Dear Yuyutsu,

I made reference to Atheism as a tongue in cheek reference
Atheism to my understanding is a absence of religion whereas agnostic is a spiritual belief but not aligned to any conventional order.
When the introduction and establishment of beliefs are left to entities outside the family core then you are in effect relinquishing strength of family unity.
In todays' day and age the state cannot even maintain rule of law much less social law simply because the is not 'one law for all' and where that does not exist society see 'no law for any' and perceives the rule to be 'whatever you can get away with'
Whether one 'believes' or not, religion does introduce a sense of order with reference points by which one can refer to when seeking a moral compass.
Religion, to my mind, is also the embodiment of personal desires and a sense of belonging or connecting to something of greater strength, wisdom call it what you will.
Whereas I do not share this path I nevertheless see the benefit of its presence in society.
What I believe to be unfortunate is that respect for one's desires and beliefs based on family values, does not exist.
Respect is not a matter of entitlement but a necessity for a progressive society

Runner - You say.
youth suicide, pregnancy, abortion, perversion. science lies, gw fantasy.
"Youth suicide" is mostly caused by religious people not accepting a person for what they are.
"Pregnancy" would be reduced if sexual education was more widely available not regarded as evil by the religious.
"Abortion" It is a woman's right to do with he body as she will.- "Right to life" is nonsense.
"Perversion" Ever heard of the Inquisition, the Holocaust, War in the middle east, Belfast. They are perversions.
"Science Lies" if it is a lie then it is not science.
"GW fantasy" You have me there, I have no idea what this is.

Dear Ilmessaggio,

RESPECT is an important ingredient for ANY society, progressive or otherwise.

What could be more disrespectful for a society than counting disinterested people among its members, subjecting them to its rules without their consent?

Atheism is just the absence of belief in God's existence. As such, even I could be technically classified as an atheist - not even an agnostic.
Atheism shouldn't be mistaken for the lack of religion because belief that God exists is only one religious technique among many.

Regarding family, I completely agree.

Religion may at times introduce a sense of social order, while at other times (as in Jesus' times) it could work against the social-order. At times, religion produces a sense of belonging, connection, strength and wisdom and fulfils personal desires, but at other times it can wipe those off. There are times when religion encourages wilful building and times when religion calls to discard it all and surrender. In the words of Ecclesiastes:[

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
]

Religion is larger than society, larger than life itself: one can avoid beliefs and churches, but one cannot avoid religion any more than one can avoid the force of gravity.

TheAtheist

with no moral base to draw from its no wonder to peddle lies.

Runner - LOL. Religion is all about lies. It's a manipulative con job : "You are born in sin - but guess what, we've got the cure. Believe exactly as we say, blindly and obediently and you will be 'saved.' Question it or break our rules and we will condemn you to hell because our god does exactly as we say."

Morality? The most immoral people I've met are the religious ones. Rules for everyone else and endless excuses for themselves.

Yuyutsu,

<<Is atheism a religion?>>

Atheist physicist, Mano Singham, wrote An Atheist's Creed:

1. I believe in a purely material universe that conforms to naturalistic laws and principles.

2. I believe that the life we have is the only one we will have, that the mind and consciousness are inseparable from the brain, that we cease to exist in any conscious form when we die, and that it is therefore incumbent on us to enable each person to live their one life to the fullest.

3. I believe in the power of science and reason and rationality to further deepen our understanding of everything around us and to eventually overcome superstition and erase the petty divisions sown by religion, race, ethnicity, and nationality.

4. I am in awe of the beauty, vastness, and complexity of nature and the universe, and the fact that all arose purely by the working of natural laws.

5. I believe in the power of ideals such as peace and justice and shared humanity to inspire us to create a free and just world.

6. I believe in kindness, love, and the human spirit and their ability to overcome challenges and adversity and to create a better world.

7. I believe in the necessity for credible and objective evidence to sustain any belief and thus deny, because of the absence of such evidence, the existence of each and every aspect of the supernatural.

8. I refuse to bow, prostrate myself, or otherwise cower before the deities of any religion.

9. I am neither tempted by the fiction of heaven or any other form of eternal life nor fearful of the fiction of hell.

10. I choose to live the dignified and exhilarating life of a free-thinker, able to go wherever knowledge and curiosity takes me, without fear of contradicting any dogma.

My response to this Creed is in, "Does atheism have a creed or a system of beliefs?"