Tolerance of atheism. Discuss.

[Cheesy111]

I apologise for offending anyone by saying atheism is a religion.

In my opinion atheism is a religon because it looks exactly like one:
It has some core beliefs: there is no god, theory of evolution, etc.
It has extremists, and moderates.
It tries to convert others to join it.

In all of these ways, atheism looks like a religion to me, and so I think of it as one.

Back on topic:
If atheism is not a religon, them does that mean that it is legal to discriminate against atheists? I personally doubt it, and if it is illegal then atheism can essentially be regarded as a religon in this context.

(I am unsure of the exact wording of the law, it may say "due to religion or lack therof" in which case my last point is moot.)

Off-topic: Theory of evolution is not a 'core belief' of atheism.  Atheism is simply the lack of belief in a god or gods.  All else is culture.

On-topic: In the US at least, there are several states where atheists cannot take certain political offices.  I would consider this legal discrimination.

[Aves]

I apologise for offending anyone by saying atheism is a religion.
No offense taken, though I strongly disagree.
In my opinion atheism is a religon because it looks exactly like one:
It has some core beliefs: there is no god, theory of evolution, etc.
It has extremists, and moderates.
It tries to convert others to join it.
I do not mean to offend... but the same could be said of a number of cultural issues, ranging from serious issues such as gun rights and abortion rights(though the latter is linked with religious debate) and Strict/Loose Construction to trivial arguments such as the Patriots Vs Steelers or Coke vs Pepsi or DC vs Marvel fandoms.
In all of these ways, atheism looks like a religion to me, and so I think of it as one.

Back on topic:
If atheism is not a religon, them does that mean that it is legal to discriminate against atheists?  I personally doubt it, and if it is illegal then atheism can essentially be regarded as a religon in this context. Concept of Natural Rights, the Constitution, the Law of the United States, etc... unless athesists aren't human. Or 'random' acts of voilence.

(I am unsure of the exact wording of the law, it may say "due to religion or lack therof" in which case my last point is moot.) Are you referring to the Constitution? The Constitution and our actual laws and legal system are separate, though linked, entities (the Constitution is the basis and framework of the legal system while our laws are the details).

Edit: Reworded/clarified some of my position. I am fatigued, and in need of sleep, so much of my argument is probably terrible or something. Will return when I have time.

[OldTrees]

Don't make this thread derail on semantics just like the other one did. Focus on what was brought up by the OP

If you want to make a case about being discriminated against now, use quotes that arent 30+ years old.

US State Constitutions that Discriminate Against Atheists
Source: http://www.godlessgeeks.com/LINKS/StateConstitutions.htm
Unfortunately this discrimination is constitutional so we cannot fix it by appealing to the supreme court.

[furballdn]

Texas' State Constitution, Article 1 Section 4
"No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office, or public trust, in this State; nor shall any one be excluded from holding office on account of his religious sentiments, provided he acknowledge the existence of a Supreme Being."

We won't discriminate you as long as you acknowledge god(s)!

[juan_de_diablo]

The man on the right is the father of a good friend:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/marcy0414/1285322232/lightbox/

[Belthus]

"No, I don't know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered  patriots.  This is one nation under God."  -George H.W. Bush, O'Hare interview, August 27, 1987.

"No National Socialist may suffer detriment... on the ground that he does not make any religious profession at all."  -Decree in Nazi Germany, 1933.

Well then.

The Bush quote was made during a press conference. It was not an "interview."

Are you saying that the Nazis tolerated atheism across the board? Or did they tolerate it in some of their members and allies, out of practical convenience, while persecuting the overwhelming majority of atheists, who were mostly left-wing? Someone might get the idea that the Nazis were predominantly atheist, and that would be false. What is the purpose of the quote? To misrepresent the Nazis in order to further your point of view?

Why not ask what Osama bin Laden thought of atheists? Why not look at countries that execute atheists (for being atheists) and ask whether you would like to live in those countries?

[mildlyfrightenedboy]

re·li·gion   [ri-lij-uhn]
noun
1.
a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.


According to dictionary.com, it *can* involve a deity, but it doesn't have to.
Granted, I don't see why atheism being a religion matters or not - it's purely semantics.  Atheists don't believe in a deity, which is how certain discriminatory laws are worded.

Texas law:
"No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office, or public trust, in this State; nor shall any one be excluded from holding office on account of his religious sentiments, provided he acknowledge the existence of a Supreme Being."

[Dm]

In my opinion atheism is a religon because it looks exactly like one:
It has some core beliefs: there is no god, theory of evolution, etc.
It has extremists, and moderates.
It tries to convert others to join it.

A lot of things have core beliefs, extremists, moderates, and "pulls" people into it. In your opinion, a lotta things are religion. Politics, for one.

Also, not all atheists believe in the theory of evolution. Some do, but not all.

(Off-topic : is it really ri-lij-uhn? I always thought of it as re-lij-iun for some reason.)

[vrt]

Atheism (or agnosticism) is tolerated far less than most deity-based religions within the USA, at least as far as I can see. I suspect the reason for this lies within the false feeling of persecution by theists. After all, atheism is essentially based around one thing: Logic and observation. And sadly, logical reasoning is the Achilles heel of many a major religion, since any form of common sense just doesn't seem to reach the same conclusion as they're trying to convey as 'supreme truth'.

Let's take this into an everyday scenario; one at a workplace, in fact. One employee talks about religion a lot, has scripture quotes hanging all over their office, wears a cross around their necks.. In fact, they even have a few tattoos quoting scripture. This is considered acceptable in most companies. Now, at this same company, an employee comes in wearing a T-shirt saying "Darwin is my homeboy". He gets asked to change his shirt because "coworkers are taking offense". Mind you, this is not a hypothetical, I've seen this very thing happen at a local store. I've also seen a similar attitude in many, many more places.


Again; it all seems to come back to theists seemingly feeling like they're being persecuted, and it's understandable, of course - modern science debunks more and more of religions' fallacies. But this irrational panic is just insane, and spreading fast; church leaders proclaiming there's a 'war on Christianity', saying there's a 'jihad against our church', trying to lead people to believe there's something like an ethnic cleansing going on?  When you live in a country ruled by the 44th openly theist president in a row, you're a long ways away from that.

[juan_de_diablo]

Let's take this into an everyday scenario; one at a workplace, in fact. One employee talks about religion a lot, has scripture quotes hanging all over their office, wears a cross around their necks.. In fact, they even have a few tattoos quoting scripture. This is considered acceptable in most companies. Now, at this same company, an employee comes in wearing a T-shirt saying "Darwin is my homeboy". He gets asked to change his shirt because "coworkers are taking offense". Mind you, this is not a hypothetical, I've seen this very thing happen at a local store. I've also seen a similar attitude in many, many more places.

This is a good point, and everyone should read it and take it to heart and consider it both ways.

[BluePriest]

The vrt quote works both ways however. Ultimately there are extremists on either side. ITs up to us to rise above them and acnkowledge that although there is a minority like that, there is a majority that is not.

[kimham8a]

Religions don't always have a deity. Budhism for one.