Your Brain on Religion

[BikerDude]

Listening to the callers is pretty enlightening about the mind "on religion".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZmD-yEXWqc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vx0ZQz9RLmg&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eH1MR4pdRE0&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiAn2gkA1YI&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2j4h-_VqEpQ&feature=related

[meekon5]

Bikerdude like it. I don't see how they can sit there and not be shouting at the people, I was shouting at the callers and I'm just watching it on youtube.

As far as my opinion is concerned alot of stuff can be considered a religion. Lets look at a atheist an of course those who are fans of my copying and pasting.

So just randomly copying and pasting does what (apart from make you look even less intelligent than usual, but at least you now admit it's not your own original thought instead of plagiarising someone else's original work).

Atheism is a religion based on the second definition of religion being a set of beliefs or practices. A atheist does not believe in God or gods, and since he is following such belief it is a religion.

I'm sorry but not citing your source undermines your argument considerably. Just because you can find someone who agrees with your point of view does not make you right, you both can be wrong.

Slavery was considered a good and lawful practice (to quote the gentlemen in the links above), and you can still find many quotes (and cut a paste them here if you want) to support it's practice, this does not make it right.

Ok so let's involve ourselves in a little cut and paste here:

From:

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Is_atheism_a_religion

The saying is "if atheism is a religion then not playing baseball is a sport"

A religion has two components which must both be present. It is a formalized system of ritual and belief. It is focussed on a supernatural being or beings.

Speaking to "formalized system of ritual and belief", atheists are not an organization, just a number of folks that have independently, through thought and study, come to the conclusion that there is no supernatural force in the universe. There is no credo, instruction manual, or anything.

and from http://www.asktheatheists.com/questions/10-is-atheism-a-religion/

Atheism is the absence of god-belief. All else is embellishment. Atheism has no dogma, no rites, no holy books, no places of worship and no clergy of any description. It offers no moral guidance, no political opinions and no world view.

It is not a religion.

George Ricker

Also quite pertinant:

No, of course atheism isn?t a religion.

One of the best ways to demonstrate this is by analogy:

Atheism is a religion in exactly the same way as not collecting stamps is a hobby.

(Apologies to whoevever coined this succinct expression for the lack of recognition. I think it?s brilliant.)

and from the master himself, Richard Dawkins:

Atheism VS Religion for dummies with Richard Dawkins!

and;

What Use is Religion?

and finally I highly recomend you get hold of a copy of this magazine;

http://www.secularhumanism.org/index.php?page=index&section=fi

[Hominid]

Listening to the callers is pretty enlightening about the mind "on religion".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZmD-yEXWqc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vx0ZQz9RLmg&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eH1MR4pdRE0&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiAn2gkA1YI&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2j4h-_VqEpQ&feature=related

I love the guy's reasoning, particularly the 2nd one where he defines agnostic atheism.  Smart dude... thanks for pointing him out.

[Caesar dude]

I've been avoiding listening to these because I knew how much it would convert me.....fuck it guys these callers are all right surely!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargggggggggggggggggggggh!

[BikerDude]

As far as my opinion is concerned alot of stuff can be considered a religion. Lets look at a atheist an of course those who are fans of my copying and pasting. Atheism is a religion based on the second definition of religion being a set of beliefs or practices. A atheist does not believe in God or gods, and since he is following such belief it is a religion.

~thinkingdude

atheist (ˈeɪθɪˌɪst) ?n
1. a person who does not believe in God or gods
?adj
2.  of or relating to atheists or atheism

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.
2. a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects: the Christian religion; the Buddhist religion.
3. the body of persons adhering to a particular set of beliefs and practices: a world council of religions.
4. the life or state of a monk, nun, etc.: to enter religion.
5. the practice of religious beliefs; ritual observance of faith.

Atheism is a disbelief in God. Theism is a belief in God.
Neither are a religion.
Atheism does not state there is no God. It rejects the claims of God as unsubstantiated.
Atheism posits no "set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe". It rejects the belief that God is the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe and in fact the existence of God. And anticipating the response denial of beliefs is not in it's self belief. Denying the existence of Big Foot is not a belief in any sense.
It is a rejection of the premise and any evidence. Rejection of a specific belief is not in it's self a belief in any sense.
 

[Hominid]

BD - you're brilliant. In the end, it has to do with our own prejudices really... I've personally known two scientists who believe in god. One had a double PHD in math and physics (my ex-father-in-law), and another acquaintance who just said "well, I can't explain it all" which brings me to the conclusion that perfectly sane people are willing to reprieve themselves of a perfectly logical explanation of reality for their own interpretation. Where the FUCK does that leave us free thinkers? It truly scares me.

[apnp]

Anyone here familiar with Apatheism?  I'd suggest it's highly dudeable, perhaps the dudeablest.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apatheism

[meekon5]

... I've personally known two scientists who believe in god. One had a double PHD in math and physics (my ex-father-in-law), and another acquaintance who just said "well, I can't explain it all" ...

I actually run the "Religion and Belief Forum" here at the Natural History Museum, members of which are people of religion in this den of atheism that is one of our countries leading scientific establishments.

The forum is a discussion group and resource for people set up as a response to ones basic human right to practice religion if and how you see fit (withing certain boundaries of local legislation).

At the moment it's about two dozen christians and a Pagan (me).

[Hominid]

...and they haven't strung you up yet? Now THAT'S a small miracle....  ;-)

[meekon5]

...and they haven't strung you up yet? Now THAT'S a small miracle....  ;-)

I have always been more than a match for either the atheists, or the muslims, or the christians, in debate about religion.

[apnp]

I don't believe you, thinkingdude.   


...but just out of curiosity, where in the dictionary definition is it remotely implied there can exist a belief system of "non-belief"?   

The law of non-contradiction is a bugger, but it applies nonetheless.