Legally is atheism a religion?

[GeoffP]

That's one of them, yep.

That is one of the factors excluding theism as a religion - too many theistic religions, all different.

All right: so your position is that there are too many theisms for atheism to be called any one thing; that atheism cannot then be narrowly defined.

But - related to the above - any given thing can indeed have a multivariate definition. Cannot "atheism" then simply be the origin on multiple axes of belief, as proposed by Dawkins for a single axis of belief? I don't think it can be excluded from the process because it doesn't correspond to a single description.

 

[lightgigantic]

Atheism is a religion in the same way that not playing football is a football team, or that not owning a car is a type of car, or that bald is a hair color.

yet you don't see such groups seeking legal representation (like say the non-car owners asserting some sort of legal issue relevant to car owners)

 

[iceaura]

But - related to the above - any given thing can indeed have a multivariate definition.

But such multivariate definition is hardly going to but the Buddhist atheists and the Taoist atheists and the Navajo atheists and the areligious atheists in the same religion - is it?

yet you don't see such groups seeking legal representation (like say the non-car owners asserting some sort of legal issue relevant to car owners)

In my town we've seen exactly that - such as redesign of development plans for a major street due to lobbying from a coalition of bus riders, pedestrians, bicyclists, wheelchair neighbors, nearby poor families with children, and other non-car owners blocking a design too preferential to car-owners and their interests.

 

[GeoffP]

But such multivariate definition is hardly going to but the Buddhist atheists and the Taoist atheists and the Navajo atheists and the areligious atheists in the same religion - is it?

Well, if we're talking theism specifically...then yes, it should. Are you implying spirituality as a possible side-issue? Spirituality is another dimension altogether.

 

[lightgigantic]

In my town we've seen exactly that - such as redesign of development plans for a major street due to lobbying from a coalition of bus riders, pedestrians, bicyclists, wheelchair neighbors, nearby poor families with children, and other non-car owners blocking a design too preferential to car-owners and their interests.

I was thinking more in terms of say car insurance or something that is exclusive to motor vehicle owners (as opposed to something like usage of civil space, which draws a wider cross section)