Atheism Is Not A Religion!!!

[PratchettFan]

One Sunday I noticed for hours and hours this TCT religious tv channel was brainwashing you dumb Americans with that Jesus talk.

why would you watch religious TV channels for hours?.......do you figure that since you don't think there's a God who's going to punish you for eternity, you should do it to yourself now?.....

I only stay tuned if it's good. I mean really good. Most of the time I stay for 15 seconds. But if Kirk Cameron is debunking evolution or a kid show isn't really giving the real atheist side of the argument, yes I do stay tuned and torture myself. I wish there was a number I could call or I wish they had to have a show after that gives our position just like the GOP get to do a speech after the President does the State of the Union.

If they are healing people, I watch. If they are talking crazy, if the black preacher is particularly good. Too many HA'S! in between words and I can't stand it. I sit amazed at how stupid/primitive/unevolved/uneducated the masses are.

One show I saw the guy was asking for $77 x 10 months put it on your cc. I said to my dad, "who would pay them $" and he said my aunt does. She's sitting around feeling bad both physically and mentally and they say send $ and a miracle will come your way. All these years no miracle. I feel sorry for her.

Then there's the Arab Christians Chaldeans and they are anti ISIS and anti Obama. Their whole schtick is Christians being persecuted in the middle east. Then there's Jack Van Amp and that woman who's a real good speaker. The 700 club.

I'm sorry I wish it were all true but you people are just so dumb.

We're not the one watching it.

 

[PratchettFan]

How can an atheist KNOW no god(s) exists?

Wow, now you are omnipotent. I really should make sure I get the memos.

See the thing is, theists lie or believe lies. They say god visited them. That's one reason I don't believe in god(s) but even with that I wasn't there so maybe there were talking snakes and virgin births 2000 years plus ago. Do you believe that?

Did you believe Obama when he said if you like your insurance you can keep it? Does that make you a theist?

I don't care what you believe. If you don't agree with me you probably believe the unbelievable or unprovable and I'm just trying to help you see that. Or I'm trying to help others realize that. Who cares about little old you and what you think?

You must think you are god.

Well, I do believe in myself. Since you guys try to confuse belief and disbelief and atheism with religion and since along with your belief comes faith, worship and god(s), I could see why you would consider me a God.

This may comes as a surprise from my screen name, but I am a great fan of the author Terry Pratchett. He has a character in his books which really does apply here beautifully. The character's name is just The Duck Man. He walks around with a duck on his head and when people ask him why he always answers, "What duck?" It is possible you don't see that you are constantly expressing opinions which are nothing but pure belief, but that doesn't mean we don't see it. Defining yourself as not having belief does not mean all of that belief just disappears, it means the definition is wrong.

I get it I guess. But remember, I also believe you are crazy.

And I believe you're a Christian whose just pissed with God.

 

[Carla_Danger]

windy - I didn't quite follow what you were trying to convey "call the religion that they incorporate atheism into atheism" ..huh ? ..I know you can write better than that - I've seen your posts - but you didn't quite nail that one.

Can you provide an example of a sentence you think would be better? Because there are actual atheists who call their religion atheism, and the incorporate the belief that there is no god, AKA atheism, into their religion.

This is one of the most ignorant statements you've ever typed.

 

[Carla_Danger]

Is that a strong belief? Why are you treating Agnosticism like a religion?

Not particularly strong and it is a belief. A being which essentially gave birth to the universe? Which sex gives birth? However, as I have repeatedly stated, belief does not make a religion.

And neither does atheism...

No, that belief does not make it religion. I'm not sure how many times this has to be said, perhaps there is no end because ultimately the problem is the very thing which is turning it into religion - dogma. When you toss dogma into the mix, you are into religion. Dogma is the essence of religion - the unquestioned acceptance of doctrine. For you, that doctrine is a lack of belief. It doesn't matter that it has been shown that you do have belief, the dogma is that you don't and that is all there is to it. It is this absolute insistence, regardless of the evidence, that an arbitrary definition creates reality which turns what would otherwise be a perfectly valid belief into a religion. I get you won't see that, because to do that you first need to question the dogma.

Dogma is a principle or set of principles laid down by an authority as incontrovertibly true. It serves as part of the primary basis of an ideology or belief system, and it cannot be changed or discarded without affecting the very system's paradigm, or the ideology itself. The term can refer to acceptable opinions of philosophers or philosophical schools, public decrees, religion, or issued decisions of political authorities.

Atheists don't have Dogma.

Yes, that is what dogma is. If Atheists don't have it, then you are not an Atheist because you do have it. If Atheists lack belief, then you are not an Atheist because you do not lack belief.

Making shit up as you go along...

 

[PratchettFan]

Not particularly strong and it is a belief. A being which essentially gave birth to the universe? Which sex gives birth? However, as I have repeatedly stated, belief does not make a religion.

And neither does atheism...

No, that belief does not make it religion. I'm not sure how many times this has to be said, perhaps there is no end because ultimately the problem is the very thing which is turning it into religion - dogma. When you toss dogma into the mix, you are into religion. Dogma is the essence of religion - the unquestioned acceptance of doctrine. For you, that doctrine is a lack of belief. It doesn't matter that it has been shown that you do have belief, the dogma is that you don't and that is all there is to it. It is this absolute insistence, regardless of the evidence, that an arbitrary definition creates reality which turns what would otherwise be a perfectly valid belief into a religion. I get you won't see that, because to do that you first need to question the dogma.

Dogma is a principle or set of principles laid down by an authority as incontrovertibly true. It serves as part of the primary basis of an ideology or belief system, and it cannot be changed or discarded without affecting the very system's paradigm, or the ideology itself. The term can refer to acceptable opinions of philosophers or philosophical schools, public decrees, religion, or issued decisions of political authorities.

Atheists don't have Dogma.

Yes, that is what dogma is. If Atheists don't have it, then you are not an Atheist because you do have it. If Atheists lack belief, then you are not an Atheist because you do not lack belief.

Making shit up as you go along...

Oh, come on. Go ahead and call me a blasphemer. You know you want to.

 

[Carla_Danger]

Is that a strong belief? Why are you treating Agnosticism like a religion?

Not particularly strong and it is a belief. A being which essentially gave birth to the universe? Which sex gives birth? However, as I have repeatedly stated, belief does not make a religion.

And neither does atheism...

No, that belief does not make it religion. I'm not sure how many times this has to be said, perhaps there is no end because ultimately the problem is the very thing which is turning it into religion - dogma. When you toss dogma into the mix, you are into religion. Dogma is the essence of religion - the unquestioned acceptance of doctrine. For you, that doctrine is a lack of belief. It doesn't matter that it has been shown that you do have belief, the dogma is that you don't and that is all there is to it. It is this absolute insistence, regardless of the evidence, that an arbitrary definition creates reality which turns what would otherwise be a perfectly valid belief into a religion. I get you won't see that, because to do that you first need to question the dogma.

I'm sorry, but that doesn't make a lick of sense. There's no dogma, and lack of belief is not a religion.

Atheism is Not a Religion, Ideology, Belief System, Philosophy

You do not lack belief, calling it a lack of belief is your dogma - which you will not question. You're in a loop.

Again, you are incorrect with your mind reading. When presented with new facts and information, I certainly do question my beliefs. I really think you need to work on your terminology.

 

[PratchettFan]

Not particularly strong and it is a belief. A being which essentially gave birth to the universe? Which sex gives birth? However, as I have repeatedly stated, belief does not make a religion.

And neither does atheism...

No, that belief does not make it religion. I'm not sure how many times this has to be said, perhaps there is no end because ultimately the problem is the very thing which is turning it into religion - dogma. When you toss dogma into the mix, you are into religion. Dogma is the essence of religion - the unquestioned acceptance of doctrine. For you, that doctrine is a lack of belief. It doesn't matter that it has been shown that you do have belief, the dogma is that you don't and that is all there is to it. It is this absolute insistence, regardless of the evidence, that an arbitrary definition creates reality which turns what would otherwise be a perfectly valid belief into a religion. I get you won't see that, because to do that you first need to question the dogma.

I'm sorry, but that doesn't make a lick of sense. There's no dogma, and lack of belief is not a religion.

Atheism is Not a Religion, Ideology, Belief System, Philosophy

You do not lack belief, calling it a lack of belief is your dogma - which you will not question. You're in a loop.

Again, you are incorrect with your mind reading. When presented with new facts and information, I certainly do question my beliefs. I really think you need to work on your terminology.

Not based upon what you write here.

 

[Carla_Danger]

And neither does atheism...

No, that belief does not make it religion. I'm not sure how many times this has to be said, perhaps there is no end because ultimately the problem is the very thing which is turning it into religion - dogma. When you toss dogma into the mix, you are into religion. Dogma is the essence of religion - the unquestioned acceptance of doctrine. For you, that doctrine is a lack of belief. It doesn't matter that it has been shown that you do have belief, the dogma is that you don't and that is all there is to it. It is this absolute insistence, regardless of the evidence, that an arbitrary definition creates reality which turns what would otherwise be a perfectly valid belief into a religion. I get you won't see that, because to do that you first need to question the dogma.

I'm sorry, but that doesn't make a lick of sense. There's no dogma, and lack of belief is not a religion.

Atheism is Not a Religion, Ideology, Belief System, Philosophy

You do not lack belief, calling it a lack of belief is your dogma - which you will not question. You're in a loop.

Again, you are incorrect with your mind reading. When presented with new facts and information, I certainly do question my beliefs. I really think you need to work on your terminology.

Not based upon what you write here.

There is nothing I typed that contradicts what I just said.

 

[sealybobo]

And neither does atheism...

No, that belief does not make it religion. I'm not sure how many times this has to be said, perhaps there is no end because ultimately the problem is the very thing which is turning it into religion - dogma. When you toss dogma into the mix, you are into religion. Dogma is the essence of religion - the unquestioned acceptance of doctrine. For you, that doctrine is a lack of belief. It doesn't matter that it has been shown that you do have belief, the dogma is that you don't and that is all there is to it. It is this absolute insistence, regardless of the evidence, that an arbitrary definition creates reality which turns what would otherwise be a perfectly valid belief into a religion. I get you won't see that, because to do that you first need to question the dogma.

Dogma is a principle or set of principles laid down by an authority as incontrovertibly true. It serves as part of the primary basis of an ideology or belief system, and it cannot be changed or discarded without affecting the very system's paradigm, or the ideology itself. The term can refer to acceptable opinions of philosophers or philosophical schools, public decrees, religion, or issued decisions of political authorities.

Atheists don't have Dogma.

Yes, that is what dogma is. If Atheists don't have it, then you are not an Atheist because you do have it. If Atheists lack belief, then you are not an Atheist because you do not lack belief.

I don't lack belief? Please explain.

I can explain, I'm just not sure you will see it. If you read your own posts from a critical perspective, you might see it. For example, just a couple of posts above this you wrote:

"I think we have established that by now. Lets get back to the real subject and that's we made up gods. He never visited or talked to anyone. So basically our caveman ancestors invented him sitting around a camp fire 400,000 years ago. Hundreds if not thousands of "religions" have come and gone in our very short human history."

You present no evidence. You make broad claims as if they were fact with no support of any kind. This entire paragraph is pure belief on your part. You think it is true solely upon the basis that you think it is true. You do not lack belief.

So you believe god did visit and talk with us? I don't even take people like you seriously. That's why I need to know if you are a die hard Christian, Christian apologist or just someone who believes in a generic god before I can even address you. If you believe in talking snakes and 350 year old men and talking snakes then I don't know wha to tell you.

I forgot Muslims, Mormons & Jews. You could also be one of them. Very hard to keep track of all of you and all your different beliefs you have come up with in your little heads/minds.

You don't know that long before the Abrahamic religions people believed in many other gods? Science has unearthed evidence of spirituality dating back hundreds of thousands of years.

OR, I've heard theists say that we can't know for sure that science is correct with their carbon dating. I guess that's true. But I'll take their word and reasoning over your priests any day of the week.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Well, I do believe in myself. Since you guys try to confuse belief and disbelief and atheism with religion and since along with your belief comes faith, worship and god(s), I could see why you would consider me a God.

We are not the ones trying to confuse the definitions, you are. Disbelief is different from a lack of belief, yet you insist they are syn ominous. FYi, the definition of agnostic actually includes the word disbelief used according to its definition.

a person who believes that nothing is known or can be known of the existence or nature of God or of anything beyond material phenomena; a person who claims neither faith nor disbelief in God.
​

Feel free to continue ignoring reality in favor of your personal beliefs, it amuses the entire planet that exists outside your head.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

One Sunday I noticed for hours and hours this TCT religious tv channel was brainwashing you dumb Americans with that Jesus talk. I didn't see any atheist shows. Perhaps some atheist out there wants to have a show on that religious channel. I could see that. I could easily start arguing that atheism should be considered a religion if I wanted it to be one.

As of right now, we don't. I can't speak for all atheists but for this argument, no we are not a religion.

Atheism has no sacred texts, no rituals or creation stories, no positive beliefs, central tenants, modes of worship or supernatural claims, no implicit or derived moral codes, philosophies or world views and no central organization or church. It fulfills none of the criteria that define a religion.

I love it when idiots say stupid things.

FYI, very few people watch TCT. From this thread it seems that more people who calim to be atheists watch it than people who don't,I don't recall ever watching even a minute of its programming in my entire life. In other words, of anyone is brainwashed, it is you.

 

[sealybobo]

One Sunday I noticed for hours and hours this TCT religious tv channel was brainwashing you dumb Americans with that Jesus talk. I didn't see any atheist shows. Perhaps some atheist out there wants to have a show on that religious channel. I could see that. I could easily start arguing that atheism should be considered a religion if I wanted it to be one.

As of right now, we don't. I can't speak for all atheists but for this argument, no we are not a religion.

Atheism has no sacred texts, no rituals or creation stories, no positive beliefs, central tenants, modes of worship or supernatural claims, no implicit or derived moral codes, philosophies or world views and no central organization or church. It fulfills none of the criteria that define a religion.

I love it when idiots say stupid things.

FYI, very few people watch TCT. From this thread it seems that more people who calim to be atheists watch it than people who don't,I don't recall ever watching even a minute of its programming in my entire life. In other words, of anyone is brainwashed, it is you.

You mean even Christians have a problem with TCT? Do tell?

 

[Quantum Windbag]

There is nothing I typed that contradicts what I just said.

Can I ask you why you ignore the fact that some atheists consider atheism a religion if your claim that you are willing to change your views when presented new facts is true? If I insisted that no Christian believes that the Earth is 6000 years old, and you presented evidence that contradicted me, which is abundantly available, and I continued to insist that no one believes that, wouldn't you argue, rightfully, that proves I am a religious zealot? Why do your actions not merit the same label? The only real difference is that you are the one doing it, after all.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

You mean even Christians have a problem with TCT? Do tell?

The fact that you even typed that sentence proves that you are a complete ignoramus about religion in the modern world.

 

[Tuatara]

There is nothing I typed that contradicts what I just said.

Can I ask you why you ignore the fact that some atheists consider atheism a religion if your claim that you are willing to change your views when presented new facts is true? If I insisted that no Christian believes that the Earth is 6000 years old, and you presented evidence that contradicted me, which is abundantly available, and I continued to insist that no one believes that, wouldn't you argue, rightfully, that proves I am a religious zealot? Why do your actions not merit the same label? The only real difference is that you are the one doing it, after all.

If some atheists consider atheism a religion they are wrong.
If some Christians believe that the Earth is 6000 years old they are wrong.

 

[sealybobo]

There is nothing I typed that contradicts what I just said.

Can I ask you why you ignore the fact that some atheists consider atheism a religion if your claim that you are willing to change your views when presented new facts is true? If I insisted that no Christian believes that the Earth is 6000 years old, and you presented evidence that contradicted me, which is abundantly available, and I continued to insist that no one believes that, wouldn't you argue, rightfully, that proves I am a religious zealot? Why do your actions not merit the same label? The only real difference is that you are the one doing it, after all.

Don't Muslims convert to Christianity everyday and visa versa? Don't atheists sometimes (rarely) convert to Christianity or the Islam faith or even the Jewish faith?

I don't care what some atheists do. We are not a collective "one". This isn't the Borg on Star Trek. LOL.

If Jesus or God came and talked to me I'd no longer be an atheist. That is the exact thing us atheists require to believe in God(s). God(s) would have to show themselves to us. No more thinking thunder is Zeus for us.

 

[Tuatara]

Is this how you guys see the definition of religion.

Religion : The belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods: Also anyone who does not have these beliefs

 

[sealybobo]

You mean even Christians have a problem with TCT? Do tell?

The fact that you even typed that sentence proves that you are a complete ignoramus about religion in the modern world.

Oh now it's religion "in the modern world", which is different than what people believed just 200 years ago and as we see more and more people are leaving organized religions every day.

Maybe not in Iran or the Deep Dirty Bible Belt South but everywhere else. It use to be the North West was the most atheistic but now we see the north east is starting to enlighten and I'm sure a lot of people are atheists in California. It is the secluded middle America that will probably remain bible thumpers for centuries just like the crazies in the middle east. And I don't see Mormon's going away anytime soon.

 

[PratchettFan]

No, that belief does not make it religion. I'm not sure how many times this has to be said, perhaps there is no end because ultimately the problem is the very thing which is turning it into religion - dogma. When you toss dogma into the mix, you are into religion. Dogma is the essence of religion - the unquestioned acceptance of doctrine. For you, that doctrine is a lack of belief. It doesn't matter that it has been shown that you do have belief, the dogma is that you don't and that is all there is to it. It is this absolute insistence, regardless of the evidence, that an arbitrary definition creates reality which turns what would otherwise be a perfectly valid belief into a religion. I get you won't see that, because to do that you first need to question the dogma.

Dogma is a principle or set of principles laid down by an authority as incontrovertibly true. It serves as part of the primary basis of an ideology or belief system, and it cannot be changed or discarded without affecting the very system's paradigm, or the ideology itself. The term can refer to acceptable opinions of philosophers or philosophical schools, public decrees, religion, or issued decisions of political authorities.

Atheists don't have Dogma.

Yes, that is what dogma is. If Atheists don't have it, then you are not an Atheist because you do have it. If Atheists lack belief, then you are not an Atheist because you do not lack belief.

I don't lack belief? Please explain.

I can explain, I'm just not sure you will see it. If you read your own posts from a critical perspective, you might see it. For example, just a couple of posts above this you wrote:

"I think we have established that by now. Lets get back to the real subject and that's we made up gods. He never visited or talked to anyone. So basically our caveman ancestors invented him sitting around a camp fire 400,000 years ago. Hundreds if not thousands of "religions" have come and gone in our very short human history."

You present no evidence. You make broad claims as if they were fact with no support of any kind. This entire paragraph is pure belief on your part. You think it is true solely upon the basis that you think it is true. You do not lack belief.

So you believe god did visit and talk with us? I don't even take people like you seriously. That's why I need to know if you are a die hard Christian, Christian apologist or just someone who believes in a generic god before I can even address you. If you believe in talking snakes and 350 year old men and talking snakes then I don't know wha to tell you.

I forgot Muslims, Mormons & Jews. You could also be one of them. Very hard to keep track of all of you and all your different beliefs you have come up with in your little heads/minds.

You don't know that long before the Abrahamic religions people believed in many other gods? Science has unearthed evidence of spirituality dating back hundreds of thousands of years.

OR, I've heard theists say that we can't know for sure that science is correct with their carbon dating. I guess that's true. But I'll take their word and reasoning over your priests any day of the week.

Either you have evidence to support your claims or you do not. Asking me to prove you wrong is just a cop out. If you don't have evidence, then what you expressed is pure belief. If you have belief, you do not lack belief. Insisting you lack belief, while clearly demonstrating you do have belief, solely on the basis of a definition is dogma. Which means you have shown you have both belief and dogma.

If the definition is correct, then you are not an Atheist. If you are an Atheist, then the definition is wrong. It's one or the other. You don't get it both ways.

 

[PratchettFan]

Is this how you guys see the definition of religion.

Religion : The belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods: Also anyone who does not have these beliefs

So Buddhism, fully recognized as a religion, is not a religion. Is that what you are saying? Taoism is not a religion. Shintoism is not a religion. Shall I go on?