Atheism is a religion

[chi pan]

In reality, atheism is just simply the lack of a belief in gods or deities.

you can't say it's a belief and then turn around and say it's a lack of belief.

Huh? Your question is phrased in a confusing manner.

let me see if i can simplify it with an example. saying you reject God is like saying you reject Santa. unless he meant he rejects the idea that God exists.

I reject the tenets of the christian faith because the claims made by those who hold those tenets to have not met their burdon of proof.

ah, you athiests always ask for proof but when it comes down to it even if there is proof you will still reject it. even the Jews taken out of Egypt by Moses didn't believe right away and they had more physical evidence than anyone in history. they said things like "your god took us from slavery only to have us die in the desert?" and when Moses went to Mount Sinai for 40 days he came back to see them worshiping gold idols. when it comes down to it, christianity is a spiritual belief that requires faith.

As such, stating "I don't belive that god exists" is not a positive claim - it is a wholly reactionary claim to the claim that there is a god and he has a son and he died for my sins.

this is not true, this is stating that athiesm is the result of rejection of christianity. though i'm being picky right now i do understand what you're saying. you have some very good arguements and i have a lot to think about now.