Atheists can talk about religions; but they don't believe in them; It's a contradiction of terms. So either he believes in it and he's not an atheist, or he doesn't and he is.
The UU website talks about unification through sets of values, not by belief, creed, or dogma - but... that's a *big* part of many existing religions. Tradition, ceremony, dogma, and observing very specific customs - to take for example, resting on the sabbath for the jews.
Not only that, but many religions have material explicitly prohibiting 'cheating' with other deities...
For thou shalt worship no other god: for *** whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God: Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice; And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods.
He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto *** only, he shall be utterly destroyed.
Also @ Dudeguy45 - Jews don't have to believe in God? Where did you get that tidbit? It's certainly not in the old testament.
WRONG! The religion Buddhism does not want to place any being below another.
But it does... the cycle of rebirth includes some very specfic 'levels' for existence.
Naraka Beings Animals Preta Humans Asuras Devas
Buddhism still has scripture, it still has rites, it still has ceremonies.
The idea that you can subscribe to many religions from which you 'ick and choose' the elements that you happen to find attractive from each seems very sacrilegious.
Atheist: a person who denies or disbelieves the existence of a supreme being or beings.
My definition. He doesn't beleive in god. He's very happy about his religion.
If you definition is that atheists don't beleive in religion, then he's not an atheist. He simply doesn't beleive in god.
The UU website talks about unification through sets of values, not by belief, creed, or dogma - but... that's a *big* part of many existing religions.
It is. And it isn't part of UUism. *sigh* Though we've been around for a long time, and some big people have been UUs, UUism considered a big religion.
There is no 'my' or 'your' definition to atheism - it's in the dictionary; the first definition you cited is it.
As for religion -
a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.
There's other dictionary definitions, but none of them would help your case.
An atheist who as arrived at atheism as a logical viewpoint from being skeptical and scientific, is not going to sign on to a religion. Not buddhism, not christianity, or islam, or judaism, or the greek pantheon, or anything else. There's no evidence that any of them provide a meaningful or real answer to the nature of our existence, and they get dismissed.
If he 'thinks' he's an atheist & preaches sermons as part of a religion, then he's an idiot.
It is. And it isn't part of UUism. *sigh*
I never said it was - it's a part of the *other* religions. Meaning, a person who *is* christian, cannot be a part of UU. If you want it to be its own religion, then that's something different; but you can't say that it's Christian AND jewish AND muslim AND buddhist. They contradict each other. You cannot pick and choose from *holy* rites, ceremonies, observances, and rules. They're holy - you have to obey them all.
If he 'thinks' he's an atheist & preaches sermons as part of a religion, then he's an idiot.
Well maybe then he has the wrong label. Or I have the wrong label. They're his beleifs, not mine.
Meaning, a person who *is* christian, cannot be a part of UU. If you want it to be its own religion, then that's something different; but you can't say that it's Christian AND jewish AND muslim AND buddhist. They contradict each other. You cannot pick and choose from *holy* rites, ceremonies, observances, and rules. They're holy - you have to obey them all.
I don't think I said a Christian person is UU. They identify as a Christian person. I don't think I said you can be Jewish and Muslim and Buddhist. Maybe dudeguy. You can 'draw' from other religions. But that is what being UU is. You aren't part of those religions, you have your own... path.
But everyone in UU can have their 'own... path'. There's no set basis for what UU is - you can barely call it a religion at all.
More definitions:
a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects
the body of persons adhering to a particular set of beliefs and practices
It seems more to me like a melting pot for people who couldn't make a decision and commit to something else that was available, but weren't happy to have their own private spiritual beliefs, they needed to join some all-inclusive organization that believes in everything & nothing at the same time.
If it's not a religion (which I don't think it is) that means that it's just a group of people who like to get together from time to time, and also to promote being nice to other people. Do you really need to be part of a group to know that you should be nice to people?
But everyone in UU can have their 'own... path'. There's no set basis for what UU is - you can barely call it a religion at all.
It isn't the 'beleifs' exactly that bring UUs together. It is the values. Like I said before, beleifs are individual. values are shared.
It is true; UUs don't fit perfectly into religion format. Actually it is somewhat of a 'melting pot' for people who don't fit in to other religions. It isn't about fitting in.
I've heard some people say they come to the UU church so they have someplace to be with people who share the same values and different beleifs are tolerated. People come who have been kicked out of other churches. People come for the social action side of it. Or just the social bit. People come for all sorts of reasons.
I believe that UUism is a religion. I actually know a girl who doesn't believe in God, she's agnostic, but she believes in reincarnation (she's a UUist, she's head of her youth group). I actually find UUism fascinating. (:
Yeah, I guess it depends on what you want to call a religion. I would be in a youth group... but everyone else my age left. So I'm stuck with the middle schoolers.... -_-
