Is Atheism a Religion?: Crash Course Religions #13

[@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?”

[@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.

[@HERO_DREAMER]

As an atheist, thanks for talking about us! Hopefully the comments can stay on…

[@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.

[@Araanor]

Calling atheism a religion is like calling the act of not collecting stamps a hobby

[@h3lldr0p]

"A solid maybe as well." If there is a more hilarious way to state "I don't know", I don't want to know about it.

[@benjaminbartholomew]

[@christophersnedeker]

Nietzsche: God is dead! Jesus, Osiris, Baldor, Dionysus, Tammuz and Adonis: Been there done that.

[@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

[@davidstory7255]

I am currently drinking a dr pepper

[@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.

[@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.

[@thebeshortedcellist8182]

I was raised Church of England, genuinely believed and was even confirmed. But then at about 16/17 years old I started to not feel the confirmation of faith; abd i felt disrespectful saying it with a congregation I knew meant it, who truly believed. As a bit of a history and politics nerd, I'd studied the history of the Bible, and I think that made me feel conflicted since I wanted to believe. In the that confusing period I played the game Xenoblade Chronicles. One line has stayed with me for the rest of my life: "Make a world with no need for gods." It helped me look past the question of whether I believe. I enjoy learning the culture and history of religions (which is why I'm loving this series). But all those technicalities are hard to apply at the same time: doing what I think will help others is much more straightforward. I'd probably come under agnostic: I don't know, but I honestly don't care. But I also try to appreciate and support other people's faiths, even if I don't get it.

[@Bill22886]

"God is dead, and WE KILLED HIM" Great start to the video

[@Elphabaisnotacreativecolou-r5i]

This is good, can you also do one on Sikh, cuz I'm new and I need to learn more

[@viviarchfiend]

When are we getting an episode on Pastafarians?

[@gregorydittrich1563]

Hey, this one's me 😊

[@CloudyBogdan]

My answer without watching the video would be: “No, because you don’t need to practice anything. You just do you.”

[@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.

[@gergsmail01]

Been waiting for this one ❤

[@FQT_Keller-Ash]

I am a Buddhist but also an atheist/agnostic/semi-materialist/spiritual, oh and I was baptised Catholic so.

[@DustyWall]

The one I've been waiting for

[@reannamckee43]

Good luck john!

[@roblovestar9159]

What about the FSM?!

[@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.

[@TheAndrebonner]

I was glad to see how you define Atheism seeing as alot of interesting definitions are out there in the world.

[@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!

[@MuayClinician]

Oh boy, I bet this comment section will be civil.

[@willemvandebeek]

What about the Simulation Hypothesis? Could the Gods be software developers? What kind of religion would that be?

[@fireyjon]

While not atheist myself, I personally consider atheism a religion. I do also admit this is open to interpretation.