All Christians, and those of other faiths, please read this.

Originally posted by Juran

You are wrong

I'm sorry you think so.

re·li·gion   [ri-lij-uhn]
noun
1.
a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.
2.
a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects: the Christian religion; the Buddhist religion.
3.
the body of persons adhering to a particular set of beliefs and practices: a world council of religions.
4.
the life or state of a monk, nun, etc.: to enter religion.
5.
the practice of religious beliefs; ritual observance of faith.

reply to post by FugitiveSoul


Is atheism a religion?

Is marxism a religion?

Originally posted by 547000
reply to post by FugitiveSoul

 

Is atheism a religion?

Is marxism a religion?

In regards to atheism and marxism you tread on thin ice, but by definition, yes both are forms of religion. I'll divert you to a letter that has been circling the web for some time now. I do not know who penned the original letter, but it serves to show why atheism is a form of religion.

Dear Sir,

I am sorry, but I stand by my original contention; atheism is a religion. Whether it fits technically with the semantics or not is not a concern of mine; the practical definition of religion is what matters to me, not the letter of the law. And the practical definition, distasteful though it may be to those who disdain religion in all its forms, is that the very thing most atheists hate is what they have become: a religion, with clearly defined rules, eschatology and a philosophy by which to live. Religion is a means of understanding our existence. Atheism fits that bill. Religion is a philosophy of life. So is atheism. Religions has its leaders, the preachers of its tenets. So does atheism (Nietzsche, Feuerbach, Lenin, Marx). Religion has its faithful believers, who guard the orthodoxy of the faith. So does atheism. And religion is a matter of faith, not certainty. Your own faithful say that, as that is what I was referring to in my posting. Welcome to the religious world!

Please forgive my contentious tone. However, I would very much like to bring some (albeit not all as that is not possible) to the realization that all religions set themselves apart from the crowd; they are the pure, the faithful, all others are just "religion." Here again, atheism fits the bill.

a religion, with clearly defined rules, eschatology and a philosophy by which to live

Science and morals have replaced Commandments and God, but they still create the base rules of the universe and the foundation of basic philosophical ideals.

Religion is a means of understanding our existence.

Again, science fulfills that desire.

Religion has its faithful believers, who guard the orthodoxy of the faith.

This is easily evident in the atheists who pop up here on ATS everytime a thread on theology is posted.

Atheism is the absence of belief in God(s), it is not the absence of beliefs; beliefs that dictate lifestyle and one's view of the world and creation. By this we could say that atheism falls into the branches of the tree of paganism, in an etymological sense.