When my atheist sons joined the military and were given dog tags, they said, Religion: None.

Wow. That actually IS a big deal.
He's actively advocating against critical thinking and seeking out multiple
sources.
He's a terrible instructor.

Does this mean we can found our own tax sheltered atheist “church “? We can all meet to play cards or listen to cool music in our tax free clubhouse..er, church?

It is a big deal. I would complain about him not following the textbook or using other research.

He is off his intellectual rocker and uses the most fallacious of reasoning for try to call atheism a religion. There is no set of theological beliefs I adhere to. I do not worship anyone or anything. I am not a member of any congregation.

I think it is a huge deal. He isnt inspiring original thought or freedom. A teacher that wants you to just regurgitate his view is not doing his job and too close minded to teach the subject.

suck it up, gather evidence, and when you are done with the class file a complaint.

It's quite easy to see that your teacher is biased. Sadly not only that but he also presents some very misleading information. For instance the Torcaso v Watkins case. The Supreme court did not "classify Secular Humanism as a religion. Maryland at that time required "a declaration of belief in the existence of God" in order for a person to hold "any office of profit or trust in this State". Roy Tocaso was an atheist an refused to do so. The Supreme Court ruled that the requirement violated the First and Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution. It was about freedom from a religious requirement.
This whole "classifying" thing comes from one footnote of one of the judges. Very far from a court ruling.
The 2005 case about the inmate was about him starting an atheist group. Here the question becomes: can you practice atheism as a religion? And the answer is yes, of course. You introduce rituals, a creed, rules etc. to form a religious group based on atheism. But that doesn't make atheism a religion. Theism is not a religion. Christianity is. Mysticism is not a religion. Hinduism is. You see the difference? For a belief to become a religion there needs to be more than just that. Otherwise me believing in Santa Clause is also a religion.

Maybe its a case of semantics. Humanism is based on evidence and facts. Religions are faith based.

The federal government gave Humanism status as a religion for tax purposes and as a belief system alternative to faith based systems.

Sounds to me like you've struck yet another of those Bible-Thumping Dictator type Professors.
I ran up against a few of them when I started studying for my ThD through a PUBLIC University, not through a Seminary, they went as far as registering protests with the Dean of the University because I had openly declared that I was an Atheist, fortunately the Dean dismissed ALL their protests completely and firmly told them that the ENTIRE was to be taught as per the prescribed curriculum and that the curriculum IS open to ONE and ALL WITHOUT exception/bias,etc, etc.
Now I proudly hold a Doctorate in Theology and Comparative Modern Religions, presented to me, personally, by the Dean himself.

I prefer to fight fire with fire.. "So if atheism is a religion, what is wrong with that?" and then.. " Atheism is a religion of compassion, humanism, naturalism, science, and equality. All attributes opposite to most traditional theistic nonsense"

I am reminded of Bill Mahar's response to a similar claim. He said that atheism is as much a religion as abstinence is a sex position.

“In addition, in our papers we're only allowed to use sources that he has given us in advance so that doesn't allow for any opposing research to be included in our papers. It's not a huge deal, but it's just a tiny bit disappointing.”

So much for academic integrity and honesty. Hiding from ideas that are different... well, that’s Trumpian. Isn’t it?

I agree with those saying this is indeed a big deal. Unless you’re at a Christian college in which case that’s your misfortune, I would complain about the quality of education I was getting and want my money back for the class at the very least. Paying someone to waste my time ain’t on my syllabus, nor my docket of “shit to do this year.”

I hope you aren’t paying this professor to spoon feed you horse shit.

He quotes the case law out of context. The court did not hold that "atheism" was a religion, but simply that "atheism" is protected under the law prohibiting discrimination based on religion, because it is a REJECTION of a religion, and it also must be protected.

"Title VII does forbid an employer, unless it is a religious organization, ... which Great Lakes is not, to discriminate against an employee on the basis of the employee's religion. 42 U.S.C. § 2000e–2(a)(1). And for these purposes, as assumed by the parties, as strongly intimated in EEOC v. Townley Engineering & Mfg. Co., 859 F.2d 610, 613–14 n. 5 (9th Cir.1988), and Young v. Southwestern Savings & Loan Ass'n, 509 F.2d 140, 142 (5th Cir.1975), and as supported by analogy to cases under the free-exercise clause of the First Amendment, County of Allegheny v. American Civil Liberties Union, 492 U.S. 573, 589–90, 109 S.Ct. 3086, 106 L.Ed.2d 472 (1989); Wallace v. Jaffree, 472 U.S. 38, 52–53, 105 S.Ct. 2479, 86 L.Ed.2d 29 (1985); Books v. City of Elkhart, 235 F.3d 292, 307 (7th Cir.2000) Warner v. Orange County Dep't of Probation, 173 F.3d 120, 120–22 (2d Cir.1999)—cases which hold that religious freedom includes the freedom to reject religion—“religion” includes antipathy to religion. And so an atheist (which Reed may or may not be) cannot be fired because his employer dislikes atheists. If we think of religion as taking a position on divinity, then atheism is indeed a form of religion.

Reed v. Great Lakes Companies, Inc., 330 F.3d 931, 933–34 (7th Cir. 2003).

The law protects people from persecutions based on religion. If the religious discriminates atheists because of their LACK of religion, it is still a persecution based on religion. It is this simple and logical analysis that your prof is misusing to argue that atheism is a religion.

If all organized belief system is a religion, then every set of ideas is a religion, and if everything is a religion, then nothing is a religion.

Humanism and Atheism are not one and the same thing.

Need the barf emoji back please.

"In addition, in our papers we're only allowed to use sources that he has given us in advance so that doesn't allow for any opposing research to be included in our papers. It's not a huge deal, but it's just a tiny bit disappointing."

OMFG! For real??

If he's so fearful of a contradictory opinion that he prohibits them in your research then please tell your professor that Sgt. Spanky says he's a pussy because that's really pathetic of him.

College is meant for you to learn how to learn about different views and gain information. How the fuck can he just tell you what sources to use?

I think some religious people are so stupid that they claim you can make a "god" out of your car or your wife. I have even heard sermons on it. The common mistake is that you must be worshiping something. My question is why do you have to worship anything? Why does everybody have to "serve" somebody? (Sorry, Dylan.)

Idiot

It's more of a hypothesis, methinks. Annnnd, it's been over TWO THOUSAND YEARS, and we're still waiting for some quantifiable and reproducible proof...just sayin'.

Fuck him, non believers are exactly that, non believers in any gods or any religions. That is just a fact, no need to support it with research, if you choose not to believe then you don't believe. Let's say you love eating steak because you like the taste and you attest "I love steak!" That is a fact, you don't need to support it with any research, it is your personal choice to love the taste or texture of steak, isn't it? How could anyone tell you that you are a vegan, for example, if you love and constantly eat steak?

Atheists lack belief in a deity. Therefore it's not a religion. For legal reasons it's referred to as a religion. That does not make it one.

The professor is himself, and ignorant troll brainwashed by his own social milieu to present the standard Christian lies. Trolls nearly always resist reason, so don't bother. He is unqualified or disqualified to be where he is, but it's probably not worth your time to do anything about it. Learn from this experience: Christianity is as much about hate as it is about love, and Truth is not only not revered, but quickly cast aside in favor of lying for Jesus. True Believers end up being Liars Clubs with the most absurd witnessing winning the trophy. For yourself, revere Truth first, wisdom and serenity will follow.