Does Atheism count as a religious viewpoint?

[Nyoibo]

I think that's Agnostic, actually. Someone who doesn't believe or not believe in a Higher Power.

Agnostics don't believe in God, but are open to the idea of a deity.

[Arcade Man D]

Agnostics don't believe in God, but are open to the idea of a deity.

"Oh no! We're being picketed by Agnostics!"


"Say maybe to God!"


Sorry, had to think of Metalocalypse from that.

[Ladeeda]

Agnostics don't believe in God, but are open to the idea of a deity.

Yeah, that sounded like what Rapscallion was describing to me.

[Rapscallion]

Hmm, the definition of agnostic that I've always gone with is unsurity about whether or not there's a higher being to blame. Atheists are those who say there isn't, and theists are those who say there is.

I rather suspect that agnostics, under those criteria, outnumber the other two even if they were added together

Rapscallion

[BlaqueKatt]

Exactly. A large part of what I was thinking in this thread is that if you're going to expend a lot of effort making sure they don't put religious propaganda on the buses, you should keep atheist propaganda off as well.

or if they don't ban the religious propaganda-just contact the freedom from religion foundation-they are putting up billboards, and will advertise on buses. Amusingly the only thing their ads have done is make the churches spend more money to advertise. No one has really gotten offended, as the ads are designed to be mostly non-offensive(quotes from founding fathers, that this is not a Christian nation, etc), and the bus company gets more money.

edited to add:

But recently one of my friends has been trying to get the phrase "God Probably Doesn't Exist, So Just Enjoy Yourself" on the buses.

yeah that might be considered copyright infringement-as it's not an original idea-already done by the German Humanists:

By coincidence, FFRF learned, after starting its ballot, that German humanists are doing the same thing. However, in order to vote at the German site, you have to donate! British Humanists, who took the world by storm by placing bus signs saying, "There's Probably No God. Now Stop Worrying and Enjoy your Life," raised more than $200,000 in a short period last fall through an online campaign

From this article-they are based in Madison, which coincidentally also has the largest congregation of Unitarian Universalists(basicly secular humanists) in the United States

[KabeRinnaul]

Hmm, the definition of agnostic that I've always gone with is unsurity about whether or not there's a higher being to blame. Atheists are those who say there isn't, and theists are those who say there is.

I rather suspect that agnostics, under those criteria, outnumber the other two even if they were added together

Rapscallion

The term I've always liked is "Nontheist." That being, a person with no opinion of the existence of God.

It should be pointed out that gnosticism and theism are two separate ideas. "Gnostic" refers to knowing and the capability to know something as fact. "Theist" refers to belief. You can be both, neither, or a combination.

A Gnostic Theist believes in God, and believes that one can prove the reality of God.
An Agnostic Theist believes in God, but believes that God is unknowable and his existence can't be proven.
A Gnostic Atheist rejects the belief of God, but believes that God is demonstratively false.
An Agnostic Atheist rejects the belief of God, and believes that it can't be proved one way or another.

The two things to remember is that Gnostic used to have this specific meaning, but now it's been co-opted to instead mean "I dunno", and that Atheist making a specific religious statement. Atheist doesn't mean "I don't believe in God", it means "I believe in the lack of God".

So, I'd call Atheism a religious viewpoint, though I don't think I could call it a "religion" as to me that implies an organized set of beliefs.

[Ghel]

I think we get too bogged down in labels sometimes. I like KabeRinnaul's post above, but I disagree on a few minor points.

"I don't believe a god exists." This is an atheist, sometimes called a weak or negative atheist.
"I believe no gods exist." This is also an atheist, sometimes called a strong or positive atheist.

I agree that atheism is a viewpoint about religion, but isn't a religion itself. Atheism has no tenets or dogma.

[Hobbs]

I agree that atheism is a viewpoint about religion, but isn't a religion itself. Atheism has no tenets or dogma.

Yes it does. Athiesm, as a whole, promotes science as the only Truth and proponents of athiesm tend to have the same "with us or against us" mentality of many religions. Athiests regularly try to convert believers into their ideology as well, and tend to view themselves as the only ones with knowledge of the "True un-Faith."

[draco664]

So, I'd call Atheism a religious viewpoint

would you call not collecting stamps a hobby?

I'm not being facetious, but I'm genuinely puzzled that some people believe atheism is a religious viewpoint. Atheism is a rejection of religious viewpoints.

[Wingates_Hellsing]

Atheists ares to religion as workaholics are to hobbies. In both cases the defining factor on the subject at hand is the lack thereof.

Next up, comparing empty juice bottles to a selection of full juice bottles, and nudism vs fashion.

[KnitShoni]

would you call not collecting stamps a hobby?

I'm not being facetious, but I'm genuinely puzzled that some people believe atheism is a religious viewpoint. Atheism is a rejection of religious viewpoints.

I thought atheism was a rejection of religion itself. That would make it a viewpoint, no?

[draco664]

I thought atheism was a rejection of religion itself. That would make it a viewpoint, no?

Only if you think that darkness is a kind of light. Absence of belief is not a kind of belief.

This is of course my opinion. As an atheist, I don't see myself as religious. It seems to me that theists who claim that lack of belief is a "kind of belief" are trying more to convince themselves that everyone believes in something. Sort of like a security blanket.

[Kheldarson]

But that's still a viewpoint. Your viewpoint on religion is that it's unnecessary for your life. It's still a view.

[KnitShoni]

Only if you think that darkness is a kind of light. Absence of belief is not a kind of belief.

This is of course my opinion. As an atheist, I don't see myself as religious. It seems to me that theists who claim that lack of belief is a "kind of belief" are trying more to convince themselves that everyone believes in something. Sort of like a security blanket.

OK, but, the question wasn't whether atheism is a religion. We know it isn't. The question is can it be considered a viewpoint on religion.

[Ghel]

Atheism can be a viewpoint on religion. An atheist can also be a person who has never been exposed to the concept of god or a person who lacks the mental capacity to understand the concept, such as a young child (as an aside, I think this is what the majority of theists mean when they claim that they used to be atheists).

Those who write books about their atheism tend to encourage a thought-out world view using critical thinking, skepticism, and inquiry. Those authors tend to advocate science as the best tool we have for learning about reality.