Atheism as a Religion: An Introduction to the World's Least Understood Faith

The rise of confrontational atheism has led many non-believers to assert that religion should 'disappear' or be 'extinguished.' Little are atheists aware that in the process of embracing and expressing their atheism, rather than 'extinguish' religion, they have created their own. Many atheists have moved beyond the dictionary definition and are naturally and predictably attempting to fill the religious void left from abandoning their theistic tradition by replacing it with an atheist alternative. With the passion of devoted religious adherents, the atheist faithful celebrate and defend atheist creeds, mythology, and superstitions. Employing the discipline of Anthropology, new atheist critic Mike Dobbins demonstrates how modern atheism has all the characteristics that compose a religion: emotional, social, material, ethical, ritual, doctrinal, and narrative. Like the religions of other cultures, atheism has a cherished worldview, a creation myth, prophecies and revelations, magical thinking, revered leaders, sacred doctrines, esteemed ethics, induces specific emotions, and most recently, formed its own international atheist church, The Sunday Assembly. Moreover, The United States Supreme Court has ruled atheism is a religion and atheist organizations are quick to agree when it is to their advantage. Atheism As A Religion provides a long overdue introduction to the faith of the Godless. The religion of atheism requires thoughtful and deliberate consideration by all people, believer and unbeliever alike. While not all atheists are religious, religious atheism is gaining in popularity and having a greater influence in politics, the media, and Western civilization. As ever more atheists begin to take their religion seriously, it's time everyone else did too."