U.S. Supreme Court Ruling: ATHEISM IS RELIGION

Discussion in 'Religion & Philosophy' started by Alter2Ego, Nov 23, 2019.

  1. Margot2

    Margot2 Banned

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    And NOT playing baseball is now a sport.

    It seems to me that it is incorrect not only to say that atheism is a religion, but also to say that theism is a religion. While Christians, Jews, Muslims, and others can be classified as theists, theism is not their religion.
     
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  2. Maquiscat

    Maquiscat Well-Known Member

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    Legal definitions are not necessarily reflective of reality, but can be made for legal simplicity. For example, incest is sexual intercourse between two people closely related by blood. Legally speaking (and noting that there are variations between states), incest also includes marriage, even if no sex is occuring, and sex between two people legally related, but not blood related.

    That said, atheism is not a religion by the actual definition of religion. Legally speaking, it does make sense to count it as such, both for the legal interactions of atheists and theists, and for the legal protections of atheists. Atheism is indeed belief based, although I would not call it a belief system, since there is no organization to it, save maybe on a personal level, which is where some theists hold their religion.
     
  3. trevorw2539

    trevorw2539 Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    The question is 'Is my belief in my mortality' a religion of just a fact of life. What do I put on a form when asked 'What is your religion'. Alienism? I believe there are other life forms in the universe. I believe my football team will win the Premier League in the UK. Is that a religion.
    It is stupid to accept that 'belief' in anything other than a deity is a religion.

    I'm 80 now and believe that one day a 30 year old redheaded slim woman will ask me to marry her. :cheerleader: Er. Perhaps not.:-(
     
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  4. Maquiscat

    Maquiscat Well-Known Member

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    What exactly makes you think that such a "threat" would cause anyone to leave this thread? Sound more like encouragement to stay than to leave.
     
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  5. Moonglow

    Moonglow Well-Known Member

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    The Supreme Court got it wrong. What a surprise.
     
  6. Le Chef

    Le Chef Banned at members request Donor

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    I was immediately suspicious that no federal court evert said "atheism is a religion," if that is your central point. I read enough of the Kaufman case to see what I already knew would likely be there:

    “Atheism is, among other things, a school of thought that takes a position on religion, the existence and importance of a supreme being, and a code of ethics,” Wood wrote.

    A "school of thought" taking a position that there is no god or that one cannot know (or prove one way or the other) that there is a Theos is no more a religion than a political science department at a university is a political party.

    It would be nice if threads like this started with a disclaimer, like "I'm no constitutional scholar, but ...."
     
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  7. Le Chef

    Le Chef Banned at members request Donor

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    I doubt that the supreme court said what he says they said. Perhaps he can quote a passage, or at least a sentence or two, supporting the claim. The OP strikes me as non-sense designed to get everybody worked up over nothing.
     
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  8. Blaster3

    Blaster3 Well-Known Member

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    if anything, the sc ruled that an athiest has the same rights afforded to them as do other belief systems aka religions...

    context somehow always gets taken out of context by those with agendas
     
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  9. trevorw2539

    trevorw2539 Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Too true. That's how Christianity came into being. But that's another story.
     
  10. Le Chef

    Le Chef Banned at members request Donor

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    I don't see where he cited a supreme court case anyway.
     
  11. Maquiscat

    Maquiscat Well-Known Member

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    If you are referring to the OP, he did at least reference Torcaso v. Watkins, as well as Kaufman v. McCaughtry from the Wisconsin Federal Court. Now, as to whether or not these are actual cases, or actually say what he claims......
     
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  12. Le Chef

    Le Chef Banned at members request Donor

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    I stand corrected and apologize to the OP.

    Anyway, I see that they did not say atheism was a religion. They said the The First Amendment expressly prohibits a state from declaring a belief in God, as such is an unconstitutional encroachment on the freedom of belief and religion.

    Not the same thing.
     
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  13. Le Chef

    Le Chef Banned at members request Donor

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    Agree
     
  14. Alter2Ego

    Alter2Ego Active Member Past Donor

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    Diablo:

    Abortion aka murder of the unborn can hardly be compared to the Atheist Religious philosophy. Get real.

    Alter2Ego
     
  15. Alter2Ego

    Alter2Ego Active Member Past Donor

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    rahl:

    Are you suggesting that atheism is not of overwhelming importance to an atheist?

    Alter2Ego
     
  16. Maquiscat

    Maquiscat Well-Known Member

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    For many people their own religion is not of overwhelming importance to them.
     
  17. pitbull

    pitbull Banned Donor

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    I reject this view because Atheism only exists because some crazy guys believe in a great wizard who lives above the clouds. :)
     
    Last edited: Nov 30, 2019
  18. Maquiscat

    Maquiscat Well-Known Member

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    Well that's rather insultive of those who believe in the Mother.
    However unless you are militant atheist, I would assume that you still support religious freedom? Ignore what some of the religious whackos think religious freedom is, and take the actual definition.
     
    Last edited: Nov 30, 2019
  19. rahl

    rahl Banned

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    No. Atheism is the lack of belief in a god or gods.
     
  20. pitbull

    pitbull Banned Donor

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    Actually, I don't care what others believe, as long as they don't want to impose their faith on me.

    But if they are followers of a crazy religion that claims to be the truth for all humanity, then I can get of course a little angry. :)
     
  21. Maquiscat

    Maquiscat Well-Known Member

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    That was not the question.
     
  22. Maquiscat

    Maquiscat Well-Known Member

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    My question is do you believe in the right and freedom of people to choose to follow whatever religion they wish, including none?
     
  23. pitbull

    pitbull Banned Donor

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    I'll say it again: no matter what someone believes.
    But there doesn't seem to be "no religion", according to the thread starter.
     
  24. Maquiscat

    Maquiscat Well-Known Member

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    Would you then agree, that for matters of law, atheism needs to be treated as a religion, regardless of how it works in the real world?
     
  25. william kurps

    william kurps Banned

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    And you can also say a marriage is a marriage because some court says so?
     

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