Has Atheism become its own Religion?

yes, its an oxymoron, but to start I do want to say that this thread does not pertain to all atheists. I have friends who are atheist who basically say "I don't believe in God, I don't go to church, I don't follow any religion, end of story." What I am talking about is the people out there claiming to be atheists, where it seems like they have made it their only goal in life to prove Christians wrong.

I was walking to class one day when I passed the atheist club at my college. It was a group of about 20 people sitting around listening to a guy standing on a milk crate preaching about how the bible is wrong and there is no Heaven or hell, and I pondered to myself, is this the next fad religion? a guy preaching about a holy book to his followers, while in turn trying to get others to follow his way. Is this really atheism? never once have I seen a group trying to tell jews that their wrong, or muslims or buddhists, or any other religion specifically.

I am not trying to say that my religion is right or that atheism, or any other religion for that matter, is wrong, (anything is possible, especially when it is based on faith) but even my atheist friends think that this is taking it too far. from what I have always thought, and from what my friends always said, atheism isn't about proving Christianity wrong, but just not dealing with it, removing yourself from any group that has to do with religion altogether.

So what are these groups? To me they seem like their trying to be their own religion, without being a religion.

"So what are these groups?"
I never understood the logic of trying to change peoples' religious views.
That is what the kings did during the Inquisition.

Atheism is simply the term for disbelief in a theistic deity.
The approach that people take differs greatly across the spectrum.

There are those who think that any belief system is fine. (I used to)

And there are those who think that any belief system built on irrationality or fiction is a threat to society (and that's where I'm at now).

There's all kinds of people in between, and there are certainly those more extreme in their beliefs than me.

My stand is that if you want to consider the possibility of a deity-creator, go ahead. If you start claiming it's true, and try to use that belief to define laws, shape society, collect money, interfere with education, etc. then you're in for a fight.

"I don't believe in God, I don't go to church, I don't follow any religion, end of story."

this describes me ,anyone who is preaching for or against to change someones view needs to chill

Woodstock.Hippie said:

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Except for the fight part.

Societies have been constructed by religions since the dawn of man.

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Could Societies and Religions be Chickens and or Eggs?

the US. was founded by Christians for Christians, Freedom of religion not Freedom from religion. If God offends you move I "am sure Europe will have you!

mexiblunt said:

Could Societies and Religions be Chickens and or Eggs?

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Eggs were around millions of years before chickens walked the Earth

ddwall said:

the US. was founded by Christians for Christians, Freedom of religion not Freedom from religion. If God offends you move I "am sure Europe will have you!

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You might want to look in the history books.

There were atheists in the lot as well, and as a combined group they understood the threat of theocracy and the religious domination of Europe at the time.

If Atheism offends you, tough shit.
If you can't be bothered to actually read a history book, nobody should be expected to move across an ocean for your ignorant ass.

Right! What if I re-phrase the question.
Could Societies and Religions be Eggs and or Chickens?

I think it goes with youth (though some people don't grow up). I used to be pretty preachy about my atheism and politics as a youngster, but I've gained some perspective and tolerance over the years.

Woodstock.Hippie said:

Societies have been constructed by religions since the dawn of man.

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That's the problem if you ask me. When society's structure and ethics are based around beliefs and faith instead of facts and logic it is doomed to eventually fail.

Inquisition.
Honor killings.

That's all I have to say about that.



And I wouldn't exactly call Atheism a religion. A religion implies belief and faith; as far as I can tell atheists cast aside faith in the divine for the exact opposite: facts.

Some people feel that they need to be either right or important. Some are so self righteous they need to push their unprovable beliefs on others. The fact is that science as a whole should be trusted without a doubt, but as science is designed if anomalies arise don't just toss them aside and prescribe them to divine intervention, you probe the experiment and ask why is it showing this to me. The universe more than likely came from a big bang bringing the universe into existence, but where and how the universe came to exist is still a mystery. Maybe it pulled itself into existence, maybe the universe is an ethereal plane of ideas, or a loop of consciousness/reality/experience. But that doesn't mean we stop searching for an answer, I mean in the truth of all matters reality could merely consist of one mind, your mind, and everything is a trick you subconscious is showing you falsely held perceptions. The philosophy of solipsism has changed my life and the way I see the world, in my mind I see society designed in the light that we really don't know, or for the sake of argument, you really don't know, so why not make the experience we do know the best it possibly can, for everyone.

Peace

Nice thread.
Atheism is the new Christianity.

disagree with them and you will be chastised.

However unlikely God is, there is no way to prove there isn't one.
Only the dead know for sure.

"Only the dead know for sure."
How do YOU know for sure?

morgentaler said:

You might want to look in the history books.

There were atheists in the lot as well, and as a combined group they understood the threat of theocracy and the religious domination of Europe at the time.

If Atheism offends you, tough shit.
If you can't be bothered to actually read a history book, nobody should be expected to move across an ocean for your ignorant ass.

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The "Pilgrims" were Christian Missionaries. They did their own crusading after they arrived here... and then built this country into what it is today... a sick diluted place filled with naive peons and religious nutjobs.

The only TRUE answer is agnosticism, Atheists are just as naive as Christians, Catholics, etc. because no Atheists or anyone else can provide proof that their beliefs are the undeniable truth.

Just sayin'

tebor said:

Only the dead know for sure.

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That is if there is a place for the dead to know. We are nothing more than bug food... This I can tell you is the truth.

"This I can tell you is the truth."
Perhaps.
However, what I will always hear you say is

"This I can tell you I believe is the truth."

We feel humansity as well as all life is more than just worm food.

The energies are detectable.

Woodstock.Hippie said:

The energies are detectable.

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That might just be those crazy-waves being transmitted from "The Mystic Mountains"

Honestly though... You and I: