A life without imaginary friends.

[chatpilot]

I agree with Darrel Ray 100% except I prefer the term the imaginary guy in the sky. But if we were to look up religion in the dictionary according to Merriam Webster it means the following.

(1) : the service and worship of God or the supernatural (2) : commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance.

In my view what differentiates an atheist from a theist regarding religion is that atheist are not bound by any dogma or adhere to any doctrines. We as atheists are as diverse in thoughts and principles as stars in the sky. We are free to think what we please and are not called heretical, blasphemous etc. Unlike theists who are bound by doctrines and dogmas and institutional interpretations of whatever church they choose to become a member of. Basing myself on the definition above in this aspect atheism is not nor never has been a religion. Simply put "I don't believe in god or gods of any kind" that is the only thing that atheists have in common. Where I go from there is my business and no one else cares.