We had a staunch catholic as a PM who argued that the GREENS were like a religious sect.

I do not think it really matters. I do think a relevant question is does Atheism as a movement seek to replace religion, simply destroy religion, or ignore religion? I find it odd when Atheists make statements about not believing in God as it implies doubt not certainty. But of course that is the whole rub right; one cannot prove or disprove God. I find Atheism to be a very individual or small group movement. In order to become more it would need a greater sense of purpose then just beating its head against the wall of belief. One can tell someone you are wrong about God and your faith is pointless and foolish. Yet the actions born of such faith are very real and present in History and right now. So I think the question is what does Atheism offer beyond non-belief? I think humans need as a species belief of some kind in something greater then themselves. I do not see Atheism being able to fill that need.

No because they can't think in any terms except "faith" which is a blind belief without any supporting evidence even when there is a large amount of evidence the person saying this is talking out his or her rectum...

Atheism IS a belief system. It is a belief IN the non-existence of god.
An agnostic doesn't KNOW if there is a God, or not.
I believe if there IS a God, it is not a supernatural entity with consciousness. But I don't KNOW that.
But yes I'm tired of the whole debate, and I believe it doesn't matter.

They love to argue on stupidity.

I think no because it’s lazy thinking and we will always have lazy thinkers.

Religious training instills a strong belief in “faith,” which is belief. (Necessary to sell a system of thought with zero empirical evidence.) People so indoctrinated cannot concieve of someone without belief. So they insist that we must “believe” in atheism; it’s the only cognitive system they can imagine. We see claims that we’re really “mad at god,” or other faith-based claims. It’s pointless to try to explain sonething to soneone who lacks the ability to conceive of the subject matter.

What really chafes their hides is that atheists are indifferent to their deity. It would be ever so much easier if atheists were angry, rude, licentious, dishonest, irrational, or even following the wrong religion. So those are the things that they will always claim. Anything but that we don't believe (for well-considered reasons!) and don't care.

To Believe in God is to Know that All the Rules will be Fair and their will be Wonderful Surprises. Hugo Betti.

If it's just another religion, when can we start The Inquisition?

I usually answer with this, 'Considering Atheism a religion, is like considering Not Smoking a habit, or Not Stamp Collecting as a hobby.

Hell will freeze over before that happens.

No, because dumb is eternal.

Hell no!??

By “they” I presume you mean all those who are not atheists....in fact everyone except us. I don’t really care what they say about atheism, it’s not important. We know that it isn’t a religion, it’s not an organisation, it doesn’t have a deity, we don’t worship, we don’t proselytise, we have no priests, ministers or missionaries, we don’t have a messianic leader, we do not spread hatred, abuse children or kill in the name of atheism......none of the characteristics or definitions of religion. Standing logic on its head is what those who believe in god do, and this argument they use to denigrate us is no exception.

No we cannot win this one. Just like the phrase 'Evolution is just another theory' seems to be the popular way to dismiss Darwin and his findings. In the words of Richard Dawkins: "I may well appear passionate when I defend evolution against a fundamentalist creationist, but this is not because of a rival fundamentalism of my own. It is because the evidence for evolution is overwhelmingly strong, and I am passionately distressed that my opponent cannot see it--or, more usually--refuses to look at it because it contradicts his holy book." (p. 283 "The God Delusion" ) So our passion for the subject is misunderstood as dogmatic sometimes. We get upset that others believe so much with no evidence to back it up. And when we ask for evidence....we get insulted or called 'angry atheists'. In the end, you cannot win an argument against faith-based logic.