# Can Atheists be part of another religon other than christianity? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 11, 2003, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-atheists-be-part-of-another-religon-other-than-christianity/147918 "2003-01-11T06:51:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Coffeeguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/958977/32.png) [@Coffeeguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coffeeguy)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-atheists-be-part-of-another-religon-other-than-christianity/147918/21 "2003-01-11T16:32:12Z")
> [@](#): > > Well, some of us Christians consider you Atheists to be the beloved children of our Lord. Is there a single word for “patronized, insulted & creeped-out”? -Coffeeguy ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-atheists-be-part-of-another-religon-other-than-christianity/147918/22 "2003-01-11T16:59:44Z")
There are certainly people who are raised Jewish who are atheists as adults, if that’s any help to you. I can’t speak to the situation in Muslim countries, except it would be _astounding_ to me if there weren’t _some_ atheists who come from Islamic cultures. ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-atheists-be-part-of-another-religon-other-than-christianity/147918/23 "2003-01-11T17:00:46Z")
p.s. I have a friend who’s atheist whose family is Hindu. Don’t know why I didn’t think of that as I was composing my post, except that I don’t really think of him in a Hindu-type context. ---
**Author:** ![Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-atheists-be-part-of-another-religon-other-than-christianity/147918/24 "2003-01-11T17:02:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Coffeeguy \* > \*\*Is there a single word for “patronized, insulted & creeped-out”? > > -Coffeeguy \*\* Offended, might work, though it has become rather trite. ---
**Author:** ![Urban\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-atheists-be-part-of-another-religon-other-than-christianity/147918/25 "2003-01-11T17:03:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Some Guy \* > No. Agnosticism is not indecision. Agnosticism is a positive belief that the question “Does any god exist?” is formally undecidable. Okay, where’s the formal proof of that? > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Some Guy_ > Some Agnostics, including myself, feel that the more general question “Is there any metaphysical aspect to the universe?” is also formally undecidable. To repeat myself, Agnosticism is **not** indecision. Again, if you want it to be formal, you must have a formal proof. You simply can’t point to your own nose and assert that. If you have no proof, you are just being indecisive. ---
**Author:** ![J\_String](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce73a5/32.png) [@J\_String](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J_String)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-atheists-be-part-of-another-religon-other-than-christianity/147918/26 "2003-01-11T17:09:41Z")
“…patronized, insulted, & creeped out” by what? That others (in this case, Christians) see you differently than you see yourself? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-atheists-be-part-of-another-religon-other-than-christianity/147918/27 "2003-01-11T17:10:22Z")
Since there is no god, **Triskadecamus,** your statement makes no intelligible sense. Since this is GQ rather than GD, let me stick to facts. Atheists are not Christians, Buddhists, Taoists, Unitarians, theists, deists, or members of any other religious body. Atheists may certainly believe in any of the multitude of philosophies that have been developed over the years, and the line between a secular philosophy and a religious philosophy may be blurry at times, but atheists will on that side of the line away from the religious philosophies. Atheists believe that god was created in man’s image - over and over and over. This makes god less real rather than more. ---
**Author:** ![Urban\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-atheists-be-part-of-another-religon-other-than-christianity/147918/28 "2003-01-11T17:10:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Futile Gesture \* > No, Atheism is “without god”. So “theism” means “god?” I cannot see how to arrive at that meaning otherwise. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Futile Gesture \* > IMHO, I’m with **greenphan** on this one. To declare “there is no god” takes as much faith as to declare “there is a god”. No-one has **proved** either position. Any convictions formed beyond those supplied by fact are based on faith. So you are assigning the same probability of a god existing and not existing? That is an abuse of the Principle of Indifference. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Futile Gesture \* > That’s what makes me agnostic. I have seen no evidence to convince me of either Theism or Atheism and do not have the faith to bridge the gap in either direction. It doesn’t matter. Either way, you need to make a decision. You either hold a belief or not hold a belief. There is nothing in between. In between is not a valid position. ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-atheists-be-part-of-another-religon-other-than-christianity/147918/29 "2003-01-11T17:37:26Z")
**Coffeeguy** I am at a loss as to how my belief that you might be beloved of God is condescending. I understand that Christianity is not your belief. I simply don’t share your belief that God does not exist. Is it so insulting believing that you might be loved? Which is creepy, God, me, or love? **Exapno Mapcase** I wasn’t trying to make sense. I was reporting that there is a place in my religion for atheists. The same place, in fact that I occupy. You are right; it is not logical. Tris ---
**Author:** ![Coffeeguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/958977/32.png) [@Coffeeguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coffeeguy)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-atheists-be-part-of-another-religon-other-than-christianity/147918/30 "2003-01-11T17:37:42Z")
> [@](#): > > “…patronized, insulted, & creeped out” by what? That others (in this case, Christians) see you differently than you see yourself? Patronised, insulted, & creeped out in much the same way as when the lady down the street keeps yelling at me that I have babies growing in my arms because the CIA agents that hide behind my car keep shooting me with “baby bullets”. But I guess she just sees me differently than I see myself. -Coffeeguy ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-atheists-be-part-of-another-religon-other-than-christianity/147918/31 "2003-01-11T17:47:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Triskadecamus \* > \*\*Well, some of us Christians consider you Atheists to be the beloved children of our Lord. \*\* That’s only fair, since we atheists are quite certain that the consciousness of Christians is consigned to Oblivion when the body dies. ---
**Author:** ![Coffeeguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/958977/32.png) [@Coffeeguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coffeeguy)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-atheists-be-part-of-another-religon-other-than-christianity/147918/32 "2003-01-11T17:53:24Z")
Very interesting opinions on a completely binary matter. Atheist = No god. Perhaps we can start a great debate on the results of 1+1? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-atheists-be-part-of-another-religon-other-than-christianity/147918/33 "2003-01-11T18:07:11Z")
18% of Unitarian Universalists considered themselves atheists in a recent survey. If generalized in this country, that would translate to about 20,000 people. ---
**Author:** ![Kalt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Kalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalt)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-atheists-be-part-of-another-religon-other-than-christianity/147918/34 "2003-01-11T18:09:43Z")
atheist = non-believer. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-atheists-be-part-of-another-religon-other-than-christianity/147918/35 "2003-01-11T18:12:54Z")
How do you get that, **Kalt**? Atheism is derived from the greek; a- without, and theos, god. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-atheists-be-part-of-another-religon-other-than-christianity/147918/36 "2003-01-11T18:49:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Exapno Mapcase \* > Since this is GQ rather than GD, let me stick to facts. Atheists are not Christians, Buddhists, Taoists, Unitarians, theists, deists, or members of any other religious body. Atheists may certainly believe in any of the multitude of philosophies that have been developed over the years, and the line between a secular philosophy and a religious philosophy may be blurry at times, but atheists will on that side of the line away from the religious philosophies. You seem to be rather heavy-handed in your “religious philosophies” decision, however. This sounds more like a GD assertion than GQ fact. No Internet citation here, but perhaps these from a book will help - Stephen Batchelor is a respected Western author on Buddhism, and he wrote a book solely about the philosophical aspects of it, _Buddhism Without Beliefs_. I’m going to cite just a few quotes from this book, which should easily fall within the fair use guidelines: > [@](#): > > The Buddha was not a mystic. His awakening was not a shattering insight into a transcendent Truth that revealed to him the mysteries of God. He did not claim to have had an experience that granted him privileged, esoteric knowledge of how the universe ticks. (page 5) > > In describing to the five ascetics what his awakening meant, he spoke of having discovered complete freedom of heart and mind from the compulsions of craving. (page 5) > > When asked what he was doing, the Buddha replied that he taught “anguish and the ending of anguish.” When asked about metaphysics (the origin and end of the universe, the identity or difference of body and mind, his existence or nonexistence after death), he remained silent. He said the dharma[sup]1[/sup] was permeated by a single taste: freedom. He made no claims to uniqueness or divinity and did not have recourse to a term we would translate as “God.” (page 15) > > Consequently, as the dharma emigrates westward, it is treated as a religion - albeit an “Eastern” one. The very term “Buddhism” (an invention of Western scholars) reinforces the idea that it is a creed to be lined up alongside other creeds. (page 16) > > (Batchelor S, _Buddhism Without Beliefs_, 1997, Riverhead Books, New York.) The book is an analysis of the origin of Buddhism as a philosophy, and provides some insight into how, over time, religious significance was imparted to it, to Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha), and other religious trappings were attached to some sects of it. [sup]1[/sup] Dharma: "a fundamental Buddhist term having several meanings, the broadest of which is phenomenon. […] Thus dharma also means law; ultimate truth; the Buddha’s teaching; and the doctrines of Buddhism. (Kapleau P, _Straight to the Heart of Zen_, 2001, p. 162, Shambhala Publishing, Boston) ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-atheists-be-part-of-another-religon-other-than-christianity/147918/37 "2003-01-11T19:05:24Z")
re·li·gion ( P ) Pronunciation Key (r-ljn) n. Belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe. A personal or institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship. The life or condition of a person in a religious order. A set of beliefs, values, and practices based on the teachings of a spiritual leader. A cause, principle, or activity pursued with zeal or conscientious devotion ---
**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:** [January 11, 2003, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-atheists-be-part-of-another-religon-other-than-christianity/147918/38 "2003-01-11T19:11:50Z")
Sorry, Urban Ranger, but even in mathematics ‘undecidable’ is an option, in some cases an unavoidable one. You speak as if not deciding is a sign of weak will. If the only way to decide is to break logic and take a leap of faith, then you’re jumping out of either impatience or fear. And which way you jump will be an emotional or arbitrary decision. ‘Undecidable’ is not comfortable, but in some cases it’s the only thing that is true. ---
**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2003, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-atheists-be-part-of-another-religon-other-than-christianity/147918/39 "2003-01-11T19:12:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Urban Ranger \* > **So “theism” means “god?” I cannot see how to arrive at that meaning otherwise.** Theism = Belief in a god. Atheism= belief in no god Are you making a point or splitting hairs? > [@](#): > > **So you are assigning the same probability of a god existing and not existing? That is an abuse of the Principle of Indifference.** I said no such thing. If you want to consider the probabilities then my position is because I have no firm evidence to suggest either, I have no way of assessing the probabilities. The probabilities are irrelevant anyway. Belief is a matter of faith, no matter how improbable. Are you making a point or constructing strawmen? > [@](#): > > \*\*You either hold a belief or not hold a belief. There is nothing in between. In between is not a valid position. \*\* But my point is there are two things to believe here. Belief in a god. And belief that there is no god. My position is to believe **neither**. That is a valid position. ---
**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:** [January 11, 2003, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-atheists-be-part-of-another-religon-other-than-christianity/147918/40 "2003-01-11T19:15:46Z")
As a take-off on the OP - - are Christians athiests because of the number of gods they don’t believe in? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-atheists-be-part-of-another-religon-other-than-christianity/147918.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-atheists-be-part-of-another-religon-other-than-christianity/147918.md?page=3)