Atheism is a Religion (Split from Blessing Human Rights thread)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis
... but then if he said nothing and the Christians in attendance felt it was a slight at them and a promotion of atheism, wouldn't that be a violation too?
Um, no. Atheism is not a religion.
EDIT:
Adding this image for the purposes of a poll:
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"Life of Russian hockey veterans is very hard," said Soviet hockey star Sergei Makarov. "Most of them don't have enough to eat these days. These old players are Russian legends."
Last edited by photon; 04-24-2012 at 07:30 PM.
Reason: Added Image
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Um, it should count as one. Practitioners sure treat it like one.
Practitioners? How does one "practice" atheism? That should give you a hint right there why atheism is not a religion.
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"Life of Russian hockey veterans is very hard," said Soviet hockey star Sergei Makarov. "Most of them don't have enough to eat these days. These old players are Russian legends."
But what is the belief system in Atheism? That there is no God? Outside of that you can basically believe what you want (abortion = good, pre-martial sex = bad). In Christianity and most religions there is a set standard of expected behaviours, so you can't believe in the Christian God and then believe in whatever you want (at least that makes you a crappy Christian)
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"Think I'm gonna be the scapegoat for the whole damn machine? Sheeee......."
But what is the belief system in Atheism? That there is no God?
You don't even have to believe that there is no God, you can simple not actively believe there is (i.e. say I don't believe because there's insufficient evidence) and you're still an atheist.
__________________ Uncertainty is an uncomfortable position.
But certainty is an absurd one.
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You seem to practice it pretty well. Just because you can't see your own attitudes and actions as a "practice" doesn't make it not so.
How do I practice atheism?
How does atheism meet the definition of religion?
Quote:
re·li·gionnoun /riˈlijən/
religions, plural
The belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, esp. a personal God or gods
__________________
"Life of Russian hockey veterans is very hard," said Soviet hockey star Sergei Makarov. "Most of them don't have enough to eat these days. These old players are Russian legends."
Weird, I seem to have lost a post from Knalus somehow. Sorry about that, I have no idea where it went, I can't even see it in search where even deleted posts show up for me.
__________________ Uncertainty is an uncomfortable position.
But certainty is an absurd one.
Anyway, I think part of it was Buddhists don't have a deity but are a religion.
I don't know enough about Buddhism to comment on what they believe or don't believe, but I'll accept they don't believe in god/s so that makes them atheists by the definition of the word. They may be a lot of other things as well, being an atheist and being a member of a religion are not mutually exclusive; I know Christians who are atheists.
And Buddhism is more than the lack of something, there are a common set of beliefs and such for a Buddhist.
Atheism has nothing like that, there are no tenants, no shared beliefs, no sacred texts, no common history, nothing that would be required to define it as a religion.
EDIT: If it is, where do I read to get the central tenants for atheism?
__________________ Uncertainty is an uncomfortable position.
But certainty is an absurd one.
Weird, I seem to have lost a post from Knalus somehow. Sorry about that, I have no idea where it went, I can't even see it in search where even deleted posts show up for me.
God deleted it
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Last edited by Maritime Q-Scout; 04-23-2012 at 02:52 PM.
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Anyway, I think part of it was Buddhists don't have a deity but are a religion.
I don't know enough about Buddhism to comment on what they believe or don't believe, but I'll accept they don't believe in god/s so that makes them atheists by the definition of the word. They may be a lot of other things as well, being an atheist and being a member of a religion are not mutually exclusive; I know Christians who are atheists.
And Buddhism is more than the lack of something, there are a common set of beliefs and such for a Buddhist.
Atheism has nothing like that, there are no tenants, no shared beliefs, no sacred texts, no common history, nothing that would be required to define it as a religion.
I know next to nothing about Buddhism (and it would be great if someone who did could step in and correct me), but as I understand it, Buddhists do generally believe in an unseeable, supernatural order to the world. In my view, although there may not be a personal God or Gods, that likely would be sufficient to characterize Buddhism or Taoism as a religion. Confucianism is more difficult to characterize (in my very unsophisticated opinion.)
__________________
"Life of Russian hockey veterans is very hard," said Soviet hockey star Sergei Makarov. "Most of them don't have enough to eat these days. These old players are Russian legends."
Weird, I seem to have lost a post from Knalus somehow. Sorry about that, I have no idea where it went, I can't even see it in search where even deleted posts show up for me.
I was trying to keep things on topic. This was the post. I deleted it because I figured that on the topic that was, it could have been somewhat inflammatory, and was definitely off topic.
That being said, I still do believe this.
Quote:
Originally Posted by photon
Atheism has no belief structure, it's the lack of belief of something.
Q: Do you believe in one more more gods?
If the answer to that question is no, then you are an atheist. That's it.
This is one of the major tenants of modern Atheism. But it doesn't make someone Atheist. Small-A atheism may have meant that at one time, but Atheism now is more than just that.
For example, Buddhists in many of their forms, also do not believe in one or more gods. Yet they are Buddhists, not Atheists. Most Atheists and Buddhists would bristle at the idea that they are the same, or even similar. They are not. Therefore your statement is false, even if as one of the major tenants of Atheism you are required to defend it vigorously.
But I know you disagree. It's part of your belief system. And I know that many of you will be offended by this as well, because that is a part of your belief system too. But if it is part of your belief system, then those beliefs are protected by Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms. I don't understand why you wouldn't want that.
Atheism is a Religion (Split from Blessing Human Rights thread)
