Anonymous wrote:Why is it so important for some people to assert that atheism is a religion? I just don’t get it.

Because they use religion to frame everything in their life. They can’t understand the world without it.

Anonymous wrote:Why is it so important for some people to assert that atheism is a religion? I just don’t get it.

That’s an easy question to answer. It’s because they want to shift the burden of proof.

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Anonymous wrote:There is no system of beliefs. Unless you’re talking about science (big bang, etc). I guess that’s a “religion”.

There are many things we believe, quite rationally, that we cannot prove. Take basic moral claims, for example, such as “It’s wrong to inflict pain on people for no reason.” This seems rational and sensible, but I doubt I could prove it without assuming some more basic moral claim on which it is based.

I was referring to OP's comment about the big bang theory. Scientific theories attempt to explain the world around us. Usually they don't require supernatural forces.

NP
What is the causes of the Big Bang ?
A) Creator
B) It just happened
Both are based on faith.

Damn, you know how weak this argument is right? Those are NOT the only two choices.

And no, it’s not a religion, just like bald isn’t a hair color, not collecting stamps is not a hobby, and off is not a channel on your TV.

Is there more than two choices for how the universe started ?

There are as many choices as human imagination can conjure up. That doesn't make any of those choices correct, however.

I find the Kalam Cosmological argument persuasive.

The only way to do that is to presuppose a God, and also presuppose that there was a “before” the big bang.

You have to prove those two things first.

Why is it so important for some people to assert that atheism is a religion? I just don’t get it.

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Anonymous wrote:There is no system of beliefs. Unless you’re talking about science (big bang, etc). I guess that’s a “religion”.

There are many things we believe, quite rationally, that we cannot prove. Take basic moral claims, for example, such as “It’s wrong to inflict pain on people for no reason.” This seems rational and sensible, but I doubt I could prove it without assuming some more basic moral claim on which it is based.

I was referring to OP's comment about the big bang theory. Scientific theories attempt to explain the world around us. Usually they don't require supernatural forces.

NP
What is the causes of the Big Bang ?
A) Creator
B) It just happened
Both are based on faith.

B isn’t faith. You seem confused about the difference between faith and scientific uncertainty.

I have no problem with scientific uncertainty.
My problem is with an Atheist comparing Creator beliefs with fairy tales.
This happened in the Atheist/Agnostic tread.

Some creator beliefs are considered to be fairy tales by people who believe in other creator beliefs.

e.g., Athena, goddess of wisdom, born from the brain of Zeus, the main ancient Greek God. Christians don't believe that at all. They believe that the Son of God was crucified and rose from the dead.

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Anonymous wrote:There is no system of beliefs. Unless you’re talking about science (big bang, etc). I guess that’s a “religion”.

There are many things we believe, quite rationally, that we cannot prove. Take basic moral claims, for example, such as “It’s wrong to inflict pain on people for no reason.” This seems rational and sensible, but I doubt I could prove it without assuming some more basic moral claim on which it is based.

I was referring to OP's comment about the big bang theory. Scientific theories attempt to explain the world around us. Usually they don't require supernatural forces.

NP
What is the causes of the Big Bang ?
A) Creator
B) It just happened
Both are based on faith.

B isn’t faith. You seem confused about the difference between faith and scientific uncertainty.

I have no problem with scientific uncertainty.
My problem is with an Atheist comparing Creator beliefs with fairy tales.
This happened in the Atheist/Agnostic tread.

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Anonymous wrote:There is no system of beliefs. Unless you’re talking about science (big bang, etc). I guess that’s a “religion”.

There are many things we believe, quite rationally, that we cannot prove. Take basic moral claims, for example, such as “It’s wrong to inflict pain on people for no reason.” This seems rational and sensible, but I doubt I could prove it without assuming some more basic moral claim on which it is based.

I was referring to OP's comment about the big bang theory. Scientific theories attempt to explain the world around us. Usually they don't require supernatural forces.

NP
What is the causes of the Big Bang ?
A) Creator
B) It just happened
Both are based on faith.

Damn, you know how weak this argument is right? Those are NOT the only two choices.

And no, it’s not a religion, just like bald isn’t a hair color, not collecting stamps is not a hobby, and off is not a channel on your TV.

Is there more than two choices for how the universe started ?

There are as many choices as human imagination can conjure up. That doesn't make any of those choices correct, however.

I find the Kalam Cosmological argument persuasive.

Anonymous wrote:No. Though some atheists may appear to be zealous or dogmatic in their assertions in a way that can mirror religiosity, I don't think it's a religious faith as it's a philosophical system distinguished by a lack of faith. Of course there could be atheist sects out there that are cult-like or have religious aspects, but this doesn't apply to the general category of atheism.

Atheism is the antithesis of religion; it is the lack of religion - not being religious. Some atheists (like some religious people) are openly and in some cases loudly non-religious. Others (like some religious people) are quietly non-religious and may not even think of themselves in terms of religious belief or non-belief. Not holding supernatural beliefs and not practicing a religion is simply a natural state for them.

Anonymous wrote:Atheists get very upset that their faith that nothing exists is ever mentioned.

Not everyone looks at everything through the lens of religion.

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Anonymous wrote:There is no system of beliefs. Unless you’re talking about science (big bang, etc). I guess that’s a “religion”.

There are many things we believe, quite rationally, that we cannot prove. Take basic moral claims, for example, such as “It’s wrong to inflict pain on people for no reason.” This seems rational and sensible, but I doubt I could prove it without assuming some more basic moral claim on which it is based.

I was referring to OP's comment about the big bang theory. Scientific theories attempt to explain the world around us. Usually they don't require supernatural forces.

NP
What is the causes of the Big Bang ?
A) Creator
B) It just happened
Both are based on faith.

Damn, you know how weak this argument is right? Those are NOT the only two choices.

And no, it’s not a religion, just like bald isn’t a hair color, not collecting stamps is not a hobby, and off is not a channel on your TV.

Is there more than two choices for how the universe started ?

There are as many choices as human imagination can conjure up. That doesn't make any of those choices correct, however.

I think PP means supernatural vs natural causes.

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Anonymous wrote:There is no system of beliefs. Unless you’re talking about science (big bang, etc). I guess that’s a “religion”.

There are many things we believe, quite rationally, that we cannot prove. Take basic moral claims, for example, such as “It’s wrong to inflict pain on people for no reason.” This seems rational and sensible, but I doubt I could prove it without assuming some more basic moral claim on which it is based.

I was referring to OP's comment about the big bang theory. Scientific theories attempt to explain the world around us. Usually they don't require supernatural forces.

NP
What is the causes of the Big Bang ?
A) Creator
B) It just happened
Both are based on faith.

Damn, you know how weak this argument is right? Those are NOT the only two choices.

And no, it’s not a religion, just like bald isn’t a hair color, not collecting stamps is not a hobby, and off is not a channel on your TV.

Is there more than two choices for how the universe started ?

There are as many choices as human imagination can conjure up. That doesn't make any of those choices correct, however.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is no system of beliefs. Unless you’re talking about science (big bang, etc). I guess that’s a “religion”.

There are many things we believe, quite rationally, that we cannot prove. Take basic moral claims, for example, such as “It’s wrong to inflict pain on people for no reason.” This seems rational and sensible, but I doubt I could prove it without assuming some more basic moral claim on which it is based.

I was referring to OP's comment about the big bang theory. Scientific theories attempt to explain the world around us. Usually they don't require supernatural forces.

NP
What is the causes of the Big Bang ?
A) Creator
B) It just happened
Both are based on faith.

Damn, you know how weak this argument is right? Those are NOT the only two choices.

And no, it’s not a religion, just like bald isn’t a hair color, not collecting stamps is not a hobby, and off is not a channel on your TV.

Is there more than two choices for how the universe started ?

Atheists get very upset that their faith that nothing exists is ever mentioned.

No, it is not.

No. Though some atheists may appear to be zealous or dogmatic in their assertions in a way that can mirror religiosity, I don't think it's a religious faith as it's a philosophical system distinguished by a lack of faith. Of course there could be atheist sects out there that are cult-like or have religious aspects, but this doesn't apply to the general category of atheism.