Anthropologically, it is a religion, theologically it is not.

Ever the enigma, your friend,
Cinders ;)

errrrr yes cinders....*nods*

*buys a dictionary*

LMAO debs!

uhh.. no :S it IS 4 ppl who dont believe in religion. if it is a religion then its no point having the name atheism and no point being an atheist :S

You know,if it's considered a religion,than wouldn't it technically BE one?Aaw,Cinders,why did you have to go and confuse us with big words?:P

hellgirl atheism is not for people that dont believe in religion is for people that dont believe in a god

Having left the majority of fanpoppers in a quandary, the enigma Cinders deigns to explain herself.

Why Atheism is a religion, anthropologically speaking:

Perhaps a better word to use here would be "sociologically" speaking, but nevertheless, it's about human behavior. Atheists are devout in their nonbelief. They tend to congregate with other atheists and discuss said nonbelief. They hold all of the same social behaviors as the religious. Atheists also have clubs on university campuses and at schools. They refuse to give up their nonbelief. All of these are behavioral signs that atheism shares with religion. Just substitute "nonbelief" with "belief."

Why Atheism is theologically not a religion:

"A-theism" means "no god" or "without god."

OED definition of religion: "Action or conduct indicating a belief in, reverence for, and desire to please, a divine ruling power; the exercise or practice of rites or observances implying this."

By theology, I also probably should have actually said "literally." When I said theology, my mind was thinking "the study of religion."

Atheism does not fit the definition of a religion, as they lack belief in a supreme divine being.

Am I clear now? ;o)

you said it ;)

Ah i see what you mean Cinders! Confusing =S But i don't think i'm devote in my non - belief, it just happens i don't believe in anything....

My "religion", Spudism,
www.fanpop.com/spots/spudism

is a lot like Atheism, without the scientific skepticism- we have no set religion, and we follow science. However, you can follow our religion even if you believe in a specific god. The point of this religion is really to make a group of different people, with different beliefs, and make them into one strong, welcoming community, with peace among us all.

how can not believing in religion be a religion?!

nah

i think as the non believer is adiment there is no god and the the beliver is adimment god does exist then atheism could be considered more like a religion then Agnostos in which you are open to either the existence or no existence of god to be true ...

atheism is a philosophy

Its still a belief, the belief that there is no God. Just because there are no symbols or rituals does not mean it is not a religion

it's a religion that believes that there is no religion. yeah.

it is a philosophy

A beliefe system yes. Another religion no.

i think so yes because religon is having faith or beliving in serton things like gods. Atheists belive there is no god which is like a religon. They have faith in what they belive and like any religous follower they will try to defend there belifes

Atheism is a religion. Yes, Cinders, it does not worship a "supreme divine being," but it does set other, usually worldly things up as its idols or objects of worship. Atheists may not admit it, but they set things such as money, power, fame, success, etc. up as their idols and worship those things with as much zeal as some followers of other religions.

^Why do you think Atheists worship money, fame, etc.? Being an Atheist only means you don't belive in God and says nothing more of the person.

In my mind atheism is a belief system more than a religion.
The literal definition of religion is: the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling being.
So if we are going by that definition, Atheist believe in the absence of god it could not be a religion.

I don't consider it to be one, Atheism imo is the lack of a belief in a religion or higher power.

Yes and no, as Cinders' comments have pointed out. However I think most people, or at least my group of friends (including the Atheist in the bunch), see it as the lack of religion as opposed to a different religion altogether.

I don't know, but it's easier just to call it a religion.

Only if it incorporates a system of moral codes used to better the body and mind such as Buddhism and Confusianism. There are no gods in their religions yet it is considered a religion because they take on a rule of conduct.

If atheism is a "religion", then NOT collecting stamps is a "hobby".

As I said link.

religion is when you have rituals or things to honor,pay respect to or pray to your gods or god atheism says that religion is wrong and no gods what so ever exists

^Atheism does NOT say that religion is wrong. I was Atheist for a very long time, and had no problem with any other religion.
Also, I always though of it as a religion, as it's still a belief. :)

yes its mine with a science symbol and I'm proud of it

Yes...

but also no. It's basically a paradox XD

I was just thinking about it other day...

It takes a lot of faith to think that everything came from nothing, so I say that they have their own religious beliefs. They also get very prejudice of other people of differing beliefs and they fit themselves right in with all the different religious fighting.