Full Idea
Once the absolute has become unthinkable, even atheism, which also targets God's inexistence in the manner of an absolute, is reduced to a mere belief, and hence to a religion, albeit of the nihilist kind.
Gist of Idea
Now that the absolute is unthinkable, even atheism is just another religious belief (though nihilist)
Source
Quentin Meillassoux (After Finitude; the necessity of contingency [2006], 2)
Book Reference
Meillassoux: 'After Finitude: the necessity of contingency', ed/tr. Brassier,R [Bloomsbury 2008], p.46
A Reaction
An interesting claim. Rather hard to agree or disagree, though the idea that atheism must qualify as a religion seems odd. If it is unqualified it does have the grand quality of a religion, but if it is fallibilist it just seems like an attitude.