People often make the claim that atheism is a religion because atheists like to make nonsensical statements like this: 


Why do people want to call atheism a religion? Because that would let them 

say, "Ha ha, you're just as religious as we are, so shut up and leave us alone."

But it's simply not true: atheism aligns itself with science, with evolutionary

theory, with rationality and empiricism, and religion aligns itself with faith,

dogma, and tradition. Show an atheist evidence that he is wrong and he will

think for a moment, and then nod in assent that he is convinced; show a theist

the same thing, and he will grow angry and offended that you would disrespect

his faith.
Atheism no more aligns itself with science, evolutionary theory, or anything else than ayulism or accepting that the Cat in the Hat is a fictional character does. Atheism entails exactly a lack of belief in any god or gods and one can conclude no more about an atheist than that they lack a belief in any god or gods. As much as atheists may be loathe to admit there are loons and wackos that number in our ranks.