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I remember people here were claiming that.

It's like claiming that being dead is a lifestyle.

It doesn't make any sense.

This will end well.*popcorn*

From a demographic point of view.
Anyway religion goes beyond "God - yes/no". I don't think I know anyone who's not culturally Christian, even though all of them would describe themselves as atheist.

Well, the loud atheists whine and play victim in the same tone of the nonsense that loud religious people do. All the same stuff.

Its the robes and cool headgear that gives it away.

It's not a religion, it's a lack of religion.

Because the idiots who make up the census forms put it under "Religion"?

Cheers

Andrew

curran12 wrote:Well, the loud atheists whine and play victim in the same tone of the nonsense that loud religious people do. All the same stuff.

Bang on!

Religious fanatics preach their belief that their god is the true god.

Atheist fanatics preach their belief that there is no god.

Both groups are ignorant, enjoy.

Testify wrote:From a demographic point of view.
Anyway religion goes beyond "God - yes/no". I don't think I know anyone who's not culturally Christian, even though all of them would describe themselves as atheist.

That's because of culture. I can see that. Though, I think they divert from Christian culture if they support gays and women.

In August 2005, in a case where a prison inmate was blocked by prison officials from creating an inmate group to study and discuss atheism, the court ruled this violated the inmate's rights under the First Amendment's Free Exercise Clause. The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit affirmed previous Supreme Court precedent by ruling atheism be afforded equal protection with religions under the 1st amendment.[12][13][code]

Inquisitor Ehrenstein wrote:
It's like claiming that being dead is a lifestyle.

It doesn't make any sense.

Leslie Nielsen says otherwise

Inquisitor Ehrenstein wrote:

Testify wrote:From a demographic point of view.
Anyway religion goes beyond "God - yes/no". I don't think I know anyone who's not culturally Christian, even though all of them would describe themselves as atheist.

That's because of culture. I can see that. Though, I think they divert from Christian culture if they support gays and women.

It's like you're trying to push all the buttons...

curran12 wrote:Well, the loud atheists whine and play victim in the same tone of the nonsense that loud religious people do. All the same stuff.

Except that Athiests actually are the victims of religious fundamentalism. They can't get elected to public office, and get threaten when they oppose getting infringed on by fanatics.

unmercifulconker wrote:

curran12 wrote:Well, the loud atheists whine and play victim in the same tone of the nonsense that loud religious people do. All the same stuff.

Bang on!

Religious fanatics preach their belief that their god is the true god.

Atheist fanatics preach their belief that there is no god.

Pretty much that for me as well.

There are Atheists who want to spread their faith (that there is no God) and want to convert others to believe the same thing they do (that there is no God). There are Atheists who cannot wait for an opportunity to point out to others that they are spiritually weaker than them and that they found the one true faith (that there is no God) just as there are people who cannot wait to point out how they are superior to others because they believe in a spiritual entity.

So on the surface, Atheism meets the criteria for a religion IMO:

1) Have a set faith (there is no God)
2) Have a creation story (everything is an accident)
3) Have a holy text (anything written by Dawkins)
4) Want to convert people.

(Some of those may be a bit tongue in cheek )

streamdragon wrote:

Inquisitor Ehrenstein wrote:

Testify wrote:From a demographic point of view.
Anyway religion goes beyond "God - yes/no". I don't think I know anyone who's not culturally Christian, even though all of them would describe themselves as atheist.

That's because of culture. I can see that. Though, I think they divert from Christian culture if they support gays and women.

It's like you're trying to push all the buttons...

No, not really. I'm trying not to. I was wondering if I should have added anything to that to explain. Maybe mentioning that it's fanatics who would have a problem with gays and the freedom of women would be better.

Inquisitor Ehrenstein wrote:

curran12 wrote:Well, the loud atheists whine and play victim in the same tone of the nonsense that loud religious people do. All the same stuff.

Except that Athiests actually are the victims of religious fundamentalism. They can't get elected to public office, and get threaten when they oppose getting infringed on by fanatics.

That's not entirely true, perhaps in some states in the US but it's becoming a shrinking area that will do that.

Some atheists can come near religious levels of fanaticism and devotion to certain scientists they hold in high regard.

d-usa wrote:[
3) Have a holy text (anything written by Dawkins)

Except not. Atheists don't follow a single preacher.

Inquisitor Ehrenstein wrote:

d-usa wrote:[
3) Have a holy text (anything written by Dawkins)

Except not. Atheists don't follow a single preacher.

That's why I said that some of them may be a bit tongue in cheek

Hlaine Larkin mk2 wrote:Some atheists can come near religious levels of fanaticism and devotion to certain scientists they hold in high regard.

I think that's more of a personal flaw though. People shouldn't take the word of any one person too seriously without understanding first how they make their conclusions.

Inquisitor Ehrenstein wrote:

d-usa wrote:[
3) Have a holy text (anything written by Dawkins)

Except not. Atheists don't follow a single preacher.

Neither do most religions? Christianity would be nowhere without Saint Paul.

What do you call people who do not believe in Zeus, or Thor, or the Flying Spaghetti Monster?

Because it suits the "well, evolution is just a theory" fundamentalists to characterise a scientific worldview as "just another belief", and thus to avoid mentioning the unpalatable truth that it is one founded in conclusions rationally drawn from empirical fact, rather than one founded in bronze age myth.

It's a classic example of a false analogy.

English Assassin wrote:Because it suits the "well, evolution is just a theory" fundamentalists to characterise a scientific worldview as "just another belief", and thus to avoid mentioning the unpalatable truth that it is one founded in conclusions rationally drawn from empirical fact, rather than one founded in bronze age myth.

It's a classic example of a false analogy.

Well put.

unmercifulconker wrote:

curran12 wrote:Well, the loud atheists whine and play victim in the same tone of the nonsense that loud religious people do. All the same stuff.

Bang on!

Religious fanatics preach their belief that their god is the true god.

Atheist fanatics preach their belief that there is no god.

Both groups are ignorant, enjoy.

Evangelicals of every type are idiots. The difference between faith based ones and non faith based ones is that faith based ones often cause more suffering as they make people live by illogical and outdated codes of conduct. But still, evangelicals are idiots, and "live and let live" should be the order of the day.

Cause its a belief system?

You have to believe in something

Unless you have no backbone, like a jellyfish


Bit more serious, I suppose it is a lot more like a Philosophy than a religion

Much like Taosim

streamdragon wrote:This will end well.*popcorn*

I think I might have to steal some.

Want a coke?

English Assassin wrote:Because it suits the "well, evolution is just a theory" fundamentalists to characterise a scientific worldview as "just another belief", and thus to avoid mentioning the unpalatable truth that it is one founded in conclusions rationally drawn from empirical fact, rather than one founded in bronze age myth.

It's a classic example of a false analogy.

I always tell them to jump out of a window, because gravity is "just a theory" too.

The replies in this thread are telling.
Athiests are better than other people, therefore they don't have a religion

*Flexes fingers*

...Nah. Not worth it. I swear we just had this thread, like, a month ago.

dæl wrote:

unmercifulconker wrote:

curran12 wrote:Well, the loud atheists whine and play victim in the same tone of the nonsense that loud religious people do. All the same stuff.

Bang on!

Religious fanatics preach their belief that their god is the true god.

Atheist fanatics preach their belief that there is no god.

Both groups are ignorant, enjoy.

Evangelicals of every type are idiots. The difference between faith based ones and non faith based ones is that faith based ones often cause more suffering as they make people live by illogical and outdated codes of conduct. But still, evangelicals are idiots, and "live and let live" should be the order of the day.

I agree with that. I still take a problem with the really hard core religions people because they want to impose ridiculous and oppressive laws, but that's probably them not respecting "live and let live."