Alas as much as what you say rings true for me i must highly disagree. Saying atheism is a bandwagon is just like saying Christianity or any other religion is a bandwagon. In fact i would find that a religion is more of a bandwagon than atheism. Atheism comes together in one common point, the beleif in a god that created everything yet leaves no explanation of the things he created, and thus creates an infinite universe with a seemingly infinite number of worlds, all of which are empty (afaik)...etc etc, is ridiculous. Where as in religion many people come together to agree in many points, such as definition of sin, confession, retribution, the commandments, the uhh i forget what they are called collectively but Baptism, Communion, Confession, Confirmation, those things. They have this extremely complex system in which many people have been systematically conditioned to beleive almost without question. Seriously, the only reason religions not based on philosophical points (IE buddhism) have such high numbers was because in the times where intelligence was for the privilaged and religion was for the poor, the poor was terrorized by the churches that unless they joined the religion they would burn/not go to heaven. Thus that over time that idea was lost and people just continued the tradition because their parents did it, now i find that a majority of those who claim to be a religion dont find particular affiliation to it other than because of their parents. I myself was brought up in a fairly catholic family, yet since i was very young i always thought to myself, "are you serious?", this is always not so as children often blindly follow their parents. Eh i have now come to a rant and im sure it is not in context to the thread. But anyways i disagree of your clumping together atheists as a bandwagon rather than the opposite that religion is the true bandwagon.

could consider both to be as any other organization. my point is (and this thread proves it) everyone jumps at the chance proclaim their cool non religiousness. in doing so it becomes as much of an organization (imo more rediculous) that religion itself. the people that follow any given religion arent necessarily the shallow minded yokels you think they are. extreme examples of religion can not be used to describe the majority. there are just as many radical opposers per capita if not more (i dont see any hateful supporters of this thread posting). anyways this debate can go to the religious forum i am not trying to chance anyones views just hope you stand by your beliefs, defend them sure, but dont push them. offending people with "opposing" belief systems just wedges you and them farther from the common ground we should all be leaning toward.

ROFL

Beliving in god is that persons choice, no matter how stupid it seems to people with a brain, so i don't try to change their opinion but its true.

I think this is the best one so far.