Talk:Atheism/Archive 2

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Devotchka's response dated 28 December 2001
In response to Shaun P. McGonigal...there is no standard belief system, nor any traditions or rituals for an atheist, and therefore it is not a religion. The only requirement of atheism is a lack of belief in God. Everything else is up to the individual. (A religion expects far more of its followers--the Sabbath, a baptism, or abstainment from certain practices, among other things.)

The admiration of individuals whose arguments "they revere" is not a matter of religion either, as a simple agreement with some else's viewpoint--whether it pertains to atheism or theism--is not necessarily a matter of religion. If this were the case, every ardent fan of anything would be considered pious. User:Devotchka

Evidence of mistreatment of atheists?
Someone wrote: "Atheism is generally misunderstood in many societies and those who openly express their non-theistic points-of-view are often mistreated, ostracized and the subjects of discrimination (as is often the case for adherents to minority points-of-view in many parts of the world). "


 * I'd really like to see some evidence of this regular mistreatment, as I've never heard of an atheist being persecuted solely for atheism, and, in fact, it is my wholly subjective viewpoint that in the modern world, persons who believe in God and are simultaneously rationalists are often in a difficult, if not persecuted, situation. --User:Alex Kennedy