CookieJon wrote:

Bribase wrote:What's the opposite of atheism? Theism.

Is theism a religion?

Hmm. Doesn't follow.

What's the opposite of "short"? "Tall".

Is "tall" a kind of height? But so is "short".

CookieJon,

The only reason I brought up the atheism's direct opposite (theism) is to clarify the notion that neither are sufficient positions to be called a religion. I don't hold that theism is a religion and neither should you.

Theism and atheism are mutually exclusive positions on a single question, the question being "Do you believe that a God exists?" Neither claim is sufficient to say anything about a person's beliefs about the universe or any ritual observences that they might follow beyond that single question.

I'm sure that you know this stuff already but Raëlians describe themselves as atheists but hold to their own system of beliefs and rituals the bare no relation to the likes of you or I. Likewise there are plenty of theists that think religious practice to be an entirely pointless endevour, even if they think the universe includes a personal god.

We could certainly make inferences about what the atheists on this forum might practice or believe about the world but things like the acceptance of the scientific method is no more a tenet of atheism than the belief in the existence of hell is a tenet of theism.

Fair enough. Yes, I misunderstood your point in that post.

I take my atheist 'faith' far more seriously than religious people take their God(s). I spend my entire life (including sleep) not worshipping any gods. Can any Christian or muslim claim that they spend their entire life in the worship of their God?

I would go and debate him but I'm not an atheist - I just don't believe in gods.