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From: jss@rochester.UUCP (Jon Stumpf)
Newsgroups: net.religion
Subject: Atheism: a religion
Message-ID: <5713@rochester.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 19-Mar-84 15:08:15 EST
Article-I.D.: rocheste.5713
Posted: Mon Mar 19 15:08:15 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 20-Mar-84 01:38:09 EST
Organization: U. of Rochester, CS Dept.
Lines: 33


     Atheism can mean many things to many people.  It all depends who is
defining it at the time.  With respects to religion, I've been called many
things - Catholic, Christian, Agnostic, Atheist, even heathen.  This is due
to the fact that I do not belong to any formal (established) religion.

     An atheist as I understand and define the word is someone who does not
believe in a supreme being (and therefore does not belong to a "formal"
religion).  I don't know if I could say that I believe in a supreme being
with my current explanation/definition of God.  So I believe that makes me
an atheist.  I do believe that I have a religion, my religion, though.  I
am dedicated to this religion - a religion of searching.

     "Christians ... would be a lot more relaxed if they could really
internalize the following:  'We are not responsible for results, only for
obedience.'"

     I, believing what I do now, just want to understand.  I concerned about
religion, but there are those that do not.  We both could be called atheists,
but what we make it is our decision.  I chose to make it a "religion", my
religion.  'Religion is for man,' not 'man is for religion.'  And my religion
is mine alone.  As I believe everyone's "religion" is theirs alone.  All
choose to have one or choose not to.



						Jon S. Stumpf



Jon S. Stumpf
U. of Rochester
..!{allegra|seismo|decvax}!rochester!jss