So you could define religions as dead cults?
..... or even cults of the dead?
.... as in, perhaps, brain dead.

Here is mine. "A religion is a cult that has managed to get itself political power." Even if that is only in the default sense that political figures have to show it some slight respect.

Evabody speaks in tongues iow, although this is maybe somewhat hard to extract from the text

My OED defines atheism as being without a god. As a second definition it states that an atheist is someone who believes there is no god, Or words to that effect. As i put myself in the first classification, belief and religion don't come into it

@bbyrd009
Atheism is a non-belief of any religion or gods. How is this regarded as a cult in your view?

@Paul_Clamberer we tend to put ourselves in the classification that most appeals to us, I think? If we have become sensitized to the term “believe,” we might eschew the second definition, certainly, but what will that matter if there turns out to be some as yet undefined—and probably more likely never will be, even if real in some sense—Creator-Type Consciousness? Because in the same way that a “believer” cannot prove the reality of a God, an “unbeliever” must admit that they cannot prove the opposite; what they then can only have is by definition a belief, right?
@TimeOutForMe

And i would say that Atheism is a cult simply because it is a culture, Abraham came from a cult, the oaks of mamre, same root, so I’m not using “cult” in the contemporary definition
Jesus praised pagans and atheists the most, and had nothing but diss for the “believers” anyway, but my guess is that one might be more or less involved/committed to their cult, basically on a bell-curve?

So I guess certainly some atheists would actually hold no beliefs, with the caveat that those who claim to have “beliefs” usually mean “absolute truths, in my esteemed estimation, that you can only and must agree to” right? so that again highly prejudices the term, and if it is those kind of beliefs that are being rejected I’m down.

But i still suspect it is naive to claim (you) “have no beliefs,” although imo that would be awesome, and quite likely even a um biblical mandate believe it or not,
test everything, and keep what is good
he who says he knows anything, doesn’t
etc

Anyway, you both would surely admit to some/many fellow “atheists” that hold different bel... “views” from yours, yes? Some atheists definitely have a strong “belief” that there is no God, i think it would be fair to say

Plus i mean cmon you “believe” you are either pretty or plain, smart or dumb, right, and these beliefs either do or do not line up precisely with the truth...which might be different in a different location or time...yikes, a book

@bbyrd009
The only thing Atheists have in common is a non-belief of any god or gods. Atheists have their own flexibilities in their everyday life which can hardly be called a unified cult. Earth has yet to present a god or gods in the billions of years in its existence? nah don't think so.
Why do Atheists have to be sure of a god or gods to prove there isn't any just because others believe there is based on fear and follow processes. I raised my kids without any following of gods and sorts. That's hardly a cult.

A cult usually has a leader, a set of beliefs and practices and follow the dictates of a leader. Atheism is not a cult and has no leader.

" And you better believe atheism is also often a cult belief!" A fine example of a prescriptive command which may be uttered by the likes of a benevolent dictator.

@ASTRALMAX You really are confused. Consider this. Driving a Ford, a Fiat, or any brand of car makes you a motorist. Driving a motorbike makes you a lesser category of motorist (you still use a motor and wheels, which you personally control, in order to get about. As you can see, by defining each vehicle as distinct, there are many categories of motorist.
Now consider someone living in a remote jungle, which has no roads. By no means could that person fall into any category or classification of motorist. The person is not a motorist.
Now apply that to a person who does not have any belief in what is called "the supernatural", be it a god or an invisible "life force".
That person belongs to NO CATEGORY of religion or cult. Such people simply have no belief. They are called "atheists" to distinguish them from the gullible.

@Petter No confusion here but methinks you need to pay attention to what you read.

@TimeOutForMe “ there is based on fear and follow processes. I raised my kids without any following of gods and sorts. That's hardly a cult”

Well as i said, under the current definition of that, I agree, but it is prolly a “culture,” yeh?

“ The only thing Atheists have in common is a non-belief of any god or gods.”

Ok well you sound pretty sure? And i don’t know myself, but the language/syntax there strikes me as gratuitous, ok; great lengths are now being gone to to avoid using the word “believe” imo, when “i believe there is no God” might be more accurate, and less self-serving?

@ASTRALMAX " ‘And you better believe atheism is also often a cult belief!’ A fine example of a prescriptive command which may be uttered by the likes of a benevolent dictator.”

this, from the guy insisting “ Atheism is not a cult and has no leader” in his previous post? Ok, but i will stick with “atheism is often a cult” for now if you don’t mind, since we might only differ on some term or other, or semantics, who knows. I have examples btw that you might even agree with

@Petter I would agree that that sure might be true, but often is not true, also

@bbyrd009
"Well as i said, under the current definition of that, I agree, but it is prolly a “culture,” yeh?"

No not a culture, just a non-belief with everyone unto their own, no rule book.

@TimeOutForMe ok, works for me, but again you do seem very sure, and I would again suggest that we like to fool ourselves the most? But my guess is that we are just defining “culture” diff now prolly

@bbyrd009 hmm Atheism is not defined as a culture, not even a different culture. Each one (atheist) to his own. I'm sure of that. I have likes and dislikes like anyone else. I have my own set of values, preferences and non-references not related to a "culture-type" following, just have a non-belief in gods of any sort.

@TimeOutForMe well ok, but I suggest that you might be avoiding “I believe there is no God” for a reason, although of course idk

@bbyrd009 huh
Seems I'm not getting my point across‍ or you don't seem to want to acknowledge it
...so TimeOutForMe

However, aren't all religions, in themselves, Social Movements"?

@Petter The article does go on to discuss that. Yes is the short answer.

@Petter isn't atheism, of itself, a social movement?

@bbyrd009 No, it is not. It is merely a refusal to be gullible enough to believe in spirits and deities. Atheists do not have to attend any form of "assertive" gathering in order to remain indoctrinated.

@Petter ok, ty