• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Is atheism a religion[W:711:831]

Is atheism a religion

  • Total voters
    119
Re: Is atheism a religion

Grendel said:
Still no. Atheism, in itself, doesn't share any belief about the cause and nature of things. One may believe the universe started in the big bang. One may believe it started at the end of the collapse of a previous universe -- sometimes known as the big bounce. One may believe that we do not, and cannot know, and that both of the aforementioned are likely wrong. One may believe that there are many, many universes, or only one.

If you want to talk about "religiously held beliefs", that's different from "religion", though. For example, I believe, in the most absolute way, that the Earth is round. My determined belief in that doesn't make it a religion. I believe with certainty that there isn't a massless, invisible, extra-dimensional hippopotamus sitting on my head -- even though it's impossible to prove. That doesn't make it my religion. Not believing in a thousand ridiculous things doesn't mean I have a thousand a-thing religions.
Click to expand...

Well it proves my post--depends on one's definition. That you subscribe to one particular definition does not preclude the other definitions from leading one to a different conclusion.
 
Re: Is atheism a religion

shlunka said:
Atheism rules out intelligent design, is intelligent design not a belief of the cause and nature of things? Therefore, does atheism not concern the cause and nature of things?
Click to expand...

Science rules out intelligent design.

Anyway, not believing in one thing or another isn't a religion. For example, if you don't believe in the FSM, is your religion aspaghettiism? Or is your religion not defined by what other people believe? If you don't believe there's a guy with an elephant's nose and 4 arms that brings you good luck, is your religion aganeshism? Of course not.

Your religion isn't defined by what other people believe in.
 
Re: Is atheism a religion

Fisher said:
Well it proves my post--depends on one's definition. That you subscribe to one particular definition does not preclude the other definitions from leading one to a different conclusion.
Click to expand...

I went through 3 references. We can do more. They'll all say the same thing.
 
Re: Is atheism a religion

Grendel said:
Science rules out intelligent design.

Anyway, not believing in one thing or another isn't a religion. For example, if you don't believe in the FSM, is your religion aspaghettiism? Or is your religion not defined by what other people believe? If you don't believe there's a guy with an elephant's nose and 4 arms that brings you good luck, is your religion aganeshism? Of course not.

Your religion isn't defined by what other people believe in.
Click to expand...
I can play the equivalence game too. If you're anti-prejudice, is not your prejudice against prejudice? You're applying logic to converse situations, by making the theistic beliefs the minority. Atheism isn't some derogatory word, it's just semantics, no different than anhedonia, etc.
 
Re: Is atheism a religion

Grendel said:
I went through 3 references. We can do more. They'll all say the same thing.
Click to expand...

strange when I googled it they did not all say the same thing.
 
Re: Is atheism a religion

shlunka said:
I can play the equivalence game too. If you're anti-prejudice, is not your prejudice against prejudice? You're applying logic to converse situations, by making the theistic beliefs the minority. Atheism isn't some derogatory word, it's just semantics, no different than anhedonia, etc.
Click to expand...

If everything you don't believe in is your religion, then we all have an infinite number of religions.
 
Re: Is atheism a religion

Grendel said:
If everything you don't believe in is your religion, then we all have an infinite number of religions.
Click to expand...
Exactly, which is why the logic of your equivalence was flawed. Everything isn't, it's merely everything that goes against the norm is atheism that also follows the set requisites for atheism. Atheism is a disbelief in ALL theistic beliefs, similarly, anhedonia is a lack of feeling in ALL hedonic practices.
 
Re: Is atheism a religion

babilfish said:
...

Do you have any particular argument for why it would be a religion?
Click to expand...

Atheist chaplins. You have to belong to a religious institution in order to become a chaplin. The very word "chaplin" means a member of the chappel or church.

In order for an atheist chaplin to exist, there has to be a church of atheism.
 
Re: Is atheism a religion

shlunka said:
Exactly, which is why the logic of your equivalence was flawed. Everything isn't, it's merely everything that goes against the norm is atheism that also follows the set requisites for atheism. Atheism is a disbelief in ALL theistic beliefs, similarly, anhedonia is a lack of feeling in ALL hedonic practices.
Click to expand...

Wait, what? Everything that goes against the norm? What do you mean?
 
Re: Is atheism a religion

shlunka said:
Exactly, which is why the logic of your equivalence was flawed. Everything isn't, it's merely everything that goes against the norm is atheism that also follows the set requisites for atheism. Atheism is a disbelief in ALL theistic beliefs, similarly, anhedonia is a lack of feeling in ALL hedonic practices.
Click to expand...
Everything you say is wrong on every topic. Same with Fisher.
anhedonia may be considered a valid psychological condition, but in No way Constitutes an active belief system/Religion.
Neurological/Psychological/MEDICAL conditions are not belief systems/Religions. (one can be a religionist or atheist along with any of them)
Your reasoning/analogy is badly flawed.
 
Last edited:
Re: Is atheism a religion

Grendel said:
Wait, what? Everything that goes against the norm? What do you mean?
Click to expand...
Yes, the norm being theism, therefore in order to be an atheist, you have to disagree with theism in a fractal manner. Making your point about "if you disbelieve in anything you're an atheist" moot.
 
Re: Is atheism a religion

mbig said:
Everything you say is wrong on every topic. Same with Fisher.
anhedonia may be considered a valid psychological condition, but in No way Constitutes an active belief system/Religion.
Neurological/Psychological/MEDICAL conditions are not belief systems/Religions. (one can be a religionist or atheist in either case)
Your reasoning is badly flawed.
Click to expand...
I was equating them on the basis of the semantical meaning of "a" and "an"
 
Re: Is atheism a religion

shlunka said:
Yes, the norm being theism, therefore in order to be an atheist, you have to disagree with theism in a fractal manner. Making your point about "if you disbelieve in anything you're an atheist" moot.
Click to expand...

So you're saying that my religion is based on your beliefs? So, with Islam being the fastest growing religion, once that grows larger than Christianity, you'll be an atheist, because you won't believe in the norm, at that point?

If not believing in the most popular idea is atheism, then you'll be an atheist at that point.
 
Re: Is atheism a religion

shlunka said:
I was equating them on the basis of the semantical meaning of "a" and "an"
Click to expand...
Yes, and that analogy is badly flawed.
Medical conditions, such as lack of limbs/Legs, does Not mean/does Not equate with you having an 'organized Belief in not walking'.
 
Last edited:
Re: Is atheism a religion

Grendel said:
So you're saying that my religion is based on your beliefs? So, with Islam being the fastest growing religion, once that grows larger than Christianity, you'll be an atheist, because you won't believe in the norm, at that point?

If not believing in the most popular idea is atheism, then you'll be an atheist at that point.
Click to expand...
Wrong, I posited that a fractal rejection of theistic religions was the only way to be an atheist.
 
Re: Is atheism a religion

mbig said:
Yes, and that analogy is badly flawed.
Medical conditions, such as lack of limbs/Legs, does Not mean/does Not equate with you having an 'organized Belief in not walking'.
Click to expand...
Correct, however the "A" and "an" still mean the SAME THING, I.E anti. Which was my point, exclusively semantic equivalence.
 
Re: Is atheism a religion

shlunka said:
Correct, however the "A" and "an" still mean the SAME THING, I.E anti. Which was my point, exclusively semantic equivalence.
Click to expand...
Yes and this 'semantic equivalence' doesn't work well in this case.

A better analogy for what's happened here is:

Your are minding your own business, going on about your daily life/work and this Fad (Religion, several actually/many contradictory) spring up around you (with ZERO proof/evidence)... and all of a sudden you are a "believer" for not tagging along. I suppose one can call/stretch that into 'a' or 'an' due to tyranny/terminology of the majority, but in No way does that constitute a positive belief system/Religion: the Claim in contention here.
 
Re: Is atheism a religion

mbig said:
Yes and this 'semantic equivalence' doesn't work well in this case.

A better analogy for what's happened here is:

Your are minding your own business, going on about your daily life/work and this Fad (Religion, several actually/many contradictory) spring up around you (with ZERO proof/evidence)... and all of a sudden you are a "believer" for not tagging along. I suppose one can call/stretch that into 'a' or 'an' due to tyranny/terminology of the majority, but in No way does that constitute a positive belief system/Religion: the Claim in contention here.
Click to expand...
Theism implies a belief in the divine, atheism implies a lack of believe. What's so controversial?
 
Re: Is atheism a religion

shlunka said:
Wrong, I posited that a fractal rejection of theistic religions was the only way to be an atheist.
Click to expand...

But that's still no more or less a religion than you not believing in the Flying Spaghetti Monster is your religion. Or not believing in an extra moon that no one can see because it's invisible is your religion. Or not believing in Martians is your religion. It's still just a single dismissal of something you find preposterous. That's not a religion.
 
Re: Is atheism a religion

Grendel said:
But that's still no more or less a religion than you not believing in the Flying Spaghetti Monster is your religion. Or not believing in an extra moon that no one can see because it's invisible is your religion. Or not believing in Martians is your religion. It's still just a single dismissal of something you find preposterous. That's not a religion.
Click to expand...
Fractal. Fractal. Fractal. Fractal. Fractal. You have to disbelieve in all religions to be an atheist.
 
Re: Is atheism a religion

shlunka said:
Fractal. Fractal. Fractal. Fractal. Fractal. You have to disbelieve in all religions to be an atheist.
Click to expand...
That's not hard to do. It's pretty easy if you know humanity.
 
Re: Is atheism a religion

shlunka said:
Theism implies a belief in the divine, atheism implies a lack of believe. What's so controversial?
Click to expand...
For openers, the Dishonest juvenile trickery you just tried.

Theism does not merely "imply" belief in the divine" it IS belief in the divine.
Atheism IS Lack of belief, which does NOT constitute a positive 'Religion' any more than, again, not believing in Astrology does.

You have evaded and Dishonestly tried this trickery for the last few pages and NOT addressed my last post/posts at all.
That is, simply lacking belief is NOT an organized 'Religion'. (no matter how one tries to evade with 'a' or 'an' for 'atheist', as a Secondary point).
(ie, anhedonia may be a valid description of a medical condition, but it is not a religion/belief.)

You simply aren't clever enough to pull off a wrong premise against someone who can show the flaws in your every deception attempt.
Again, you didn't address my last, (#442) just tried more diversion/semantic gymnastics .. and you just aren't clever enough to pull this off against many of us here.
 
Last edited:
Re: Is atheism a religion

mbig said:
For openers, the Dishonest juvenile trickery you just tried.

Theism does not merely "imply" belief in the divine" it IS belief in the divine.
Atheism IS Lack of belief, which does NOT constitute a positive 'Religion' any more than, again, not believing in Astrology does.

You have evaded and Dishonestly tried this trickery for the last few pages and NOT addressed my last post/posts at all.
That is, simply lacking belief is NOT an organized 'Religion'. (no matter how one tries to evade with 'a' or 'an' for atheist, as a Secondary point).

You simply aren't clever enough to pull off a wrong premise against someone who can show the flaws in your every deception attempt.
Again, you didn't address my last, just tried more diversion/semantic gymnastics .. and you just aren't clever enough to pull this off against many of us here.
Click to expand...
I wasn't aware the latter portion of our debate pertained to the OP at all. What's with all the ad homs? They're superfluous and make you appear ostentatious.
 
Re: Is atheism a religion

shlunka said:
I wasn't aware the latter portion of our debate pertained to the OP at all. What's with all the ad homs? They're superfluous and make you appear ostentatious.
Click to expand...
And you just did it again.
You tried to evade the issue of the debate YOU just brought up.. most "latter-ly."
That is, Your whole attempt at "implies" was evasive-to-last-post/semantic nonsense and I outed it easily.

You also, and again, on the overall/Main topic (excuse me!), have not in any way been able to show simply lacking belief constitutes a 'religion'. That's why you avoided my #442 above with the 'implies' stuff.

You may call/want to paint that as "ad hom" or "ostentatious".... and I can understand why. Taking Faux-offense is oft an out for some.
Just let's be honest on both the main debate and/or the most "latter" one ('implies'): they're over.
 
Last edited:
Re: Is atheism a religion

mbig said:
And you just did it again.
You tried to evade the issue of the debate YOU just brought up.. most "latter-ly."
That is, Your whole attempt at "implied" was evasive-to-last-post/semantic BS and I outed it easily.

You also, and again, on the overall/Main topic (excuse me!), have not in any way been able to show simply lacking belief constitutes a 'religion'.

You may call/want to paint that as "ad hom" or "ostentatious'.... and I can understand why.
Just let's be honest on both the main debate and/or the most "latter" one ('implies'): they're over.
Click to expand...
If I wanted to evade I wouldn't have replied. I was addressing a valid issue within your post. Also, my comparison with the "a" and "an, has nothing to do with equating anhedonia to atheism, a point which you continually implied. I simply gave the meaning of "a" and "an", showing that it isn't something used exclusively for atheism, and is merely a way to explain that something differs from something else. The only point in time that I even hinted at suggesting atheism was a religion was when I displayed a fallacy of equivalence, and that was merely to show that one cannot say that atheism isn't religion with (if A isn't part of B then A isn't all of B) logic. I agree that atheism is not a religion. You didn't "out" me in any respect, you misconstrued my post that concerned "a" and "an", at the fault of yourself and mine as well.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom