The label "Atheist" has some pretty negative connotations lately. That's where my reluctance to apply this label to myself stems from. I danced around with "Agnostic" for a while, but I wasn't really being honest with myself. The problem is that while the definition of atheist is spot on for me [I don't believe that there is a God], there's these negative implications that people take when you call yourself that. A lot of people think that because you don't believe in God, you're automatically Richard Dawkins Jr. If you're not familiar, many people refer to Dawkins as a "militant atheist" as he is unabashedly hateful towards religion and God in general and fires off at average believers specifically. I find that to be detrimental to other atheists, and honestly in poor taste for an academic like himself.
For me it boils down to one thing, I don't have faith. It's pretty simple. I don't believe in God, and I can't pretend that I do. I won't. But I also am not going to bash someone because they do. Will I laugh at an anti-religion or anti-God joke? Of course, I laugh at EVERYTHING, I'm simple. I won't, however, judge anyone negatively solely on the fact that they have a faith that I'm lacking. I respect everyone's religious beliefs, except maybe Scientologists and Hardcore Mormons, and in all honesty I'm envious of the faithful. It must be a comforting feeling for those with true faith in God, to absolutely know that He's watching over you, taking care of you.
I call myself a Humanist. It's atheism at it's purest, without all the "we hate you, Pope!" of the Dawkins and Myers atheists. I believe we, as humans, are in control of our lives and destinies. I'm a good dude because I am, not because I'm afraid of hell. I don't help people out because God's watching and taking notes, I do it because I'd like someone to help me when I need it. I don't have any problem at all with your religion unless you have a problem with my lack of it.
[As a side note, even though I don't believe I'm very interested in all aspects of every religion! Also, I love movies with a religious themes like Stigmata, Constantine and Angels and Demons.]
I agree with you 100%. I rarely ever simply attack someone out of the blue because of their land-of-make-believe they invest so much hope, er, faith I should in. See? That's funny, I knocked religion in a fun way! But I will say that religious people will attack the non-believer first!
ReplyDeleteAnyways.. I will however attack them if they attack me and question me in a condescending way about me not believing in god or whatever. Then I'll take the "Fuck you/Prove It approach". Otherwise, if they simply say hey, okay Mike, why don't you believe in [insert_bible_BS-Here]... Then thats different. But I too am sick and tired of people telling me what to do because of God when they themselves aren't even fucking following and doing it.
The older I get the more I see religion as just another means to control people. With the scary warnings (hell anyone?) to people who don't follow god to the "watch what you do, god is watching" rhetoric. Its drives me insane. Sure, I cannot grasp the fact that people believe it. I can't. For someone to tell me that there's a super natural being watching over everyone, I can't help but to question it. Its almost as if my intelligence is being insulted by some supernatural phenomena tv show.
Then again... even when I'm questioned by a believer, we (Atheists) can't get anywhere in the conversation with a believer because they take the easy route, the "god is everything, gods infinite" route because they don't have anything logical to say. Believers are programmed to say those things because they have no explanation for anything they believe in other than "Its God".
Now I need a smoke because I'm getting hyped! lol
Amy here and I say this is a wonderfully complicated topic not only for ya'll but for all. Belivers and non belivers. The belivers could quote the bible (which, by the way, was compiled and published by man, Constintine)all day long.The non belivers could bash, joke and get all theoretical etc. on the topic. But the truth is when your ass is on the line. When there is a do or die situation on the horizon there is not many that will put all their faith and their "destiny" in "Gods" hands, beliver or not. Most "belivers" are only in that catagory because this is the way they were raised, the seed was planted and off to the church they went with their family and off to the catholic schools they went because the public ones were shit and so on and so on... I agree with Rob and Mike. I belive the Roman catholics to be the worst of all. Their churches are nothing more then tax free businesses. The vatican is worth billions of dollars, billions! I thought priests were not allowed to get paid I thought there were not supposed to be any statues made of gold and the best one of all is the their "church" thing. The first verse in the bible "The kingdom of God is inside you not behind brick and stone". The church today is BS. Nothing more then some reformed and implimented Pagan rituals. The bible states that church was supposed to be nothing more then a group of people come together to worship God with love in their hearts. It was ment to be a group thing. Everyone talking and sharing the "Good News" and the "Word of God". Not one jackass standing on an alter boring all of us to death. Oh and alters were only ment to be used for sacrafices. This is the best one, most belivers in God DONT belive in spirt activity or ghosts (whatever you want to refer to them as). People die they go to heaven or hell and that is that. Well now, how the hell can they believe in GOD the entity, THE HOLY SPIRIT, haha it amazes me. The whole thing is a sham. I feel sorry for the people who invest their time and money in it with the illusion that all the false promises will come true. It really is a shame. You make the decisions in your life not some miracle voice in your head. You change the situations you may find yourself in, not some destiny that God has planned for you. But hey, to each his own, right...
ReplyDeleteGet 'em Amy!!
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