Is Stoicism the center of Atheism and Religion?

Religion is a very emotional experience, the indifference of stoicism towards pain won't fly

I wasn't implying that religion is derived from Stoicism, but rather questioning whether it is the middle ground between religion and atheism.

Some people seek to be religious beyond logical reason, others reject all ideas of Divinity, the question is whether Stoicism seeks to find Divinity in what is logical.

To me, it seems Stoicism means to idealize rationality, believing it can reduce unnecessary suffering in our lives.

Stoicism seeks to find divinity in what is logical, but not in a cold or impersonal way. Stoicism believes that divinity is not only the source of order and harmony, but also of wisdom and goodness. Stoicism also believes that divinity is provident and benevolent, meaning that it cares for and guides all things toward their proper ends. Stoicism also believes that divinity is immanent and pantheistic, meaning that it is not separate from or above nature, but within and identical to nature, though others believe divinity is the concepts that transcend form, such as the laws of nature. Stoicism also believes that divinity is part of human nature, as we share the same rational faculty and moral sense as the divine logos.

Stoicism recognizes that human beings are not purely rational, but also have emotions, passions, and desires. Stoicism does not aim to suppress or eliminate these aspects of human nature, but rather to moderate and align them with reason and virtue. Stoicism teaches that we can reduce unnecessary suffering in our lives by distinguishing between what is in our control and what is not, and by focusing on our actions and judgments rather than on external events and outcomes. Stoicism also teaches that we can cultivate positive emotions such as joy, gratitude, love, and compassion by living according to nature and virtue.

And that is fundamentally different from every major religion. That could be a theme in atheism.

I've discovered that Stoicism is commonly regarded as a philosophy rather than a religion. However, my personal perspective suggests that religion often centers around emotional values. If an individual places a high value on logic, then Stoicism could be seen as their logical framework.

Atheists typically don't attribute value to divinity and may not perceive anything as divine. In contrast, Stoics identify divinity in logic, while traditional religion assigns value to the supernatural. From this viewpoint, it appears that Atheism is the logical dismissal of the unknown, religion is the belief in the unknowable, and Stoicism appreciates what can be known, essentially tying the two together.

Religious beliefs are philosophy, the scientific method is philosophy, political ideology is philosophy. Philosophy comes in many forms.

Philosophy is a rational and critical inquiry into fundamental questions about existence, knowledge, ethics, and the nature of reality. It involves the pursuit of wisdom through reasoned argumentation and examination of ideas.

Religion, on the other hand, is a specific type of philosophy that includes beliefs and practices related to the sacred, the divine, and the supernatural. It often involves organized rituals, moral codes, and a sense of community.

In summary, while religion is a philosophy with a focus on the sacred and divine, philosophy is a broader intellectual pursuit that encompasses a wide range of rational and critical inquiries, not necessarily tied to the sacred or the supernatural. So, religion is always a philosophy, but philosophies are not always religions.

I'm trying to highlight that Stoicism is considered a philosophy rather than a religion because it is founded in rationality, highlighting its difference from many other philosophies that are qualifying religions, so while stoicism is not a logical religion it is a logical set of beliefs with a core value, quite similar to a religion.

Consider differentiating dogma from religion itself.

Religion is a broad term for the beliefs and practices of a faith community.

Dogma is a narrow term for the official and unchangeable teachings of a religion that are believed to come from God.

Dogma can help preserve and communicate the core truths of a religion, but it can also cause division and conflict if it is followed too rigidly or dogmatically.

Would you explicitly state what you are implying? I don't want to speculate because I find that is where the greatest number of unproductive misinterpretations lie.

My bad. I misread what you typed. 

No problem. What do you think about the case for Stoicism being considered as a rational religion?

Stoicism is not a faith community, it is a branch of philosophy that is applied to everyday life

While that is true, Stoics don't simply find rationality as appealing to navigate life but place it as the highest divinity, or at least the branch I'm familiar with.