What religions are compatible with atheism?
Posted on: April 5, 2008 - 7:29am
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What religions are compatible with atheism?
Now, I know the obvious answer to this question would be religions that lack a god or gods, but I'm digging for specifics here. I briefly read up on Buddhism and Taoism and found them to be intriguing. Buddhism seems a little too "magic"-ie for my taste, but the basic principles behind Taoism I find myself very attracted to. What other atheistic religions are there?
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Satanism
youtube.com/watch
The eleven satanic rules of the earth
Bushido
>.>
<.<
what?
"Very funny Scotty; now beam down our clothes."
VEGETARIAN: Ancient Hindu word for "lousy hunter"
If man was formed from dirt, why is there still dirt?
I heard a statistic that 1 in 5 Church of England priests don't believe God actually exists and follow Christianity as more of a cultural/moral thing rather than a literal truth about the world. Any religious sect can be either atheistic and any can be superstitious - it depends on the attitude of the believer/group/tradition that it is routed in.
Atheism is not a creed or a philosophy. It does not concern itself by definition with morals and ethics, nor does it imply that its subscriber conforms to any particular lifestyle, value, or belief - apart of course from understanding the fact that there is no deity in charge of things.
Religion, by definition, concerns itself with all these things and more. Religion allows for belief in the irrational, the prime element of this normally being belief in a deity in charge of things. Whether that deity is represented as superhuman or fuzzy "good vibe" spiritual "something out there" is neither here nor there. It is a belief system grounded in desire alone and impossible to justify through purely rational means.
There is therefore no religion "like atheism". If people associated with a particular church question the existence of the deity that church expects them to believe in, and if they extend that philosophy to abandon all the other associated superstitions, then they are atheists too.
I would rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy
Jeffrick: Atheism isn't an absence of religion or philosophical code - it's simply a lack of belief in a god or gods. You can be an atheist and still have a religion. However, if you're more hell-bent on the uber-rational (like me), then your options seem pretty limited. It looks like either Taoism or Satanism. I don't like that line in Satanism about "magic" though. Not too down for "magic".
I probably should read up on it more before trying to explain it - because I'll probably get it wrong - but this is what I gathered from Taoism. If this isn't accurate to the actual "religion", then I guess I've invented a new "denomination" of it!
In Taoism, your goal is to find harmony with the "tao" - or the "way". The way is a constant. In the case of myself and most rationalists here, we would attribute our physical reality as our constant way. Now, here's a key point in Taoism that many will interpret negatively at first glance:
Never interfere with the tao. Essentially, never interfere with the "way of nature".
Cycle that through your head for a moment, and you'll realize that human science is a "way of nature". It's the next phase in our natural evolution, and it shouldn't be held back by anything.
So what does interfere with the way? Theistic and superstitious religions. Anything that is irrational misguides you from the tao. I mean way. Way-tao. Taoway. Shit.
Does anyone see what I'm getting at here?!
Maybe the Church of Emacs? You do have this:
"Saint IGNUcius says: Some people don't realize that Saint IGNUcius is Saint IGNUcius's way of not taking himself too seriously. Therefore,
Warning: taking the Church of Emacs (or any church) too seriously may be hazardous to your health."
"What right have you to condemn a murderer if you assume him necessary to "God's plan"? What logic can command the return of stolen property, or the branding of a thief, if the Almighty decreed it?"
-- The Economic Tendency of Freethought
Pantheism is the only religion that I have respect for, like the Native American belief. They only believe in a god that created; The Universe, Life through evolution, and the natural laws. Not a god who you can pray to, or looks over you. And to me they're just worshipping the big bang singularity, lol. I'm an Atheist but I worship Matter & Energy too, lol.
Slimm,
Don't go looking for a specific religion to fulfill you. You don't need it.
As an atheist you can believe whatever the hell you want. I learn from many different things and take the good bits from them (including bushido!).
Instead of getting one particular group to tell you what is right, develop your own code of ethics/conduct and modify it as you learn more (you don't even have to write it down).
Zen-atheist wielding Occam's katana.
Jesus said, "Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division." - Luke 12:51
Satanism is the best religion I have seen. I actually did a speech on it for my English class earlier this year. I have respect for it, but I wouldn't affiliate myself with them as I don't agree with all of LeVay's philosophies.
I agree. LaVay satanism does have some good concepts. Unfortunately, virtually no christians realise that there is a diference between the satanism of their imaginations and novels, and LaVay satansim.This makes affiliating yourself with LaVay satanism a risky propostion.
It's funny though, except for rules 6 and 11(magic and destroying someone for being a bother seems extreme) I'd say they'd be better off having those rules in courtrooms etc than the ten commandments.
Psalm 14:1 "the fool hath said in his heart there is a God"-From a 1763 misprinted edition of the bible
Argument from Sadism: Theist presents argument in a wall of text with no punctuation and wrong spelling. Atheist cannot read and is forced to concede.
I have read LaVey's Satanistic Bible as well. Yes, these ideas are very humanistic and applying a common sense. I wouldn't be afraid of having such a satanist as a neighbour. (well, houses here are about 400 meters from each other anyway)
However, it is interesting how they invoke supernatural powers and deities, while they still naturalistically believe they're just
animals, and there is nothing for them after death. When ancient powerful spirits can exist, so why human souls can't? After all, what else would these ancient deities eat?
OK, just kidding.
Every "religion" I would recommend, is actually not a religion. I have seen in practice working some parts of New Age paradigm, this is why I think a part of it is worthy of further working with . I also like a lot politically-economical opinions, presented by Benjamin Creme, the british general editor of the Share International magazine. He has a real insight in these principles. Strangely, his books, though written very differently, says practically the same things like Osho's books. Osho makes it very popularistic, fun at times, easy to read, but the same things can be found in Creme's books, in more advanced and precise form.
Beings who deserve worship don't demand it. Beings who demand worship don't deserve it.
In my opinion, Satanism is worser than believing in god. You have to think there's a god, before you can think there's a fire loving devil monster in the center of the earth...
LaVay satanism doesn't think there's a devil monster in the center of the earth.They use the term satan as a symbol for peoples inner desires. They reject Theistic Satanism,the worshipping of the christian based satan, as christian heresy.
Basically, you're your own god.
Psalm 14:1 "the fool hath said in his heart there is a God"-From a 1763 misprinted edition of the bible
Argument from Sadism: Theist presents argument in a wall of text with no punctuation and wrong spelling. Atheist cannot read and is forced to concede.
Luminom, I believe the supernatural rituals of satanism you are referring to are meant to be more symbollic than taken literally.
Taoism and Buddhism for me are the same thing. The "magic" crap some so called buddhists preach is bull. Reincarnation just meant recycling of all energy/matter and what ever else the fuck there might be ...... The eastern ideas are important to know if you are under a western GAWED of abe spell ..... I love the east, for what it's worth ......
sincerely , me Jesus , a fan of Buddha ! and Confucius too ! ...... 
<----- god
Atheism Books.
For a while, until about a year ago, I thought that eventually I would become a Buddhist- I always felt very comfortable with the underlying philosophy, and the whole Dharma-thing describes most of the values I hold dear anyway.
But the thing is, it ís still a religion- which does mean that there is also a load of mumbo-jumbo about reincarnation and karma, which I desperately tríed to believe in, but it's just... after a couple of months of mumbling sutra's, the main thought that kept flitting through my mind while trying to meditate was "what the fúck am I doing here?!"- which does not help, of course.
In the end I decided that taking a vow of solace and all that ritual jazz would be totally meaningless after all: with the bits of philosophy, attitude and techniques I raked up anyway, I already have exactly what I need- but Buddhism as a religion, I suppose, is not totally compatible with my interpretation of what atheism is... unfortunately.
One "religion" that has not been mentioned by the way: what about humanism?
Seems most say buddhism is nothing more than suggestions and not at all a religion. I say check it out and be the wiser ..... Yes there are nuts calling them selves buddhists, where as all Xians are nuts !
Karma ? Go out into the world smiling and caring and see what happens.
Reincarnation = recycling of all in the universe, you and me included ! The folklore did get stupid ..... Geezzz, and the shit the Xains do to my atheist Jesus ......
Atheism Books.
Humanism, like anarchism, is a philosophy, not a religion.
LeVay is a fucking con man, still peddling the ridiculous shit (in modified form) he was peddling in the 60s.
They believe in magic for fucks sake!
If you're at the stage of "I'm an atheist, woo woo, looky me I'm pissin' off THE MAN," freakin grow up.
Seriously, I can't believe I actually read someone recommending this nonsense on what is supposedly a "rationality" centered forum.
Being open-minded isn't the same thing as being vacant.
I thought he was dead?
Matt Shizzle has been banned from the Rational Response Squad website. This event shall provide an atmosphere more conducive to social growth. - Majority of the mod team
I like that notion, I always used to say that I believed in recycling rather then reincarnation, but at the time for me that meant recycling of "soul-stuff" or something like that. Never truly believed it, but it sounded so nice that I kind of pretended to anyway, heheh.
Everything being so much related to everything else that there is essentially no true distinction between anything and anything else, is in itself a concept that fits perfectly with Buddhism, and I like looking at the world with it in my mind: as in "the wooden chair is also the tree that provided the wood, the air it breathed, the soil it grew on, the lumberjack who cut it, the carpenter who built it, the bakers who baked their bread and so on....
...But also as in "Every adult human on earth is bound to have consumed water molecules that have passed through the bladder of Oliver Cromwell" (so essentially, everybody on this forum will at one time have drunk from what was once the urine of the great-great-great-grandparents of everybody on this forum, don't you all feel a bond now
)
I only half belief in Karma as a "a positive attitude pays off"- concept: Good things happen to both good and bad people, as do bad things, after all. Although interacting with other people dóes, of course become a lot easier when you do smile and care- but that is, I'd say, less "Karma" then a pleasant and effective way of communication.
True that. To me it feels a little like "semi-religious without the bad parts", a way to find something of a meaning to life outside of the supernatural, so I sometimes rank it among religions. But, indeed, perhaps that is not totally fair.
That's pretty much how I view things
I basically think that everything has a price. Equal and opposite reaction, yada yada. But really, from how my life has been going (can't really speak for everyone else?), it seems that for every great thing that happens to you, there's a big price to pay. Once you realize this, you gotta start playing your cards very carefully, because sometimes the price is just too much.
What do you mean by the price to pay? Is it like, for example, you get your salary higher and then you come home and see your iguana pet fall a victim to a hungry, wild racoon which broke into your house? I haven't seen things to work like that. (just approximately, I avoided any probable scenarios to possibly not hurt your feelings if it would match with your life, but you got the point) It would take a bit longer to explain how usually life behaves according to a local theory, which is a bit complicated, but exact. I mean, if everything comes with a price, that's not quite what I saw.
I understand the law of karma just like good old J., as a simple law of action and reaction (how do you sow, so shall you reap) and a law of attraction of the same things (who's rich, will be given, who's poor, will be taken even the little he has).
There's also the Old-testamentish "eye for eye, tooth for tooth", but this is the worst way how to understand it, I think Jesus specially denied this custom. (the bible quote should be somewhere around in Dawkins' essay)
There are more important laws, which really help in living, for example, a law of sacrifice, when a person sacrifices lower parts of personality for these higher. (so it's quite a good deal, though not easy) Or there is a law of honesty of mind, sincerity of spirit and detachment. This means, when you think something, you should also say it AND do it, so all people can trust you. Express yourself, as you really are. And don't identify yourself with your body, mind, and spirit, these are only your tools, nothing more. Anything hurting your body can't hurt you, insulting your mind can't insult you and cursing your spirit can't curse you. When you're detached, you're free.
Beings who deserve worship don't demand it. Beings who demand worship don't deserve it.
I just backed over my dogma with my Kharma...I think I'll have to get my chakras realigned. Does Midas do that?
LC >;-}>
Christianity: A disgusting middle eastern blood cult, based in human sacrifice, with sacraments of cannibalism and vampirism, whose highest icon is of a near naked man hanging in torment from a device of torture.
Hey clever Louis, but you didn't mean to hurt that dog, or was that actually dogma ? Then good for you. Seems your "bodymind" is well aligned, as you send much fun Kharma ..... For what it's worth, I pronounce you "SAVED" as I AM GOD ! ...... yeah big fucking deal ....
Atheism Books.
All of them, and none of them.
Maybe I'm being pedantic here, but all religions are "compatible" with atheism, in a sense.
Even Buddhism or Toaism, which are "atheistic" religions sometimes require belief in things that you don't personally believe as a free-thinking individual. This really isn't THAT MUCH different than the belief in miracles or deities, if you think about it. It's a religion, and as a religion, it encourages you to think and behave in a certain way. If you choose to ignore this and not adopt the belief system, you can still be a "part" of the religion. Think about how many "Catholics" or "Jews" are really atheists.
It also depends on your idea of "compatibility", and there are different ideas that we should consider. For instance, is the religion as a whole compatible with your personal beliefs? Do you think that adhering to the religion will improve your life? If somebody you knew went into the religion, how would affect them? How would it affect you? How does the religion as a whole affect the community? The nation? The world?
For instance, I was brought up as a Jehovah's Witness, and it really damanged my family, as you're not supposed to associate with people of other religions (unless, of course, you are trying to convert them). So that is incompatible with my beliefs. However, the religion as a whole is "more compatible" to me than other forms of Christianity. For instance, JWs aren't allowed to vote. If ALL CHRISTIANS didn't vote, we wouldn't have nearly as much to complain about. They also can't join the armed forces and fight in war. It would be nice if Muslims had this principal of non-violence.
I consider myself a "free-thinker" before I call myself an atheist, as I think its a better lable that describes who I am and what I believe. Therefor, NO RELIGION is compatible with my beliefs, as the concept of group-think is inherently against what it is I want to represent.
"Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful"
-- Seneca
You obviously have no understanding of LaVeyan satanism at all. While I agree that being a satanist 'to be cool' is dumb, it doesn't change the fact that you don't know what you're talking about. Magic in satanism isn't magic in the conventional sense--try reading the satanic bible? Rituals in satanism are symbolic, e.g. destruction ritual is basically the equivilent of punching a pillow (to get out anger), sex rituals are basically masurbation, etc. They don't actually believe in 'magic' like witches or miracles. LaVeyan satanism is, in essense, Ayn Rand style objectivism with dark overtones, for the most part to satirize religion and the negative connotation associated with atheism.
Also, like others have said, atheism is not a religon (or lack thereof), it is simply the lack of belief in any gods. In this way, satanism, buddhism, taoism, etc are atheistic religions. In the same way, you can have irreligious theists such as deists, pantheists, some pagans, and I'd like to say Quakers.