Is Atheism a Legal Religion?

According to the Pew Research Center, 4% of Americans identify as Atheists, and almost 30% are religiously unaffiliated. The word “atheist” is often used alongside the names of religions, such as Christianity and Judaism. But is it a “religion” in the same way as these faiths? Or is it the absence of religion? Is the belief in no God a “religious” belief in and of itself? Can someone believe in the absence of the divine with the same zeal and fervency as an Orthodox Jew? These are philosophical questions that may never truly be answered. However, a federal district court was recently asked to approach this conundrum – and the results are interesting. 

Christians Try to Argue That Atheism is a Religion

In September of 2024, Deseret News reported on a lawsuit in Indiana involving the theory of evolution in public schools. Essentially, a group of Christian parents attempted to argue that the theory of evolution was a religious teaching. Their goal was to remove all references to evolution in textbooks, and their strategy was to have this theory classified as a religious teaching. This would have raised issues regarding the separation of church and state (Establishment Clause) –  potentially putting evolution in the same category as Noah’s flood or the Garden of Eden. 

It was an ambitious goal, but it was ultimately unsuccessful. Despite the parents repeatedly referring to what they called the “atheist religion,” a federal district court in Indiana ruled that evolution is not a religious concept. Even if evolution is a concept closely aligned with atheism, the court ruled that this does not violate the Establishment Clause. Furthermore, it stated that an educational concept could still be allowed if it only “incidentally” aligns with a particular religious teaching. 

Atheists Have the Same Rights as Theists in the United States

Even though atheism is the absence of religious views, the Supreme Court still views them in almost exactly the same way as religious individuals. While atheists might argue that there is no God, they still enjoy the same rights as a Jew, Christian, or Muslim under U.S. law. This might seem like a confusing concept, but it is a necessary complexity under the Constitution. In addition, it is unconstitutional to favor one religion over the other – including atheism. Christians cannot enjoy special treatment over atheists, and atheists cannot enjoy special treatment over Christians.

On a deeper level, one might argue that atheists are more religious than they realize. By claiming to know with absolute certainty that there is no God, atheists participate in a discussion about something that is inherently unknowable and supernatural. 

Most religious individuals describe the divine as something on a different plane of existence – something that is always beyond our reach and understanding. How can a rational person claim to know the unknowable? One could make the argument that atheists do believe in an all-knowing, divine power: They believe in their own all-knowing power to confidently address philosophical questions that have no easy answers. 

The Universal Life Church Respects Diverse Faith Backgrounds

The Universal Life Church (ULC) respects people from all different faith backgrounds. We encourage everyone to strive to do that which is right and respect diverse points of view. To learn more about the Universal Life Church, do not hesitate to reach out.