RE: Atheism is a religion
January 9, 2012 at 5:28 pm
(This post was last modified: January 9, 2012 at 6:26 pm by Mister Agenda.)
(January 8, 2012 at 1:22 pm)Lord Summerisle Wrote: Interesting thread, personally I'm leaning towards viewing atheism as a religion of sorts. An atheist taking offense at the insinuation of being part of a religion, reminds me of the hypothetical example of a 0 displaying distain at being referred to as a number.
An atheist once said to me: atheism is a religion in the same way that the non-collecting of stamps is a hobby. I replied - well for non-collectors of stamps, you atheists sure spend an awful lot of time discussing your non-hobby.
Atheism may indeed be this belief that there isn't a higher power due to atheists perceived lack of evidence (or for whatever reasons), but it's still just that - a belief.
Discussing religion, skepticism, and such isn't atheism. It arguably IS a hobby that SOME atheists enjoy. Predictably, those atheists can be found on atheist discussion boards while the rest knit or something.
(January 8, 2012 at 2:11 pm)Lord Summerisle Wrote: What "b*****t" have I said? Is this the way you conduct your "intellectual" discussions? If this is the way atheists engage in intellectual discussion then its no wonder the Dawkins.net forum imploded. In my experience I've often noted that when a particular poster feels the need to resort to such profanity, they've done so out of sheer desperation for their argument is already lost. If all ammunition is spent, then by all means throw the pistol out of the pram.
As for atheism being a religion, I can see why atheists find it annoying. They've spent so much time distancing themselves from mainstream religion, only to find themselves tarred with the religion brush, with outspoken atheists compared to Jehovahs witnesses trying to ram their belief system down everyone else's throat. I can understand that aggravation.
If atheism is a religion, then it certainly is a very different kind of religion.
Claiming that atheism is a religion is annoying for the same reason that someone claiming (and refusing to give up on) Napoleon ate ground puppies every day. Now, I'm not particularly fond of Napoleon, I have no skin in that game...but it's just wrong.
(January 8, 2012 at 2:11 pm)Lord Summerisle Wrote: Where atheists draw criticism, is where on one hand they claim to be proponents of facts and science, but often twist facts to serve their cause. For instance, they will state that religion is the source of the worlds evil, and even extend this to claim that Adolf Hilter was a practicing Catholic, but yet igore the fact that the main perpetrators of mass genocide in the 21st century were mostly in fact, atheist.
Maybe a source of the world's evil.
And theists tend to ignore that the main perpetrators of mass genocide in all previous centuries were mostly in fact, theist. In my experience 'who has the lower body count' is a fool's game on either side. (January 8, 2012 at 2:11 pm)Lord Summerisle Wrote: Another example is with religion in prison, yes a high number of prison inmates call themselves Christian, and athests often use this as proof that religion causes criminal behaviour. However lets not ignore the fact that many of them have converted once already incarcerated and have hardly lived a Christian life. Its the twisting of facts that I take issue with, and should be, in theory, very unatheist like.
I've read the study. The survey was done upon intake, where it would arguably be advantageous to claim to be an atheist in order to benefit from an 'I converted' parole appeal later.
Now, I don't think atheism makes you less criminal. I think that in the USA, for the time being, most people who become atheists have a higher-than-average education and have put some thought into their position. I expect that as atheism becomes more common, the percentage of incarcerated atheists will go up.
(January 9, 2012 at 12:30 pm)amkerman Wrote: I have no agenda shell, you just keep stating that I do. Religions aren't real things. They are concepts. They are labels. They are words. Go out and find religion and bring it to a lab to study it if it is real.
I don't care if you consider atheism a religion or not. It makes no difference to anything, except in your head. You are blinded by your hate of a concept.
God is a concept. God is not real. Q.E.D.
(January 9, 2012 at 12:47 pm)amkerman Wrote: That you said I want you to hate religion couldn't be further from the truth. I want you to love. Period. That is my only agenda. Love.
Reality doesn't "mesh" with anything. It is what it is. Incomprehensible.
It's the axiom upon which all is possible.
I'm trying to think of a way that you could less effectively advance your agenda of love on an internet forum and am coming up empty.
(January 9, 2012 at 3:28 pm)amkerman Wrote: Word game? I merely asked questions about reality. I think the answers are pretty obvious.
What I want to know is whether atheists believe in reality as I have defined it using the dictionary.
I believe reality is real. It's not omnipotent because omnipotence is the ability to do anything you want, and the universe doesn't do, it just is. It's an ongoing event. Also, no evidence that it is capable of wanting to do anything, or that it there are no limits to what can happen within it.
If you want to rename reality, or your cat, God, go ahead, makes no difference to me. However, your ability to draw out 'I'm going to call reality God from now on' for so many pages does impress me.
