Secular religions

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[[File:George Washington Greenough statue.jpg|thumb|right|165px|Praise [[George Washington|Father Washington]]!]]{{atheism}}
'''Secular religion''' is a term referring to [[ideology|ideologies]] or [[Philosophy|philosophies]] that have no [[Spirituality|spiritual]], [[supernatural]], or [[religious]] components, but which the speaker claims mimic the forms of religious institutions.

Various elements of religion can be replaced or mimicked. This includes the philosophical basis of religion as an attempt to provide meaning and [[metaphysical]] underpinning, including providing impetus for [[moral]] behavior and good deeds. But it can also involve mimicking the ceremonial and social aspect of religion, replacing gatherings for worship with other regular gatherings and communal experiences, and replacing religious rituals for life events such as marking [[birth]]s, [[marriage]]s, and [[death]]s.

Nevertheless, the very concept of "secular religion" may be of doubtful validity, as it may be a simple [[oxymoron]].

==Atheism as a religion==
{{Main|Atheism as a religion}} 
This is one of the most commonly encountered examples of this trend. Critics of [[atheism]], usually [[conservative]]/[[fundamentalist]] [[Christians]], assert that atheism itself is a religious belief. It is somewhat bizarre that people who cherish so strongly the sanctity of their own beliefs should characterize something so alien to them as being a religion. One possibility is that they are so entrenched in their own religious mindset that they are unable to comprehend the idea of a non-religious belief. More likely, though, is that they believe they are pointing out some deep [[hypocrisy]], in that atheists claim to reject religion while actually practicing it. (Then again, that could just loop back around to religious people finding non-religious [[worldview]]s inconceivable.)

For atheism to be considered a religion involves stretching the definition of religion to its loosest possible meaning — something like "a belief based on [[faith]]", in this case faith that there is no [[God]]. Even this is tenuous, for while some atheists have a strong conviction (arguably equivalent to religious faith) that God does not exist, an atheistic (or at least [[agnosticism|agnostic]]) viewpoint can also be achieved from taking the [[scientific]] (and therefore irreligious) attitude of only accepting as real things that are observable based on [[evidence]].{{efn|Ultimately, there is no ''firm'' evidence for or against the existence of any god(s), with all things that could be claimed as evidence in either direction having alternative explanations and counterarguments of at least moderate validity. While there is no "smoking gun" (or even an argument that lacks any [[Logical fallacy|severe flaws]]) that actually proves the existence of god(s) without requiring [[faith]] to be convinced in the first place, one who disbelieves in all gods is equally unable to prove their point because of the inherent difficulty of [[Negative proof|proving a negative]], and can only go so far as to argue that god(s) is/are ''unlikely'' to exist. Ultimately, though, it is infeasible for debating to convince anyone to [[Apostasy|abandon their religion]], accept a religious belief, or otherwise move from one religion or non-religious stance to another, at least in part because a person's worldview, including their religious [[belief]] or lack thereof, tends to be a deeply-entrenched part of their identity as a human being, akin to ethnicity or nationality. Thus, a person cannot readily change their mind about religion without accepting that everything they thought they knew about the world was 
a lie
 faulty information, and thus enduring intense [[cognitive dissonance]] in the process. If a person ''does'' change their mind about religion, it is likely to be the result of a fairly long period of introspection, not getting smacked down in a debate.}} The argument can be further refuted by analogy. If disbelief in God is a religion, then so is disbelief in the [[Tooth Fairy]], [[Santa Claus]], [[unicorn]]s, and [[leprechaun]]s.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20100227202840/http://www.abarnett.demon.co.uk/atheism/atheismreligion.html Religion of Atheism] by Adrian Barnett (archived from February 27, 2010).</ref> The comparisons "Atheism is a religion like baldness is a hair color" and "Atheism is a religion like not collecting stamps is a hobby" are also commonly used.

In fact, of the [[secular]] philosophies which are inaccurately described as religions, atheism is the least like a religion at all, since it does not dictate a specific worldview. Contrary to the assumptions of many [[creationists]], atheism does not necessarily require an acceptance of the [[big bang]] theory or the [[evolution]] of the species; it predated both of these. All atheism requires is the lack of belief that any God does exist. Unlike religions, atheism does not require any specific activities or observances. Assessed against the criteria which make up most definitions of religion (belief in supernatural beings, worship, ritual, etc.), viewing atheism as a religion just doesn't stand up to scrutiny.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20130329021100/http://atheism.about.com/library/FAQs/ath/blathm_rel_religion.htm Atheism & Religion: Atheism Myths] by Austin Cline,''About.com'' (archived from March 29, 2013).</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20130329182658/http://atheism.about.com/od/aboutatheism/p/AtheismReligion.htm Is Atheism a Religion? Defining Atheism and Religion] by Austin Cline,''About.com'' (archived from March 29, 2013).</ref>

Do any atheists believe themselves to be practicing a religion? It seems unlikely. The only times they tend to take this position are in very rare cases over [[civil rights]] issues or to exploit a legal loophole. For example, in 2005, a federal court of appeals ruled in favor of a prison inmate's right to start a 'religious' study group for atheists. [[Ironically]] but unsurprisingly, when atheism is labeled as a religion, the loudest objections come from conservative Christians, in this case the [[American Family Association]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20060709222830/http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=45874 Court rules atheism a religion] (August 20, 2005) ''World Net Daily'' (archived from July 9, 2006).</ref>

This criticism may not be totally off in every case, as in Alain de Botton's call to build "atheist temples",<ref>[http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2012/01/26/oh-please/ Oh, Please.] by PZ Myers (26 January 2012) ''Freethought Blogs''.</ref> though in many ways, that example represents a form of architectural one-upmanship with religion, which heretofore had a near-monopoly on impressive and awe-inspiring buildings.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120309164956/http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2012-01/25/alain-de-botton-atheist-temples Alain de Botton wants 'temples for atheists'] by Duncan Geere (25 January 12) ''Wired UK'' (archived from March 9, 2012).</ref> 

While atheism is not a religion per se, one characteristic of the so-called "[[New Atheism]]" is the fact that its proponents sometimes [[Evangelism|evangelize]] or proselytize in a manner reminiscent of some religious believers. For these "New Atheists", it's not enough for ''them'' to not believe in God; they actively work to encourage religious believers to 
[[Apostasy|abandon their faith]]
 engage in [[critical thinking]] and [[skepticism]] in regard to their religious beliefs.

==Christian-originated secular religions==
[[Unitarian Universalism]] is probably the closest thing to an organized religion that deliberately makes room for secularism. Unitarian Universalists are free to (and in fact they must) create their own approach to religious belief and practice; for many of them, that means a religion with no concept of God/gods or the supernatural.

The [[Quaker]]s have a non-negligible proportion of atheists.<ref>[http://www.nontheistfriends.org/ Welcome!] ''nontheistfriends.org''.</ref><ref>{{wpa|Nontheist Quakers}}</ref> A 2018 survey of British Quakers found that 14% were atheists and 43% felt unable to express a belief in God, attending meetings for a sense of fellowship rather than divine guidance.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/may/04/quakers-dropping-god The Quakers are right. We don’t need God] by Simon Jenkins (Fri 4 May 2018 02.00 EDT) ''The Guardian''.</ref>

Many consider the [[Church of England]] to be asymptotically approaching being a secular religion, providing rituals like marriages and funerals and a place for the elderly to meet their friends, and with 2% of clergy reportedly atheist, though it still looks like fire-breathing fundamentalism compared to those two.<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/survey-finds-2-anglican-priests-are-not-believers-9821899.html Two per cent of Anglican priests don't believe in God, survey finds] by Jonathan Wynne-Jones (27 October 2014 19:17) ''The Independent''.</ref>

==Civil religion==
[[File:Flickr - The U.S. Army - Young patriot.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A boy celebrates Memorial Day in Washington.]]
{{main|Civil religion}}
Those who decry "secular religions" often mean attributes often found in religions that secular ideologies, especially those aimed at improving the condition of humanity, sometimes acquire. [[Nationalism]] can serve this purpose. For example, there is little controversy about the messianic (in the larger sense) qualities of [[Marxism]]. The [[United States]]' foundation as a bastion of [[liberty]] and individual rights is also driven by a strong belief that these are good and essential to human happiness.

Both Marxist states and Western [[democracies]] have civil religions. The former [[Soviet Union]] staged public parades that featured [[idolatry|images]] of Marxist culture heroes, and even shrines for [[pilgrimage]] such as [[Lenin]]'s tomb. In [[East Germany]], religious coming of age rituals like [[Roman Catholic]] confirmation (first [[communion]]) or [[Judaism|Jewish]] Bar Mitzvahs were replaced by a state coming of age ritual, the ''Jugendfeier'', which still persists in the reunified [[capitalist]] [[Germany|German state]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20171014104242/https://www.thoughtco.com/coming-of-age-ritual-in-germany-1444322 An Interesting Coming of Age Ritual in Germany] by Michael Schmitz (Updated February 28, 2017) ''Thought.co,'' (archived from October 14, 2017).</ref> The United States' civil religion involves many rituals around quasi-sacred objects like the [[Flag Police|flag]], and is heavily inflected with Christian tropes: the nation is The New Jerusalem, The Shining City on a Hill. America also has [[mythology]] about its [[Founding Fathers|Founders]]{{efn|For example, only a few months after his death, Washington was the subject of his first [[hagiography]].<ref name=weems>''A History, of the Life and Death, virtues, and Exploits of General George Washington'' by {{wpl|Mason Locke Weems}} (1800) John Bioren.</ref>}} and esteemed [[President of the United States|presidents]], with memorials and landmarks visited by the patriotic/pious. Some Americans, such as [[Jehovah's Witnesses]], refuse to recite [[The Pledge of Allegiance]], claiming that it is [[Idolatry|idolatrous]]. Other nations also have secular rituals such as citizenship ceremonies.

==Evolution as a religion==
This is a favourite argument of [[creationists]], who like to claim that the issue of [[evolution]] (or, [[snarl word|as they call it]], "[[evolutionism]]" or "[[Darwinism]]") versus creationism "is not science versus religion, but religion versus religion (the science of one religion versus the science of another religion)".<ref name=ham>[https://web.archive.org/web/20150319222301/https://answersingenesis.org/theory-of-evolution/evolution-is-religion/ ''The Lie: Evolution''. Chapter 2: Evolution Is Religion] by Ken Ham (July 1, 1987) ''Answers in Genesis'' (archived from March 19, 2015).</ref> An example comes from ''The Lie: Evolution'' by [[Ken Ham]],<ref name=ham/> but betrays a profound misunderstanding of both religion, which it defines only as a "cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith"<ref name=ham/> ([[Quote mining|quote-mined]] from the ''Merriam-Webster's Dictionary''<ref>[https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/religion religion: noun] ''Merriam-Webster's Dictionary''.</ref>), and evolution. Ham's ridiculous argument seems to be that nothing can be scientifically concluded from fossils/evidence since [[How do you know? Were you there?|we can study them only in the present and have no direct access to their role in the past]], unlike "the [[Biblical contradictions|irrefutable evidence of the Scriptures]]", which were clearly written in the time of Ken Ham.

From a more rational perspective, it is clear that the evolution of species is a [[scientific theory]], predicated on scientific foundations and with scientific applications. Even if its acceptance is considered to be a matter of personal faith, it does not meet any of the defining criteria to be considered a religion.

In May 2015, Kenneth Smith filed a lawsuit against the Jefferson County, [[West Virginia]] Board of Education, the National Institute of Health, and Department of Education, claiming that evolution was a religion, and that it was therefore unconstitutional for his daughter's [[public school]] to teach it as fact. The suit did not mention any case law (e.g., ''[[McLean v. Arkansas Board of Education]]'' (1982), "it is clearly established in the case law, and perhaps also in [[common sense]], that evolution is not a religion and that teaching evolution does not violate the [[Establishment Clause]]."), and is high in errors and low in facts. Kenneth Smith is apparently the author of the pungent, [[racist]] Christian screed ''The True Origin of Man'' (2013).<ref>[http://ncse.com/news/2015/05/antievolution-lawsuit-filed-west-virginia-0016380 Antievolution lawsuit filed in West Virginia] National Center for Science Education (May 22nd, 2015)</ref><ref>''The True Origin of Man'' by Kenneth Smith (2013) iUniverse. ISBN 1475989660.</ref>

Philosophies drawn from "evolutionism" vary from [[social Darwinism]] to modern [[humanism]]. Some have more of a resemblance to religion, even if not meeting the full definition, but these are not part of the theory itself. Types of "evolutionism" that mimic religion often include notions that are decidedly anti-evolutionary or non-Darwinian. The notion of evolution as "progress", for example, heavily influenced thinkers such as [[Jean-Baptiste Lamarck]] and [[Herbert Spencer]].<ref>[http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/299/5612/1523 Is Evolution a Secular Religion?] by Michael Ruse (7 Mar 200) ''Science'' 299(5612):1523-1524. doi:10.1126/science.1082968.</ref><ref>''Evolution as a Religion'' by Mary Midgley (2002) Routledge. 2<sup>nd</sup> edition. ISBN 0415278333.</ref> [[Eugenics]] has often been characterized as a quasi-religious movement based on pseudo-evolutionary ideas. In fact, Charles Davenport, the grandaddy of eugenics in the US, produced a pamphlet titled "Eugenics as a Religion"<ref>[https://diglib.amphilsoc.org/islandora/object/text:215499#page/1/mode/1up Eugenics as a Religion] by Charles Davenport, via ''American Philosophical Society Library''.</ref> that laid out a eugenic "creed". The movement became religious in the more literal sense as some Christian churches supported eugenics and held sermon contests for its promotion.<ref>[http://www.eugenicsarchive.org/eugenics/topics_fs.pl?theme=32&search=&matches= Topic: Religion] ''Eugenics Archive''</ref> In modern times, [[biologist]] [[E.O. Wilson]] {{lived|1929|2021}} had advocated using evolution as the basis of a quasi-religious mythos he called the "epic of evolution".<ref>{{wpa|Epic of Evolution}}</ref>

==Environmentalism and 'nature worship'==
Among the more persuasive variants of the 'secular religion' theory is an [[anthropology|anthropological]] explanation proposed, for example, by Michael Crichton in his criticism of environmentalism:

{{quotebox|I studied anthropology in college, and one of the things I learned was that certain human social structures always reappear. They can't be eliminated from society. One of those structures is religion. Today it is said we live in a secular society in which many people — the best people, the most enlightened people — do not believe in any religion. But I think that you cannot eliminate religion from the psyche of mankind. If you suppress it in one form, it merely re-emerges in another form. You can not believe in God, but you still have to believe in something that gives meaning to your life, and shapes your sense of the world. Such a belief is religious.<ref name=Crichton>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071223234607/http://www.crichton-official.com/speech-environmentalismaseligion.html Environmentalism as Religion] by Michael Crichton (September 15, 2003) Speech at the Commonwealth Club of San Francisco (archived from December 23, 2007).</ref>}}

Crichton controversially suggested that [[Environmentalism|environmentalists]] look back to a fabled paradise state of [[Eden]] in which humans lived in unity with nature, before deconstructing this idyllic view of nature which, in fact, few if any environmentalists have ever professed. Crichton points to a few similarities with religion, such as environmentalists' fear of 'apocalyptic' doom if humankind doesn't redress its 'sins' of [[pollution]] and destruction, before telling us that [[DDT]] and [[second-hand smoke]] are harmless. His argument that [[sustainability]] is put forward as a form of religious salvation makes little sense, since sustainability is a system for managing resources, having more in common with [[economics]] than with religion.

To its most [[hard green|devoted adherents]], environmentalism may present a coherent, almost religious, worldview that is espoused with zealotry, but its core beliefs rest on scientific observations and theories (such as [[global warming]], espoused by the "[[warmist]] cult") rather than the supernatural deities that characterise a religion. [[Conservatives]] often counter this by attempting to associate mainstream environmentalism with [[pagan]] worship of the goddess [[Gaia]] or Mother Earth.<ref>See, for example, Conservapedia's "[[CP:Environmentalist|Environmentalist]]" article, "[http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig8/ostrowski-john1.html Environmentalism as Religion]" by John M. Ostrowski, and "[http://www.capitalresearch.org/blog/?p=307 Environmentalism is a Religion (Photographic Proof)]" (which featured as a main page "news" item at Conservapedia during September 2008).</ref> This conservative argument attempts to [[nutpicking|conflate]] the groups of [[hard green]]s and [[neopagan]]s that subscribe to a sort of religious version of environmentalism with all environmentalism. These types often engage in [[magical thinking]] about the environment, such as subscribing to hard forms of the [[Gaia hypothesis]]. It may also include a form of "back to the land" [[romanticism]] or [[Anarchism#Anarcho-primitivism|anarcho-primitivism]] such as that found in the works of [[John Zerzan]]. These brands of hard green environmentalism are more commonly found among hard-line [[Cornucopian vs. Malthusian debate|Malthusians]].

==Marxism as a religion==
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-1986-0421-035, Berlin, XI. SED-Parteitag, Rede Honecker.jpg|thumb|right|275px|East German Communist Party Congress with Erich Honecker on the pulpit.]]
{{cquote|[[Communist glossary#Primitive communism|Primitive communism]] is Eden; the invention of private property is [[the Fall]]; the stages of society thereafter are the different dispensations of sacred history; [[Marx]] is [[Jesus]], the First International his [[apostle]]s and disciples, the international Communist movement the Church, [[Communist glossary#Proletariat|proletarian]] [[revolution]] the [[Second Coming]], [[socialism]] the [[Millennialism|Millennium]], and communism the New Jerusalem which descends from [[heaven]]…|||John Michael Greer<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20130604173948/http://thearchdruidreport.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-religion-of-progress.html The Religion of Progress] by John Michael Greer (April 10, 2013) ''The Archdruid Report'' (archived from June 4, 2013).</ref>}}

{{cquote|In one important sense, Marxism is a religion. To the believer it presents, first, a system of ultimate ends that embody the meaning of life and are absolute standards by which to judge events and actions; and, secondly, a guide to those ends which implies a plan of salvation and the indication of the evil from which mankind, or a chosen section of mankind, is to be saved.|||Joseph Schumpeter<ref>''Capitalism, Socialism, and Democracy'' by Joseph A. Schumpeter (2008) Harper Perennial Modern Classics. 3<sup>rd</sup> edition. ISBN 0061561614.</ref>{{rp|5}}}}

[[Karl Marx]]'s, along with his collaborator [[Friedrich Engels]]', writings have had a dramatic influence on world politics. Marxism as an outgrowth of their work has had a storied and turbulent development. Marxists come in all shades, from rational, to [[pseudoscientific]], to the utterly fanatical, the latter of which being what this section describes. Despite seminal Marxist texts encouraging the use of the [[scientific method]]{{cn}} and attempting to formulate [[socialism]] as a scientific venture, many followers came to revere Marx as an almost prophetic figure and, when put in power, enforced this reverence with cruelty. 

In former communist countries, Marx was given a [[personality cult]] and was viewed as immune to criticism. Various later developments in Marxism (Stalinism, Maoism, Ho Chih Min Thought, etc.) grew to have their own fervently zealous circles surrounding them; [[Lenin]]'s contributions to Marxist philosophy (Marxism-Leninism) are perhaps the most famous. Critics of communism were labeled as "counter-revolutionary criminals" and were jailed or even executed, which can be compared to the execution of critics of state religion on charges of [[blasphemy]] or [[apostasy]]. This took the form of the [[gulag]] system and Great Purge in the Soviet Union under [[Joseph Stalin]] and the [[Cultural Revolution]] in [[China]] under [[Mao Zedong]]. Richard Kapuściński, in his book ''Imperium'' about his travels in the Soviet Union, wrote that the idea of creating a religion without a god was considered.<ref>''Imperium'' by Richard Kapuściński (1993) Czytelnik. ISBN 9029525134.</ref> However, during Stalin's rule, his cult of personality effectively led to a religion in which Stalin played the role of a god. In ''God is not Great'', [[Christopher Hitchens]] speaks of his loss of belief in Marxism as closely analogous to loss of religious belief. 

While it displays similarities in such practices, Marxism lacks the supernatural beliefs (although the "force of history" is close), rituals, and other common aspects of religions. However, in the [[North Korean]] [[schism]] of Marxism, according to official ideology, there are miraculous beliefs related to the ruling family. For example, the birth of [[Kim Jong-il]] was accompanied by winter changing into spring, a star illuminating the sky, and a double [[rainbow]] spontaneously appearing. Marxism as a [[memeplex]] is analogous to the model of a religion, even including something of the transcendent (in its eventual goal of "[[Communist glossary#Class consciousness|class consciousness]]") and a mantra by which to dismiss or insult [[Infidel|any doubter or unbeliever]] ("[[false consciousness]]"). The prediction of an [[Second Coming|eventual worldwide revolution]] that would result in an [[Heaven|essentially utopian existence]] has also struck many as having religious overtones, bearing resemblance to a [[prophecy]].<ref>[http://delong.typepad.com/sdj/2013/05/understanding-karl-marx-hoisted-from-the-archives-from-four-years-ago-may-day-weblogging.html Understanding Karl Marx: Hoisted from the Archives from Four Years Ago May Day Weblogging] by Brad DeLong (May 01, 2013 at 03:45) ''Typepad''.</ref>

Philosopher [[Bertrand Russell]] claimed that Marx has merely adopted the [[Jewish]] pattern of history and that, in order to understand Marx psychologically, one should use the following dictionary:

{{blockquote|Yahweh: Dialectical Materialism

The Messiah: Marx 

The Elect: The Proletariat

The Church: The Communist Party

The Second Coming: The Revolution

Hell: Punishment of the Capitalists

The Millennium: The Communist Commonwealth<ref>''A History of Western Philosophy'' by Bertrand Russell (1945) Simon & Schuster.</ref>{{rp|363-364}}}}

According to economist [[John Maynard Keynes]], not only was Marx a [[prophet]], but ''[[Das Kapital]]'' is basically worshipped as a religious text. As he summarizes: "How can I accept a doctrine which sets up as its bible, above and beyond criticism, an obsolete economic textbook which I know to be not only scientifically erroneous but without interest or application for the modern world?"<ref>''Universal Man: The Seven Lives of John Maynard Keynes'' by Richard Davenport-Hines (2015) Basic Books. ISBN 0465060676.</ref>

In June 2021, Chinese dictator [[Xi Jinping]] said that "all party comrades should take their faith in Marxism and the socialism with Chinese characteristics as their life's purposes".<ref>[https://www.newsweek.com/chinas-xi-jinping-tells-party-members-marxism-socialism-should-lifes-purposes-1605153 China's Xi Jinping Tells Party Members Marxism, Socialism Should Be 'Life's Purposes']</ref>{{rp|149}}

==Liberalism as a religion==
The most famous example of equating liberalism with religion is [[Ann Coulter]]'s book, ''[[Godless: The Church of Liberalism]]'',<ref name=godless>''Godless: The Church of Liberalism'' by Ann Coulter (2006) Crown Forum. ISBN 1400054206.</ref> in which she argued that liberalism has become America's "official state religion",<ref name=godless/>{{rp|2}} complete with its own [[Creation myths|creation stories]], gods, [[martyr]]s, clergy, doctrines, and sacraments.<ref group=note>Of course, Ann's definition of "liberalism" is in the modern American sense (i.e. conflating "liberalism" with left-wing, progressive ideology), and would almost certainly look strange ([[Not even wrong|well, ''stranger'']]) to Canadian, European, Latin/South American, Asian, African, or Australian audiences.</ref> The argument basically boils down to a familiar attack on the curricula and values taught in public schools, whose teachers Coulter regards as "clergy" baptising children into the cult of liberalism, and the alleged [[Liberal media|liberal bias of the media]]. It also involves lumping together many beliefs and stances, such as evolutionary theory and the [[pro-choice]] movement, which, although held by many liberals, are not part of a strict set of political or religious tenets. Furthermore, it takes [[Blood libel|a really warped stretch of the imagination]] to see [[abortion]]s as religiously-motivated "[[Human sacrifice|virgin sacrifices]]", as Coulter apparently does.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070912224443/http://atheism.about.com/od/godlessamericaamericans/p/GodlessChurch.htm Is There a Godless Church of Liberalism or Atheism? Responding to Ann Coulter] by Austin Cline (2007) ''About.com'' (archived from September 12, 2007).</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070917195618/http://atheism.about.com/od/godlessliberals/p/LiberalReligion.htm Is Godless Liberalism a Religion?] by Austin Cline (2007) ''About.com'' (archived from September 17, 2007).</ref>

==The market as a religion==
Extreme forms of [[neoliberalism]] have been characterized pejoratively as "market-worship" or "market fundamentalism" (the term 'market fundamentalism' was coined by Jonathan Benthall in 1991<ref>"Inside information on 'the market'" by Jonathan Benthall (1991) ''Anthropology Today'' 7(4):1–2.</ref> and popularized by [[George Soros]]<ref>''The Crisis of Global Capitalism: Open Society Endangered'' by George Soros (1998) PublicAffairs. ISBN 1891620274.</ref>{{rp|xx}}). Ernest Partridge identifies the sacred text as [[Adam Smith]]'s ''Wealth of Nations'', which explicates the all-powerful force of [[invisible hand|"The Invisible Hand"]] (even though Smith himself would disagree with this interpretation). He further identifies [[conservative]] and [[libertarian]] [[think tank|think-tank]]s as "seminaries", pundits as the "priesthood", and the [[government]] as "the [[devil]]".<ref>[http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/01/10_religion.html The State Religion] by Ernest Partridge (January 10, 2002) ''Democratic Underground''.</ref> Mark Wexler has also used the concept of the invisible hand in connection with [[intelligent design|intelligent-design]] [[creationism]].<ref>"The other invisible hand emanates out of the notion of intelligent design (Carey, 1998; Dembski, 2002; Ruse 2004)." by Mark Wexler, ''Journal of Ideology''.</ref>

The Market-God can have various co-gods or sub-gods,<ref group=note>Persons of the [[Trinity]], demigods, [[saint]]s — take your pick of the available theological terminology…</ref> such as [[capitalism]],<ref>''Capitalism as Religion? A Study of Paul Tillich's Interpretation of Modernity'' by Francis Ching-Wah (2010) Harvard University Press. ISBN 0674021479.</ref> [[Business]],<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=ACxuy_kCWY0C ''The Religion of Business and the Business of Religion'' by Alfred Bowen EVANS (1856) Edward Lumley. "That a life of business and a life of devotion to God must go together, with the Apostle's admonition before our minds, there can be no question … business and religion, the duties of this life and the preparation for the life to come, with a man of fervent spirit, are not two things, so much as two phases of the same thing."</ref>{{rp|15-16}}<ref>''God Goes to Work: New Thought Paths to Prosperity and Profits'' by Tom Zender (2010) John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 0470563656. "It has even been stated that people today do indeed worship at work instead of at church. … Business-as-religion never took hold of the United States and the other major world states in the way conspiracy theorists once feared it would; but those brief years are just one example of how spirituality and business have attempted, and failed at, amalgamation. Spirituality and business have a natural attraction. Like opposite sides of a magnet, they are eternally drawn to each other through their similar roots. They are flipsides of the most basic of all concepts: the transaction."</ref>{{rp|17-18}} and [[economics|The Economy]].<ref>''Religion as Economy and Economy as Religion'' by Jonathan Friedman (1998) Rowman Altamira. 2<sup>nd</sup> edition. ISBN 0761989331.</ref> (Our economy — not someone else's.) [[Donald Trump|Politicians]] of the [[populism|populist sect]] may conceptually subdivide the Market-God and concentrate on its divine offspring, the Job-Market-God.<ref>{{wpa|Job market}}</ref>

==Reason as a religion==
[[File:Temple de la raison et de la philosophie.jpg|thumb|right|175px|The Temple of Reason and Philosophy.]]
During the bleakest days of the [[French Revolution]], the {{wpl|Cult of Reason}} was established by the newly-created French Republic. The atheistic state religion was created as an attempt to substitute for the [[Roman Catholic Church]], and would soon resort to the same methods used by its predecessor. The Cult of Reason transformed the Catholic altars into {{wpl|Temple of Reason|"Temples of Reason"}} and even had its own liturgy, the {{wpl|Cult of Reason#Festival of Reason|"Festival of Reason"|.}} The persecution of the Catholic Church by the adherents of the new cult [[Backfire effect|unsurprisingly strengthened the opposition to the Revolution]]<ref>''The History of the World'' by J. M. Roberts & Odd Arne Westad (2013) Oxford University Press. 6th edition. ISBN 0199936765.</ref>{{rp|739}} and, as a result, the Cult of Reason was replaced in 1794 by the {{wpl|Cult of the Supreme Being||,}} which made the same blunders nonetheless. Both religions were finally abolished less than a decade later by [[Napoleon Bonaparte]], who made Catholicism once more the ''de facto'' official religion in France.<ref>[https://www.napoleon-series.org/research/government/diplomatic/c_concordat.html Documents upon Napoleon and the Reorganization of Religion.] ''The Napoleon Series''.</ref>

==Transhumanism as a religion==
[[Transhumanism]] has been characterized as a techno-[[utopian]] political ideology and a secular religion.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20150721172858/http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/bruere20150715 Transhumanism&nbsp;– The Final Religion?] by Dirk Bruere (July 16, 2015) ''Insitute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies'' (archived from July 21, 2015).</ref><ref>[http://www.thinkbeyond.us/religion.html Is Transhumanism a Religion?] by Franklin Veaux, ''Think Beyond Us''.</ref> The [[Singularity]] in particular has been derided as a "[[rapture]] of the nerds".<ref>[http://time.com/66536/terasem-trascendence-religion-technology/ The Rapture of the Nerds] by Jessica Roy & Melbourne Beach (April 17, 2014 2:02 PM EDT) ''Time''.</ref> Other quasi-religious concepts infest the philosophy, such as the [[Cartesian]] [[dualism]] implied by [[mind uploading]] and the quest for [[immortality]] in [[cryonics]].

==Personality cults==
{{main|Personality cult}}
Personality cults that lack supernatural elements are often characterized as secular religions. The [[Juche]] movement in North Korea, also referred to as Kimilsungism, is regarded by some as a religion, with worshiping former dictator [[Kim Il Sung]] as a major component. 

There is similar sentiment regarding [[objectivism]], which is reflected in the term "[[Randroid]]".  

[[Synanon]], a drug treatment center with an [[authoritarian]] leader, even recognized its de facto status as a religion despite being a secular movement, and attempted in the mid-1970s to legally reorganize as the Church of Synanon.

==Atheistic religions==
Although atheism alone is not a religion, it is possible for an atheist to hold religious beliefs, and some religious sects or groups are largely nontheistic.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110216140856/http://www.religionfacts.com/big_religion_chart.htm The Big Religion Chart] ''Religion Facts'' *(archived from February 16, 2011).</ref>
* Nontheist Friends are Quakers who do not believe in the personal God of the [[Bible]].<ref>[http://www.nontheistfriends.org/article/what-is-a-nontheist/ What is a Nontheist?] by James Riemermann (September 20, 2006) ''nontheistfriends.org''.</ref>
* Many Theravada [[Buddhism|Buddhists]] lack belief in any deities in the traditional [[Western]] sense (the Buddha was '''not''' a god, although stories of his life often have supernatural aspects). 
* Some sects of [[Hinduism]] accept atheism as a stance one can take, while the Charvaka, Mīmāṃsā, and Samkhya schools of Hinduism are explicitly atheistic.
* LaVeyan [[Satanism|Satanists]] almost exclusively deny the existence of God, but it's [[Parody religion|a very tongue-in-cheek "religion"]].
* [[Unitarian Universalism|Unitarian Universalists]] have diverse views of theology, but atheists and other non-Christians outnumber Christians within the church.
* There are various types of nontheistic [[Judaism]]. Beliefs usually range from strict adherence to the laws of the [[Torah]] without a belief in the Jewish god to those who simply were born into or participate in elements of Jewish culture, making it more of an ethnic than religious identity. This usually goes by the name of "secular Judaism", "cultural Judaism", or "Jewish atheism".
* Dudeism is a non-theistic religion based on [[Taoism]], using the film ''The Big Lebowski'' to spread its message of chilling out with {{wpl|White Russian (cocktail)|White Russians|,}} [[weed]], and going bowling.<ref>[http://dudeism.com/ Dudeism.com]</ref>
* [[Raëlism]] is a non-theistic religion that doesn't believe in [any Earth] Gods; however, it does feature [[aliens]] that adherents view as essentially divine (though believers claim that these aliens are not supernatural beings).
* [[Humanism]] is not a religion, but organisations such as [[Humanists UK]] provide officiants for weddings and funerals, taking roles traditionally filled by religious figures.
* Researchers of New Religious Movements note that some "therapy cults" (e.g., [[Erhard Seminars Training]] and derivatives) have religious elements.<ref>''Researching New Religious Movements: Responses and Redefinitions'' by Elisabeth Arweck (2006) Taylor & Francis. ISBN 041527754X. "Schneider (1995: 189-190) lists organizations, such as Landmark Education, ''Verein zur Foerderung der Psychologischen Menschenkenntnis'' (VPM), Scientology/Dianetics, ''Ontologische Einweihungsschule (Hannes Scholl), EAP, and ''Die Bewegung'' (Silo) as examples of 'therapy cults'. These groups do not immediately suggest religion or ''Weltanschauung'', but reveal ideological and religious elements on closer inspection.</ref>{{rp|166}}
* {{wpl|Secular paganism|Atheopaganism}} upholds the values associated with [[neopaganism]] (respect for nature and others, [[equality]] of sexes, celebration of festivities such as those of the {{wpl|Wheel of the Year||),}} while at the same time having a secular worldview: rejecting the supernatural elements, considering deities as personifications of different concepts, regarding [[magic]] to be just psychological, and supporting science.

==See also==
{{collist|2|
*[[Atheist fundamentalism]]
*[[Civil religion]]
*[[Georgia Guidestones]]
*[[Ideology]]
*[[Non-Overlapping Magisteria]]
*[[Parody religion]]
*[[Personality cult]]
*[[Scientism]]
*[[Secular humanism]]
*[[Sociology of religion]]
*[[Essay:Atheism is a religion]] and the debate on its [[Essay talk:Atheism is a religion|talk page]]
}}

==External links==
*[http://andrewgelman.com/2010/01/climate_change_1/ Climate change as a religion, and the more general use of “religion” as a term of insult], Andrew Gelman
*[http://www.publicpolicy.umd.edu/sppupdate/Nelson_Examines_Secular_Religion Economist Bob Nelson Examines Secular Religions], University of Maryland

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

[[Category:Authoritarianism]]
[[Category:Philosophy]]
[[Category:Political terms]]
[[Category:Religions]]
[[Category:Secularism]]
[[Category:Totalitarianism]]

Categories: Authoritarianism, Philosophy, Political terms, Religions, Secularism, Totalitarianism