okay here's why I think atheism is a religion
and why I think agnosticism isn't
now first all let me preface all this
are by saying that
this is a largely semantic argument it's an
argument about the meaning of words and these words
are you don't have a long history that is
well really ambiguous but my understanding these words
is that agnostics are saying
I did now you know I don't you know
there zoos that throws down thunderbolts
I don't know is the you know do indeed I did lights just go out I don't know
Wikipedia's as my dad was an atheist
my recollection is that my dad was an agnostic I may have said that he was an
atheist at some point in time but
um I'd frankly don't remember but the
you know he was very much of the school love I don't know I
I think that when I dot lights go out but
you know I'll find out an atheist on the other hand asserts positively
all the evidence indicates there's no God
or at least now got the way that
Christians as asserted or jus asserted or Buddha sir
moslems or whatever and I would say that any
positive assertion about a theistic notion
is a religion adak constitutes a belief system
that that encompasses
what happens when you die that encompasses how you conduct your life
and
it seems like life would be so much easier for the atheists if they simply
and I know
to at least one group house declared themselves to be a religion
we are the Church Ave theism we are the religion
thats that asserts that there ain't nothin out there
it's all
enlightened humanism or
you know whatever and I think I said before if I had to put myself into an
ism
immediately I would say that I'm a
Christian pantheistic I think that the entire universe is all live with
intelligence
and intelligence is what is the entire universe
and I think jesus said some really cool things I was raised in that church I
like it
but you know
what he called Abhijit I can't add there's a lot of Christians would send a
crush
and there's probably a lot and this would say stipe
can't its a like how to donate his say
wider atheist but is
atheism a religion hi think so and i think would be so much easier
for for David and his group in you know he and I went around a
runaround about this last time is on the show and we're not gonna convince each
other
arm and I'm not I hope this doesn't quite come across as my pic and I'm
retired defend himself cuz I'm
by really opposed to that but I think I was fairly clear when he was on
I believe it's a religion and it would be life would be so much easier if they
simply incorporate his religion took advantage of all the nonprofit
stuff that goes along with that which i think they're doing it ready but even
beyond that
up took advantage up the first member protections that seem to be associated
with being a religion
in fact they might even qualify for faith-based initiative stuff
and they could do like jerry falwell Diwan jerry is dead now but you know
jerry falwell's grouper pat robertson dozen parents became a billionaire
you know in part this way eat be there he go to the federal government
and get funding for their schools a were gonna create a
a school that you know an atheist school
are you can only get their funny if your church
we're gonna start a food pantry want to get some federal funds for you can only
get that if your church
I mean there's all this stuff that's available to religions
by at the atheists just come clean and say hey yeah it's a religion we have a
world view we have a belief system
we we you know part of our belief system is that we're not sure what we believe
although again I would say that that's more the agnostic status and I've met
have been
typically very certain up what they believe
which is absolutely my mind an assertion
religious belief
all that said the other the other point that I wanted to make before we hit the
break and I'll pick up your calls on this
when we come back from the break is that
one of the most aggressive and assertive forms of religious bigotry that is
practiced in the united states right now
is not the
the G hot that Christians have declared against Muslims
although that still continues you know all the hysteria over fox news about the
the 9/11 mosque in and oh my God look out and and you know is that guy in line
with me at the airport
you know wearing a beard a small cap as he is moslem
it's not that that's not a a I don't think that that's the the most
aggressive
and and dastardly form of religious
bigotry is going on a Mac her right now
and it's not even anti-semitism although anti-semitism is still alive and well in
this country and
and shows up a lot with these with these quotes southern group and and
these the you know he's consoles the clan other got new names
we had a guy on from the white people's organization the other day and
and I in and he was asserting that Jews are given why people like white
but on top of all that you've got anti atheism bigotry in and the anti
atheism bigotry is
you know I have hives friends were atheists you know who are
out about it in other words there in atheism is their religion i mean they
the talk about it evangelize Ford which is another
you know I used to say evangelical atheism is a religion
play all day at the ISM is non-gay more nuanced mild nature
but in any case they taking incredible amounts
up got problems
so check out David's organization atheist start work
is party you're listening to the Thom Hartmann program
call 866 987 thon
their their spring party at their gonna be having in Salt Lake City over Easter
is is what I who celebrating the got a six-star
a to do that