http://www.cnn.com/2009/OPINION/11/23/dawkins.darwin.atheism/index.html Today's news-- another viewpoint
Atheism is not a religion, which is what I have tried to explain to certain fundies who've tried to convert me in the past. They have argued that science is my "religion" when science is just science, and I have NO religion or dogma that I follow of any kind. Science is learning, science is exploration. It can change with new discoveries where religion is based on dogmatic principles and *rarely* if ever changes, by my observations (this just one human observing from its own perspective).
Science is essentially a systematic inquiry as to the nature of reality. It has a loose philosophy like a certain epistemology and generally accepted ethics but I can't see how that even comes close to a dogmatic religion. I would ask them to explain exactly how it is like a religion and shoot their miserable attempt down. *bangbang*
Atheism to Camus, much in "Cousins", what's happiness; you will be happier not trying to understand. The life will still be creatively distorting you from a moral existence and the meaning that science discovers will never achieve You certainty of happiness.
Science and Atheism are in no way related. Atheism is a belief system without evidence that purports to contain a TRUTH. Science is a system for acquiring knowledge that is not equipped to address issues that lack empirical evidence. Science and religious beliefs are NOT ispo facto mutually exclusive.