Simple Rebuttals to Common Myths About Atheists

[D Gary Grady]

8. In fact, the footnote was in reference to something else anyway

As I recall, the footnote, based on one of legal briefs submitted, noted that there are religions that do not involve belief in a god or gods, such as Confucianism, most sorts of Buddhism, and "secular humanism." But the "secular humanism" in question was the doctrine of a specific organization (not the AHA or Ethical Culture but some small group), not what people now usually mean by "secular humanism." There was an article in Free Inquiry a couple of decades back written by one of the lawyers involved in the case that explained this.

In any even, as you say, it was not a decision of the court but a passing remark -- an obiter dictum.

Re the general idea that atheism is somehow a religion, my favorite response is that atheism is a religion in the same sense that not collecting stamps is a hobby. (I wish I knew who first said that.)