I've been seeing recently people claiming that atheism is a religion! Needless to say I find this confusing after years of being called heathen, devil worshiper, and more, now suddenly atheism is a religion? Memes are popping up "Atheism is a religion like bald is a hair color", "Atheism is a religion like not collecting stamps is a hobby", and others along the same vein. To be clear, theism is a belief in the existence of a god or gods, specifically of a creator who intervenes in the universe. Atheism is a lack of such belief. A gnostic claims knowledge that a god or gods exist; an agnostic makes no such knowledge claim. The word "secular" means not related to religion, so a non-believer is secular; a believer is non-secular. That's it, that's all there is to it.
I think the confusion originated with "state of religion" type surveys (Pew and others asking respondents to self identify their religion). As "nothing in particular" responses continued to grow, they were grouped together into a label called "None". The "Nones" count was growing from survey to survey. Ah, but "those people still believe in god" claimed some believers. There was no way to know from the data collected, especially since many people are hesitant to claim atheist or agnostic as a label because of the great stigma attached. It wasn't that long ago that blasphemy laws were still on the books in many countries (and still are in some theocracies), and in some states in the U.S. Some state constitutions still carry a statement of god belief requirement in order to hold public office, even though it is totally unenforceable and completely unconstitutional.
Pollsters later modified their categories to include "spiritual but not religious", but I don't think that clarifies belief in a god one way or another. I also don't think that would eliminate the stigma attached to saying "I don't believe in god" or "I'm not convinced a god exists" (the definition of atheist or agnostic). Some have adopted the label of Free Thinker or Humanist in an effort to avoid the stigma, and put forth a more inclusive public persona. The ranks of non believers continues to grow. The ranks of non Christian believers continues to grow. The Christian Nationalist movement has been trying to forcibly spread its message throughout the U.S. government and numerous state governments. They called this multi-year plan launched in 2015 Project Blitz. They are relying on the assaults on the constitution already wrongly allowed to further their agenda. They just want to carry it even further. Science denial is a large part of the program. Forcing a particular brand of hatred and division, beliefs and gods, bigotry and misogyny on everyone is the goal. We cannot allow this to reach fruition.
We know that not only non-Christians feel this is the wrong way for our country, as this Baptist Joint Committee piece reflects. Another group outright tried to set themselves apart from the Christian Nationalist movement noting that it seemed too much like the White Nationalist movement, at least one more enlightened church does exist in Oregon, and a pastor helping border refugees has ended up on a government watch list. Unfortunately, we still have recently enough seen "In God We Trust" being required to be displayed in schools in Tennessee, an assault on women's heath care in Alabama and several other states, watered down science, history, and math being taught in our public schools, and talk of secession from parts of Washington, Oregon, Idaho -- all in the name of religion.
Whatever you label yourself, know that we must all work together to solve the problems we face as a species. There is no help coming from any alien of any sort to save our atmosphere, house the homeless, or feed the starving. We are all homo sapiens. Let's live up to the "wise man" we claim to be. Become informed, vote, take action, write or phone your legislators. Elect informed representatives. Stand up for the constitution.
Separation of Church and State is the only way we can ensure religious freedom for everyone. Religious freedom is the right to believe or not, to worship or not, as you choose so long as it does not interfere with anyone else's rights and freedoms.
I think the confusion originated with "state of religion" type surveys (Pew and others asking respondents to self identify their religion). As "nothing in particular" responses continued to grow, they were grouped together into a label called "None". The "Nones" count was growing from survey to survey. Ah, but "those people still believe in god" claimed some believers. There was no way to know from the data collected, especially since many people are hesitant to claim atheist or agnostic as a label because of the great stigma attached. It wasn't that long ago that blasphemy laws were still on the books in many countries (and still are in some theocracies), and in some states in the U.S. Some state constitutions still carry a statement of god belief requirement in order to hold public office, even though it is totally unenforceable and completely unconstitutional. 
Pollsters later modified their categories to include "spiritual but not religious", but I don't think that clarifies belief in a god one way or another. I also don't think that would eliminate the stigma attached to saying "I don't believe in god" or "I'm not convinced a god exists" (the definition of atheist or agnostic). Some have adopted the label of Free Thinker or Humanist in an effort to avoid the stigma, and put forth a more inclusive public persona. The ranks of non believers continues to grow. The ranks of non Christian believers continues to grow. The Christian Nationalist movement has been trying to forcibly spread its message throughout the U.S. government and numerous state governments. They called this multi-year plan launched in 2015 Project Blitz. They are relying on the assaults on the constitution already wrongly allowed to further their agenda. They just want to carry it even further. Science denial is a large part of the program. Forcing a particular brand of hatred and division, beliefs and gods, bigotry and misogyny on everyone is the goal. We cannot allow this to reach fruition. We know that not only non-Christians feel this is the wrong way for our country, as this Baptist Joint Committee piece reflects. Another group outright tried to set themselves apart from the Christian Nationalist movement noting that it seemed too much like the White Nationalist movement, at least one more enlightened church does exist in Oregon, and a pastor helping border refugees has ended up on a government watch list. Unfortunately, we still have recently enough seen "In God We Trust" being required to be displayed in schools in Tennessee, an assault on women's heath care in Alabama and several other states, watered down science, history, and math being taught in our public schools, and talk of secession from parts of Washington, Oregon, Idaho -- all in the name of religion.
Whatever you label yourself, know that we must all work together to solve the problems we face as a species. There is no help coming from any alien of any sort to save our atmosphere, house the homeless, or feed the starving. We are all homo sapiens. Let's live up to the "wise man" we claim to be. Become informed, vote, take action, write or phone your legislators. Elect informed representatives. Stand up for the constitution.
Separation of Church and State is the only way we can ensure religious freedom for everyone. Religious freedom is the right to believe or not, to worship or not, as you choose so long as it does not interfere with anyone else's rights and freedoms.
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