Some terms used here: atheism = a : a disbelief in the existence of deity b : the doctrine that there is no deity atheist = one who believes in atheism. Atheism = the emerging religion centred on atheism. Atheist = a person who supports this religious Atheism.

I was just looking at the latest iteration of Tolsma’s Atheist page. Pardon the obvious pun: Jesus, how hypocritical all this shit is.

I’ve had this discussion with him about it before, now I want to share it with you, my non-existent reader.

Literally, an atheist is just one who does not believe in a deity (God, Allah, Zeus…) and atheism is that disbelief. To find meaning in atheism, though, I ask myself, "Why would one choose to be an atheist?"

The alternative is having a religion or being an agnostic. Let us set aside agnosticism for a moment and focus on religion. In religion, there is a prescribed doctrine that you are supposed to believe in wholly. Most religious people believe at least some portion of their secular doctrine, interpreting it on a personal level or having faith in the interpretation of their priests.

Religion is a system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith. A religion, then, is composed of groups who share these beliefs. With religion, you will always "belong" somewhere, to some group.

So, atheism is the anti-religion, then. Not holding a system of beliefs centred on a deity like a religion is the essence of atheism. Choosing to be an atheist, then, is stating that you do not need to be part of a group. You don’t want your morals defined by a group mentality; you want to make your own decisions about moral and spiritual matters.

That’s how many atheists, like Tolsma, have come to their beliefs. Atheists (that's with a little "a") have looked at the evidence they have been presented in their own lives, not the evidence given to them by prophets, and decided that there is DEFINITELY NO GOD. All the prophets are wrong. I applaud that; I will always applaud freethinking.

My problem comes in when you start talking like Tolsma does on the page in question. When you start touting atheist organizations, when you start demanding freedom of atheism, what are you trying to do? You are trying to unify a group of Atheists. You are trying to unify a group of people around a shared system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith. YOU ARE TRYING TO MAKE ATHEISM A RELIGION!

By indicating that atheism is the only decision that one can come to using logic and common sense (as the article linked does), you are spouting religious propaganda. How is this any different from saying that following Jesus is the path to salvation or Mohammed shows the way? "Why, because we are right," the organized Atheist might respond. Funny, isn’t that what the feared Christians say about Jesus? Isn’t that what one of those pesky Muslims would say about Mohammed? While rallying behind a cry opposing the forcing of religion onto individuals, these organizations are trying to force their religion of Atheism onto individuals.

I don’t oppose Atheism, and I don’t oppose other religions. Like any other religion, Atheism opposes all other religions, and isn’t that a part of religion too? After all, if you are right, how could anybody else be?

Tolsma is right. You should have pride in who you are and not be fearful of expressing your beliefs, whether they be Christian or Atheist. You should come to those beliefs on your own, just as Tolsma did and as many of the most deeply religious figures have (Gandhi, St. Augustine, the Buddha, Moses). It should be about belief and not belonging, and that is where the movement Tolsma is backing strays. Your beliefs should be a part of you, and not define you.

I guess I can’t escape this without telling what my beliefs are. I am an agnostic, one of the alternatives I mentioned before but didn’t expound upon. I’ve looked at the evidence from my own life, I’ve looked at the world around me, and I haven’t been able to make a decision like Augustine and Tolsma did. I do not know if there is or is not a deity. I do not believe that it is knowable, at least for me. I’m very comfortable with that. However, I will not try to talk you out of your beliefs, not even if one of those beliefs is that you need to unify a group around them. They are beliefs, and beliefs are little more than deeply held opinions. I’m not afraid to borrow the words of Dennis Miller and apply them here, either. That’s just my opinion, I could be wrong.

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