What religion are you?
Offline When asked this question say in a poll, or at the hospital, or by a friend etc... what do you say?
We seem to all stick by the fact that atheism isn't a religion, just as bald isn't a hair color. But I feel like answering "atheist" is a much better description of who I am than "none."
I imaging someone like my wife saying "none" who is completely apathetic towards religious belief. Someone who doesn't follow anything, but also has done very little to no reasearch on the subject, where I imagine someone who answers "atheist" to be someone who has looked at all the evidence (or lack there of) and has come to the logical conclusion.
Does this make any sense?
I've always answered atheist, but that seems to contradict the position of "atheism isn't a religion".
Thoughts?
"It is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring." - Carl Sagan
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Just put N/A for Not Applicable.
I think you're over thinking it =P
I just go with "none." Tells them I don't do church. This is enough until they dig deeper. Then I pandora's box their asses.
I usually say "I'm an athiest, actually." Simply saying I'm an atheist may imply that you feel it is a religion...the actually sums it up nicely.
Anytime there is a chance to avoid the label "atheism" I most certainly do. Sometimes you have the option to checkmark "other:" and then write in something...
I always put-- "other: Naturalist"
LOL
The answer should be obvious. If you’re trying to figure out whether you should say atheist or none say both.
Theist: What's your religion?
Atheist: None I'm an Atheist.
I go with none since that is what religion I am.
Asking me god what religion I AM ?, in it's extremes is either funny, or insulting. I'd probably answer "ME" for simplicity
"Human" would also work ....
Atheism Books.
I usually tell people I am an atheist, just to gauge their reaction. If they get pissed/offended/etc... then they are not the type of people I want to be around. Fortunatly that doesnt happen very often.
"I may be going to hell in a rocketship, but at least I get to ride in a rocketship. You have to climb those damn stairs. " - Katie Volker
I've also wondered about this.I'd like people to know I'm atheist, but since theists already love saying that atheism is a religion,I've decided that I'll just leave the religion spaces on Facebook etc blank.( and obviously becasue if my family saw that on facebook it'd all go to hell pretty quick)
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 used to specify none. But over the years it was amazing how many people saw that as non denominational protestant.
I specify Atheist now.
Respectfully,
Lenny
"The righteous rise, With burning eyes, Of hatred and ill-will
Madmen fed on fear and lies, To beat and burn and kill"
Witch Hunt from the album Moving Pictures. Neal Pert, Rush
I used to be one of the aforementioned non-denominational protestant fuck heads, and I can tell you they are about as looney as mormons. How they get lumped in with the 'none' crowd evades my reasoning capabilities.
Your god's silence speaks loud and clear
::with a can of worms in one hand and a canopener in the other::
I'm pagan. I believe there are forces in the universe that we can as sentient beings manipulate and control. I believe there are gods and goddesses that I suppose would enjoy worship but mainly are too busy to give a damn about humans, occupied with fighting for power etc. I don't believe there is a God in existence that has control over me though. I had the whole Wicca thing going on for a bit, but it hit me, worhipping a God and Goddess is no different than worshipping a God at church. I like to think of myself as my own god, ergo being an atheist would be horrible self-esteem. Agnostic implies on the fence, I got things pretty well figured out. And Pentagrams are build with Phi, the Golden Ratio, which occurs in everyting and IMO shows that mathematics is one of the primal underlying forces of the universe. So I go by Pagan.
Deus Ex Machina - God from a Machine? Or is it Deus Est Machina - God IS a Machine?
"Agnostic" does not imply "on the fence".
I recommend this reading material: Am I Agnostic or Atheist?
"So I go by Pagan."
COOL! , I must remember that old one ....
Fascinating. This is why science is fun, I had a feeling this would happen. You have reduced all stances down to a black and white polar opposite. 'Us' or 'Them.' Where have I heard that before? Oh yeah, the Christian Church.
I have been a member for nary an hour and a half and have already been rubber-stamed a Theist. I thought from exploring this site that this is exactly the kind of thought processes you want to eliminate from the world, putting as far a gap between one's self and the opposing party for the purpose of developing an iron-clad idea base. It's so much easier to feel infallable when every other school of thought is 'Them.' Black and white thinking is the reason why the world is as f__ed up as it is.
I'm impressed and dissapointed at the swiftness of judgment on a site that promotes freethinking.
Deus Ex Machina - God from a Machine? Or is it Deus Est Machina - God IS a Machine?
Aside from the post above me. I think everyone has brought up a good point. I like "none, I'm an atheist" the best. It shows that atheism is not a religion, while letting people know exactly where you stand.
Thanks all
"It is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring." - Carl Sagan
Here is a simple solution... just dont answer that question. If they say you have to say I can't I don't have a religion. Maybe put 'human' casre that what you are. That is the only lable anyone should have really. I don't even know why that question is even asked to begin with espicaly in a hospital. Why should they care what a person is brought up to beleive or not beleive. It's not like it alters ones DNA or anything.
Hey I don't know if the billions will survive, But Ill believe in God when 1 and 1 are 5 - Greg Graffin
I used to put catholic, since that's how I was raised. A few years ago I gave up any pretense of having any faith and just put "none".
I dare do all that may become a man-Who dares more is none
, how bout "womanizer" that's religion !
Theme Song, from our paster
Wang Dang Sweet Poontang http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztnjQstimAM
womanizer • noun synonyms: lady-killer, ladies' man, philanderer, seducer, lecher, lech, Casanova, Don Juan, lothario; inf. wolf. ((( damn that's a bit fucked up ??? no fair to my religion ....
Atheism Books.
I think you are choosing to ignore the real meaning of the statement in favor of getting cranky.
Everyone either believes that there is a supreme being/force/thingy, or they do not. These areas are black and white.
Theism- Belief in god
A- Without
Atheism- Without belief in god.
You've either got it or you don't.
Please breed Maytacera ! luv ya
I am the original author of the piece. I say 'original' author because the piece has been edited by others.
Here is how I actually dealt with this issue:
Q: But I don't disbelieve in god! I just don't believe!
A: Again, if you literally 'don't disbelieve' then it would follow that you believe. You obviously don't mean to say this! What you probably mean to say is that you don't believe, OR reject the possibility of 'god' claims either. This leaves you without any theistic beliefs. Unless you are a pantheist or a polytheist (a person with god beliefs other than theism), this makes you an a-theist. Atheism does not necessarily imply anything other than a lack of theistic belief.
In other words, I acknowledge the false dichotomy. Take a look, you'll see that that was there all along.
A crying shame. Come on, admit that you at least like the attention.
Isn't your own assessment of the situation another example of making snap, black and white judgements? You know, you can just ... gee, I don't know, talk it over with us, perhaps even look for clarification.
You might just find out that the author of the piece himself agrees with you.
"Hitler burned people like Anne Frank, for that we call him evil.
"God" burns Anne Frank eternally. For that, theists call him 'good.'
While I agree with you that a more generous reading of the statement would lead to a more sober conclusion than our friend has come up with, I do prefer noting that there are other forms of god belief other than theism.
"Hitler burned people like Anne Frank, for that we call him evil.
"God" burns Anne Frank eternally. For that, theists call him 'good.'
Well it's a boolean question. You either do or do not believe. If you are unsure, then you don't actually "believe". The stance of ambiguity comes by combining terms not using a boolean term.
There is no "us vs them" this is just the reality of the term and why the term theist is used because it is an 'all encompassing' term for beliving with a belief in a deity.
You'll notice that this site argues against atheists too who believe in irrational things so it is not exactly "us vs them" it is on an issue by issue basis.
Do you believe in a god? then you are a theist.
This is not about black and white thinking, atheist is just the lack of theism and theism is many many shades of gray.
This is not to suggest that there aren't irrational atheists by any stretch of the imagination. The apparent fact is that you just don't understand the meaning of words.
GOD? no problem but , then there is "god of abe", etc, religion and dogma .... even nutty so called buddhists
SILLY silly silly, and more silly .... AWAKE ! "ye are god, this is heaven" said the wise ones .... sorry , this is IT. NOW .... welcome to gods eternity, relax , why worry , we are God ! .... got no faith?, geezz so sorry, I understand, PLEASE please please , Oh sky daddy help us . I want to be ME forever ..... Please !
so afraid we are , Why ?
pain and evolution ! 
Atheism Books.
Me is a way crazy Atheist ! Mr. Atheist, is that you tarpan?, maybe in Baja?, great place , God Is there ! The weather can kill ya , but the fishing makes it worth it. LIVE now
Atheism Books.
If theism is a belief in god, you've got either theists, or atheists.
Language is obviously primitive. Meditation attemps to transcend this important , but limiting way of , .... shit I can't find the words, you see !???
"GOD", to me, has always meant, "what is", or "reality" , and religion of course takes the G-O-D word, and .... well, gets silly, for many reasons.
I will say I am an "Atheist for GOD", to make that point. Then I continue, "but I am against the God of Abe and all religion". I am an atheist for Love .... Now what is that exactly !
Theists are the most confusing. Many claim not to be of any "religion". The unanswered question of what is "Consciousness" seems the main reason. Dan Dennett and others are working on this. http://www.ted.com/index.php/speakers/view/id/92
Ask cool RRS theists Wave Freak and Pineapple ..... what's the deal ?
How do the Theists answer "What religion are you ?"
A buddhist might answer, "knowledge"Atheism Books.
I concur with everyone
Being the snarky fuck I am, I'd have to say "Don't need one."
The problem is that you're all assuming that atheism and religion are mutually exclusive. Atheism merely means the lack of belief in gods, not of religion. In this way, many buddhists and some jainists could be considered atheists, and still have a religion. Having no religion does not neccesarily neccesitate atheism either--religion is generally reguarded as an institution or a beliefset that one might adhear to, which would make options like 'deism' or such nonreligious as well, and some atheists (those that believe in moral absolutism, etc) could almost me considered religious.
The most accurate option would be to put 'irreligious atheist'.
Hmm, Simple "Humanist" becuase I believe in people, not Gods.
how about , "Weird music Notes", the ones you hear !
Religion is usually defined as a belief in a higher power. Most atheists lack this.