Is Worship Central to Human Existence? Does Everyone Worship Something?
The claim that atheists replace worship of God with worship of something else ranges over many possible objects for atheists' worship: Satan, themselves, humanity, etc. In addition to being wrong, all these myths share the belief that worship is somehow fundamental to human existence such that it simply isn't possible for a person to live a decent life without worshipping something.
People who try not to worship anything have lives that aren't worth living. People who worship false gods that make things worth. Only worship of the True God gives people the happiness they search for. Not Everyone Worships Something...
Is Religion Central to Human Existence? Is Everyone Religious?
For some religious theists, their religion and religious beliefs are so important to them that they cannot imagine anyone being without a religion of some sort. For such people, religion occupies such a fundamental and necessary aspect of how they live that they insist the same must be true of everyone — thus everyone must have a religion of some sort and it's impossible for anyone to live out one. This includes irreligious atheists who insist that they really don't have any religion. The truth is that while religion is common in human cultures, not every person is really religious. Not Everyone is Religious...
Defining Atheism as Not Worshiping Any Gods:
Some people have argued that rather than define atheism as the absence of belief in gods, it would make more sense to define atheism as not worshiping any gods.
There are advantages and disadvantages to this idea. Among the advantages is the fact that there is no need to go through contortions when it comes to apparently "real" gods, like a tree or Caesar. Among the disadvantages is how it allows for a person to be an atheist but to believe that some god exists — an apparent contradiction. Overall the disadvantages outweigh the advantages, but it offers interesting insights. Atheism as the Absence of Worship...
Atheists Worship Satan:
Although it's not as common as it once was, there are still people who think that atheists both believe in and worship Satan, the evil opponent of God. This is an almost literal demonization of atheists, since the primary servants of Satan are always depicted as literal demons. Describing atheists in this manner makes it easy to dismiss them and whatever they say — after all, it would be wrong for a true and faithful follower of God to pay any attention to the lies of Satan's minions. The truth is, atheists don't believe in a real Satan any more than they believe in a real God. Atheists Do Not Worship Satan...
Atheists Worship Themselves:
Religious theists know that atheists aren't part of their religion and don't worship their god, but some religious theists have trouble imagining how a person could be without any religion at all and not worship some god. It's commonly assumed then that atheists replace the "true god" with something else, with the most popular alleged replacement being the atheist themselves. Thus we have the commonly repeated myth that atheists worship themselves. In reality, atheists don't treat themselves anything like theists treat their gods, nor do atheists worship themselves in any manner. Atheists Do Not Worship Themselves...
Do Atheists Worship Humanity, Human Intellect, and Human Government?
The idea that atheists worship themselves in any manner like religious theists worship their god is absurd enough to dispense with quickly. Perhaps because of this some religious theists claim that atheists worship something similar, but larger: all of humanity, the human intellect, or perhaps human government. If everyone has a religion and everyone worships something, then these must seem like plausible candidates. This is just a myth, though, and not true. Atheists don't treat humanity, human intellect, or governments in any way like how theists worship gods. Atheists Do Not Worship Humanity...
Atheists Are Materialistic & Worship Money, Material Goods, Material Comforts:
The belief that atheists are more materialistic than theists isn't one that is founded on any evidence, but it is a popular one. A survey done by researchers in the University of Minnesota’s department of sociology found that atheists are the most despised and distrusted minority in America. The most popular reasons cited were "moral indiscretions" like criminal behavior, rampant materialism, and cultural elitism. Evidently being theistic and religious prevents such problems, but since when? Atheists are Not Materialistic, Worship Money...
Atheists are Hedonists Who Worship Sex, Physical Pleasure, Physical Comfort:
Is it true that atheists are all sex-crazed maniacs who care only about getting high? That's the implication of the popular myth that atheists are hedonists who have replaced the proper worship of the True God with worship of physical pleasures. There is no evidence that atheists are more likely to use or abuse drugs, nor is there any evidence that atheists "worship" physical pleasures like sex, no matter how loosely the term is defined. There is simply no empirical basis for this myth. Atheists are Not Hedonists Who Worship Pleasure...
Atheists Worship Science: Evolution is Atheists' Creed, Darwin Their Prophet:
Religious theists who believe that everyone worships something and has some sort of religion will at times conclude that atheists' religion must be science. Science is not only secular and godless, but has also been responsible for overturning many of the myths, doctrines, and beliefs which have been fundamental to theistic religions. Science conflicts with religions not because it is a religion itself, but because religions typically conflict with reality. No one worships science, though, and it certainly isn't a "religion" for anyone. Atheists Do Not Worship Evolution, Darwin...
The claim that atheists replace worship of God with worship of something else ranges over many possible objects for atheists' worship: Satan, themselves, humanity, etc. In addition to being wrong, all these myths share the belief that worship is somehow fundamental to human existence such that it simply isn't possible for a person to live a decent life without worshipping something.
People who try not to worship anything have lives that aren't worth living. People who worship false gods that make things worth. Only worship of the True God gives people the happiness they search for. Not Everyone Worships Something...
Is Religion Central to Human Existence? Is Everyone Religious?
For some religious theists, their religion and religious beliefs are so important to them that they cannot imagine anyone being without a religion of some sort. For such people, religion occupies such a fundamental and necessary aspect of how they live that they insist the same must be true of everyone — thus everyone must have a religion of some sort and it's impossible for anyone to live out one. This includes irreligious atheists who insist that they really don't have any religion. The truth is that while religion is common in human cultures, not every person is really religious. Not Everyone is Religious...
Defining Atheism as Not Worshiping Any Gods:
Some people have argued that rather than define atheism as the absence of belief in gods, it would make more sense to define atheism as not worshiping any gods.
There are advantages and disadvantages to this idea. Among the advantages is the fact that there is no need to go through contortions when it comes to apparently "real" gods, like a tree or Caesar. Among the disadvantages is how it allows for a person to be an atheist but to believe that some god exists — an apparent contradiction. Overall the disadvantages outweigh the advantages, but it offers interesting insights. Atheism as the Absence of Worship...
Atheists Worship Satan:
Although it's not as common as it once was, there are still people who think that atheists both believe in and worship Satan, the evil opponent of God. This is an almost literal demonization of atheists, since the primary servants of Satan are always depicted as literal demons. Describing atheists in this manner makes it easy to dismiss them and whatever they say — after all, it would be wrong for a true and faithful follower of God to pay any attention to the lies of Satan's minions. The truth is, atheists don't believe in a real Satan any more than they believe in a real God. Atheists Do Not Worship Satan...
Atheists Worship Themselves:
Religious theists know that atheists aren't part of their religion and don't worship their god, but some religious theists have trouble imagining how a person could be without any religion at all and not worship some god. It's commonly assumed then that atheists replace the "true god" with something else, with the most popular alleged replacement being the atheist themselves. Thus we have the commonly repeated myth that atheists worship themselves. In reality, atheists don't treat themselves anything like theists treat their gods, nor do atheists worship themselves in any manner. Atheists Do Not Worship Themselves...
Do Atheists Worship Humanity, Human Intellect, and Human Government?
The idea that atheists worship themselves in any manner like religious theists worship their god is absurd enough to dispense with quickly. Perhaps because of this some religious theists claim that atheists worship something similar, but larger: all of humanity, the human intellect, or perhaps human government. If everyone has a religion and everyone worships something, then these must seem like plausible candidates. This is just a myth, though, and not true. Atheists don't treat humanity, human intellect, or governments in any way like how theists worship gods. Atheists Do Not Worship Humanity...
Atheists Are Materialistic & Worship Money, Material Goods, Material Comforts:
The belief that atheists are more materialistic than theists isn't one that is founded on any evidence, but it is a popular one. A survey done by researchers in the University of Minnesota’s department of sociology found that atheists are the most despised and distrusted minority in America. The most popular reasons cited were "moral indiscretions" like criminal behavior, rampant materialism, and cultural elitism. Evidently being theistic and religious prevents such problems, but since when? Atheists are Not Materialistic, Worship Money...
Atheists are Hedonists Who Worship Sex, Physical Pleasure, Physical Comfort:
Is it true that atheists are all sex-crazed maniacs who care only about getting high? That's the implication of the popular myth that atheists are hedonists who have replaced the proper worship of the True God with worship of physical pleasures. There is no evidence that atheists are more likely to use or abuse drugs, nor is there any evidence that atheists "worship" physical pleasures like sex, no matter how loosely the term is defined. There is simply no empirical basis for this myth. Atheists are Not Hedonists Who Worship Pleasure...
Atheists Worship Science: Evolution is Atheists' Creed, Darwin Their Prophet:
Religious theists who believe that everyone worships something and has some sort of religion will at times conclude that atheists' religion must be science. Science is not only secular and godless, but has also been responsible for overturning many of the myths, doctrines, and beliefs which have been fundamental to theistic religions. Science conflicts with religions not because it is a religion itself, but because religions typically conflict with reality. No one worships science, though, and it certainly isn't a "religion" for anyone. Atheists Do Not Worship Evolution, Darwin...
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