If Atheism is the Only Religion on Earth

Atheism is a belief system of sorts. It should not be considered a religion. This is because the only thing which is consistent within those who cal themselves atheists is that they do not believe in a god. There are many different types of atheists so it is really hard to say what exactly they believe in ( beyond the obvious of course). It is up to the individual to determine what they should believe in.

Firstly, atheism is not a religion. Atheism is the antithesis of theism, a philosophy that there is an active god. A religion is not just defined by beliefs, but also practices. Prayer, meditation, rituals - these are all examples of religious practices. Atheism has none of these. Secondly, while many atheists praise science, society would not have to be atheistic to advance scientifically. We were actually just out of a stage of fear of atheism when we put a man on the moon. We've made incredible scientific jumps while still maintaining the image of a religious nation. Morality and religion are not one in the same. Some of the most depraved minds in history were also religious ones. Morality and religion are two concepts born from society, and are therefore controlled by society. Both concepts can survive perfectly intact without the other.

Your definition of atheism is flawed. It is not a religion because it is not a group of people or a community that share a common belief. Atheists do not believe that science has all of the answers although they do think that the rational explanations offered by science make a lot more sense then the bronze age explanations served up by religious dogma. Morality is not dependent on religion and in fact some of the most immoral acts in history have been a product of religious dogma.

The morals taught by most religions are sick, so the thought that lack of religious belief would lead to an immoral society is faulty. Freedom is a good thing, regardless of what you religious zealots think. Atheists do not lack morals just because we don't have a religious text to guide us. Instead, we find our own way, and make up our own minds about what is right or wrong. This, in my opinion, is much better than following a book written thousands of years ago that tells you to kill your children if they don't obey you.

I am not an athiest but I am an agnostic. Simply put, I need proof. But, being who I am, I would never equate being an athiest or liberal with sin. I have morals. I won't do, nor would I ever condone, any act that harms anyone, physically or emotionally. I would also not say that being an athiest or agnostic is a religion. It's a belief but not a religion. There are no rules or guidelines to follow. Being MORAL, now, that's completely different. I've known people who have called themselves Christian, yet they commit sin after sin ("sin" as defined in the Christian religion). I live more like a Buddhist than anything else. They believe that you control your own destiny by the way you live. Love, compassion, caring, all that kind of stuff is to be engrained into your entire life and everything you do. With Buddhism, it's not what life does to you but how you react to these things that matters. I like that philosophy.

Regardless of how hard atheists try to argue and deny that atheism is a religion, it IS a religion. Religion is simply a belief system and everyone has a belief system. Not all beliefs are valid or true but we still have to respect them. I am a Christian but I have a deep respect for the non-Christian religions. I have friends who are Muslim, Jewish and Wiccan. I have found within the different Christian denominations those who hold my denomination against me only because they feel threatened by it. If they were so sure that they are right and I am mistaken, they would not feel so threatened so I don't worry about it. It is written that contention is of the devil and not of God. I am happy to share my beliefs but will not argue them with anyone. Even an atheist is entitled to believe what they want. I claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of my own conscience and allow all men the same privilege. Let them worship how, where, or what they may.

well, first of all, except for Madelyn Murray-O'Hara trying to make it one, its not a religion. Its a lack of belief in any kind of beings you can't see, feel or touch.

There is much more going on than people can see. Everyone is needed. Religion is needed because it is the catalyst that brings so many people's real problems to the surface so that they can be dealt with. Atheists are needed because they force believers to question rather than accept blindly. Science is needed to advance mankind's knowledge.Science in time will discover God. It's going to take a very long time.They haven't even got this physical world figured out yet. The spiritual world is much more complex especially when mankind bases their knowledge based on the physical laws of this universe. Yes, lots to learn kiddies. This world is truly a masterpiece. Everyone is needed.

I don't believe that atheism is a religion. :) ANd I don't believe that there are people who doesn't have any doubt of something, its normal. SO I would say even experts in science they do ask themselves and sometimes couldn't answer the mystery of some things. By the way I have students who don't believe in God and it makes me feel goosebumps. Yet, I am trying little by little to believe in God's mystery.

Atheism is NOT a religion. A religion is much more than just a belief. Atheists do NOT think that everything can be proven by science. They are aware that there are MANY things that science (at least so far) can NOT explain. They just maintain that a "God" is a psuedo-explanation and therefore NOT a good one and should be discarded. I am not an atheist - I am an ignostic. And I think that worshiping an EVIL "God" is NOT the best way to act in this world now that we know better.

No atheism is not a religion. It is a term to describe any persons who doesnt believe in God/gods/deities and worlds and beings associated with them. That is why theism is also not a religion, because its a broad term for all people regardless of whether they belong to a religion or not that believes in a God/gods/deities. There is another term to describe another group - agnostics - which means people who have doubts but could not dispel altogether the existence of God/gods/deities.

Atheists believe there is no God but there can be no belief without God. So they believe in the belief that the author of belief is not real. I do consider athesim to be a religion because they believe there is no God, even believing in nothing can become a religion. I hope I didn't confuse you and if I did I apologize.

It would be quite possible that our technological level would be quite higher if we didn't have a religion. The main reason for that is in the past. During the middle-ages and other periods the church was the main ruling force and as you know it didn't tolerate new things. So inventors and improvisers were basically chased and gutted, because their creations seemed "ungodly" "and tools of the devil". However there is another point. The higher technology level would lead to more modern war machines and tools. And as you know many times the religion has united people and prevented wars. If we lacked that religion there is a great possibility that we would be extinct, because of our own creations. In my opinion religion is not a bad thing, because humans need something which can unite them in one, however i am an atheist.

I clearly believe that jesus is cool, leave him alone. He is powerful. I guess what i am trying to say here is that, religion is cool. Don't diss, haters. Cheers.

Listen to John Lennon's "Imagine." He can answer this for you! Religion has been the biggest cause of war and bloodshed in the history of mankind. Atheists make up the lowest prison population percentage in the US, besides Hindus, I believe. That says something. Science wouldn't replace religion. It wouldn't consume our lives. We just wouldn't look to God for all the answers. We'd have to depend on our morals. Instead of doing good things because God says so and we get rewarded with Heaven, we do it out of our sense of right and wrong. We won't live in the fear of going to Hell if we do something bad, but the fear of going to jail, or just the fear of hurting another human being. That creates better morals, in my opinion. The only thing in question is, does man have good enough morals to live that way yet? I've heard a Christian say before, "If it wasn't for God I might go out and shoot somebody!" That's scary, but because we are entering the Space Age and atheism is on the rise, hopefully one day soon we can all live like this.

letran I do think without some sort of belief in God and a moral code people would even be worse than they already are as anything would go. Robbery thievery, nobody would use their consciences even if they had one, so we do need Religion. Only I wish that every one would stick to their own particular religious view points and not try to make me change mine.,I do not do this to others,yet so many so called Christians even here on mylot seem to think its their duty to harangue 'me and try to teach me that I have no right to my own religion unless it coincides with theirs

hi Letranknight, the religion Atheism where it is,though we trust the science there is creator of the earth and all living creatures of lakhs,still we cannot control direct heat and water also,if the science is develped,can we reduce the heat (not putting AC and Fans in the house)automatically the seasons will change accordingly that is the creation of god,have a nice day

I consider myself an atheist, and it's just as you say, the belief in not believing in god (or gods). personally i'm convinced that the people created god, and not the other way around. To simplify hajor existecial questions people "invented" something to give them the answer, a religion. Just as people in positions of authority maintained this religious concept since it simplified a lot of things in the ols feoldal societies. Like justifying why some people should be rich while others are poor, or keep people from commiting crimes because they were scared of going to hell. The other part you say about all atheists believing in science is partly true. Personally i believe less in science then i do i philosophy, but i have friends who believe that science is the answer to everything. Even the degree in wich you are tolerant changes from atheist to atheist, much like it does from from christian to christian, or muslim to muslim. Personally i have many friends who are atheists who just dosen't tolerate anything else than atheism, and there are also people like myself who really dosen't care what other people think as long as they are not telling me what i should think and believe in. I do enjoy existencial discussions and debates however, so go ahead and ask me about anything you want and i'll try to give you a good answer :)