Atheism is a Religion (Split from Blessing Human Rights thread)

[Itse]

Tl,dr:

Atheism can only be called a religion from a religious point of view.

It's not polite to demand that other people use your worldview and your definitions.

(This demand is btw one that I'd call "typically American".)

[photon]

Originally Posted by Itse

Atheism is not a belief structure, it's a lack of a specific belief.

Ah but welcome to Atheism+!

I like Carrier but if a group of people want to start a new group with specific philosophies, using the word Atheism in it just makes it annoying.

[Knalus]

Originally Posted by photon

Ah but welcome to Atheism+!

I like Carrier but if a group of people want to start a new group with specific philosophies, using the word Atheism in it just makes it annoying.

That's very similar to what it is like to be a Christian nowadays. If someone says they are Christian, it is only barely indicative of what they believe. A lot of Atheists (most?) believe something similar to what you state, but that isn't the end of the story anymore. As the atheist worldview "matures", you'll find it gets less clear and more confusing. To the point where outsiders see what some who self-identify as atheists are doing, and then call it a religion.

The people Itse are talking about, yeah, not so much a religion. The people you pointed out, well, if it smells like a pig, and it sounds like a pig, and it looks like a pig...

[photon]

Well at least the word Christian implies a shared set of beliefs and ideals from a common source. They should use a different word.

Not that I'd call what they're putting together a religion, it's a philosophy or system of ethics or something.. call it secular humanism lite (no one says secular humanism is a religion) or something.

EDIT: But yeah I see what you mean.

[HELPNEEDED]

Last post:

It seems like there is a confusion in the definition of belief or lack of belief. We'll keep that as it is.

The most annoying thing in this thread for me is the instance that just because one believes in a higher being that person believes everything has an explanation (supernatural).

Being a "undisclosed religion", (naming it will take away from the topic) I believe that everything is evolved and a product of physics. Scientific knowledge is still the guiding light in all things life and created. Again, for me creation does not mean god pointed a finger and created man. Creation for me just means it happened and however it happened it happened in the divines will, albiet through the chemical and bioligical procees of the universe.

I have come to understand the underpinnings of this discussion a bit more clearly, it is about Abrahamic religions and atheisim. One must understand that a theist is not an absolutist always.

I beg your forgivness if I have unintentionally hurt someone's feelings or made some feel a way they would not like to.

[CarlW]

Originally Posted by HELPNEEDED

Last post:
I have come to understand the underpinnings of this discussion a bit more clearly, it is about Abrahamic religions and atheisim. One must understand that a theist is not an absolutist always.

From what I usually read in similar threads about "religion" or referring to the word religion it always ends up meaning Abrahamic/Judeo Christian ones for the most part.

[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by HELPNEEDED

Last post:

It seems like there is a confusion in the definition of belief or lack of belief. We'll keep that as it is.

The most annoying thing in this thread for me is the instance that just because one believes in a higher being that person believes everything has an explanation (supernatural).

Being a "undisclosed religion", (naming it will take away from the topic) I believe that everything is evolved and a product of physics. Scientific knowledge is still the guiding light in all things life and created. Again, for me creation does not mean god pointed a finger and created man. Creation for me just means it happened and however it happened it happened in the divines will, albiet through the chemical and bioligical procees of the universe.

I have come to understand the underpinnings of this discussion a bit more clearly, it is about Abrahamic religions and atheisim. One must understand that a theist is not an absolutist always.

I beg your forgivness if I have unintentionally hurt someone's feelings or made some feel a way they would not like to.

Francis Collins, is that you? I've read his book twice and it describes my beliefs pretty much precisely.

[Thor]

Originally Posted by photon

Ah but welcome to Atheism+!

I like Carrier but if a group of people want to start a new group with specific philosophies, using the word Atheism in it just makes it annoying.

Really dislike this atheism +, it stems from skepchick and this feminist movment thats taken hold of a small group of the online community.

What annoys me is I prefer to focus on secular humanism, I'm very active with that in Iceland as we try to remove the state church from tax payer funding, get seperation of church and state into the new citizens created constitution, and a host of other issues.

We're even doing a rally with other churches to protest government control over some church decisions.

Anyhow, atheism is a lack of belief, not a philosophy. Secular humanism IS a philosophy and an organized movement. Atheism + shares probably all their ideas with secular humanists, so I find it annoying and pointless to create this new category since I find there to be way too much attention given to atheism in the US and way too little on secular humanism.

[Knalus]

Originally Posted by Thor

Really dislike this atheism +, it stems from skepchick and this feminist movment thats taken hold of a small group of the online community.

What annoys me is I prefer to focus on secular humanism, I'm very active with that in Iceland as we try to remove the state church from tax payer funding, get seperation of church and state into the new citizens created constitution, and a host of other issues.

We're even doing a rally with other churches to protest government control over some church decisions.

Anyhow, atheism is a lack of belief, not a philosophy. Secular humanism IS a philosophy and an organized movement. Atheism + shares probably all their ideas with secular humanists, so I find it annoying and pointless to create this new category since I find there to be way too much attention given to atheism in the US and way too little on secular humanism.

[Thor]

lol freudian slip perhaps?