Why isn't atheism classified as another religion?

[Baikonur]

Atheism is classified as another religion all over the place. Google it. The reason it is not classified so universally, is that there are atheists who don't seem to know the definition of religion, who want to classify atheism differently.

I know that to be true but can anyone explain to me why atheism is classified as religion? I know that theoreticly its belief in absence of god but that would make every person religious and that makes this term pretty useless

[1714047154]

1714047154

[mikan111]

This is a difficult philosophical question, I see that various people here have been hurried to deny or confirm without a real insight into the background of the problem.
The negation of God and, on the other hand, the belief in man's absolute choice is one of the foundations of the liberal political theory.
Of course, some other values, for example, money, profit are put at the level of worshipping.
So one dogma replaces the other.
Atheism is not a religion it's anti-religion, but deeply connected with religion within negation.

[BADecker]

Atheism is classified as another religion all over the place. Google it. The reason it is not classified so universally, is that there are atheists who don't seem to know the definition of religion, who want to classify atheism differently.

I know that to be true but can anyone explain to me why atheism is classified as religion? I know that theoreticly its belief in absence of god but that would make every person religious and that makes this term pretty useless

First, everyone has religion. Look at the definition of religion at http://www.dictionary.com/browse/religion?s=t.

Second, Google "atheism religion" to see the various points for and against the idea that atheism is religion.

Third, a person who is simply living his life, and hasn't thought about God one way or the other very much, might barely be an atheist. It's the people who claim to be atheists, think that they know that they are atheists, and are proud of it... who are practicing atheism as a religion.

Fourth, there are no atheists. Why? Because everyone knows that he hasn't checked out every location in the universe to see if God is there. This means that all people know that God might be there somewhere. When you know something like this, that God might exist, it's very difficult to believe that He doesn't... for a fact. The thing that atheists are believing is that they can defy any potential God by standing up and stating their cause, mostly without apparent, direct retribution from such a God. Pretty bold of them, if you ask me.

Fifth, when a person is an attempted atheist as in the fourth, above, he is attempting to set himself up as god, stronger than God, by claiming things he doesn't know to be true, and by hardening his mind and heart into maintaining himself in that direction.

Sixth, this all makes atheism to not be a belief, but rather an attempt at liberalism through freedom to do whatever, starting with downplaying God in their lives.

Anyway, you get the idea of what I am talking about. If you consider atheism in depth, you will see that the greater the professing atheist, the greater the liberalism and ideals against the sense that is in nature.

[af_newbie]

Atheism is classified as another religion all over the place. Google it. The reason it is not classified so universally, is that there are atheists who don't seem to know the definition of religion, who want to classify atheism differently.

I know that to be true but can anyone explain to me why atheism is classified as religion? I know that theoreticly its belief in absence of god but that would make every person religious and that makes this term pretty useless

First, everyone has religion. Look at the definition of religion at http://www.dictionary.com/browse/religion?s=t.

Second, Google "atheism religion" to see the various points for and against the idea that atheism is religion.

Third, a person who is simply living his life, and hasn't thought about God one way or the other very much, might barely be an atheist. It's the people who claim to be atheists, think that they know that they are atheists, and are proud of it... who are practicing atheism as a religion.

Fourth, there are no atheists. Why? Because everyone knows that he hasn't checked out every location in the universe to see if God is there. This means that all people know that God might be there somewhere. When you know something like this, that God might exist, it's very difficult to believe that He doesn't... for a fact. The thing that atheists are believing is that they can defy any potential God by standing up and stating their cause, mostly without apparent, direct retribution from such a God. Pretty bold of them, if you ask me.

Fifth, when a person is an attempted atheist as in the fourth, above, he is attempting to set himself up as god, stronger than God, by claiming things he doesn't know to be true, and by hardening his mind and heart into maintaining himself in that direction.

Sixth, this all makes atheism to not be a belief, but rather an attempt at liberalism through freedom to do whatever, starting with downplaying God in their lives.

Anyway, you get the idea of what I am talking about. If you consider atheism in depth, you will see that the greater the professing atheist, the greater the liberalism and ideals against the sense that is in nature.

Not playing sport is not a sport. 

[BADecker]

Not playing sport is not a sport.  

But being a sport by letting others play sports is

However, atheism is a religion by the definition of religion, and the adamant attempts of certain of the atheists to classify it as other than religion.

[Vod]

They are against God. How can you trust people with no God.

How can you trust people with a god?  They act not out of morals, but out of fear of eternal torture.  Do what I say, OR BURN!

I trust the atheist - he is good because he is good.

[BADecker]

They are against God. How can you trust people with no God.

How can you trust people with a god?  They act not out of morals, but out of fear of eternal torture.  Do what I say, OR BURN!

I trust the atheist - he is good because he is good.

So, you have a religion of ripping people off by trying to get them to think that atheists are good.

[Astargath]

They are against God. How can you trust people with no God.

How can you trust people with a god?  They act not out of morals, but out of fear of eternal torture.  Do what I say, OR BURN!

I trust the atheist - he is good because he is good.

So, you have a religion of ripping people off by trying to get them to think that atheists are good.

As an Atheist you wouldn't have any external incentive to be good. You have ''incentives'' to not be bad, which is the law and the fact that you can get punished for it. When it comes to doing good, though, you aren't good just because god tells you or because you want to go to heaven, you are good because you are, which is far better.

[BADecker]

They are against God. How can you trust people with no God.

How can you trust people with a god?  They act not out of morals, but out of fear of eternal torture.  Do what I say, OR BURN!

I trust the atheist - he is good because he is good.

So, you have a religion of ripping people off by trying to get them to think that atheists are good.

As an Atheist you wouldn't have any external incentive to be good. You have ''incentives'' to not be bad, which is the law and the fact that you can get punished for it. When it comes to doing good, though, you aren't good just because god tells you or because you want to go to heaven, you are good because you are, which is far better.

An atheist is never good. First, because he is not really an atheist, and therefore a liar. But most importantly, because he does not honor God, which is the first step in the direction of good.

[Astargath]

They are against God. How can you trust people with no God.

How can you trust people with a god?  They act not out of morals, but out of fear of eternal torture.  Do what I say, OR BURN!

I trust the atheist - he is good because he is good.

So, you have a religion of ripping people off by trying to get them to think that atheists are good.

As an Atheist you wouldn't have any external incentive to be good. You have ''incentives'' to not be bad, which is the law and the fact that you can get punished for it. When it comes to doing good, though, you aren't good just because god tells you or because you want to go to heaven, you are good because you are, which is far better.

An atheist is never good. First, because he is not really an atheist, and therefore a liar. But most importantly, because he does not honor God, which is the first step in the direction of good.

I don't see why it's so important to ''honor'' God. A real god wouldn't care about us worshiping him whatsoever.

[BADecker]

As an Atheist you wouldn't have any external incentive to be good. You have ''incentives'' to not be bad, which is the law and the fact that you can get punished for it. When it comes to doing good, though, you aren't good just because god tells you or because you want to go to heaven, you are good because you are, which is far better.

An atheist is never good. First, because he is not really an atheist, and therefore a liar. But most importantly, because he does not honor God, which is the first step in the direction of good.

I don't see why it's so important to ''honor'' God. A real god wouldn't care about us worshiping him whatsoever.

A wise person wouldn't continue to attempt to set himself up as God by claiming to know how God thinks and what He would or wouldn't do... especially when it contradicts what God says about Himself.

[Pumapipa]

Since atheists have a common belief system and they are pretty organized why they do not consider themselves as a part of a another religion which does not have a god?

while that is true, there is another element lacking why atheism cannot be considered as another form of religion. Religion is not only about belief system and organization, it should be humanity linked to a supernatural or spiritual elements. If this is lacking then we can consider your above statement as definitive of a social movement.

[BADecker]

Since atheists have a common belief system and they are pretty organized why they do not consider themselves as a part of a another religion which does not have a god?

while that is true, there is another element lacking why atheism cannot be considered as another form of religion. Religion is not only about belief system and organization, it should be humanity linked to a supernatural or spiritual elements. If this is lacking then we can consider your above statement as definitive of a social movement.

You underestimate nature. Try growing an arm after losing one. Try to scientifically create life in the lab from scratch. People have made a few simple robots that can "reproduce" sort of, but nothing like nature. In fact, the complexity of life is so great, that many scientists now wonder if it is even possible to have come about on earth, to say nothing about some other planet somewhere in the universe.

The point? So far, even with all our great scientific achievements, life is entirely a supernatural thing. We can't make it happen without it having been there first. Maybe all of nature is supernatural.

The greater point? If people do it, they do it by religion. Since we have such a seeming supernatural universe, atheists are the ones who are supernatural, because God is not. God is the real natural.

[Astargath]

As an Atheist you wouldn't have any external incentive to be good. You have ''incentives'' to not be bad, which is the law and the fact that you can get punished for it. When it comes to doing good, though, you aren't good just because god tells you or because you want to go to heaven, you are good because you are, which is far better.

An atheist is never good. First, because he is not really an atheist, and therefore a liar. But most importantly, because he does not honor God, which is the first step in the direction of good.

I don't see why it's so important to ''honor'' God. A real god wouldn't care about us worshiping him whatsoever.

A wise person wouldn't continue to attempt to set himself up as God by claiming to know how God thinks and what He would or wouldn't do... especially when it contradicts what God says about Himself.

Then how can you ever know that he is a god if you never can understand him? How can you worship something that you don't understand? Why trust him to be good if you don't know?

[joebrook]

Since atheists have a common belief system and they are pretty organized why they do not consider themselves as a part of a another religion which does not have a god?

Because not playing sport is not a sport.

Exactly the other religions all believe in something and that belief or faith is why they are classified as religions, the same however can't be said about Atheist who don't believe in anything at all.

[BADecker]

Since atheists have a common belief system and they are pretty organized why they do not consider themselves as a part of a another religion which does not have a god?

Because not playing sport is not a sport.

Exactly the other religions all believe in something and that belief or faith is why they are classified as religions, the same however can't be said about Atheist who don't believe in anything at all.

If you are trying to say that atheists don't believe anything at all, you are kinda dishonoring them.

Atheists are people. They have the ability to believe things, and not believe other things, just like all the other people. What are you saying? That they are some kind of inferior creature, like a stupid, dumb animal, by saying that they don't believe in anything at all?

[Squishy01]

Turning atheism into religion will only make it pointless, I believe. The purpose of atheism is to neglect the existence of God and to defy religion, so it would make no sense to make atheism a religion. Moreover, a religion requires that you believe in a superior being. So I guess atheists can create organizations and such, but can't call it a religion.

[Astargath]

Since atheists have a common belief system and they are pretty organized why they do not consider themselves as a part of a another religion which does not have a god?

Because not playing sport is not a sport.

Exactly the other religions all believe in something and that belief or faith is why they are classified as religions, the same however can't be said about Atheist who don't believe in anything at all.

If you are trying to say that atheists don't believe anything at all, you are kinda dishonoring them.

Atheists are people. They have the ability to believe things, and not believe other things, just like all the other people. What are you saying? That they are some kind of inferior creature, like a stupid, dumb animal, by saying that they don't believe in anything at all?

It depends how you define belief. Blind belief is a religious must. You can however believe in things when there is enough evidence even though it's not 100% proved. Religious folks are told god exists without any proof and they simply believe it which is what makes them religious.

[BADecker]

If you are trying to say that atheists don't believe anything at all, you are kinda dishonoring them.

Atheists are people. They have the ability to believe things, and not believe other things, just like all the other people. What are you saying? That they are some kind of inferior creature, like a stupid, dumb animal, by saying that they don't believe in anything at all?

It depends how you define belief. Blind belief is a religious must. You can however believe in things when there is enough evidence even though it's not 100% proved. Religious folks are told god exists without any proof and they simply believe it which is what makes them religious.

You seem to explaining your personal definition of "belief."

We know that earth is the tiniest fraction of a percent of the universe. And we know that nobody has examined more than the tiniest fraction of a percent of the earth. If anybody could ever believe that God didn't exist, he would be doing so with close to blind belief. So, you show us that atheism is a religion.

Some religious folks are told that God does NOT exist. They believe without proof. They are called atheists.

The fact of nature and complexity, the way they exist, shows that God exists.

What in the world are you yammering about? Are your really trying to turn the idea that atheists are not religious, into a religion?

[af_newbie]

...
The fact of nature and complexity, the way they exist, shows that God exists.

What in the world are you yammering about? ...

Dude, stop fantasizing about some God(s) your parents told you about.

You don't even know what God is, never mind showing that it exists.

Nature and complexity has nothing to do with God.  It is what it is.