Is Atheism a Religion: Crash Course Religions #13
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Date: 2024-12-05
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Comments and reviews: 13
GammaPunk
The moral imperative against religion is called antitheism. New Atheism is a broad movement of contemporary atheist thinkers (centered around the four horsemen of new atheism, Dawkins Harris Hitchens and Dennett) that share an antitheist perspective.
Secular humanism is also worthy of a mention, it's a philosophical tradition that centers on humane treatment of others through a materialist framework. This is a bit closer to what might be considered an atheist religion, while atheism in general is much too broad and varied to deserve that term. As you mentioned, many religions have atheistic variants, and not all atheists reject all supernatural phenomena.
There is a widespread double standard with regards to agnosticism. Absolute certainty is an unrealistically high bar to reach, and the claim that a god (as commonly conceived) does not exist does not need to meet that standard. I have no reason to believe that god exists any more than I have reason to believe in leprechauns, and I would not say I am agnostic about god for the same reason I am not agnostic about leprechauns. A claim of belief has never been the same thing as a claim of certainty.
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The moral imperative against religion is called antitheism. New Atheism is a broad movement of contemporary atheist thinkers (centered around the four horsemen of new atheism, Dawkins Harris Hitchens and Dennett) that share an antitheist perspective.
Secular humanism is also worthy of a mention, it's a philosophical tradition that centers on humane treatment of others through a materialist framework. This is a bit closer to what might be considered an atheist religion, while atheism in general is much too broad and varied to deserve that term. As you mentioned, many religions have atheistic variants, and not all atheists reject all supernatural phenomena.
There is a widespread double standard with regards to agnosticism. Absolute certainty is an unrealistically high bar to reach, and the claim that a god (as commonly conceived) does not exist does not need to meet that standard. I have no reason to believe that god exists any more than I have reason to believe in leprechauns, and I would not say I am agnostic about god for the same reason I am not agnostic about leprechauns. A claim of belief has never been the same thing as a claim of certainty.
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mr. figgles
Nontheism. That’s a good word.
I’ve never thought of a religious, metaphysical understanding of the world as an important thing to me, but I’ve struggled to come up with a name for that.
Like what you’d briefly described, atheism is often a resolute belief that there is no higher power, and agnosticism is similar to a belief that it can’t be known.
Rather than a belief about higher powers, I believe that the physical world, the thoughts ideas and people present here and now are inherently important enough on their own.
So long as I believe in this world, it’s existence and it’s value, I don’t need to believe anything beyond.
I guess that’s NonTheism.
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Nontheism. That’s a good word.
I’ve never thought of a religious, metaphysical understanding of the world as an important thing to me, but I’ve struggled to come up with a name for that.
Like what you’d briefly described, atheism is often a resolute belief that there is no higher power, and agnosticism is similar to a belief that it can’t be known.
Rather than a belief about higher powers, I believe that the physical world, the thoughts ideas and people present here and now are inherently important enough on their own.
So long as I believe in this world, it’s existence and it’s value, I don’t need to believe anything beyond.
I guess that’s NonTheism.
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tranbach9431
I feel an obligation to complete the quote for those who are interested: God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him. How shall we comfort ourselves, the murderers of all murderers What was holiest and mightiest of all that the world has yet owned has bled to death under our knives: who will wipe this blood off us What water is there for us to clean ourselves What festivals of atonement, what sacred games shall we have to invent Is not the greatness of this deed too great for us Must we ourselves not become gods simply to appear worthy of it
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I feel an obligation to complete the quote for those who are interested: God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him. How shall we comfort ourselves, the murderers of all murderers What was holiest and mightiest of all that the world has yet owned has bled to death under our knives: who will wipe this blood off us What water is there for us to clean ourselves What festivals of atonement, what sacred games shall we have to invent Is not the greatness of this deed too great for us Must we ourselves not become gods simply to appear worthy of it
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Angel-b9l2b
A religion to me is an explanation for unexplainable events. Like the start of the universe. What started the big bang. And coincidence. Some people don't believe in it. Some think there is some force, like God or something, pulling all the strings. Me personally. Im agnostic because i need hard evedince. Not just faith. So yes. I consider atheism a religious system. There's no praying. Its just what I know is true, to me.
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A religion to me is an explanation for unexplainable events. Like the start of the universe. What started the big bang. And coincidence. Some people don't believe in it. Some think there is some force, like God or something, pulling all the strings. Me personally. Im agnostic because i need hard evedince. Not just faith. So yes. I consider atheism a religious system. There's no praying. Its just what I know is true, to me.
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boesvig2258
In my view, agnosticism doesn’t belong somewhere between belief and non-belief. Agnosticism is on another axis, it deals with knowledge, not belief. I’m an agnostic atheist: I don’t believe in a god, but I don’t claim absolute knowledge that gods don’t exist either. Like Bertrand Russell’s tea pot, I can’t conclusively prove its non-existence, but I see no reason to believe in it either.
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In my view, agnosticism doesn’t belong somewhere between belief and non-belief. Agnosticism is on another axis, it deals with knowledge, not belief. I’m an agnostic atheist: I don’t believe in a god, but I don’t claim absolute knowledge that gods don’t exist either. Like Bertrand Russell’s tea pot, I can’t conclusively prove its non-existence, but I see no reason to believe in it either.
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fyzxnerd
I grew up in a Catholic school, getting nearly straight A's in their religious teachings. I wasn't catholic, so I wasn't allowed to participate in any of them. Now at my age, after arguing with my own version of the Devil's Advocate, and experiencing so many other cultures of the world, I believe it's just easier to rectify it all by being Atheist.
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I grew up in a Catholic school, getting nearly straight A's in their religious teachings. I wasn't catholic, so I wasn't allowed to participate in any of them. Now at my age, after arguing with my own version of the Devil's Advocate, and experiencing so many other cultures of the world, I believe it's just easier to rectify it all by being Atheist.
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ginagamba
We can't kill something that never existed independent of our own imaginations. By all accounts secular societies (where laws are not based on religious doctrine) rank highest in measures of human rights, education and well-being. You did a good job of fairly describing what atheism is and countering Pascal's Wager.
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We can't kill something that never existed independent of our own imaginations. By all accounts secular societies (where laws are not based on religious doctrine) rank highest in measures of human rights, education and well-being. You did a good job of fairly describing what atheism is and countering Pascal's Wager.
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HenryThomas-vc2wy
Really hoping your video on religious texts covers works from the Latter-day Saint movement and also that if you do so, you don't make the common error of quoting the Doctrine and Covenants or Pearl of Great Price as being from the Book of Mormon. Great work, I've really enjoyed this series!
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Really hoping your video on religious texts covers works from the Latter-day Saint movement and also that if you do so, you don't make the common error of quoting the Doctrine and Covenants or Pearl of Great Price as being from the Book of Mormon. Great work, I've really enjoyed this series!
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ezrafriesner8370
As a Jewish atheist, this is just about perfect. I especially love how he notes that atheism anti theism. I don’t passionately believe there is no god, I simply follow the principle of assumed false until proven true.
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As a Jewish atheist, this is just about perfect. I especially love how he notes that atheism anti theism. I don’t passionately believe there is no god, I simply follow the principle of assumed false until proven true.
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N7P2R2
I'm always so excited whenever these episodes come out That I watch them immediately. Then whenever I get to the end I get sad that I have to wait another week The struggle is real
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I'm always so excited whenever these episodes come out That I watch them immediately. Then whenever I get to the end I get sad that I have to wait another week The struggle is real
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utubinator
Any other Christian making a video called is atheism a religion would not be good. But it's interesting question, and this is a great series!
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Any other Christian making a video called is atheism a religion would not be good. But it's interesting question, and this is a great series!
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cshaslag
I am so excited for this episode. I am not an atheist, but I welcome this discussion. I also got a great laugh out of the opening of the video.
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I am so excited for this episode. I am not an atheist, but I welcome this discussion. I also got a great laugh out of the opening of the video.
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Atlas-pn6jv
The universe is too big and too unknown for me to say anything is definitively right. Maybe it's all true and false at once.
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The universe is too big and too unknown for me to say anything is definitively right. Maybe it's all true and false at once.
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