Is Atheism Turning Into A Religion?

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JSwiftX 1 year 6 months ago Posts: 50	OK, before the flames get too intense here, let me just start off by saying that I am an atheist myself, and by no means am I trying to speak on behalf of all atheists, nor am I saying that ALL atheists behave in a certain manner. That said, I am EXTREMELY displeased with the state of modern atheism, for several reasons. http://internetisinamerica.blogspot.com/2011/11/problem-with-modern-atheism.html The primary problem I have with modern atheism is that, to me, it seems as if it is turning into an organized religion itself. You have celebrated representatives of the ideology, books that serve as scripture for many non-believers, and plenty of people that are trying to establish tenets for secular humanism the way the framers of religious movement established tenets for their causes. In a lot of ways, I feel as if atheism has been co-opted into an institutionalized system. If you are an atheist, you HAVE to listen to lectures by Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett and Christopher Hitchens, the same way most theists believe they have to listen to certain preachers, imams, or gurus as part of their belief system. All in all, is there REALLY a difference between promoting a book by Stephen Hawkins as the truth and slapping a Flying Spaghetti Monster sticker on your car and believing in the gospels and having a Jesus Fish on your bumper? Is there really that much of a difference between claiming holiness, divinity and virtue as the property of a belief system and claiming reason, logic and knowledge as the sole property of YOUR belief system? And then, there are the numerous skeptics organizations out there, these groups that are structured and function in a manner almost IDENTICAL to the way in which churches operate. When I look at groups of the sort, I see organizations that are every bit as dogmatic and close-minded as your run of the mill religious outfit - for people that claim to be so opposed to homogeneity and herd mentalities, they seem to be doing a rather poor job of promoting what they preach. So, what do you think? Is atheism, as a cultural practice, slowly transforming into a religion itself, or are a few egotists just making it look that way?

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thecrow174
1 year 6 months ago
Posts: 24038
Atheism as a religion makes absolutely no sense.
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vkimo 1 year 6 months ago Posts: 2098 Super Mod Editor	And another thread with a paradoxical message. What's next? Mickey Mouse: Childhood friend, or Nazi conspirator? Is Mcdonald's really unhealthy? Is the Moon real, or is it really a Russian Satellite?

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yhaz 1 year 6 months ago Posts: 299	Atheism is a religion or to be more accurate it is a religious/philosophical discipline that states that reality is purely physical and is not metaphysical. Now, do most 21st centry Atheists have much in common with there classical Greek forbearers, no. The existentialists are the true classical Atheists. Our modern Atheists are just watered down evangelicals, their philosophy is so shallow that Jean-Paul Sartre would weep in his grave if he saw what Atheism has become. If you truly fancy yourself an Atheist read 'Being and Nothingness' by Sartre so if you do want to walk around with a philosophical chip on your shoulder you can at least debate your position with thought and reason and not come off as a 'godless' Oral Roberts. And just so there is no confusion on where I stand, evangelical "Christians" philosophy is just as shallow as modern Atheists, you should read Augusta, Thomas Aquinas, or Martin Luther so you don't come off sounding like, well like a bunch of 'godly' Oral Roberts. I would love nothing more than to round all of you up and stick you all on an island (Evangelical and Atheist alike) so you can spend your time annoying each other with your mindless babel so the rest of us can have an interesting and thought provoking conversation on the nature of being and mans relationship with the infinite. I refuse to let anyone tell me what I can or can not believe. But I would love someone to present me with a new thought provoking point of view. Brian.
	"What" ain't no country I've ever heard of. They speak English in What?
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thecrow174 1 year 6 months ago Posts: 24038	vkimo wrote: And another thread with a paradoxical message. What's next? Mickey Mouse: Childhood friend, or Nazi conspirator? Is Mcdonald's really unhealthy? Is the Moon real, or is it really a Russian Satellite? Can The Simpsons be a Children's Cartoon?

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yhaz 1 year 6 months ago Posts: 299	thecrow174 wrote: Can the Simpsons be a Children's Cartoon? Now, there is a thought provoking idea. :
	"What" ain't no country I've ever heard of. They speak English in What?
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vkimo 1 year 6 months ago Posts: 2098 Super Mod Editor	thecrow174 wrote: vkimo wrote: And another thread with a paradoxical message. What's next? Mickey Mouse: Childhood friend, or Nazi conspirator? Is Mcdonald's really unhealthy? Is the Moon real, or is it really a Russian Satellite? Can The Simpsons be a Children's Cartoon? How rated PG is the new R.

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DeliGuy 1 year 6 months ago Posts: 2852	Did Gilligan really have a chance with Mary Ann?
	[quote]In my final meeting with the gods from the heavens above, as they spoke to me and hit me with the power of the Ultimate Warrior, they told me Exit stage left! Exit stage rig
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Drahken 1 year 6 months ago Posts: 2142	Gilligan was more likely to be the professor's bitch (or perhaps thurston howell's boytoy).
	*WARNING: The above post may be highly opinionated, read at your own risk. Gee Caspah, you're a twicky one!
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darthmunk
1 year 6 months ago
Posts: 6701
I believe in ancient astronaut theory.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_astronauts
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GeneralCritic99 1 year 6 months ago Posts: 700	Atheism cannot be a religion, because for it to be a religion, it has to believe in some form of a god. That's what makes religions religions.
	[url=http://www.userbars.com][img]http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/5552/pepsin
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thecrow174 1 year 6 months ago Posts: 24038	GeneralCritic99 wrote: Atheism cannot be a religion, because for it to be a religion, it has to believe in some form of a god. That's what makes religions religions. Exactly!

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DeliGuy 1 year 6 months ago Posts: 2852	GeneralCritic99 wrote: Atheism cannot be a religion, because for it to be a religion, it has to believe in some form of a god. That's what makes religions religions. I don't know if that is 100% accurate. I know people that believe in a deity, but don't hold to a group's doctrine on a deity. That being said just b/c someone is an atheist doesn't mean that their form is not a religion. I know people who are atheists who don't just merely say there is no god, but have a belief system that they follow. The OP is right about certain individuals. Some atheists as soon as you mention the belief in a deity will start spouting Dawkins and other influential atheists. I would term these atheists as falling under a religion.
	[quote]In my final meeting with the gods from the heavens above, as they spoke to me and hit me with the power of the Ultimate Warrior, they told me Exit stage left! Exit stage rig
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thabz 1 year 6 months ago Posts: 3054	thecrow174 wrote: GeneralCritic99 wrote: Atheism cannot be a religion, because for it to be a religion, it has to believe in some form of a god. That's what makes religions religions. Exactly! Totally. If its not a religion then what is it, becasue their doctrines, values, ethics or whatever the fuck their shit can be traced all the way back to religion(s). idk maybe they should take a page from the Rastafarians, who hate their movement/practice being known as Rastafarism because it classifies them as a religious sect. Being a Rasta is more of a [u]LIFESTYLE[/u] than a religious devotion and YES you atheists, feel free to rip that one off too.
	*Tell me how I'm supposed to breathe with no air?* *Can't live, can't breathe with no air*
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thecrow174 1 year 6 months ago Posts: 24038	But anyway, if no god is being worshiped, then it shouldn't count as a religion. Me personally, I only believe in one god.

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Deleted 1 year 6 months ago Posts: 54340	There is definitely a growing number of atheists who treat their atheism as if it were a religion. All you have to do is take a look at a lot of the atheists on YouTube to see that.

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yhaz 1 year 6 months ago Posts: 299	What about Buddhism? Buddhists don't have a deity but most people don't dispute that Buddhism is a religion. The idea that only monotheistic beliefs can be religious is just a tad short sighted.
	"What" ain't no country I've ever heard of. They speak English in What?
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DeliGuy 1 year 6 months ago Posts: 2852	yhaz wrote: What about Buddhism? Buddhists don't have a deity but most people don't dispute that Buddhism is a religion. The idea that only monotheistic beliefs can be religious is just a tad short sighted. Another excellent point.
	[quote]In my final meeting with the gods from the heavens above, as they spoke to me and hit me with the power of the Ultimate Warrior, they told me Exit stage left! Exit stage rig
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Drahken 1 year 6 months ago Posts: 2142	I'm an atheist, have been since the age of 12 or so. I don't go in for the organized crap though, that goes completely contrary to my views. Organized atheism is a slight improvement over conventional religion (at least it's oriented on facts instead of blind faith), but it's only a very small step. My view on religion/atheism/etc is that it's something everyone has to decide for themselves. No one will know who's right or wrong until it's far too late to do anything about it, so all any of us can do is take our best guess & roll with it. As long as people keep they're views to themselves/others who share them & don't try to force them on everyone around them, I couldn't care less what their particular views are. However, I hate it when pricks try to shove their beliefs down everyone else's throats (missionaries, anyone?), regardless what said beliefs are (even when I agree with the beliefs themselves, I still disagree with the forcing them on everyone). The exception to this is when the other person starts it. If person A starts shoving crap down person B's throat, then I'm 1000% in favor of person B returning the favor.
	*WARNING: The above post may be highly opinionated, read at your own risk. Gee Caspah, you're a twicky one!
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Sunriser 1 year 6 months ago Posts: 7684	I know exactly what you mean and I completely agree. Hence why I do not associate with atheists. They're generally arrogant and have no concept of the appeal of religious institutions even though they themselves belong to such an institution. Merriam-Webster defines religion (without using the word "religious" ) as: "archaic : scrupulous conformity : conscientiousness a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith" I'm beginning to view a-theism as meaning "anti-theism" instead of non-theism.

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