Australian Politics Forum - Is atheism a religious belief?

darkhall67

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Re: Is atheism a religious belief?
Reply #495 - Oct 18^th, 2010 at 4:33pm

muso wrote on Oct 18^th, 2010 at 4:05pm:

Amadd wrote on Oct 18^th, 2010 at 3:49pm:

If I were to attend an atheist funeral, or indeed a deist funeral, I don't think that it would provide anywhere near what a religious service can and does, so I'm glad that there are still so many believers around.

Yeah. I agree. We should try to preserve religions. Some religions are becoming endangered. We're losing a lot of our old traditions, and they are being replaced by pseudo new age nonsense with absolutely no moral principles.

Apart from that, so much of our cultural heritage is tied up in religions, not to mention social stability.

On the whole, I think they do more good than harm. Now that's bound to elicit a response from our atheistic zealots. Grin

For us atheists to respond would only be a demonstration of your avatars sisyphean task.

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Amadd

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Re: Is atheism a religious belief?
Reply #496 - Oct 18^th, 2010 at 6:04pm

Quote:

For us atheists to respond would only be a demonstration of your avatars sisyphean task.

I've found some good reason to switch from atheism to deism:

- You get all the benefits of believing in God while getting to sleep in on Sundays.

- You get all the benefits of believing in God while saving 10% (no tithing)

- During sex, crying out "Oh God! Oh God!" sounds better than "No God! No God!"

- You get to identify with famous people from history who had great hair

- You get to reject Christianity in the name of God.

- People will invite a deist to dinner

Roll Eyes

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Lisa Jones Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 39047 Sydney Gender:	Re: Is atheism a religious belief? Reply #497 - Oct 18^th, 2010 at 8:18pm LMAO @ Amadd's post! Sooooo .. after 34 pages of discussion .. what's the answer guys?? Is atheism a religious belief or not???
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Lisa Jones Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 39047 Sydney Gender:	Re: Is atheism a religious belief? Reply #498 - Oct 18^th, 2010 at 9:51pm Don't all jump at once lol
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Amadd Gold Member Offline Mo Posts: 6217	Re: Is atheism a religious belief? Reply #499 - Oct 19^th, 2010 at 5:23am Quote: Is atheism a religious belief? It's a belief about religion, not adhered to religiously.
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muso

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Re: Is atheism a religious belief?
Reply #500 - Oct 19^th, 2010 at 8:16am

Lisa Jones wrote on Oct 18^th, 2010 at 8:18pm:

LMAO @ Amadd's post!

Sooooo .. after 34 pages of discussion .. what's the answer guys??

Is atheism a religious belief or not???

It's all a question of semantics. A belief that Freemasons are evil is a religious belief, but it's not a religion. A belief that there is no god is also a religious belief, but it's not a religion.

Some subsets of atheism could be construed to be religion-like.

There is also a problem inherent in defining the term 'religion' adequately.

On the basis of what some religious people have said, we could quite reasonably deduce that religions don't exist, or that they represent some mundane practices like washing your car.

Quite clearly religions do exist, but it's not a clearly defined concept.

On this subject, I prefer to remain silent, because regarding such questions:

Quote:

...these profit not, nor have they anything to do with the fundamentals of the religious life, nor do they lead to Supreme Wisdom, the Bliss of Nirvana

(Siddhārtha Gautama )

By the way, today is Tuesday, and I'm a Buddhist today.

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muso

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Re: Is atheism a religious belief?
Reply #501 - Oct 19^th, 2010 at 8:21am

Amadd wrote on Oct 18^th, 2010 at 6:04pm:

Quote:

For us atheists to respond would only be a demonstration of your avatars sisyphean task.

I've found some good reason to switch from atheism to deism:

- You get all the benefits of believing in God while getting to sleep in on Sundays.

- You get all the benefits of believing in God while saving 10% (no tithing)

- During sex, crying out "Oh God! Oh God!" sounds better than "No God! No God!"

- You get to identify with famous people from history who had great hair

- You get to reject Christianity in the name of God.

- People will invite a deist to dinner

Roll Eyes

I like Deists. Maybe one day next week I'll be a Deist.

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Lisa Jones

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Re: Is atheism a religious belief?
Reply #502 - Oct 19^th, 2010 at 11:17am

It's all a question of semantics. A belief that Freemasons are evil is a religious belief, but it's not a religion. A belief that there is no god is also a religious belief, but it's not a religion.

Some subsets of atheism could be construed to be religion-like.

There is also a problem inherent in defining the term 'religion' adequately.

On the basis of what some religious people have said, we could quite reasonably deduce that religions don't exist, or that they represent some mundane practices like washing your car.

Quite clearly religions do exist, but it's not a clearly defined concept.

- Muso

Ah well put my dear friend. So, it's just as I thought.

Defining arbitrary man made constructs such as religion, religious beliefs etc are indeed challenging pursuits at the best of times.

I recall similar discussions/reflections at Uni (philosophy was a fav subject). It would seem that not much has changed since I was an 18 yr old Arts degree student .. because we're still asking the same sorts of questions knowing full well we may never obtain the correct answer (if indeed the "correct" answer actually exists).

.. and if you're anything like me it's all about enjoying the journey .. not just arriving at the destination.

Having said that .. it's nice to get the bottom line every now and then lol

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If I let myself be bought then I am no longer free.

HYPATIA - Greek philosopher, mathematician and astronomer (370 - 415)

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athos

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Re: Is atheism a religious belief?
Reply #503 - Oct 19^th, 2010 at 11:19am

Lisa Jones wrote on Oct 18^th, 2010 at 8:18pm:

LMAO @ Amadd's post!

Sooooo .. after 34 pages of discussion .. what's the answer guys??

Is atheism a religious belief or not???

Yes it is.

Atheism is a religion that believes in God's nonexistence.

Because Atheists can not prove that God doesn't exist they have to believe in it like any other religious people.

They wish to be scientists but they are not.

(Can it be more simpler than that ?)

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Do we need to be always politically correct.
In the world of universal deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.

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Lisa Jones Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 39047 Sydney Gender:	Re: Is atheism a religious belief? Reply #504 - Oct 19^th, 2010 at 11:23am .. speaking of the bottom line lol .. it would seem Athos has packaged this topic's questions very nicely and neatly for us. .. or has he?
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darkhall67

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Re: Is atheism a religious belief?
Reply #505 - Oct 19^th, 2010 at 11:25am

athos wrote on Oct 19^th, 2010 at 11:19am:

Lisa Jones wrote on Oct 18^th, 2010 at 8:18pm:

LMAO @ Amadd's post!

Sooooo .. after 34 pages of discussion .. what's the answer guys??

Is atheism a religious belief or not???

Yes it is.

Atheism is a religion that believes in God's nonexistence.

Because Atheists can not prove that God doesn't exist they have to believe in it like any other religious people.

They wish to be scientists but they are not.

(Can it be more simpler than that ?)

Nonsense.

Belief is NOT the same thing as religion.

I believe the sun will rise tomorrow morning and set tomorrow night.

Nothing religious involved in that belief.

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Lisa Jones Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 39047 Sydney Gender:	Re: Is atheism a religious belief? Reply #506 - Oct 19^th, 2010 at 12:16pm Is atheism a religious belief? (Read 11240 times) Seems we're all hanging out for an answer if the above stats are anything to go by lol
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muso

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Re: Is atheism a religious belief?
Reply #507 - Oct 19^th, 2010 at 1:26pm

athos wrote on Oct 19^th, 2010 at 11:19am:

Lisa Jones wrote on Oct 18^th, 2010 at 8:18pm:

LMAO @ Amadd's post!

Sooooo .. after 34 pages of discussion .. what's the answer guys??

Is atheism a religious belief or not???

Yes it is.

1.Atheism is a religion that believes in God's nonexistence.

2. Because Atheists can not prove that God doesn't exist they have to believe in it like any other religious people.

3. They wish to be scientists but they are not.

(Can it be more simpler than that ?)

1. Which God? Any god? All gods?
2. By analogy, you are saying that you can't prove that Aphrodite doesn't exist, so you have to believe in her like all religious people. Is that what you really intended to say?

Am I the only one that thinks that your Points 1 and 2 are contradictory? First you stated that atheists believe that god doesn't exist , then you stated that they have to believe in god. Either she exists or she doesn't, or perhaps an entity outside the laws of physics can both exist and not exist.

3. I agree that many 'evangelising' atheists seem to call science as a defense, where it's really outside the domain of science.

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muso

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Re: Is atheism a religious belief?
Reply #508 - Oct 19^th, 2010 at 1:29pm

darkhall67 wrote on Oct 19^th, 2010 at 11:25am:

I believe the sun will rise tomorrow morning and set tomorrow night.

Nothing religious involved in that belief.

So you're a sun worshipper? Tongue

I believe that on past evidence, the sun will never rise tomorrow morning. Grin

You will never experience a moment where you can confidently say - "the sun is rising" AND "It's tomorrow".

Tomorrow never comes. Grin

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Axle

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Re: Is atheism a religious belief?
Reply #509 - Oct 19^th, 2010 at 2:13pm

To say that atheism is a religion is to say that any belief or disbelief is a religion. That is patently absurd. It also subverts the common usage and understanding of the terms. Proponents of the atheism is a religion argument are engaging in a pseudo-argument. They'd probably be the kind of people who would gladly argue that night is day.

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