"Belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe . A personal or institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship . The life or condition of a person in a religious order . A set of beliefs , values , and practices based on the teachings of a spiritual leader . A cause , principle , or activity pursued with zeal or conscientious devotion ."
"When the founding fathers determined that religion should not be established , nor prohibited from being freely exercised , they probably would n't have considered atheism ( the assertion that there is no God ) to be a religion , because at the time it was n't organized , or funded . The Judeo Christian religions were organized and funded at the time , as were other types of religion . They were n't concerned with what beliefs majorities or minorities had , they were concerned with impositions a religion could put on segments of the population with their organizational requirements , or money issues . They could see atheists needing protection from religion , but they could n't see religion needing protection from atheism , because it was n't organized . While it can be argued that atheism is not a religion , it ca n't be argued that it is n't an EQUIVALENT to religion today , with the organization and funding that it now has . 200 years ago , an organization needed buildings and meetings and transportation to be organized . With today 's communications , it does not . Just type `` atheism `` in any search engine and note the organization , and political action . I 'm not using the term `` atheism `` in a derogatory manner . It 's an assertion that there is no God . But today it 's every bit as organized and politically active as any religion - it has happened practically overnight , thanks to modern communications . It now has the same ability to impose itself on society exactly like religion , and is covered by the first amendment the same as any religion . It can not claim science as its god , and force it upon public education . 3 ) One of the most interesting things about this whole issue is the fact that the same thing , only reversed , was going on in the US 100 years ago . http : //www.campusmagazine.org/articl ... 2-2f7cc3afdb0f The concept of evolution was recently founded at that time , and some closed minded religious people were afraid of it , and vehemently opposed having it taught in schools . Today , the concept of intelligent design , ( void of any certain religion and its associated faith ) is vehemently opposed by closed minded Darwinists , who are afraid of it in exactly the same way . I suspect the same thing was at the root of it all 100 years ago just like today - concerns of how the money flows . Religious leaders seek funding - secular science seeks funding . If I would have been alive 100 years ago , would I have opposed having evolution taught in schools ? Of course I would have , because I would n't have been able to forsee how the benefits that the study of microevolution , genetics , and other non controversial aspects of evolution have benefited society . Chances are there are equal , undiscovered things about intelligent design that could be discovered it we would give it a chance . In the words of biologist Arthur Jones ;"
"for a supernatural power or powers regarded creator and governor of the universe . practices based on the teachings of a spiritual leader ."
"religion should not be established , meetings and transportation to be organized `` concept of evolution was recently founded at that time ,"