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jman507
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Contradict not contract. Oops!
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R_McGeddon
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I can show you exactly where you and others of the same thought are going wrong.
Theism is a belief in God. The word theism is taken from the word Theos which is Greek for God. In Greek prefixing a word with “A” is the English equivalent of adding “Un” or “without”. Therefore, adding “A” to theism changes it from a belief in God to an unbelief or without belief in God.
Nobody can, that’s why it takes faith to believe. But it doesn’t require faith to not believe.
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jman507
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Oh I see the person that says I don’t know if there is a god and the person that says there is no god are both technically Atheistic.
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porkscratchings
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nope.
The person who says he’s not sure that there’s a God is an agnostic.
The person who believes there isn’t a God, or that there’s no proof for a God is an atheist.
An OP said earlier:To believe in the absence of something, is still a believer of sorts.
Nope. That’s like saying someone who is a feminist believes in feminism or someone who’s a mathematician has faith in maths like in a religion.
The first is a political view point, the 2nd is an interest - u can believe in these but that doesn’t make what u believe a religion because u can accept both of these or neither. Can a muslim accept Christianity as equally true or a Catholic subscribe to abortion?
Religion involves both faith and acceptance of the position that is exclusive (one true God,rest are false; rituals and rules of faith, membership of a community bound by the same rules, belief in the past and the future according to the rules of this faith,etc.). Feminism and maths do not require faith or accepting an exclusive position, not do either involve membership of a community, or belief in a past or future based on a system of belief).
Finally religion accepts as true certain rules regardless of evidence or proof,or indeed the reality of what we see around us.
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Malcolm_McLean
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“Theist” is actually a back-formation from “atheist”. It means a non-atheist, and isn’t used except in an atheist context.
“Atheist” orignally meant “godless”, now the meaning has been narrowed to someone without a belief in God, and by some people even further to include only those who positively assert that there is no God.
Ultimately atheism is dependent on a surrounding Christian culture. The atheist rejects God. People who have never been exposed to Christianity are not atheists - they may lack a belief in God or gods, but they don’t lack a belief in the supernatural. Just walk into any supermarket in the UK and see the rows of organic vegetables to see that atheism is transient movement indeed.
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jman507
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Oh sorry, just for clearity sake, I never argued that Atheism is a religion, I was arguing that it is a faith. Monotheism is not a religion, it is a faith and only a part of a religious makeup.
Also when saying something is a religion or not, it really comes down to what is the definition of religion. Something either fits the catagory or it doesn’t or it sits in a gray area. It might not really matter so much when it comes to arguing in here other than making sure there is clearity of the definition religion inorder to prevent misunderstandings.
Especially here in the US with our rugged individualism, usually it is less important to be concerned about formal religion than to understand ones personal philosophical outlook. A person who is a Catholic cannot accept that there is not free will. A materialist could. A Catholic must accept that there is morality. An Atheist might not. With the platitude of seperation of church and state, some fail to reconize that a person of a certain religion may not be objecting to an action of the government solely because of ‘religion’, but that the religion effects a persons philosphical outlook and the philosphical outlook effects a persons acceptance of a religion, which makes that person think a certain action should be legal or not.
A feminist probably does have a certain concern on gender identity, and I’d assume she has a faith in a certain morality. A mathmatician has a concern with nature, and I’d assume has a certain faith of metaphysics. What those faiths are I don’t know. I’d also say the faiths are plastic, but all faiths are always plastic. There is not enough to say what their complete philosphical outlook is, but if ones has a faith that god is and god’s purpose, there probably is a much more complete idea of a persons philosphical outlook.
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BobCatholic
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I make the following argument that Atheism IS a religion.
The dictionary definition of religion seems to limit it only to those religions that believe in a higher power. However, the dictionary definition does not fit religions like: Scientology, Unitarian Universalits, certain Buddhist sects, Confucianism - which do not believe in God.
So, what I’ll do is use the “If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, walks like a duck” reasoning.
Atheism quacks a lot like the other theistic religions, mainly because of things that only a religion has.
A religion has theology. Atheism’s theology is “there is no God”
A religion has dogmas. Atheism’s dogmas are “There is no God” and “Atheism is not a religion!!!”
A religion has codes of ethics. Atheism’s is “Do whatever you want to do.”
Quack. Waddle. Feathers. Yup. Game over. Atheism is a religion.
The dictionary definition of religion seems to limit it only to those religions that believe in a higher power. However, the dictionary definition does not fit religions like: Scientology, Unitarian Universalits, certain Buddhist sects, Confucianism - which do not believe in God.
So, what I’ll do is use the “If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, walks like a duck” reasoning.
Atheism quacks a lot like the other theistic religions, mainly because of things that only a religion has.
A religion has theology. Atheism’s theology is “there is no God”
A religion has dogmas. Atheism’s dogmas are “There is no God” and “Atheism is not a religion!!!”
A religion has codes of ethics. Atheism’s is “Do whatever you want to do.”
Quack. Waddle. Feathers. Yup. Game over. Atheism is a religion.
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R_McGeddon
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Then I’ll have to refute it.
Your own first paragraph contradicts your opening statement. See above.
That’s because these are either cults or philosophies.
This approach won’t get you far!
Disagreeing with a religion does not make for another kind of religion.
You started your post using the phrase “dictionary definition”. I suggest you look up the definition of theology. The term “Atheism’s theology” is a classic example of an oxymoron.
The worship of a deity is what is central to a religion. So no deity equals no religion!!!A religion has dogmas. Atheism’s dogmas are “There is no God” and “Atheism is not a religion!!!”
I trust you have some kind of source to back up this utterly laughable claim??
I thought not.
You are so wide of the mark, it is hard to believe you could seriously hold these views. It does, however, demonstrate that you have done very little, if any, research!
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BobCatholic
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Cults are theistic and atheistic. I’m sure you’ll say that a theistic cult is a religion but one which is atheistic is not.
Interesting how philosophies have a religious tax-exempt status as well
dictionary.reference.com/browse/theology
the·ol·o·gy
Audio Help (thē-ŏl’ə-jē) Pronunciation Key
n. pl. the·ol·o·gies
- The study of the nature of God and religious truth; rational inquiry into religious questions.
- A system or school of opinions concerning God and religious questions: Protestant theology; Jewish theology.
- A course of specialized religious study usually at a college or seminary.
- fits atheism to a T. Their school of opinions concerning God is that he doesn’t exist.
Not necessarily.The worship of a deity is what is central to a religion. So no deity equals no religion!!!
Please show me that the following are not religions:
Scientology
Confuscianism
Unitarian Universalism
If you ask someone who is a member of any of these, they’ll say it is a religion.
Also, you haven’t refuted the “Code of Ethics” standard, which still is intact. Are you saying that Atheism doesn’t say you can do what you want? Please.
Hold on. Which religion am I disagreeing with in this discussion?
Is it…ATHEISM? Nice of you to admit it is a religion.
Also, another thing that religions have are evangelists, trying to convert others to their religion. Atheists have this in droves. Look at all the atheists trying to convert us theists to their religion. There’s plenty of them, spreading their anti-gospel
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Gottle_of_Geer
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**No. **
Having a religion, & being an atheist, are forms of existential commitment - that’s where the confusion arises. It’s comparable to saying that:- dogs have four legs
- cats have four legs
- therefore, dogs are cats
"Having four legs" is a predicate common to both animals - it does not follow that they are identical. “Having a religion” is not identical with having an existential commitment, but is one form of existential commitment among others; atheism is another; agnosticism is another; & so on.
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R_McGeddon
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I wouldn’t necessarily say a theistic cult is or is not a religion.Cults are theistic and atheistic. I’m sure you’ll say that a theistic cult is a religion but one which is atheistic is not.
Interesting how philosophies have a religious tax-exempt status as well
Not believing in a god does not qualify as a religion.
I presume that you’ve already done the asking to come up with a claim like this.
This so called “code of ethics” doesn’t even exist, outside of your imagination.
Can you provide any solid evidence that atheism does say this???
I actually said that atheism disagrees with religion. You should read peoples’ post more thoroughly, you’d have a better understanding of them.Hold on. Which religion am I disagreeing with in this discussion?
Is it…ATHEISM? Nice of you to admit it is a religion.
When was the last time an atheist came knocking at your door, trying to persuade you to drop your faith??? Never, is the answer you’re looking for. There may be some atheists that make fun of peoples’ faith, but I’ve never heard of any trying to convert anyone.Also, another thing that religions have are evangelists, trying to convert others to their religion. Atheists have this in droves. Look at all the atheists trying to convert us theists to their religion. There’s plenty of them, spreading their anti-gospel
I have a question for you!
As a catholic, you don’t believe in the religion of islam. So using your logic, that would have to be a faith of yours. The same could applied to every other religion on the planet, so in fact you are multi-faith.
Checkmate.
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AgnosTheist
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how exactly does atheism classify as a system or school of opinions?
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Xuan
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Is Atheism a religion?
Is “not collecting stamps” a hobby?
Is “not collecting stamps” a hobby?
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Pug
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Dictionary mileage may vary.
Here is the fourth meaning from the Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary 1994:This does not suggest to me that “religion” must be in reference to a higher power. But I don’t think it is saying that merely believing a certain belief makes one an adherent to a religion. For example, a person could believe “the local police are corrupt”, but I wouldn’t call that his religion. It is probably an isolated, flaccid belief.
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Wintermute
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Atheism isn’t even a belief. Is not collecting stamps a hobby?
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Wintermute
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Is health a disease?
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Gottle_of_Geer
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Minnie31
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Is bald a hair color?
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Lilyflower
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It appears that Atheists believe in a dis-belief in Almighty God, so in that sense it appears to be a bonefide religion since it embodies belief.
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diogenes_shrugs
Guest
Atheism means without god. In a religious context, it is one that has no belief in a god or gods. Atheism is not a religion but a point-of-view.It appears that Atheists believe in a dis-belief in Almighty God, so in that sense it appears to be a bonefide religion since it embodies belief.
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