Of COURSE atheism is a religion, they believe in "nothing"!

[tama]

20. Consider this

Religions can be too, through various paths, ways to non-attachment to any belief system. And that "God" can be also symbol for state or experience of no belief systems being present, attached to. It is in fact quite plausible that "mystery" can in many cases refer to state or experience of non-belief, e.g. pure awareness without content of any mental objects such as belief systems.

That may be a experiental truth behind a religion, as a belief system stating and suggesting that such state is possible, and that such and such practices will help to achieve such state.

Also on the other hand, philosophical definitions aside, as psychological state and behavioral pattern "atheist" identity some times appears as belief system about religions and spirituality in general, attaching negative values to everything and anything related to religions and spirituality, belief that religions are all bad and need to be opposed and attacked.

Just to show that there can be many aspects to belief systems and lack of them, and there is no simple theist-atheist divide in that respect.