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I know it is the purpose of some religions to persuade others (in some way) to join their religion. But what about atheists? As on these forums, I see professed atheists often posting arguments against religious folk, and I don't witness too much religious tolerance, actually. My only conclusions so far are:
1. Atheism is also a religion with its own sets of beliefs and guidelines (even books they adhere to such as scientific theories)
2. Atheists try to persuade others with their arguments, thus making atheists evangelists
3. Atheists wish to abolish other forms of beliefs, just as some religious people (like Islamists) do
I really don't see much of a difference, so I classify Atheism as a religion. Is this wrong? If so, why?
Because the common denominator in all true religions is some belief in or appeal to, the supernatural. Belief in the supernatural doesn't appeal to atheists at all, as a rule.
Call me when you notice atheists going door to door or televangelizing.
The OP strikes me as someone who really knows nothing of atheists, or atheism and hasn't bothered to educate him/herself.
Just runnin' with what them-there tv fundavangelists are allatime sayin' about them godless satan's spawn.
Exactly. There's such a "gotcha" tone to so many of these posts and then when the points are swiftly refuted, OP slinks backward into the hedges like that Simpsons gif.
By definition "atheism" is not any more religious then most other beliefs. people make it look like it is. People turn their beliefs into actions that look an awful like a religion. I am starting to see, because I always look for a "bottom line", the distinction between the two seems to lay in the emotional connection to a stance or against a stance a person has. The deeper the emotional need the more life the belief takes on. real or imagined.
That's why many people will not move the support structure for a belief from qualitative descriptors into quantitative descriptors ... It Hurts ... when "you" are just not that important. Derpression for some.
In that case there are three primary things you should know about atheists right from the get-go. First, atheists do not "know" that there is no God. Knowing things to a perfect certainty is a superpower no human possesses. Atheists doubt the existence of God the same way we doubt the existence of Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny. Second, atheists are not Satanists. The concept of Satan is something that believers have dreamed up to frighten themselves into continuing to believe their own superstitious nonsense. It has nothing to do with atheists. And third, as I already mentioned, atheism is NOT a religious belief. It is the utter lack of any religious beliefs.
You could learn a lot by spending a week or two reading old threads in the Atheism & Agnosticism forum, keeping your mind open to what people have to say. No need to bump all the threads back to the top of the forum; just read and pay attention.
Yes but cough, cough this really isn't about abolishing religion, just not allowing it to be taught!
It's not about abolishing religion. It's about exposing religion for the superstitious nonsense it always was, and allowing it to whither naturally from exposure. You have every right to believe whatever you choose to believe, as long as you don't impose your beliefs on others. Religious people have a long history of being unable to do that, however.
Yes but cough, cough this really isn't about abolishing religion, just not allowing it to be taught!
I see nothing in the post which advocates abolishing religion. It advocates parents not indoctrinating their children into a specific religion, and advocates allowing them to make their own choices. Interesting, is it not, that you equate people making free choices about religion with religion being abolished. Guess you do not have much confidence in what those choices would be, do you?
It does amuse me that you searched so diligently to find support for your assertion and that this was the closest that you could come...and it isn't actually even close. I also note that you deemed it necessary to add not only the sarcastic icon, but also the "cough cough" which are apparently designed to distract from the fact that your post is without substance. A turd with a bow on it is still just a turd.
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