Atheists get all religious on religion.

**maximusboomus** · 03-04-12, 06:28 AM

So I don't want this to turn into a debate on actual religion. I want to debate the actual sense of building Bill boards for opinions. http://m.gawker.com/5890230/atheist-...urce=pulsenews .
So atheists are now pushing their views just like any religious community, is it me out is that ironic? I find billboards mostly depressing as they serve only to sell you crap, religion figured this one out, now atheists did, which brings me to debate point 2, is atheism a religion at this point if it's actively recruiting, and following a set belief system? Discuss, no bashing just keep on the subject which will be hard...

Sent from my pocket.

**Guyver** · 03-04-12, 06:39 AM

LOL....so much hypocrisy.

They hate when the religious sector tries to push their beliefs on everyone, yet they're doing this.

Right, gotcha atheists.

**Pint** · 03-04-12, 07:41 AM

If you don't like reading, I can shorten the below to this, "O you believe in things too, so LOL, jump in my ROFLCOPTER"

You really must have a wuzzy definition of religion to make it apply in this case. Religion implies a belief that encompasses something more then the material, this definition allows for both varieties of theist and deist positions (theist being an active god who does things and has some interest in us, deist being an expert engineer but has little or most often no interest in us mammals). Now when you state something like this religious folks, who think they are being clever, might say something like, well you believe in love right? Hence you believe in something that is immaterial, hence you occupy the definition given. I have a hard time taking that line of thought seriously.

You highlight material similarities between religious and atheist groups like collecting money and increasing membership of the parent group, well in that case being a democrat or a republican is also a religion. Unions would be a religion also, charities like doctors with out borders would fit the bill as well.

I agree that activist atheist groups are pitted against some aspects of religion, but it does not follow that because of that they share a common root definition. Every sizable atheist organization I have ever read up on that does political activism has a subtle but very important difference from religious organizations who do the same, religious organizations make attempts to force people who do not share their belief live as if they did (no gay marriage, sex only after marriage, various limits on use of contraception, belief in foundational myths, all of these come from some mystical book or another) this is not the case with atheist groups as they tend to be rabid about enforcing the secular ideals of the constitution. Secular is a word of neutrality of action or intent, you can be any religion or an atheist and be secular in your politics. There are non secular Atheists out there in the US (more common overseas actually), most often, but not always, they tend to be part of the more 'culture control' types of political schools, Maoist communists would be an example, they forward or indorse legislation that outlaws belief and imprisons/punishes people who hold a particular belief system, something that you cannot do and claim to be secular. Enforcing a secular ideal is in a way maintaining the neutral ground that everyone has a place in.

**WickedTribe** · 03-04-12, 08:40 AM

Originally Posted by maximusboomus

So I don't want this to turn into a debate on actual religion. I want to debate the actual sense of building Bill boards for opinions. Atheist Billboards Set to Delight Atheists, Piss Off Religious People .
So atheists are now pushing their views just like any religious community, is it me out is that ironic?

While I think that this kind of thing is ultimately ineffective, I don't see it as ironic, or "religious," no. Atheism isn't a group, and there's no such thing as recruitment. This sign is trying to do either two things: get believers to question their beliefs, or to get people who aren't believers, but don't want to admit it due to fear, to know that others feel the same way. Atheism is nothing more than a lack of belief in any gods. It says nothing about spreading the message. This may be stupid and counterproductive, but it's not ironic.

I find billboards mostly depressing as they serve only to sell you crap, religion figured this one out, now atheists did, which brings me to debate point 2, is atheism a religion at this point if it's actively recruiting, and following a set belief system? Discuss, no bashing just keep on the subject which will be hard...

Stephen Roberts said this better than I could: "I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours"

There's no organization that represents atheism (though there are many that may claim to), and no central belief system, only a lack of belief, so no, it's not a religion.

**Morningfrost** · 03-04-12, 01:30 PM

Originally Posted by Guyver

LOL....so much hypocrisy.

They hate when the religious sector tries to push their beliefs on everyone, yet they're doing this.

Right, gotcha atheists.

Actually, those billboards appear to be designed to reach out to people in those religious communities who are already atheists, but don't come out and say anything because they're living in ultra-religious areas that would probably not have nice things to say were someone to leave their belief system.

From what I read in that article, it looks more like the group is trying to operate as a support system for atheists.

**AetheLove** · 03-04-12, 01:51 PM

Originally Posted by maximusboomus

So I don't want this to turn into a debate on actual religion. I want to debate the actual sense of building Bill boards for opinions. Atheist Billboards Set to Delight Atheists, Piss Off Religious People .
So atheists are now pushing their views just like any religious community, is it me out is that ironic? I find billboards mostly depressing as they serve only to sell you crap, religion figured this one out, now atheists did, which brings me to debate point 2, is atheism a religion at this point if it's actively recruiting, and following a set belief system? Discuss, no bashing just keep on the subject which will be hard...

Quibble: "So atheists are now pushing their views just like any Interest Group"

It's not ironic.

The Stephen Roberts quote posted by Wicked is operative.

Billboards are a pestilence on the nation. It's hard to imagine a situation where fewer billboards doesn't make us all better off.

Atheism is a religion at this point if it's actively recruiting... to the same extent that General Mills is a religion that is actively recruiting people to eat Cheerios; or to the same extent that the CDC is a religion for actively recruiting people to inform them about responsible behaviour and demystify public health issues.

There, pretty sure I covered all your bases and kept it on-topic.

Cheers,

AetheLove

**Rawr** · 03-04-12, 01:57 PM

Originally Posted by AetheLove

Quibble: "So atheists are now pushing their views just like any Interest Group"

It's not ironic.

The Stephen Roberts quote posted by Wicked is operative.

Billboards are a pestilence on the nation. It's hard to imagine a situation where fewer billboards doesn't make us all better off.

Atheism is a religion at this point if it's actively recruiting... to the same extent that General Mills is a religion that is actively recruiting people to eat Cheerios; or to the same extent that the CDC is a religion for actively recruiting people to inform them about responsible behaviour and demystify public health issues.

There, pretty sure I covered all your bases and kept it on-topic.

Cheers,

AetheLove

If there weren't any billboards how would we find the McDonalds with a play place while on road trips!?!?!

**DJ Ms. White** · 03-04-12, 02:02 PM

Originally Posted by Rawr

If there weren't any billboards how would we find the McDonalds with a play place while on road trips!?!?!

Google Maps

**maximusboomus** · 03-04-12, 02:03 PM

I always thought atheists prided themselves in non-competitive ways, IE they didn't offer to everyone "Hey we're atheist wanna come play". I 100% agree billboards are just plain eyesores, I can't stand 98% of them, this article just made me chuckle based on my (little) knowledge of atheists. I'm trying to understand the end goal I guess... As Morning said they are trying to pull atheists out of religious communities, I think this is probably the least inefficient way of doing so.