{"id":2188,"date":"2013-01-25T18:32:46","date_gmt":"2013-01-25T18:32:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theatheistrabbi\/?p=2188"},"modified":"2013-01-25T18:32:46","modified_gmt":"2013-01-25T18:32:46","slug":"the-new-york-times-asks-is-atheism-a-religion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theatheistrabbi\/2013\/01\/the-new-york-times-asks-is-atheism-a-religion.html","title":{"rendered":"The New York Times Asks: Is Atheism A Religion?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

In the New York Times\u2019 latest installment of \u201cRoom for Debate<\/a>,\u201d writers discuss the question, \u201cIs Atheism a Religion?<\/a>\u201d The exchange was inspired by Susan Jacoby\u2019s recent piece, \u201cThe Blessings of Atheism\u201d and by the new efforts of a couple of British non-believers to establish an actual atheist church, \u201cThe Sunday Assembly\u201d that plans to meet monthly. All of the contributors come to the obvious conclusion that no, atheism is not a religion.<\/p>\n

I proudly display Richard Dawkins\u2019 scarlet \u201cA\u201d in this blog\u2019s logo. \u00a0I\u00a0<\/span>am, after all, a big believer in \u201ccoming out.\u201d<\/a> \u00a0But\u00a0<\/span>then I attach it to the word \u201crabbi,\u201d a religious concept if ever there was one.<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, I do not pretend that atheism is more than it is. Atheism is simply a statement regarding one\u2019s lack of belief in supernatural gods.<\/p>\n

Secular humanism, on the other hand, is my approach to life. \u00a0It is widespread among atheists but by no means identical to atheism. Who would consider Ayn Rand, Josef Stalin or Mao Zedong humanists?<\/p>\n

I would have framed the debate more narrowly by asking whether secular humanism is a religion. Secular Humanistic Jews have given this some thought.<\/p>\n

Rabbi Sherwin Wine pointed out that the category \u201creligion\u201d is a lot like \u201csports.\u201d Sometimes it\u2019s hard to tell who\u2019s in and who\u2019s out. \u00a0(Are billiards and football both sports? They\u2019re both on ESPN!)<\/p>\n

If religion means having rabbis, organizing congregations, holding services and celebrating holidays \u2013 however much we radically re-define these ideas and activities \u2013 then Secular Humanistic Judaism fits the bill. So, too, might this new British effort.<\/p>\n

Its founders write:<\/p>\n

We started The Sunday Assembly \u2013 think of it as part foot-stomping show, part atheist church \u2013 because the idea of meeting once a month to sing songs, hear great speakers and celebrate the incredible gift of life seems like a fun, and useful, thing to do.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s more, church has got so many awesome things going for it (which we\u2019ve shamelessly nicked). Singing together in a group? Super. Hearing interesting things? Rad. (Our first reading was Theodore Roosevelt\u2019s Man in the Arena bit.) A moment to think quietly about your life? Wizard. Getting to know your neighbors? Ace.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

For reasons that I continue to explore, I remain hesitant to apply the word religion to my own movement. \u00a0I even equivocate about calling myself a rabbi. \u00a0With regard to the latter, I freely use it because my colleagues do and because it is my earned title (I have the certificate to prove it). \u00a0And in fact, no matter what terms we employ, Humanistic Judaism is very much experienced as a kind of religion and my job is quite similar to that of a God-fearing rabbi.<\/p>\n

Putting aside the quibbling over whether we should emphasize humanism over atheism or whether it\u2019s legitimate to call any of it religion, this is a crucial conversation and I am thrilled to see it entering the mainstream.<\/p>\n

Perhaps our British friends and others will have an opportunity to look to Humanistic Judaism for inspiration.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In the New York Times\u2019 latest installment of \u201cRoom for Debate,\u201d writers discuss the question, \u201cIs Atheism a Religion?\u201d The exchange was inspired by Susan Jacoby\u2019s recent piece, \u201cThe Blessings of Atheism\u201d and by the new efforts of a couple of British non-believers to establish an actual atheist church, \u201cThe Sunday Assembly\u201d that plans to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2281,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[6,17,39],"class_list":["post-2188","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blogentries","tag-atheism","tag-humanism","tag-secular-humanistic-judaism"],"yoast_head":"\nThe New York Times Asks: Is Atheism A Religion?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In the New York Times\u2019 latest installment of \u201cRoom for Debate,\u201d writers discuss the question, \u201cIs Atheism a Religion?\u201d The exchange was inspired by Susan\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theatheistrabbi\/2013\/01\/the-new-york-times-asks-is-atheism-a-religion.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The New York Times Asks: Is Atheism A Religion?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In the New York Times\u2019 latest installment of \u201cRoom for Debate,\u201d writers discuss the question, \u201cIs Atheism a Religion?\u201d The exchange was inspired by Susan\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theatheistrabbi\/2013\/01\/the-new-york-times-asks-is-atheism-a-religion.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Atheist Rabbi\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2013-01-25T18:32:46+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Jeffrey L. 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