My concern only involves Abrahamic religions for a reason. Paganism and Eastern Philosophies are very closely aligned to what atheist spirituality amount to. They have my blessings. Abrahamic religions have my intense disdain for reasons that are very clear in this thread. Abrahamic religion is the worst thing that has ever happened to humanity!!!!
The issue is that Abrahamic religions have evolved out of these philosophies. Many parts of Christianity are from paganism. With anything, there are good and not so good parts. To completely denounce an entire religion for specific properties, completely discounts the fact that they also have components of what you value.
Please forgive this observation but I think you confuse spirituality with religion.
I purposefully avoided using 'spirituality' or alluding to it in my post because I consider them completely separate things. I think that this might be something you battle with, in that you consider Abrahamic religions to be only religion, and Atheism to be strictly spiritual. In one aspect, Atheism in itself is a religion - it's a community of individuals guided by a set of principals and beliefs (beliefs are not strictly defined through religion). You can be both religious and practising atheism and not have any spirituality. Spirituality is something individual and within someone. I think you consider spirituality and atheism to be synonymous, which they aren't. In being critical, which I feel bad about, I think this is where your argument is weak. What I was alluding to is that the idea of saving humanity may come from spirituality, but that does not mean that it solely exists within atheism - it can exist within any faith or no faith.
Religion is subjugation! No argument can refute that.
This is 100% subjective and your opinion. Many people would say the exact opposite- that religion has empowered them and allowed them to gain control of their own life. Moreover, you refuse to make the distinction between religion as a practice/belief, and religion as an institution.
I do believe that throughout history religion as an institution has sought to control and disempower people...but that is completely different than the practice of religion, and individual worship which has, as I said above, lead to the empowerment of many individuals.
The only merit religion has it to make an attempt at addressing spirituality.
I believe this is a very narrow opinion of religion. Religion has many social, personal, and health benefits. There's a range of literature out there that demonstrates the benefits of religious centres in communities and within an individual's life. However, again, I want to stress that this is often looking at the 'practice' of religion and the community practitioners, rather than the overall institutional body.
Rather than empower us, it breaks us down.
This again is your opinion. There is much evidence out there that many people are empowered. While there is disempowerment through religion, it's not completely and fully negative.
Any philosophy that describes humanity as some entity's little bitch needs to be eradicated but that world view assures humanity itself becomes subordinate.
Many religions, even the ones that you support, such as paganism, support the idea of a greater power(s) that aid in the development of humanity and should be 'worshipped'. The Christian God is one definition, but there is many other aspects - that are similar or more abstract- that represent the idea of a 'greater power' other than humanity. In fact, in some aspects, you allude to the power of nature and life, which, in itself, is an entity.
Abrahamic traditions might have individuals within specific sects that believe this entity is there to punish or 'subjugate' humanity, but this is just one portion of that faith....
Unfortunately, I think the same narrowminded issues that you believe Abrahamic traditions have, is a bit what you have in regards to your own spirituality. I don't mean this to be disrespectful, but I know how passionate and fierce you are with this belief, and I see the full value in it. But as you also know, I am a firm believer that value in your own opinion comes from valuing opposing opinions.
Why does faith matter if we all, on a spiritual and human level, strive for a similar goal to save humanity?
) so I apologize for repeating myself, but I think condemning religion in it's whole isn't right. I feel approaching atheism through your approach makes atheism somewhat of a religion in itself....I often wonder what 'makes' a religion...and I guess I would ask you how your approach is not a new religion in itself?