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"Religion" is: 'people's beliefs and opinions concerning the existence, nature, and worship of a deity or deities, and divine involvement in the universe and human life.' An atheist's opinion is the that there is no God. They have their own notions concerning these points as do all religions. Some have one god, some have multiple. Some believe their god/gods and good and some bad. Please look at these points and ask yourself, 'Is atheism a religion?'
atheists believe that there is no god, but religion has a much bigger meaning than existence of god itself. religions were created by men himself to define a set of principles and ethics for the benefit of the humans. god has no religion.
So either we must surrender to be a religion or we are in denial? Stupid sides!
If atheism is a relgion, then it is impossible to be religionless.
If it is impossible to not be religious, then religion has lost it's meaning.
Religion isn't fascinating, interesting or anything if every single person is religious.
I find it odd that religious people desperately want atheism to be a religion. Because that would devalue, and make them totally indifferent from everyone. The sentence '' I am a religious person'' would have as much meaning as saying '' I have a face''
I don't get why you would literally want to make religion meaningless and indifferent.
Maybe atheism is a religon - personally I don't care what you call it. You say we ''religiously claim to have no religion''. Why do you think we do that? Maybe because religious people religiously claim that we do. I have no religion, is an answer when you claim I have - not a reminder.
whatever you "believe" man .......... lol .....................................................................................................................................................
Also, Atheism is not a cause, principle, or system of beliefs unless we want to expand religion to include every thought that goes through someones head.
The definition of religion doesn't included every thought that goes through somebody's head, just the ones in which someone fights for or against. Like does God exists? If neither God friendly or God unfriendly people didn't go to such lengths to defend their position, then neither side would be of a religious nature. Debating or attacking somebody's beliefs, does make it of a religious nature by definition.
I don't see where having your beliefs attacked has anything to do with making those beliefs religious. There are many beliefs that get attacked and aren't religious. I also don't see where strongly fighting for your beliefs has anything to do with it being a religion. There are many beliefs that are strongly fought that aren't religious. So, I don't see how a belief against religion can be religious.
I don't see where having your beliefs attacked has anything to do with making those beliefs religious. There are many beliefs that get attacked and aren't religious. I also don't see where strongly fighting for your beliefs has anything to do with it being a religion. There are many beliefs that are strongly fought that aren't religious. So, I don't see how a belief against religion can be religious.
Duh, by definition. Look up all the meanings of religion and see if one doesn't fit. I gave you the definition, this time I suggest you reread it.
Please point specifically to the part of the definition that discusses beliefs that are attacked or defended. I don't see it.
Look up all the meanings of religion and see if one doesn't fit.
There are plenty that don't fit. You had to get very vague to make a single one fit.
I gave you the definition, this time I suggest you reread it.
You gave part of the definition and admitted there were others that you didn't post. I don't think you should be patting yourself on the back for being helpful just yet.
Why is it a crusade for an Atheist to show the other side of a Christians opinions, and reasonable debating for a Christian to show the other side of an Atheists opinions? I was simply explaining how it isn't a crusade, which you obviously used in a negative way.
Neither side is technically correct, and the definition provided is too open ended.
A persons position on the topic of gun control would fall under 'religion' if this definition is used.
-It is a cause or principle
-Proponents of and opponents of gun control tend to hold their position with significant ardor.
-Faith is involved in both positions.
If you want to demonstrate that atheism is a religion, you need to start from a definition that is applicable to religions, and not applicable to non-religions. The definition provided in the debate subject is more true of philosophy than it is of religion, and even then it's not exact.
Proponents of and opponents of gun control tend to hold their position with significant ardor.
Yes they do, and this is a perfect example of a religious organization. Just try to take away one of their guns and You'll find out how devoted they are.
I think everyone here (except yourself, possibly) can agree- by your very statement here- that your definition of religion is too broad and diluted for serious consideration. Thank you for confirming and proving my point.
I think everyone here (except yourself, possibly) can agree- by your very statement here- that your definition of religion is too broad and diluted for serious consideration. Thank you for confirming and proving my point.
If I gave the text book definition of the world.
the world : the earth and all the people and things on it
No, that's not too broad of a definition for 'the world.'
That's more or less irrelevant. The issue with this definition of religion is that it applies to things that are not religions- regardless of your assertion otherwise, 'gun control' is not a religion, and the NRA is not a church.
How about the word 'cash?' If I were to define cash as 'rectangular pieces of paper indicating a value within an established currency, used as a medium for trade,' it would certainly be applicable to paper money. However, it is problematic because that definition would also include checks and some IOUs, which are obviously not cash. This is what your definition is doing with religion; it's drawing up a set of criteria that religions do fall under, but as the term is applicable to things that are not religion as well, it is overly broad.
To find that bill is used as "an amount expended or owed" one has to go through 12 definitions to list it as such. According to you the only one that should be used is the first one meaning beak.
And in this debate you claim that atheism is not religion and that it is not a homonym, but the definition of religion doesn't apply to atheists. How is this possibly? Reading comprehension!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And in this debate you claim that atheism is not religion and that it is not a homonym, but the definition of religion doesn't apply to atheists. How is this possibly? Reading comprehension!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm not sure what you're trying to say here- it looks like you're trying to set up a strawman but failing hard due to poor mastery of the English language.
My claim was that atheism is not religion because atheism does not fall within the any definition of religion that does not include numerous other things that are not religions, eg. ones stance on gun control. My other claim wa that religion is not a homonym, in response to your comparison with varying definitions of the word 'bill.' I stand by both claims.
The definition of religion DOES apply to atheists, in that it excludes them. I'm not sure what you're suggesting regarding possibility. I'm glad I at least got the term 'Reading comprehension' into you're head- perhaps if you think about it you'll pursue improving it.
Atheism, in technical terms, is simply the lack of belief, and/or faith, in a supreme order. One who continuously claims this is not following a religious model, but merely repeating the definition to those who try to twist it into ways it shouldn't be perceived as (such as yourself...no offense).
You saying it isn't so, doesn't make it so. Please provide links and logical arguments proving that you lack any strong beliefs. As human beings do we have the luxury of deciding which definitions of words we can just totally ignore?
You creating circular reasoning for something being a religion doesn't make it so. According to you a religion is a belief that you hold with a strong belief in that belief.
As human beings do we have the luxury of deciding which definitions of words we can just totally ignore?
All of your arguments prove otherwise as you seem to ignore ever other version of religion and faith.
It is not by chance this happened. You like literal and so I give you literal. When you get what you want, then you tend to ignore what you use in defense. Pick a side.
Lying will only get you so far. Unless you really want to admit I have power over you.
What is there to lie about? Did I just admit to doing what you accused me of doing?
Giving up your principles after making fun of people for not following your principles is a strange strategy.
Does paying taxes mean you like taxes?
This can only be used to describe you man. Stop using me in your fantasies.
You wanted literal and I gave you literal; What more do you want? Believe me, you have never been in any fantasy of mine. To bad the same cannot be said for you. For the last time, I don't swing that way.
What is there to lie about? Did I just admit to doing what you accused me of doing?
You did just admit to doing it and gave your reason that it was because I have control over you. I didn't think you wanted to admit that. Carry on.
Does paying taxes mean you like taxes?
No, but saying you are an idiot for taking things literal and then taking things literal does mean you think you are an idiot.
You wanted literal and I gave you literal; What more do you want?
Not true. I just want to beat you and I have over and over again.
Believe me, you have never been in any fantasy of mine. To bad the same cannot be said for you. For the last time, I don't swing that way.
You have never told me that you don't swing that way, so you must have a false recollection of telling me in one of your fantasies. Weird. You had a fantasy about me and tried to stop my advances. You have weird dreams man.
You have never told me that you don't swing that way, so you must have a false recollection of telling me in one of your fantasies. Weird. You had a fantasy about me and tried to stop my advances. You have weird dreams man.
Not true. I just want to beat you and I have over and over again.
Your words not mine. Please leave me out of your fantasies from now on.
I gave you 2 reasons why the definition doesn't fit. You interpret a single belief as a set of beliefs. Atheism is not a belief system it is a type of belief. Plus, you misinterpreted what faith means. There is no faith involved with Atheism. Your definition of religion does not fit regardless of it being vague.
I will repeat for you since you aren't bright enough: I am not rejecting your definition because of it being vague. You can't use that tactic. Your definition doesn't fit Atheism at all. Your definition requires 3 distinct things. Atheism only has ardor. Atheism is missing the components your definition requires. I haven't rejected any of the dictionary.
Nice one sided debate, again. I almost started to say that I'm glad nothing has changed... but that'd be exactly what I'm not. To do something "religiously" does not make one religious.
I think the ultimate conclusion of this debate will be the agreement on all sides, Atheists and Theists alike, that everyone, no matter how "intelligent" they claim to be, have faith in something or someone. Whether or not you call this faith "religion" or not, it doesn't matter. Everything that we know (or claim to know), we receive by faith in one form or another. The fact of the matter is that faith is only as good (or credible) as the object it is directed towards.
So to answer your question, Atheists claim to have no religion because they define "religion" as a belief system based upon a divine entity of one kind or another. Since they define it that way, then they can claim to be non-religious because they do not believe in a divine entity of any kind.
However, if you define "religion" as a system of beliefs held to with faith, then everyone in the world would be "religious," because everyone holds to something with faith.
Now a better way to state your argument might be "How can Atheists claim to have no religion, when they follow a set of principles and a system of belief that so closely imitate (if not exactly match) religion?"
Personally I believe in science and Theism, and I've seen that Atheists are very typical in the way that no matter how many scientific laws or principles they discard, they continue to irrationally believe fallible and non-scientific principles, very much in the same way that they claim "religious people" do, and so in this way they are in denial.
I used to have this idea, that it was but my thinking was flawed. I have sense amended my thoughts.
Before I try to explain, let me ask you who say "yes it is a religion this". Are you born with a religion? If you never know of Christianity are you still in a religion of disbelieving God?
Now here's my take on modern atheism, and atheists. Militant atheism is the closest thing you can have to a religion as far as atheism is concerned, but even that falls short.
Atheism is not a religion, it is a stance. It's a view point. If one dis believes, or does not believe a God exists they are an atheist. Apatheists, who don't believe because they are apathetic to the idea of God are atheists. Buddhists, who don't believe because they believe we are reborn until we reach nirvana are atheists. Children, babies to be precise, fresh out of the womb who don't believe (or tribes hidden deep with in the forests of where ever you'd like) because they've never even heard of him, are atheists. These people don't qualify for a religion just because they collectively don't believe.
oh okay ... you mean like atheism ... lol ................................................................................................................................
That is not a doctrine. I'm not sure I agree with your statement even though I'm a christian. The only part I agree with is that there is no God. One sentence does not constitute a religious doctrine. No one taught me that God isn't real - I figured it out for myself.
Doctrine: a belief or set of beliefs held and taught by a Church, political party, or other group.
Religion is simply the lack of belief that God doesn't exist. So why is atheism not a religion as well? Atheism is a lack of a belief that God exists. Maybe the answer to this is that atheists have more faith in their belief than others do.
For once on this site I'd like to read a response that wasn't Googled. What are your thoughts, not somebody else's. No need to Google. These are arguments I've heard before and agree with.
What you do when you are not collecting stamps if repeated has become your hobby.
So....... everything I don't do is a hobby?
What color is a bald guy's hair, if not bald. Since you do not known what color is hair is; How do describe the guy's hair? As being bald.
No. Bald describes lack of hair, just like atheism describes lack of religion.
Let me reword the bald part.
Bald is not a type of hair. Atheism is not a type of religion.
The assumption that atheism is a religion is rooted in the logical fallacy that two opposite things --belief and disbelief--are the same thing.
Are left and right the same thing? Yes, they are both a direction in which one travels. Just because left is the opposite of right doesn't make one of them something other than a direction.
As far as disbelief goes, there is no such thing. One cannot have a belief that is not a belief. Atheists believe God doesn't exist.
List the main differences between cats and dogs without being racist. They are both warm-blooded, have 4 feet, have the same internal organs, have two ears, two eyes, etc. Name the differences between Blacks, Caucasians, Asians, Mexicans, etc.
List the main differences between cats and dogs without being racist
Cats have retractable claws. Dogs are pack animals.
They are both warm-blooded, have 4 feet, have the same internal organs, have two ears, two eyes, etc.
Mice and elephants share these similarities. Let each one step on you and tell me they're the same.
Name the differences between Blacks, Caucasians, Asians, Mexicans
I'm going to go with skin color.
You are confusing the word same with the word similar.
Full Definition of SAME
1
a : resembling in every relevant respect
b : conforming in every respect —used with as
2
a : being one without addition, change, or discontinuance : identical
b : being the one under discussion or already referred to
3
: corresponding so closely as to be indistinguishable
4
: equal in size, shape, value, or importance —usually used with the or a demonstrative (as that, those) in all senses
By definition alone, your argument that opposites are the same is the most ridiculous I've ever heard. In your line of thinking, being alive and being dead are the same because they are both states of being. Anyone that would consider this true is either uninformed, misinformed, intellectually dishonest or mentally disabled.
I have no need to carry on this discussion. At least now I understand why the post is stated as it is.