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Re: Is atheism a religion
I disagree. Belief in scientific information and a religion doesn't compare.
As an atheist, I subscribe to the scientific "explanation" regarding the origin of the universe. It has nothing to do with humankind's place in existence. I have no desire to build institutions used to give praise to science or worship it. I don't go around quoting scientific scriptures...or theories, if you prefer. I don't have any aspiration to start a TV science ministry to beg for money to spread scientific gospel. In fact, I don't know any atheists that do any of the aforementioned.
Atheists have an "absence of belief" regarding supernatural beings and especially one that is the creator of the universe. In other words...god just doesn't compute in our minds. So there's no curious need to ponder the possibility of a god existing.
The multitude of religions, which have evolved over time... explanations vary about the creation of the universe...and the meaning and purpose of humankind. But thus far there isn't a preponderance of evidence (meaning more likely true than not) that can be extrapolated from religious documents or tenets...to support the stories that they espouse to be true.
A thousand years before Christ...Homer created a story called the Illiad, which included the Odyssey, which was polytheist, and many people of the time believe it to be true. It was a way for them to make sense of this complex world...and beyond. The same applies to religions today. They have convinced people that they ability to explain our existence...our meaning and purpose. Obviously a lot of people buy it. I don't. Atheists don't. I feel quite content with the information I use to make sense of my existence. But over my lifetime...it's changed and will continue to change as science gathers more verifiable information.
Why do atheist care? We care because we believe that the First Amendment applies to us all. And that separation of church and state is vital to our stability as a nation.
If you think any belief can have it's own religion.
But a religion is a belief about mankind's place in existence. You don't think god exists. That's a belief about mankind's place in existence.
I don't understand why some atheists are so violently against acknowledging that. What does it change? Why do you care?
I disagree. Belief in scientific information and a religion doesn't compare.
As an atheist, I subscribe to the scientific "explanation" regarding the origin of the universe. It has nothing to do with humankind's place in existence. I have no desire to build institutions used to give praise to science or worship it. I don't go around quoting scientific scriptures...or theories, if you prefer. I don't have any aspiration to start a TV science ministry to beg for money to spread scientific gospel. In fact, I don't know any atheists that do any of the aforementioned.
Atheists have an "absence of belief" regarding supernatural beings and especially one that is the creator of the universe. In other words...god just doesn't compute in our minds. So there's no curious need to ponder the possibility of a god existing.
The multitude of religions, which have evolved over time... explanations vary about the creation of the universe...and the meaning and purpose of humankind. But thus far there isn't a preponderance of evidence (meaning more likely true than not) that can be extrapolated from religious documents or tenets...to support the stories that they espouse to be true.
A thousand years before Christ...Homer created a story called the Illiad, which included the Odyssey, which was polytheist, and many people of the time believe it to be true. It was a way for them to make sense of this complex world...and beyond. The same applies to religions today. They have convinced people that they ability to explain our existence...our meaning and purpose. Obviously a lot of people buy it. I don't. Atheists don't. I feel quite content with the information I use to make sense of my existence. But over my lifetime...it's changed and will continue to change as science gathers more verifiable information.
Why do atheist care? We care because we believe that the First Amendment applies to us all. And that separation of church and state is vital to our stability as a nation.