Atheism, atheists and false religion.

Christian: to be more precise, only false religions promote discrimination...

A religion guided by the HolySpirit will never hone discrimination to sinners but to sin alone. In our religion, once a believer/follower committed a sin, he should ask for penance/reconciliation. If not, the sin is still taking hold of his spirit, therefore making him miles apart from the ever-merciful God.

John the Atheist: The word "religion" is too vague . Are you talking about Christianity, since Christianity is the only religion who believe in a so-called Holy Spirit. Some religions like Hinduism or Islam for example doesn't have such concept.

Also, I think the concept of sin is exclusive on the three monotheistic religion (Judaism, Christianity and Islam). There are religions who doesn't have the sin and penance/reconciliation issue. Those who believe in the Laws of Karma have a different understanding regarding eh..."sin" (sorry, can't think of a better word.)

Now to label these uther religion as "false" is a sign of ethnocentrism. Surely, such bias outlook is not fit on a balance discource.

Christian: Isn't it atheism that is discriminating? Every rational individual has his own belief of the Divine. But atheism prevents one's self belief to God. What's worse, atheists (or the freethinkers) are spreading their belief of disbelief to those who are still brittle of their faith. If you don't believe God, then don't. But don't (badly) influence those who have been put into trials - those who are becoming weak of their faith.

John the Atheist: Again...are you talking about atheism of atheist?
Atheism is not discriminating in the sense that non-belief has nothing to say about religious opinion. Maybe if you're talking about an "atheist" (not atheism). As individual people, an atheist can critizise or even mock religion...but that is not about atheism.

If a person doesn't believe in a God...well he has the right to express his opinion about it. It is written in our Bill of Rights. It is called "The Right to Express Oneself and to Seek Information". I can't find any secular law that says otherwise...except if you live in an Islamic country...But since we live in a democratic state, then I as an atheist has the right to critisize the effect of god belief.

If being "of little faith" is becoming your problem...well that's your problem. As a Freethinker, I'm just laying my cards on the table.

Christian: In fact, there is only a tissue-thin difference between atheism and false religions, the earlier having a seed that was not planted, the latter is planting but not seeds.

John the Atheist: There is no similarities...or are you imagining the so-called similarities.
I'm just here for the facts:

Atheism is not a religion of non-belief...unless you don't know what religion means.
Daniel Dennett defines religions as social systems whose participants avow belief in a supernatural agent or agents whose approval is to be sought. Lindbeck defines religion as, "a kind of cultural and/or linguistic framework or medium that shapes the entirety of life and thought… it is similar to an idiom that makes possible the description of realities, the formulation of beliefs, and the experiencing of inner attitudes, feelings, and sentiments.”

In both definitions we can say that atheism is not a religion since it’s not about anything that is ultimate regarding ultimate concerns on someone’s life. The rule is quite simple; atheism is about not believing in a supernatural being which people calls god or gods.

False religion...it still doesn't make sense and I still think that to think other religion as "false" is really a sign of religious ethnocentrism . But while serching something about false religion, I found a site that gave some few tips to distinguished a "false religion".

1. The requirement to proselytize.
Any God who is too powerless to reach his or her creation directly must not be a true God worthy of being followed.

2. The requirement to pay a tithe.
Any God who cannot afford to support his or her believers in their chosen doctrines must not be a true God worthy of being followed.

3. Being founded by a human prophet.
Any God who relies on fallible human beings to speak on his or her behalf is not worthy of being followed.

4. Fear-based decisions.
Any God who uses the threat of violence against humans if they don't follow his or her word is not worthy of being followed.

5. Reward-based incentives.
Any God who must bribe people to follow him or her is not worthy of being followed.

Well, base on the following...every Born-again Christian church existing here in the Philippines is a "false religion".

Atheism don't plant seeds or for a better word, we don't proselytize. As a freethinker, I only challenge traditional beliefs and belief-systems...the things religion (whether it is "true" or "false") spread. As an atheist...my issue is just about non-believing in what you believe. As an individual, my goal is a superstition free Philippines and thinking Filipino. That's not atheism but it's a personal goal as a Freethinker. Maybe you're confused on the issue regarding what is atheism, who is the atheist and who are the freethinkers.

This blog was developed to see to it that such issues are cleared.

Until next time,
Ta-Ta!

John the Atheist