Is atheism a religion? If yes, make your case. [Spirituality & Religion]

@meJess

Certainly. Disbelieving that god exists is a belief. So is thinking spider-man is the best superhero or that your neighbour is stealing your newspaper.
Obviously it takes more than a belief to make a religion though.

@Pikachu Isn't religion just faith in an outcome?

@meJess But a religion isn't just a belief. It's a "a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons." The only thing atheism does is deny or at least call into question the existence of a deity. That, in and of itself, can't qualify as a religion.

@meJess

Nope. A religion is a system of belief and worship, usually to a deity.

@meJess if atheism is a belief, then not collecting stamps is a hobby

@RemovedUsername704086 Then you have faith that ravioli will be available don't you?

@newjaninev2 Isn't not collecting a lack of interest, whereas believing in nothing is a positive choice?

@meJess

faith is belief without, or in spite of evidence.

@Pikachu ok, so if you believe in nothing after death, you have faith in your prediction, there is no proof either way

@meJess

[quote]believing in nothing is a positive choice?[/quote]

Certainly not. I don't choose not to believe in god. I am unconvinced by the arguments that he does.
Can you choose what you believe? I can't. I am either convinced or i am not. There's no choice there.

@meJess

[quote]ok, so if you believe in nothing after death, you have faith in your prediction[/quote]

Not at all. I make no claim of knowledge on what happens after death. But i have seen no convincing evidence to suppose that there is anything after that.
I don't have faith in my prediction. I just have a prediction.

@Pikachu If you are presented with alternatives and make a decision, how is that not a choice?

@meJess

If i'm presented with unconvincing alternatives how is it a choice not to be convinced? Do you suppose that i could choose to be convinced by that which i find unconvincing?
Not sure how that would work. So where is the choice?

@Pikachu If you are unconvinced by alternatives that is the decision isn't it?

@meJess

You've just repeated your question. I'm asking you to answer mine now.
Can you [i]choose[/i] to be convinced by that which you find unconvincing?

No you would choose not to, but it's still a choice, you consider the idea and reject it

@meJess

So you could decide that in fact you [i]do[/i] believe something you don't believe? I confess that i do not believe you.
But if so then congratulations, you can do something i can't.


But i think we've strayed rather far from whether or not atheism can be considered a religion.

@Pikachu No I mean that the fact you don't believe in something is a choice, rather than something else but I guess we can disagree. Thanks for discussing and not being more ummm social media :)

@meJess

lol no problem. You too.