[MD] How is atheism a religion?

[ian glendinning]

Marsha, et al,

I've used the line before that any belief system is like a religion,
in the same way that science is a belief system. Some people are more
zealous about how they believe things, but they all involve some
belief system. The word / label "religion" carries a lot of baggage
though, but then so does the word / label science.

Ex MoQ'er Struan Hellier took me to task and insisted he had no belief
system, since everything he believed was temporary and contingent - a
classically scientific view. But I say such a "basis of believing"
(even contingently) is part of anyone's belief system. You have to
have "faith" in that basis of believing.

Any "label" is abount "binding" IMHO.

People Just Jove to Play With Words.
Haven't You Heard ?
(Men at Work)
Everybody Knows That No Means Yes
Just Like Glasses Come Free on the NHS
(Neil Hannon / Divine Comedy)

Regards
Ian

On 6/26/06, Peter Corteen <psigenics at googlemail.com> wrote:
> I read that etymologically the word 'religion' is about binding; I'm not
> sure how this fits with the modern usage of the word but I see it as
> psycologically binding the believer's behaviour to a prescribed set of moral
> injunctions. To say that science and atheism are religions is a confusing
> use of the word for me. I think of atheism and science as unbinding and
> liberating.
>
> Some say it is an act of faith that what we think we perceive is really out
> there in the world. Again I think this is a confusing use of the word
> 'faith'.  I cannot act as if my perceptions do not give a reliable
> description of the world. This is something before thought, consideration or
> faith. Our perceptions (qualia) are the interface of static and dynamic
> quality.
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