# Atheism is a religion! **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 9, 2010, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheism-is-a-religion/528276 "2010-02-09T15:12:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheism-is-a-religion/528276/21 "2010-02-09T17:01:25Z")
The entire thread is sarcastic. The OP is not saying what you (seem to) think he’s saying. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheism-is-a-religion/528276/22 "2010-02-09T17:05:17Z")
Ah, ok. I figured that \*might \*be the case… Thought it was a legit thead. I’ve been whooshed. Not first time, not the last time. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheism-is-a-religion/528276/23 "2010-02-09T17:15:02Z")
> [@Fantome](#): > > Ha! There is no such address, heathen! I’m unfamiliar with NY. Would Law & Order say that was in the middle of the Hudson River. The East River? ---
**Author:** ![Fantome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Fantome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fantome)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheism-is-a-religion/528276/24 "2010-02-09T17:34:01Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > I’m unfamiliar with NY. Would Law & Order say that was in the middle of the Hudson River. The East River? I’m not familiar with Law & Order, so I don’t get the relevance, but avenues don’t intersect with avenues in NYC (unless there are exceptions I’m not aware of), so I doubt Law & Order would say anything. 8th **St.** does intersect with Avenue D in Manhattan, and it’s right by the East River. ---
**Author:** ![Pyper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Pyper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pyper)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheism-is-a-religion/528276/25 "2010-02-09T17:45:58Z")
> [@L. G. Butts](#): > > You have broken the [symbol]G[/symbol] commandment and I must start divestment proceeding against you. I believe the brotherhood meets next week, so you have until then to prepare your case > > Dude, I can’t believe you told them about the unicorn’s color, that was one of our most closely guarded secrets. Have you no shame? The first rule of Atheist Club is you do not talk about Atheist Club? ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheism-is-a-religion/528276/26 "2010-02-09T18:07:37Z")
Clear is my favorite color. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheism-is-a-religion/528276/27 "2010-02-09T18:17:31Z")
> [@MyFootsZZZ](#): > > How was I whooshed… cure me of my ignorance. I guess the point of this Great Deb…uh, mundane and pointless thing I have to share is that non-belief is not the same as belief. I wasn’t responding with mild sarcasm about the “religious” part of your quote, but about the “belief” part – atheism is a belief like bald is a hair color, clear is a paint color, and silence has a tune. (4’33" by John Cage is a piece of “music” where the “performer” sits down at a piano and “plays” four minutes and 33 seconds of rests – depending on your view of the word “belief” it’s either really hard or really easy to whistle that tune) ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheism-is-a-religion/528276/28 "2010-02-09T18:19:25Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Atheism: a religion for people who believe nothing is sacred. This is one of the funniest things I’ve read all week. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheism-is-a-religion/528276/29 "2010-02-09T18:34:43Z")
> [@MyFootsZZZ](#): > > Ok, I’ll throw in my thoughts. I’m an Agnostic that would call himself an atheist if; “Do you think there is a God?” was a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ question. So you can’t actually _see_ the invisible pink unicorn. You don’t know what you are missing. So much glorious splendor. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheism-is-a-religion/528276/30 "2010-02-09T18:37:57Z")
> [@MyFootsZZZ](#): > > Ah, ok. I figured that \*might \*be the case… Thought it was a legit thead. > > I’ve been whooshed. Not first time, not the last time. It happens to all of us. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Stealth\_Potato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Stealth\_Potato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stealth_Potato)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheism-is-a-religion/528276/31 "2010-02-09T18:48:51Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > So you can’t actually _see_ the invisible pink unicorn. You don’t know what you are missing. So much glorious splendor. Well, I _can_ see the unicorn. And it’s definitely more of a splendorous glory. You know not of what you speak! ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheism-is-a-religion/528276/32 "2010-02-09T18:55:43Z")
> [@Stealth\_Potato](#): > > Well, I _can_ see the unicorn. And it’s definitely more of a splendorous glory. You know not of what you speak! My non faith is weak. I shall not burn for a finite period. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheism-is-a-religion/528276/33 "2010-02-09T19:40:21Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > Clear is my favorite color. Mine is “Bright”! HA! condensing a Dawkins & a Counting Crows reference into 3 words! Time for the Dance of Joy, Numfar! ---
**Author:** ![Eternal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@Eternal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eternal)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheism-is-a-religion/528276/34 "2010-02-09T20:22:49Z")
We had a lot of fun here tonight, but I’m sure we can all agree that when a bunch of people form a group based on similar perspectives and beliefs that it will ultimately perform the same function in terms of shaping and enforcing acceptable conduct. It will attempt to spread through proselytizing when necessary and brute force when possible. The message is that atheism is fine just like theism is fine, but once it becomes a movement it’s just another bunch of intolerant brainwashed loons trying to force on society whatever self-enriching policies their council of elders have going on that week. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheism-is-a-religion/528276/35 "2010-02-09T20:37:40Z")
> [@](#): > > We had a lot of fun here tonight, but I’m sure we can all agree that when a bunch of people form a group based on similar perspectives and beliefs that it will ultimately perform the same function in terms of shaping and enforcing acceptable conduct. It will attempt to spread through proselytizing when necessary and brute force when possible. A lack of religious belief is not a religious belief. Why define atheists by what they don’t believe in? Do Christians define themselves as non-Buddhists and non-Muslims? ---
**Author:** ![Trepa\_Mayfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@Trepa\_Mayfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trepa_Mayfield)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheism-is-a-religion/528276/36 "2010-02-09T20:45:02Z")
> [@Stealth\_Potato](#): > > Well, I _can_ see the unicorn. And it’s definitely more of a splendorous glory. You know not of what you speak! Agreed! We must split off from those heathen Orthodox Atheists and form a new church of Reformed Atheists! ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheism-is-a-religion/528276/37 "2010-02-09T20:54:33Z")
In December, Rudolph the Red-nosed Invisible Pink Unicorn and Sanity Clause, who lives north of the North Pole, don’t come down and drop presents down my chimney, of which I have none. We don’t celebrate this holiday, and don’t look forward to it all year. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheism-is-a-religion/528276/38 "2010-02-09T20:57:04Z")
I think we should try to treat every day like it isn’t Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![Eternal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@Eternal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eternal)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheism-is-a-religion/528276/39 "2010-02-09T21:00:41Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > A lack of religious belief is not a religious belief. Why define atheists by what they don’t believe in? Do Christians define themselves as non-Buddhists and non-Muslims? I wasn’t speaking of religious beliefs but of secular/materialist/humanist beliefs that form the philosophical foundation for non-theistic movements. ---
**Author:** ![Frank\_apisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/47e85d/32.png) [@Frank\_apisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank_apisa)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2010, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheism-is-a-religion/528276/40 "2010-02-09T22:05:02Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > That’s just what the non-nonbelievers, the aatheists, want you to believe. It’s i blocks west of 42nd Street, just to the east of 14th Street. If you are a New Yorker…you undoubtedly realize there is no East or West of 42nd Street or 14th Street. And if you are a New Yorker…do you ever stop and quaff a cool one on the Frying Pan during the summer months? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheism-is-a-religion/528276.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheism-is-a-religion/528276.md?page=3)