Do you consider Atheisim a religion? I thought a religion required you to have a belief in something...?

Question

Is the belief in nothing or no existance of a greater being an actual religion?

Answer 1

I consider it a belief, but not a religion

Answer 2

i guess atheism is a religion-the religion of believing in nothing

it don't think being agnostic is a religion tho-it's kind of just like...a state of transit/being lazy (i also kind of consider atheism that-anyone who is into religion knows that discovering your faith and believing your beliefs takes a LOT of work)

Answer 3

Belief and Dis-Belief go hand in hand. The old definition of religion does not always apply.

Answer 4

I would count militant atheism as a religion, because it has a values system. The Bolsheviks of Russia often believed in God and yet their Marxist-Leninist political creed required them to attack religion. They weren't supposed to believe in God, but, as Aristotle (I think!) said, we are not obliged to believe that everyone believes in what they themselves say.

Any values system strongly implies a belief in God.  Only indifference, or being "cool" implies athiesm. Despair might be the ultimate form of athiesm. It is not a religion.

Answer 5

O f course not. Atheism is no religion at all, cause they just don`t believe, they have NO FAITH!

Answer 6

Religions have several features in common:

1.  Belief in the supernatural--spirits, afterlifes, karma, miracles, etc.

2.  Most, but not all, believe in one or more deities.  (Buddhism being one exception.)

3.  Places of worship and/or congregation where adherents come together to meet.

4.  Various traditions and ceremonies.

5.  Religious holidays.

6.  Established scriptures containing the morals and mythologies of the religion.

Atheism doesn't really meet any of these criterion, though a few atheists (not many) celebrate the solstices.

It should also be noted that there are two main types of atheism:  weak atheism and strong atheism.  Weak atheism is a mere lack of belief in gods; as a simple example, we are all born weak atheists.  Strong atheism actually says, there are no gods.  This is active disbelief.

So, you would be a weak atheist with respect to the god Fozruk, since you have never heard of that god before.  (Actually, I just made it up.  But I could be a believer in him.)  If I were to proselytize you and spread the Good Word about Fozruk, and you decided that I was just a nutcase with a crazy belief, that would make you a strong atheist with respect to Fozruk.  In the first instance, you have no belief in Fozruk because you have no reason to believe.  In the second, you have made the choice that you actively disbelieve in Fozruk.  (Heretic!  :-)

So, would you consider either your lack of belief in Fozruk, or your active disbelief in him, to be a religion?  I'm guessing not....

Answer 7

The definition of a religion is the belief in some other worldly power of guidance or something along those lines. Atheism is the belief in no religion. So its a philosophy or way of thinking with no other worldly existance factored in.

Answer 8

yes,  with devout followers, basic  rules for how they should believe and not allow other possible ways or perspectives

Answer 9

Religion:  n. - a) any specific system of belief or worship, often involving a code of ethics and a philosophy. b) any system of beliefs, practices, ethical values, etc. resembling, suggestive of, or likened to such a system.

It does not take a god to make a religion.  A religion needs only one thing...faith.  Most religions have a basis of faith in their god(s).  In some religions, their "god" is themselves.  People who do not believe in God are referred to as Athiests.  However, it is not the Athiest's belief that there is no god.  An athiest believes that there is no one greater or of a higher power than him/herself.  That is a blatant declaration of faith in oneself, yet faith none the less.  Faith makes a religion, so therefore as a Minister I can safely and honestly state that by definition and analysis.....Atheism is most definitely a religion.

Answer 10

No,it is the lack thereof.

Answer 11

Atheism is not believing that there is a man who lives in a cloud.

Answer 12

It's ludicrous to say that atheism is a religion because it is the belief that there is no god. The reality is that each and every single one of us are atheists. I suppose that people no longer believe in Thor, Isis, or Quetzalcoatl, everyone are atheists to them. The only difference between someone who calls him/herself an atheist to one who calls him/herself a xtian is that the atheist disbelieves in one more god.

Answer 13

What a paradox!

I do consider atheism to be a religion because atheists believe in something called nothing else.   Religion requires belief regardless of what one believes; if one believes in nothing then that is their religion.

Answer 14

Atheism is not being any religion, you are free to do what you want an consequences when you die.