I think zen/buddhism is more of a way of thinking rather than an actual religion.
Now that’s a really interesting problem - how our beliefs affects our decisions? Let imagine that a father taught his son that he should respect all living things and raised him to be a good person. He also taught him that he will go to Heaven only if he’ll kill his own brother (and he believed his father), but told him that it is wrong to do so. Now, what is the chance that the son will kill his brother? What would have greater influence on his decision - his breeding or his beliefs?
Buddhism is awesome. If more religions were like Buddhism, hell, I’d probably convert! Okay, maybe I wouldn’t go that far, but you get the idea.
All religions should go to hell.
Oh wait.
“Atheist views” is like asking what the views of people that don’t collect stamps. You’re going to get a million different answers from a million different people. 
As for THIS atheist’s views on religions like Buddhism is actually not restricted to Buddhism: To me, if you don’t proselytize, you’re A-OK in my book. This goes for any religion. Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, Jew, Jain, Sikh, Zoroastrian, Zen, Scientologist, whatever you want to be is fine with me.
Just don’t push it on others and try to pass laws against certain groups of people because of your religion, or you and me are gonna tangle.
To me Buddhism is more of just an optional set of rules for life, rather than some unquestionable law made by an ancient deity. Similar to Confucism.
That’s because you don’t know anything about it.
Buddhism is accordingly to me the most intelligent of the world religions. I would rather have a disscusion about life with a Buddhist than a, lets say, christian.
I am completely happy with Buddhism. It is everything religion should be, a set of morals to keep your life on track.
I think we should spend more time in appreciation for real people that are brilliant. Like important medical doctors and life-savers. Most religious people spend too much time worshipping a fictional character.
Basically what almost everyone just said.
:meh:
Couldn’t agree more.
Although I agree with you in the sense that Buddhism does command respect, I still feel it needs to be pointed out that all Christians aren’t the same. Many have greatly differing beliefs.
For instance, by blood and from how I was/am being raised, I am Jewish.
By belief, I consider myself agnostic, merely because I realize that I can’t disprove G-d any more than I can prove him (her?).
But I still consider myself Jewish, because I keep in mind all that I was taught as a possibility.
Also, to change gears slightly: from reading the Atheists’ responses in this thread, I wouldn’t say they are Atheists as much as they are Agnostics.
To you who consider yourselves Atheists: Do you believe that G-d definitely doesn’t exist, or do you just choose to not make up your mind about it, and choose to side with what is more logical at this moment in time, such as science?
God definitely does not exist, and in my opinion, being agnostic because it’s impossible to disprove God is stupid (in lack of better words).
We can’t disprove fairies either, but that doesn’t mean there is possibility that they exist.
I’m sure you can find better words.
What is so stupid about being agnostic?
So you’re offended because I used stupid or what? If I had thought of a better word than that, I would have used it.
Besides, I didn’t say being agnostic was stupid, but being agnostic for that particular reason you stated was.
…I never said I was offended.
And I’m asking you to explain to me why being agnostic for that reason is stupid. The fact that I refuse to make up my mind about the existence of G-d puts me under Agnosticism very easily.
According to Princeton:
I know what agnosticism is, and I don’t deny you being agnostic, but you said that you are agnostic because:
That is what I meant was “stupid”, and I even said why:
Also, what’s up with “G-d”?
I really don’t understand your point.
Yes, we can’t disprove fairies, and we can’t prove them either… meaning that they may or may not exist… we just don’t know. Which, leading back to the definition of agnosticism, I realize that I can’t have true knowledge of G-d’s existence, so I choose not to make up my mind about it. Thats all I was saying, and I still don’t see how thats a stupid reason for being an agnostic.
And what’s wrong with saying “G-d”? Its just how I type it.
So you are willing to accept that fairies might exist? What about a giant invisible Volvo driving around the universe? Or that somewhere out there, there might be an actual, real life heavy weapons guy from Team Fortress 2?
Can’t disprove any of them, but does that mean that it’s a good reason to believe that they might exist?
And I didn’t say anything was wrong with using “G-d”. I merely wanted to know why