidates need only consult a dictionary and have someone else more competent look up the word atheism. it's that easy!

** oh, how i wish we had atheist candidates to choose from in the first place. Is that ever gonna happen??

Answer 11

I think someone should pull Romney aside and explain that atheism is a religion like bald is a hair color.