Atheism isn’t a religion. Nor is it a Philosophy. Prove that is, as apparently the clear cut definition of Atheism, religion and philosophy are not enough for you. I see that quite a few have completely avoided stating their criteria that would classify Atheism as a religion or philosophy, please…post them, you’ll find your arguments quickly falling about.

But thanks to Lorne, it can fall apart anyway.
“1. Love and pursuit of wisdom by intellectual means and moral self-discipline.
2. Investigation of the nature, causes, or principles of reality, knowledge, or values, based on logical reasoning rather than empirical methods.
3. A system of thought based on or involving such inquiry: the philosophy of Hume.
4. The critical analysis of fundamental assumptions or beliefs.
5. The disciplines presented in university curriculums of science and the liberal arts, except medicine, law, and theology.
6. The discipline comprising logic, ethics, aesthetics, metaphysics, and epistemology.
7. A set of ideas or beliefs relating to a particular field or activity; an underlying theory: an original philosophy of advertising.
8. A system of values by which one lives: has an unusual philosophy of life.”
1. Please, tell me where Atheism states to love and pursue wisdom by intellectual means and self-discipline? I can’t find anything, anywhere that states Atheists are required to do that to adhere to Atheism. Can you?

2. Please, tell me where Atheism requires Atheists to investigate the nature, causes, or principles, of reality, knowledge or values based on logical reasoning rather than empirical methods? I cant that anywhere, can you?

3. Please, tell me where Atheism states that Atheism is a system of though based on or involving such inquiry? Can you, pretty please?

4. Please, tell me where Atheism states that Atheism is the critical analysis of fundamental assumptions or beliefs? Can you?

Hey, might as well cut it short right here, it’s the same for every one of those points. 5, 6, 7 and 8…please, tell me where Atheism states anything about those?

Atheism does not have a philosophy, individual Atheists CAN have personal philosophies, some may even attribute them or intertwine them with their Atheism, however that has no affect on what Atheism is, that is personal. It’s as idiotic as assuming every Fireman likes cheese because a large percentage, with no connection to each other in any way, like cheese. It is a logical fallacy and a failed argument.

Atheists can be religious, as shown by some Buddhist sects or Laveyan Satanism, but being an Atheist does not mean you are or have to be religious. Those Buddhist sects for example have nothing to do with Atheism, they just have no belief in God/s, thus qualifying them in the definition.

Atheists can have philosophies, many authors and political leaders throughout history can testify to this, but being an Atheist does not mean you have or have to have a philosophy. And as ive just shown, there is no “philosophy” connected to Atheism, it’s ignorant to claim Atheists have a philosophy because an individual Atheist does, it’s the same as claiming all those who do not believe in Santa like to drink water…because obviously its their lack of belief in Santa that is behind their like of the watery beverage.

As for the few who insist the Santa analogy isn’t valid, im afraid your sheer ignorance won’t save you.

The lack of belief of Santa is a correct analogy to the lack of belief of God/s. So many here have blatantly stated the EXACT reason why it is a correct analogy, then concluded that its not. Calling a spade a diamond, after describing a diamond the exact same as a spade, does not magically make it a diamond.

Believing Santa to exist is a belief, regardless of the evidence. Just believing God to exist is a belief. The belief of Santa existing is, in itself, NOT a religion. The belief of God, in itself, is NOT a religion. That is where the term Theism comes from, it is the opposite of Atheism, being a Theist does not mean they are religious, nor does it mean they are not religious.

Believing in Santa or God does also not mean you have a philosophy that ties into that belief.

With this…

The disbelief of Santa is NOT a belief, nor is it a philosophy. It is the LACK of belief, and has no philosophy that is needed to tie into it, not the belief that there is no Santa. Just as disbelief of God/s is NOT a belief, nor a philosophy.

If that is so hard for many of you to understand, then the problem lies with you and nobody else. Because you cannot mount an argument against it, and insist on providing logical fallacies to defend yours, does not suddenly make your argument valid.

Atheism is NOT a religion. Atheism is NOT a philosophy.

Deal with it or prove it wrong. The latter you cannot.

The poor attempt of christors to claim atheism is a religion is a way to try to take the pressure off them to prove their stupid hateful religion. They can’t prove their religion because like all religions, it’s based on their faith of the ‘invisible’ and make believe, not fact.

Julie

I don’t believe in God but i see it unnecessary to call myself atheist.

Many intelligent level headed people have looked at the evidence and decided that they believe rather than dis-believe. It doesn’t make them less intelligent than you or less well read, it just means they have a different opinion.

And from my personal experience, I can say that this is the case with atheism. I have a friend I have had some great debates with, and the only thing we agree on, is that there is no god. We have argued about everything else, from politics and ethics to art, science and philosophy. We don’t look on anything from the same point of view, except that we are both atheists, and don’t believe in a god (or gods). Not all atheists think alike.

However, to say atheism takes no faith is not true. Everyone has faith in something. For an oversimplified example: everyone generally walks on everyday surfaces without worrying if it will give way and theyll fall to thier death. They are putting faith in the floor. Now i know its faith based highly upon prior experience but, its still faith. Atheism puts faith in the human ability to reason and comprhend. Form this faith in human intelligence and our ability to comprehend therories are dervied that try to explain the origins of the universe and of life/humanity. No one has truly undeniably proven either of these. Believing something that isnt undeniable requires faith.

Atheism is not a religion but it does have some conotations that make it similar.

You said in another thread that simply believing in God is not a religion, and you may have a point there. However, if we say that belief in God is a religion, then belief in Santa is the same (the fact that much fewer people believe in Santa is irrelevant here). Non-belief in either, on the other hand, isn’t a religion.

The problem people (not necessarily you, your point seems to be different) have with the analogy is that they think belief in God is perfectly OK, and therefore non-belief requires faith, while Santa obviously doesn’t exist, and non-belief is also obvious, requiring no faith at all. What they don’t understand is that, to an atheist, both beliefs are equally valid - or, more precisely, invalid. It requires as much “faith” not to believe in one as in the other: none at all.

Secondly, I’d love to hear your explanation of how atheism is not a philosophy. Let’s start with the definition of a philosophy (from answers.com):

1. Love and pursuit of wisdom by intellectual means and moral self-discipline.
2. Investigation of the nature, causes, or principles of reality, knowledge, or values, based on logical reasoning rather than empirical methods.
3. A system of thought based on or involving such inquiry: the philosophy of Hume.
4. The critical analysis of fundamental assumptions or beliefs.
5. The disciplines presented in university curriculums of science and the liberal arts, except medicine, law, and theology.
6. The discipline comprising logic, ethics, aesthetics, metaphysics, and epistemology.
7. A set of ideas or beliefs relating to a particular field or activity; an underlying theory: an original philosophy of advertising.
8. A system of values by which one lives: has an unusual philosophy of life.

Atheism certainly appears to fit within those definitions. Although, I suppose if you were to be speaking of atheism as simply the non-belief of god then it would not be considered a philisophy.

However, I think that your website indicates that this belief is actually just the conclusion drawn from a larger “analysis” that you have taken. That is, it represents a “set of ideas” that you have logically concluded, and has given you a “system of values by which” you live. I think that your passion on this subject proves my point: it is a philosophy.

It isn’t.

Second, you are right, atheism is not a religion, it is a philosophy. Both these terms are very clearly defined and applied.

I didn’t realize this was such a mystery.

words are words they are not truth or anything close to it

or in other words
if you called a dogs leg a tail how many legs would a dog have
four calling a tail a leg dosent make it one

words are words they are not truth or anything close to it

now then joe
you are lost my friend
try reading what people are saying to you 1000 times and
maybe you can decode their so very cryptic lamens terms

peace

re·li·gion ( P ) Pronunciation Key (r-ljn)
n.

Belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe.
A personal or institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship.
The life or condition of a person in a religious order.
A set of beliefs, values, and practices based on the teachings of a spiritual leader.
A cause, principle, or activity pursued with zeal or conscientious devotion.