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[kuro_suna]

A better question is what isn't a religion.
Dose not believing in zeus or rejecting rastafarianism make you religious.

[Neruz]

Starting from the positive position is not really the ideal way to categorize things.

[kuro_suna]

Starting from the positive position is not really the ideal way to categorize things.

Mostly yes but right now I'm trying to point out this is a no win scenario.
Any test to see if 'X' is a religion has to be possible for a sentient being to fail or it just makes religion a meaningless term.

[Neruz]

The test for "Is X a religion?" is simple. "Is X a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe?" Yes/No?

[kuro_suna]

The test for "Is X a religion?" is simple. "Is X a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe?" Yes/No?

I guess that works,
note that my first post was more a response to Siquo than you

[Micro102]

Neruz that was directed towards Siquo's definition not yours, and there are many definitions of religion. Personally i think the only thing keeping atheism from become a religion is that once it does a lot of the restraints would be taken off of it and it would grow.

[Ampersand]

Micro, I don't think you understand what the issue is. The reason Atheists in America are disliked is not because they're not following a religion, it's because they're not Christians.

[Micro102]

Nah otherwise they would be under the same laws as non-christian religions. Like said earlier it is illegal for them to be police officers. Things like that. They also can't do things like accept offerings and other things that i forgot  .

[Cheeetar]

But other religions are discriminated against in America as well. Not to say that all or most of Americans discriminate.

Even though the scientists claim they are not priests and not right and it's just theories, the masses won't listen.

Fun fact: Gravity is just a theory! So are germs.

[MrWiggles]

Nah otherwise they would be under the same laws as non-christian religions. Like said earlier it is illegal for them to be police officers. Things like that. They also can't do things like accept offerings and other things that i forgot  .

There on the books in some states, and may have been enforceable at some point, but they have no power. Excuse, they mostly have no power. If anyone contested an atheist and it reached a high court, it should be thrown out and probably will be.

They're left on because its expensive to remove them. Lots of laws on the book due to this.

[Neruz]

there are many definitions of religion.

No there are not. It's this kind of rediculousness that makes discussions on the intersphere so hard.

You do not get to define 'religion' as whatever you feel like. 'religion' is strictly defined as "a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe." That is it, that is what the word 'religion' means. End of discussion.

[Grakelin]

I know a Ph. D student in Sociology of Religion who would agree with Neruz's definition. This semantics debate is commonplace and useless. I gave not read through it, but I would not doubt it spans all 140 of these pages. Why struggle so hard to disprove Atheism as a religion? A hatred of people with religious beliefs that is so strong you're afraid to be labeled as one of them is as bad as a Christian or a Muslim hating a Muslim or a Christian for having differences.

[MrWiggles]

Whoa whoa, hatred? Anything else you want to load on that assertion?

Its about being correctly label what we are. Something that is a common curtsey to other social sub groups. Atheist isn't a religion. Its improper to call it one due to it being simply incorrect. Much like its improper to call a kiwi an aussie, or a muslum a christian. Its a curtsey.

I don't believe you is not a religion.

[Grakelin]

You need to explain why you feel so strongly about why Atheism is not a religion. It seems like it has been explained here already and you are denying it just because you don't want it to be true.

Which is a little bit ironic.

Also, please explain your last sentence. Are you saying that I am not a religion? That is correct, a PERSON is not a religion. A BELIEF SYSTEM can be a religion, but I am not a belief system. I'm assuming English is not your first language, so don't worry too much about this failure to communicate, just please reiterate.

[Cheeetar]

What? The general consensus was that atheism was not a religion. It hasn't been explained that atheism was a religion. Nowhere has it been explained.