Maybe, but that's equivocation. The whole discussion centres around phrase 'under God', so we're not talking about belief systems in general, but about a specific belief in God. By definition atheists don't hold this belief, so atheism is not a religion.
-- Cheers, Bob > -----Original Message----- > From: Tom C [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: 18 October 2005 21:50 > To: [email protected] > Subject: RE: More Texas Photo Issues > > I made the statement, in part at least, because of the > following definitions. -ism definitions 3a & b and religion > definition 4. > > Main Entry: -ism > > Etymology: Middle English -isme, from Middle French & Latin; > Middle French, partly from Latin -isma (from Greek) & partly > from Latin -ismus, from Greek -ismos; Greek -isma & -ismos, > from verbs in -izein -ize > 1 a : act : practice : process <criticism> <plagiarism> b : > manner of action or behavior characteristic of a (specified) > person or thing <animalism> c : > prejudice or discrimination on the basis of a (specified) > attribute <racism> <sexism> > 2 a : state : condition : property <barbarianism> b : > abnormal state or condition resulting from excess of a > (specified) thing <alcoholism> or marked by resemblance to > (such) a person or thing <giantism> > 3 a : doctrine : theory : cult <Buddhism> b : adherence to a > system or a class of principles <stoicism> > 4 : characteristic or peculiar feature or trait <colloquialism> > > Main Entry: religion > > Etymology: Middle English religioun, from Latin religion-, > religio supernatural constraint, sanction, religious > practice, perhaps from religare to restrain, tie back -- > 1 a : the state of a religious <a nun in her 20th year of > religion> b (1) : > the service and worship of God or the supernatural (2) : > commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance > 2 : a personal set or institutionalized system of religious > attitudes, beliefs, and practices > 3 archaic : scrupulous conformity > 4 : a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with > ardor and faith > > > Tom C. > > > > > From: "Bob W" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Reply-To: [email protected] > To: <[email protected]> > Subject: RE: More Texas Photo Issues > Date: Tue, 18 Oct 2005 21:19:08 +0100 > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Tom C [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: 18 > October 2005 19:27 > To: [email protected] > Subject: > Re: More Texas Photo Issues > > Come on. :) Atheism is > itself a religion. Each person is > their own personal God, > is that not so? > > No > > Bob > > > > >
