When you admit to holding no personal god, people don't want you to mention your atheism. You are expected to remain silent when someone wants to pray at a dinner table, to submit to whatever God the person worships out of respect for their beliefs. But the favour is not returned, as folks will often want to stop your meal at your house for some hand-holding ceremony. Under no circumstances are you to challenge their belief or even mention your lack of belief.
Should it come out that you are an atheist, you are expected to answer questions, and lots of them. When people have been indoctrinated from birth, they are allowed to be offended by your atheism. The person will usually tell you some sort of miracle they have experienced, generally an illusion of a dead family member or deity. Sometimes the image is in the air, but may present itself in a fish stick. They present their faith as proof of the existence of their supernatural experience. Questioning the validity of their holy toast is seen as insensitive or blasphemy and the penalty will be a burning hellfire.
Believers will then present their holy book as evidence for the existence of God and ask if you have read it. Often times they will point out a passage relating to the fact that you are not permitted to question God. The individual is always of the opinion that an atheist will know nothing of the content of religious scriptures. Their knowledge that I am not only a heathen, but a gay heathen will often lead them to the passages that prohibit homosexuality that are contained in the pages of all of the Abrahamic faiths.
Now, I have read the Torah, Talmud, Midrash, Qu'ran, and several translations of the Christian Bible. I know that homosexuality is considered a dreadful sin. However, the eating of shellfish, shaving your head, refusing to marry your rapist, speaking without permission of your husband, marrying someone of another religion, and even looking at a menstruating woman are also similarly banned. Christians love when you mention that Muslims stone rape victims to death, but become very flustered when you mention that the origin of the punishment is rooted in Deuteronomy 22.They enjoy pointing out that Mohammed was a perverse, insatiable rapist; should you mention that this was also true of Moses, you will be asked to leave the room for fear of upsetting someone.
You see, a theist is allowed to use their book to vilify the atheist, but you're required to remain quiet while people try to force you to be "saved". The believer is permitted to pick and choose which rules they live by and also choose them for you. To me, this seems patently unfair and extremely hypocritical. If you have a question, I'll surely answer, but don't come into my home and try to pawn off a most poorly-written book of brutal fiction as fact.
"Question with boldness even the existence of a god; because if there be one he must approve of the homage of reason more than that of blindfolded fear."-Thomas Jefferson
Letting Go Of God Part One
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ReplyDeleteThe momentum towards atheism is in reality a cluster of social indicators of a society in decline. The act itself is ego empowering, and in an ever increasing valueless society it illumines a deluded sense of identity, wherein society offer...ed none. Amidst the clamor of social media and the deafening silence of simultaneously existing as a plethora of avatars, nics and handles the cry for identity can not be satiated. And in the absence of the knowledge of light some will and have proclaimed darkness light, a truly sad fate. But all is not lost, the promise stands today as it has since the glorious day of the renting of the veil, that: "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." It is one thing to be disgruntled at the deception of religion, but one must always remember Christ put and end to the bondage of religion. Man has resurrected it, time and time again. Now it seems the new religion of Atheism seeks to capitalize on it also.
Atheism is the absence of a belief in an afterlife, an absolute belief in man the animal as opposed to this fantastical character. In my opinion, the idea that we are above the animals, that life everlasting should be a human-specific idea is the ultimate in arrogance.
ReplyDeleteChrist is merely the manifestation of sun god in Pisces, hence all of the fish references. He never existed on the Earth, he was a creation of man, an apocryphal bearer of the good news. Well, the good news is that I am not bound by worship of imaginary men of the stars. I'm most content with the people of the Earth.
Atheism, that is the absence of Gods, predates all religion. It is such that man could not believe in a god until he invented it, and all early gods were based on sunrise and sunset- the good being the sun, the evil manifested as darkness.
As for a religion of atheism, well that is quite silly isn't it. Atheism is to religion as vegetarianism is to hunting.
You need not pray for my soul, as I have the truest liberty there is. Freedom for me comes as seeing sufferings and joys and acting accordingly. I need no book to tell me how to feel empathy.
Ah yes. The religion of Atheism. Just goes to show how much of an ignoramus you are. Enjoy your sheltered life with your crutch of God.
ReplyDeleteMr. Visions said, "Now it seems the new religion of Atheism seeks to capitalize on it also."
ReplyDeleteI'd like to counter this with a quote from Ricky Gervais, the wise, "Saying athiesm is a belief system is like saying not going skiing is a hobby."
A society in decline, hm? I'd like to point out that Sweden in one of the most atheistic societies in the world, and they also have extremely low crime rates. Please, stop preaching to those who know better.
ReplyDeleteSweden is also one of the most materialistic societies there could be: they seem not to know that nothing lasts forever. Ambition out of proper focus is a terrible thing, not the opposite. But it will yield temporary good results, sure, such as low crime rates. Such a feat does not mean there is a lack of lowlives in the country - you realize that, I am sure.
ReplyDeleteTherefore, Sweden is as much a society in decline as any other.
Oh - and Ricky Gervais is an authority on absolutely nothing - you realize that too, I am sure.
Sweden is as materialistic as it gets. They seem not to know there is more to life than hedonism.
ReplyDeleteA low crime rate does not equate the absence of lowlives - you realize that, surely.
Oh, and Ricky Gervais is no authority on any given subject - you realize that too, I am sure.
You get two versions to choose from, roofer - make the choice!
ReplyDelete"Oh - and Ricky Gervais is an authority on absolutely nothing - you realize that too, I am sure."
ReplyDeleteLast time I checked "being an authority" on anything wasn't required for pointing out common sense and logic. But "being an ignoramus" is required for ignoring common sense and logic.
I made the choice. Reason trumps superstition every time.
ReplyDelete"You are stupid !"
ReplyDeleteWow, I really want to believe in God now /sarcasm