Did atheism transform into a religion?

[columbus]

@columbus, sorry, but that doesn't strike me as a particularly good metaphor on multiple levels.

Oh, its shallow.
But it goes directly to what is wrong with @pro4life Op.
So, FearGod loves his pistachio, StFrank his chocolate, shivafan his rocky road, pro4life his neapolitan, etc etc.
They are all ice cream. Atheism is fundamentally different, it is not another flavor.
It's like having the fresh fruit for dessert instead of the fatty sugary confection, regardless of what flavorings are in it.
Tom

 

[Noa]

By simple definition atheism cannot become a religion. It would cease to be atheism.

 

[columbus]

By simple definition atheism cannot become a religion. It would cease to be atheism.

One of the worst things about religion is that it commonly teaches people not to see the simple and obvious.
Tom

 

[psychoslice]

One of the worst things about religion is that it commonly teaches people not to see the simple and obvious.
Tom

True, and hence, the sheep.

 

[Deathbydefault]

atheism, what is this thing? why are atheists ready to defend atheism? Is atheism the absence of religion?

atheists these days have come out full force ardently defending nothingness (thats what atheists claim). Atheism the belief of not believing or could it be the absence of belief or the mind-state consciously rejecting a belief. Atheism does not have a structure nor a belief system nor a straight thorough clear cut answers to questions. Many say I "believe" in science, I ask myself curiously has science become their religion? Which manual do atheists follow that determine themselves as atheist. Some atheists will jump into the discussion defending their point of view but I again ask myself why the need to do so?? If they have nothing to lose (they don't believe), why the rush to defend a belief of no belief??... Unless...

Atheism has become into a religion. That is the only plausible answer. One of Religion's purposes is to call people to align to their way of belief and to teach others the way life should be lived. Now atheism proselytize their way of thinking and system of beliefs. Is it true that atheism has become a way of life or rather a full blown religion?

Atheism cannot be a religion.
Not by definition.
Not by practice.
Not by reality.

On your other point: atheists coming out in full force.
We are coming out for many reasons.
Countries have become more free, so atheists don't have to hide in the atheist closet there anymore.
America got its act straightened up a bit (a C instead of a G now) and atheists want rights and respect.
We are currently the most distrusted group, equal to rapists on the trust scale.
There is no logic behind that, no sufficient evidence as to why it should be so.
It's based on bigotry and idiocy.

We're kinda tired of stupid people.
We also might want political rights as well.
You basically cannot get into to politics in America without being religious.
Though, there are definitely atheists in office.
But you shouldn't have to lie to get a job you're good at.

Also, science cannot be a religion either.
Science is literally "knowledge", look it up.
Not all atheists subscribe to science, I think a large majority believe in spirits, or spirituality.

 

[psychoslice]

I can't imagine atheist going so low as to become a religion myself.

 

[Deathbydefault]

Actually it should be the opposite. If you believe you have a better way of life, YOU should try to teach it and spread it. But if you have no belief in the first place, then stay quiet.

Atheism is one response to one claim.
That's it, sir. It is nothing more and nothing less.
The claim that a God is real. Atheists lack a belief in God.
That's the response.

So on that point...
Why does a God need to be necessary for having a better way of life?
I could easily come up with a better way to live your life that 90% of theistic religions.

I could also do so in 1 day and three paragraphs.

 

[Deathbydefault]

If no religions existed, then atheists would not need to defend themselves. Unfortunately there are many religions. The atheist must be like Errol Flynn's Robin Hood as the bad religious people come from all directions. He/she must be able to fend-off three of the Sheriff's fumbling cronies simultaneously while swinging upside down on a chandelier. That is the life of the atheist sadly.

Indeed.
Hardships haunt us all, I suppose.

 

[Noa]

This entire topic could be avoided if people would stop conflating atheism with certain strains of secularism and humanism. It is particular forms of humanism that people are getting annoyed by. Not atheism.

 

[Deathbydefault]

A more useful metaphor here would be religion as ice cream. It comes in lots of flavors and most people have a favorite. But atheism is not one, it is the lack of one.
It is the recognition that all of them are fattening and really low in nutrients. It tastes good, but is not healthy, especially in excess. So you really ought to keep your opinions to yourself and stop trying to tell people your favorite flavor is not junk food. Eat it if you want, but stay away from the children.
Tom

Nah, atheism would be the cone.
Cause once you've had your fill of the bad stuff, we're the only thing left that holds any weight.

 

[Deathbydefault]

I can't imagine atheist going so low as to become a religion myself.

Indeed. Such an idea is gross.
Lawrence Krauss would have a field day with the very concept of atheism becoming a religion.
(If you didn't know, Krauss is an agnostic atheist whom despises the core foundations of theistic and other harmful religions).

 

[psychoslice]

Indeed. Such an idea is gross.
Lawrence Krauss would have a field day with the very concept of atheism becoming a religion.
(If you didn't know, Krauss is an agnostic atheist whom despises the core foundations of theistic and other harmful religions).

Gee thanks for that, I'll investigate Mr Krauss.

 

[Jumi]

Actually it should be the opposite. If you believe you have a better way of life, YOU should try to teach it and spread it. But if you have no belief in the first place, then stay quiet.

My way of living is the best in the situation I am. Maybe yours is the best for you. If you are perfectly happy and accepting, that should be an indicator you have a good way of living, am I right?

That's completely different than atheism though, since atheism has nothing to do with a way of life.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

It seems the way you replied shows some frustration. If an atheist is an atheist why does he/she need to defend themselves. They don't believe in anything.

Atheists believe in lots of things; just not gods. What atheists believe varies from person to person.

 

[jonathan180iq]

atheism, what is this thing? why are atheists ready to defend atheism? Is atheism the absence of religion?

"In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities. Most inclusively,atheism is the absence of belief that any deities exist. Atheism is contrasted with theism, which, in its most general form, is the belief that at least one deity exists."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atheism

atheists these days have come out full force ardently defending nothingness (thats what atheists claim). Atheism the belief of not believing or could it be the absence of belief or the mind-state consciously rejecting a belief. Atheism does not have a structure nor a belief system nor a straight thorough clear cut answers to questions. Many say I "believe" in science, I ask myself curiously has science become their religion? Which manual do atheists follow that determine themselves as atheist. Some atheists will jump into the discussion defending their point of view but I again ask myself why the need to do so?? If they have nothing to lose (they don't believe), why the rush to defend a belief of no belief??... Unless...

It would certainly seem that way to the theist, given that they have happily existed as the majority for such a long time, resting behind what at times was a legally unquestionable position. But, alas, with freedom comes questioning. As atheists feel compelled to do so, they speak their minds and question that which was previously above questioning. That's all.

There is no atheist manual and there is guide to atheism, because it's simply an explanation of a varying type of worldview. In the same way that theists don't share one singular belief about their existence, we atheists don't either.

What you're seeing is not atheists defending their "belief in non-belief" but they're simply asking challenging questions and taking to task the presuppositions of theological arguments. From a personal standpoint, the atheist has every right to defend his worldview just as the theist does. But that doesn't mean that he's only defending atheism... That's silly.

I am a champion for myself and I'm a champion for logic. If no one ever called me an atheist again, I wouldn't care. Take away the label and I'll challenge your beliefs simply for the sake of challenging them. That would have nothing at all to do with my atheism.

Atheism has become into a religion. That is the only plausible answer. One of Religion's purposes is to call people to align to their way of belief and to teach others the way life should be lived. Now atheism proselytize their way of thinking and system of beliefs. Is it true that atheism has become a way of life or rather a full blown religion?

This is such a tired of trick that I don't really know how or why theists still think it's clever...

Is the Republican party a religion? Is the Democratic party a religion? Is a group of football fans a religion? Are soccer fans guilty of forming a religion just because they all agree that soccer is the best sport ever and they'll challenge anyone who says otherwise?

It's a very lame attempt at lumping atheistic arguments into the failed logic systems that theists must recognize they themselves are using.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

If you don't like vanilla then keep it to yourself. But if you believe and tested that vanilla for example is good for weight loss, then come forward and try to sell it to me otherwise stay quiet.

For the analogy to reflect reality, we'd have to have people screaming persecution if a restaurant doesn't serve vanilla ice cream or if someone suggests that there should be sales tax on vanilla ice cream like there is on every other dessert.

Oh - and teenage girls who suggest to their schools that vanilla ice cream should be an optional part of cafeteria meals ("I don't want to buy it - I'm not going to eat it") would get death threats.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Oh, its shallow.
But it goes directly to what is wrong with @pro4life Op.
So, FearGod loves his pistachio, StFrank his chocolate, shivafan his rocky road, pro4life his neapolitan, etc etc.
They are all ice cream. Atheism is fundamentally different, it is not another flavor.
It's like having the fresh fruit for dessert instead of the fatty sugary confection, regardless of what flavorings are in it.
Tom

... and if people suggest that the ice cream truck they let park in the courthouse square should really serve more than one flavour, the powers that be would rather have the truck crushed at the scrapyard rather than bear the indignity of serving heavenly hash or - gasp - maple walnut.

 

[Rick O'Shez]

Is it true that atheism has become a way of life or rather a full blown religion?

Yes, I light a candle to Saint Dawkins every day.

I also recite my catechism: "Who made me? Evolution made me..."

 

[Yerda]

Hi @pro4life, this question comes up quite often.

atheism, what is this thing?

The negation of theism.

why are atheists ready to defend atheism?

Boredom, a response to prejudice, an argumentitive nature...depends.

Is atheism the absence of religion?

No. You can have a non-theistic religion.

Atheism has become into a religion. That is the only plausible answer.

It strikes me as the least plausible even if some people are very passionate about it.

If you read commentary on philosophy, science, culture, politics, etc you may come across vitriolic debate and defensiveness but this doesn't imply that loving the novels of Hilary Mantel and looking down upon the novels of Terry Pratchett, for example, has transformed into a religion.

Is it true that atheism has become a way of life or rather a full blown religion?

I don't think so. It's common for atheists to hold and express beliefs about the usefulness of reasoning based on logic and the importance of the sciences for building a trustworthy worldview but they aren't entailed by atheism and I'd say that these things are more philosophical in nature than religious.

I hope that helps.

 

[leibowde84]

It seems the way you replied shows some frustration. If an atheist is an atheist why does he/she need to defend themselves. They don't believe in anything.

Atheism is the lack of belief in God or gods. They all have beliefs in other things.