Atheism is a religion

[Inedifix]

Originally Posted by finix

Well, I think we have to be careful that we don't turn atheism into a religion.

I think I know what you mean, but even if we all tried really hard, we couldn't 'turn' atheism into a religion. Atheism is simply the absence of belief. It was a word invented by believers to denigrate the un-pious.

Originally Posted by finix

"Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values"

Whereas atheism isn't.

Atheism is not a collection of anything = No
Atheism has no cultural system = No
Atheism is by definition a lack of belief = No
Atheism is a worldview = Yes
Atheism does not establish symbols that relate humanity to spirituality or moral values = No

1 out of 5 does not make atheism a religion, nor something that could be 'turned' into one.

[Meissner]

Atheism is a worldview = Yes

mmmmmmm, can't say I agree with that.

Philosophical naturalism? yes

Humanism? yes

Skepticism? yes

Atheism? no, it is the result of skepticism and it is only the answer to one question, Do you believe god exists?

No=Atheist.

That doesn't mean you have a worldview based on your answer, you come to your answer based on your worldview.

[Inedifix]

Originally Posted by Meissner

mmmmmmm, can't say I agree with that.

Philosophical naturalism? yes

Humanism? yes

Skepticism? yes

Atheism? no, it is the result of skepticism and it is only the answer to one question, Do you believe god exists?

No=Atheist.

That doesn't mean you have a worldview based on your answer, you come to your answer based on your worldview.

Good point. I hereby change what I said my last post to 0 out of 5.

Thanks Meissner

[Meissner]

Originally Posted by Inedifix

Good point. I hereby change what I said my last post to 0 out of 5.

Thanks Meissner

excellent

[stevebrooks]

Originally Posted by Sieveboy

It was even funnier when he told me maths only exists in out heads. I think I broke my logic paddle bat on him.

So did you ask for a 20 in exchange for 2 tens and give him 2x5's then insist it was correct according to the maths in your head?


When he argues that 2x5's always = 10 and not 20 he would be claiming that the sum is the same for everybody whether or not they even knew maths and that therefore maths must be seperate from what is in our head.

[rayne]

Originally Posted by Sieveboy

It was even funnier when he told me maths only exists in out heads. I think I broke my logic paddle bat on him.

Well god only exists in his head so I guess we're even. If he doesn't believe in math then he shouldn't be able to use anything that requires math to function.

[AUSloth]

Originally Posted by Sieveboy

It was even funnier when he told me maths only exists in out heads. I think I broke my logic paddle bat on him.

Sounds like a traditional church technique for fleecing the flock. Keep the maths in your head then when anyone enquiries it's always "you owe us"
I am in your club re. "scientism" a pet hate.

[Worldslaziestbusker]

Originally Posted by Sieveboy

It was even funnier when he told me maths only exists in out heads. I think I broke my logic paddle bat on him.

Numbers are metaphors for sets of real things, and the equations we use them in are models of how things work in the universe. The universe doesn't use look up tables to determine how a planet should orbit a star - these things happen the way they do because of the four forces we attempt to model with equations. In this sense, mathematics is conceptual. Extremely useful, but not real.
Further thoughts on the unrealness of some really useful things.

[Mjt]

Originally Posted by finix

I quoted the wikipedia definition because it is what the average moron would accept as a definition.

We are only as good as the information we equip ourselves with. Even then, we are being biased by smothers point of view.

Is it not enough that others see atheism as a religion. Shouldn't that ring alarm bells to us about the way we are presenting ourselves to the public.

Umm whats an average moron please?
Ya see what bothers me is the us and we and ourselves. Im not any part of any of your anything. Just another reason why atheism could not be a religion. Because no one tells me how I should do it.

Originally Posted by finix

Luckily, we don't allow pedophiles to define themselves.

Telling people they are wrong and stupid is a classic symptom of religious fanatics.

If you think you are smarter than everyone else, you will learn nothing.

Being an atheist does not mean you have to be agro and go around hating religion. We all have common ground.

My bold. Does this include labeling any old body as an average moron?

Who is being mean and agro? I'm not normally mean and agro. Well except for that one time over on the other thread about that stoopid temple and if I could link it I would but I dont know how so you will have to use you imagination.
People have been known to just become totally frustrated, but usually after loooooong conversations, and sometimes NO is required.
Who hates religion? I don't. I just don't have any.
So please don't include me in your we. I don't want any.

I think you may be taking too much notice of other peoples idea of the atheist. It is a diverse creature. This one shall present itself however it damn well wants.

[Sieveboy]

Originally Posted by Worldslaziestbusker

Numbers are metaphors for sets of real things, and the equations we use them in are models of how things work in the universe. The universe doesn't use look up tables to determine how a planet should orbit a star - these things happen the way they do because of the four forces we attempt to model with equations. In this sense, mathematics is conceptual. Extremely useful, but not real.
Further thoughts on the unrealness of some really useful things.

True, the maths question I posed to him: was the interest he earned on his bank account/charged on hid bank loan real or not?