Dreidel1913 #fundie

Dreidel1913 #fundie christiandiscussionforums.org

I think you've got it backwards. Atheism is a religion which is trying to pull the wool over our eyes by pretending its doctrines are affirmed by evolution, thus giving us the FALSE illusion that Atheism = Science. In this endevour, they seek to monopolize evolution as their own, which is completely arbitrary.

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old comment by Riin-thrall

Atheism is not affirmed by evolution; what evolution does do, however, is make creationism look rather silly and that's certainly a step in the right direction. Adding evolution to other things like logic, probability and general reason - while it doesn't prove God's nonexistence by a long shot - is what "affirms" atheism, on an individual level.

It's not a massively fundy quote since at least he seems to be a "theistic evolutionist" (from what I can tell, anyway), but the atheism strawmen are somewhat distracting.

@Lupine:
Your history teacher is making a reasonable enough statement, but the fact that atheists "fight to prove there's no god" (which is a generalisation in the first place, since it's nowhere near true for all or even most) doesn't make atheism a religion. Atheism consists only of the lack of belief in any gods, and nothing else; there are no "tenets" or organisation beyond that. Conviction does not a religion make.

A nonreligious person who doesn't believe in any gods is an atheist, by definition.

Now, you could make more of a case for 'strong' atheism as a religion, but that's another story.

old comment by Dr.Shrinker

@ Lupine

I dispute your teacher's definition. Atheism means "without god(s)." Religions, of necessity, require gods. Therefore, atheist by definition cannot be a religion.

Gods are essentially supernatural entities, and science deals solely with the natural world. Therefore, science cannot be a god or a religion either. I mention that because people who try to claim that atheism is a religion usually follow it up by saying science is its "god."

Furthermore, atheist does not equal anti-theist. I, for one, do not care if my neighbor worships one god, many gods or no gods at all. When they expect me to worship as they do, however, they had best have a decent reason as to why I should. If they think the country I live in and support should be governed by their definitions of religious requirements, the need for proof becomes all the more essential on their part.

And so far, none of them have come forth with any.

old comment by Anon-e-moose

@Lupine

"Actually, my history teacher said that Atheism is a religion, and it's different from being nonreligious. Works a little like this:

An atheist will fight to prove there's no god, and a nonreligious person won't get involved in the first place, believing it's not worth their time."

So I'd say to this teacher: Atheism is a religion, and you're prepared to uphold, nay, defend this logic, even if you were being tortured using methods that inflicts more than infinite pain on you? Okay...

Religions - from Catholicism - to $cientology* - claim tax-exempt status from the revenue agency of the country they reside in. You say - with absolute, unshakeable conviction - that Atheism is a 'religion'. In that case, we Atheists demand our tax-exemption. Backdated. With interest. And as you are soooooo sure we are a religion, and you're so firm in your conviction in your insistence that it is; in your assertion that it is so, therefore the onus is on you to pay we Atheists what is rughtfully due to us. Start unchaining that wallet, you've got untold billions to fork out. So cough up that ca$h, chop-chop!

...what's that, you say? You can't - or won't? Well then. Not only is your argument invalid, but those fundies who claim that - unlike Islam/Judaism/Hindiusm/Buddhism/$cientology etc - 'Christianity isn't a religion, but a personal relationship with Christ', do you want to make that call to the IRS, or shall I...?

Question: Where are our churches? What are our 'Scriptures'? What is our 'Doctrine'? What is our 'God'? You tell me.

Acknowledgement & acceptance of evidence-based factual Reality =/= superstitious, delusional 'Belief'. Facts fuck 'Faith'. Your argument is invalid.

Some teacher he is.

*- Except here in the UK. Over here, $cientology isn't legally recognised as a 'religion', therefore the Orgs etc that make up the Church of $cientology in my country must pay tax on their income (Auditing, courses etc).

Dreidel1913 #fundie christiandiscussionforums.org

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