So true, and that applies on both ends of the spectrum. There are Christians that believe and love their God, but aren't telling everyone else they are wrong for what they believe in. They just answer this is just right for them. Then you have those that think "You're going to hell if you aren't a member of our church!". That same thing is on the atheist side. There are those that are "so against the belief of God", that they openly say how stupid you are for believing in one; like the article on the OP. Personally, why I think it's a religion is how strongly atheism is defended; just like religion. You have muslims ready to die for their belief and atheist willing to have a public bashing for openly saying they are "atheists". Then you have those muslims that secretely worship and atheists that keep their lack of belief private.
There would be no point to atheism without an a priori notion of a deity. By definition, a religious person worships "some deity," and an atheist worships "no deity."
this is doubly false. atheism is by definition a belief position, not a statement about worship. and a religious person by definition doesn't necessarily worship a deity (see buddhism etc). you're using straw men semantics to tie atheism to religion.
What is the definition of "worship"? How does that definition fit with an atheist's activity in regard to "no deity"?
you mean there would be no point to having a descriptive term for lack of belief in a deity if nobody did. like creating the word smurfeism. this is trivial.
Funny I've seen many Buddhists while on business in Asian worship a nice gold statue of Buddha. So it's just a belief? I'd like to see a link where they do not believe or worship a deity.
Speaking of whacky atheists... You have a logic fault, Maris. It would not exist, just as athe-unicornism doesn't.
the buddha was a man. and while traditional buddhism does involve some metaphysical mumbo jumbo, it does not postulate an independent mind responsible for creating everything. there is no deity in the theistic sense. i'm sure you can wiki buddhism faster than i can type a link.
Okay cool so they worship a man? Cause I've been witness to many Buddhist temples and they pray to that "man" for hours.
And thinking about it, that would justify an argument that atheism is a religion. Buddhism is a religion yet they don't believe in a god. They put faith in man and themselves. They worship a man called Buddah just like many atheist put faith in Hopkins or other atheist evangelists. Crazy how closely the Buddhist and atheist think alike. Maybe the two religions can merge.
I don't know a single other atheist amongst my friends who "put faith in Hopkins or other atheist evangelists" to be honest. They just don't believe, and go on with their day/life.
