Introduction

Some individuals of a religious persuasion have asserted that atheism is a religion. Listening to this, Invoice Maher said, If atheism is a religion, then abstinence is a sexual situation. Related analogies rebutting the jejune concept that non-perception could be a religion are out there, this sort of as, if atheism is a faith, then ‘bald’ is a hair colour and ‘off is a Tv channel. You get the concept.

By definition, those who follow a religion share a set of frequent beliefs. The only thread atheists have in widespread is disbelief – in a god or gods. Which is not significantly of a religion.

Wikipedia implies there are about 4200 religions on earth earth. How are religions frequently understood? For starters, they are linked with organized, described sets of beliefs or worldviews. Religions have narratives, symbols and expectations that members are predicted to satisfy. Religions have supernatural qualities, with perception in the existence of items for which there is no proof or naturalistic explanation. Illustrations contain beliefs in heaven and hell, an afterlife, miracles, peace in the Middle East or in the efficacy of prayers – or other ritual (e.g., rain dances, voodoo) developed to modify the thoughts of an imagined Infinite or alter the training course of character.

Atheists by any identify (e.g., freethinkers, secular humanists, infidels, agnostics and so on) keep no these kinds of spiritual perspectives. On this foundation, it would seem that Real wellness, a philosophy that embraces and extolls purpose and all that science involves, would hardly qualify as a religion.

A Stunning Statement

Well, which is what I imagined. Then I noticed the artwork and cover designed for Wellness Orgasms: The Exciting Way to Dwell Nicely and Die Healthy, my newest work co-authored with Dr. Grant Donovan, the enigmatic philosopher from Perth, Australia. In a last edit, Grant experienced written an odd sentence in the include blurb that I advised we rework. The sentence study as follows:

Orgasms, wellness orgasms, that is, have by no means sounded so wholesome, so desirable or so useful as the authors current True wellness as the only religion.

OMG.

Donovan’s Thinking in Labeling Genuine Wellness A Faith

Considering that atheism by any identify is not a religion, except if the definition of faith is so stretched as to be meaningless, the sentence seemed in need of repair. Absolutely we would not want to depict Genuine wellness as a religion. I wrote to Grant and created my case.

The excellent polymath discussed the rationale for this unsettling explanation:

Au contraire, great Tzar of WO. The last sentence personifies irony, satire, sarcasm and hyperbole all in 1 very small, very small corner of infinite place. It will be the sentence they review at WO universities and seminaries a hundred many years from now, and surprise in amazement.

I can also see a Fox reporter interviewing you when the ebook is released.

Fox Reporter: ‘Dr Ardell, you denounce religion in your ebook but then you assert Actual wellness and WOs are the only faith. Is that not a tad hypocritical?’

Don: ‘Not in the minimum, Mr. Peabrain. It has been confirmed through the complete background of human meaninglessness that most people need to have head-altering medications and virgins in the clouds to make their depressing lifestyle experiences even mildly bearable. WOs and the pursuit of Real wellness offers indicating to wretched life in a quasi-secular, religious-sort way. In addition to, ISUS (irony and satire in the U.S.) is a much exceptional religious movement to ISIS. egalitarian churches need to carve out a WO-based caliphate from Tampa to New York.’

Well, I do really like irony, satire, sarcasm and hyperbole, even far more when it is bound in a little, little corner of infinite space. And, if this sentence will spark an interview at Fox Tv and give a bit of fodder for undergraduates in the twenty second century, why stand in the way?

Even if Actual wellness is slightly linked with religion in this playful tongue-in-cheek manner, couple of visitors of WO will mistake possibly of us as fans for religion. Soon after all, we both feel, together with Pat Condell, that faith (other than True wellness) disapproves of unique considered the way Dracula does sunlight.

Be effectively and seem as considerably as you can on the brilliant side of daily life-and cause.

Postscript

A federal district court in Oregon declared Secular Humanism a faith! Holy horrors, what was that about?

Not theology, philosophy or deference to normal usage of English, it turns out. The choice by Senior District Decide Ancer Haggerty was rendered to pay for the non-theistic local community the same authorized legal rights as spiritual groups. The Plaintiffs in the circumstance, the American Humanist Affiliation (AHA) and Jason Holden, a federal prisoner, sought recognition of humanism in buy that Mr. Holden could have the identical legal rights as prisoners of a spiritual persuasion. Humanism, much more or significantly less like atheism and other types of affiliation including Real wellness, is outlined by AHA as an moral and life-affirming philosophy cost-free of belief in any gods and other supernatural forces.

The choose cited current lawful precedent and observed that that denying humanists the very same rights as teams such as Christianity would violate the Institution Clause in the U.S. Constitution (i.e., Congress shall make no regulation respecting an establishment of religion).

The court finds that Secular Humanism is a religion for Institution Clause needs, the ruling study.

Whilst most humanists and other godless kinds do not want to be affiliated with any type of religion, in this instance, at the very least, the greater pursuit of equal rights trumped this kind of usual and lawful classifications.

Greg Epstein, the chaplain at Harvard, was quoted as follows relating to this unusual verdict:

I truly never care if Humanism is known as a religion or not. But if you are heading to give unique rights to religions, then you have to give them to Humanism as properly, and I consider that is what this scenario was about.