The Ascent of Atheist sects/religions?

[LuisDantas]

Not 'just because'. Because of the very things we've discussed in some of these other threads.

If by that you mean that religion should transcend theism - or even the perception of a difference between theism and atheism - then I agree.

Not all atheists are going to be content to be nihilists.

Very few atheists are nihilists.

If an atheist moves beyond bare lack of belief in god, that's framing an ideology. An ideology has potential to become a sect.

Atheists are people, not "elementals of atheism" or somesuch. We are not defined by our atheism, nor could we. We will have our ideologies, but they too are simply not very likely to take much (if anything) from atheism.

 

[Buddha Dharma]

Scientology is not under discussion, the misuse of the word atheism is.

I don't know how it is misuse of the word.

 

[ChristineM]

I don't know how it is misuse of the word.

Atheism is defined as disbelief or lack of belief in the existence of God or gods.

Applying any other attributes and calling it atheism is a misuse of tje word.

 

[oldbadger]

My question is how long is it going to be, if atheists are indeed the future majority- before they are divided into sects and religions and arguing among themselves over semantics and differences?

It is happening, right here and right now.
Atheist members are telling other members that consider that they themselves are atheists...... that they are not atheists!

The different arguments about who is or is not an atheist are unimportant..... it is the simple fact that atheism is splitting up in to factions (however small) that shows this to be true.

I have read that atheism is a form of religion before now., and now I know for fact that atheism is dividing in to factions, just as Christianity has divided, or Islam and other religions.

Imagine that , .... Denominations of Atheism.

 

[oldbadger]

Atheism is simple.....
You got your strong (gods don't exist),
& your weak (don't believe gods exist).

Anything added to those is something
unnecessary to atheism....like enjoying
NASCAR racing....or collecting coins.

I'm collecting atheist denominations.
I would like to copy your two offerings and refer thdese two as the Revoltings, if I may?
There will be more, but I need yours.

 

[ChristineM]

Atheism : disbelief or lack of belief in the existence of God or gods.

Nothing more, nothing less. Anything else else is not atheism but individuals attempting to pigeon hole other individuals. Usually so massage their own ego or religious beliefs

;

 

[oldbadger]

.............................. Membership is literally limited to:

"Oh, you don't maintain belief in gods? You're in."

Some chance!
In the same way as there are thousands of Christian denominations, churches and creeds, many of these rejecting some or all of the others, this could well be happening to atheism.

The 'You do believe in Jesus Christ? You're in!' just does not happen.
The 'You don't believe in Gods? You're in!' probably won't happen either.

 

[oldbadger]

Atheism : disbelief or lack of belief in the existence of God or gods.

Nothing more, nothing less. Anything else else is not atheism but individuals attempting to pigeon hole other individuals. Usually so massage their own ego or religious beliefs
;

The above reminds me of a Church leader, who, when another local Church was mentioned, shouted across the table ,'They are not Christians!'

You're on your way already.

 

[ratiocinator]

The above reminds me of a Church leader, who, when another local Church was mentioned, shouted across the table ,'They are not Christians!'

I think you missed the point. Anybody who lacks belief in god(s) is an atheist - no matter what else they believe or don't believe. That's what the word means.

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

Some chance!
In the same way as there are thousands of Christian denominations, churches and creeds, many of these rejecting some or all of the others, this could well be happening to atheism.

The 'You do believe in Jesus Christ? You're in!' just does not happen.
The 'You don't believe in Gods? You're in!' probably won't happen either.

Atheism doesn't have "sects". Period. There is no way to "chop up" disbelief in god in a bunch of different ways. No way to interpret and reinterpret.

The only thing you could possibly be talking about is if a bunch of atheists get together and form a "club", and then adopt an agenda, and then move forward trying to push the agenda. But, by definition, such an agenda has nothing to do with atheism. Whereas theist agendas almost always have everything to do with theism.

For example, an atheist club could decide to "evangelize" - going around trying to actively "deprogram" theists. This is the agenda of that specific group - because atheism does not encompass anything like this. Atheism is me not believing claims made about god... it is not me going around telling others not to believe you - that is something else. Theism, on the other hand, may include all sorts of dictates from the god believed in, or ideas held by believers because they think it reflects what their god thinks, etc. TONS of baggage to carry around and try to foist onto the next unwitting victim of a conversion tactic. Atheism has none of this intrinsically. None of it.

 

[ChristineM]

The above reminds me of a Church leader, who, when another local Church was mentioned, shouted across the table ,'They are not Christians!'

You're on your way already.

And so you make it personal... Again

You don't get to redefine the definition of atheism to massage your own sensibilities.

 

[blü 2]

the simple fact that atheism is splitting up in to factions

There have always been different kinds of atheism, along a scale from disbelief in gods other than your own to agnosticism in the center to an utter faith-based conviction that no gods exist at the other end.

My own view is that since I don't know what the expression 'a real God' is intended to denote (whereas, for example, I know what a real unicorn would be) I thus don't know what I don't believe exists, hence I'm not technically an atheist. Of course I know what imaginary gods are ─ anything the imaginer wants them to be ─ but that's trivial.

I have read that atheism is a form of religion before now.

I don't understand what you're asserting there ─ what definition of 'religion' are you using?

Or are you just poking fun?

 

[oldbadger]

Atheism doesn't have "sects". Period. There is no way to "chop up" disbelief in god in a bunch of different ways. No way to interpret and reinterpret.

The only thing you could possibly be talking about is if a bunch of atheists get together and form a "club", and then adopt an agenda, and then move forward trying to push the agenda. But, by definition, such an agenda has nothing to do with atheism. Whereas theist agendas almost always have everything to do with theism.

For example, an atheist club could decide to "evangelize" - going around trying to actively "deprogram" theists. This is the agenda of that specific group - because atheism does not encompass anything like this. Atheism is me not believing claims made about god... it is not me going around telling others not to believe you - that is something else. Theism, on the other hand, may include all sorts of dictates from the god believed in, or ideas held by believers because they think it reflects what their god thinks, etc. TONS of baggage to carry around and try to foist onto the next unwitting victim of a conversion tactic. Atheism has none of this intrinsically. None of it.

I reckon that you are in denial about this.

Just as many Christians can insist that there is only ONE Christianity, pointing to all the others and claiming that those others are not Christians., so it seems that you have decided what Atheism is, and might be prepared to dictate to any others who claim to be atheists.

This is getting very interesting.

 

[oldbadger]

And so you make it personal... Again

You don't get to redefine the definition of atheism to massage your own sensibilities.

And here, yet another example of somebody who refers to 'The Definition of Atheism'.

Please print your definition ............ there'll be others, you know.

 

[oldbadger]

There have always been different kinds of atheism, along a scale from disbelief in gods other than your own to agnosticism in the center to an utter faith-based conviction that no gods exist at the other end.

There it is......... yes........ there do seem to be different kinds of atheism

My own view is that since I don't know what the expression 'a real God' is intended to denote (whereas, for example, I know what a real unicorn would be) I thus don't know what I don't believe exists, hence I'm not technically an atheist. Of course I know what imaginary gods are ─ anything the imaginer wants them to be ─ but that's trivial.
I don't understand what you're asserting there ─ what definition of 'religion' are you using?

Pick one. Any one. It amazes me about how many denominations, churches and creeds of Christianity there are, and many claim that the rest are false, or wrong. Please pick one. I was using this example because some atheists are now doing the same thing.....

Or are you just poking fun?

No. It's possible that those who wrote about atheism as a religion may have been, but it seemed to me that those writings were serious. I haven't collected a bunch of writings to show you, I just mentioned that have read that atheism could be regarded as a growing religion now.

 

[blü 2]

Pick one. Any one.

You're the one running the notion that atheism is a religion, so let it be you who picks which definition of religion applies here.

I want to know what specific qualities you say atheism has that make it a 'religion'.

 

[Altfish]

How likely do you reckon it is that atheists will in the future divide into schools of thought along more defined lines? I figure the possibility is at least pretty good, given the nature of humans.

I'm a bit late to this thread but...

The reason this won't matter is that the only thing that puts atheists in one group is their lack of belief in gods. They are not organised (OK there are a few Humanist Groups and local Atheist groups) - they have organisations that represent them but the actual membership is tiny.
They have little influence c/w religious organisations.

Some once said (I paraphrase) "Getting atheists to agree is like trying to herd cats"

 

[oldbadger]

You're the one running the notion that atheism is a religion, so let it be you who picks which definition of religion applies here.

Oh.... alright...... I'll pick one, snatch one at random for you that could cover some Christian Groups imo, as well as some atheists.
Hmmmm....... :-
Religion:- A pursuit or interest followed with great devotion.

There you go.

I want to know what specific qualities you say atheism has that make it a 'religion'.

Well, this thread might be able to help you. Earlier you asked if I was 'poking fun' at atheism and I replied that I had read about 'atheism as a religion'. Maybe I should have just referred you to this thread's title? There are four pages of posts referring to this perception.

But you are not an atheist, so please don't take any of this too personally. When I recently wrote that as a Deist, not believing in any kind of Theism, that this could make me to be a kind of Atheist, you might not have challenged 'You are not an Atheist!'. Why would you? But since some atheists have challenged me thus, I'm simply responding by reviewing Atheism today, and I find that like Christianity, various groups are pointing at others with the same basic tile and challenging them with 'You are not.....!' (please fill in the required religion as needed.)

.... And so the various Atheist sects and groups needed to be collected so that in future, if I should (by chance) meet with any more extreme Atheist I can ask, 'Which group?'

 

[blü 2]

Religion:- A pursuit or interest followed with great devotion.

So food, sex, sport, crosswords, health, education, environment, mouse-training, chess, astronomy, sewing, just about anything you can think of is a 'religion'.

Nah, that use of 'religion' is just a vague metaphor. Try again, this time for the essential meaning.

 

[ChristineM]

And here, yet another example of somebody who refers to 'The Definition of Atheism'.

Please print your definition ............ there'll be others, you know.

Yes, yours, an atheist who worships a deity ... What

I have posted the DICTIONARY definition and you know it because you have replied to it. No need to waste any more time