Do Atheist Care About God More Than Theists?
Posted on: April 13, 2007 - 2:58am
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Do Atheist Care About God More Than Theists?
I'm coming up on two years since my leaving Christianity (June 2005), and something has struck me. I think more about God and Christianity now as an atheist than I did when I was a Christian. I've read nine books since 2005 about religion, history and science. I've visited this site almost every day since I joined. I've posted a lot (although many of my posts ended up in trollville, damn you Bod!).
Do you all see the irony here? Are atheists doomed to be spend their lives studying (the idea(s) of) God?
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As an agnostic for most of my life (and I only use the term agnostic because I don't think a negative is provable) I think about god more than I did when I considered myself a Christian. I think most professing theists, whether Christian or something else, don't think very much about god at all because they are simply secure, even smug in their belief. I'm talking about the people who go to church twice a year on Christmas and Easter, and otherwise don't enter a church except for a wedding or a funeral. Such theists will often argue that they believe, but they don't really seem to think about it much. I'm 64, and as I get older I seem to need more reassurance that what my reason has told me since I was 14 still holds up. Superstition implanted in early childhood needs constant conquering.
You're coming up on the magic number. Take a screenie at 666.
I think a part of how seriously we take our atheism depends upon how seriously we took our religion. If it was a huge part of your life (as it was mine), then you're going to spend more time thinking about the whole religious experience. When I left Christianity, I lost my worldview, my friends and my closeness with family. Those things aren't easily replaced. And of course I am just one person. The same pattern can be seen in other lives and cultures. Religion is a destructive force all across the world. It kills, tortures and maims.
I'm guessing those of us who recognize the wolf in sheep's clothing take religion very seriously indeed.
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I just got here. What's a screenie? My picture is a self-portrait I did on MS Paint.
Why not study the religions? We should know what they think. Maybe one religion out there is right, and if not, it's good to know why they're wrong. Simply saying "I'm an atheist" and believing in nod god(s) or goddess(es) without looking at their proof is similar to a child closing his/her eyes and covering his/her ears and screaming "LALALA I CAN'T HEAR YOU!"
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I was trying to remind MrRage to take a screenshot when he hit 666 posts...if he even cares.
Books on atheism, purchases on Amazon support the Rational Response Squad server.
I'll try to answer that. As to Christianity (and today, Christians are the ones out there proselytizing), it is valuable to learn more about it so one can refute Christian arguments. In the Bible there is abundant ammunition against proselytizers. But, unless you have a great interest in the subject or intend to teach comparative religion, why would you bother studying religions of people who don't proselytize?
I have looked long enough at the major religions of the world to know that what they have brought to the world is strife, intolerance, outright hatered and bloodshed.
You say:"Simply saying 'I'm an atheist' and believing in no god(s) or goddess(es) without looking at their proof is similar to a child closing his/her eyes and covering his/her ears and screaming "LALALA I CAN'T HEAR YOU!"
I answer:Not everybody is trying to convert the world, so not everybody is offering what they call proof. I don't need to taste dogshit to know I won't like it, even though my dog ate his. He can have it. And the religios of the world can have theirs. The only ones I need to know about are the ones I need to defend against.
Is the reason you left Christianity because you thought about it? Were you thinking critically about when you were a Christian? I think is a very good think to know why you are an Atheist, security in one's position is also helpful. Doomed is a weird word. We are all doomed its a moot point. What you do with your life is your choice. You can easily stop studying it. As long as you are doing things in your life that you find entertaining or fulfilling, I really don't' see it as a waste.
Sounds made up...
Agnostic Atheist
No, I am not angry at your imaginary friends or enemies.
I'll throw my hat in and I can only describe why I know this to be true about myself.
As I came out of theism and examined what I believed and why I became more and more aware of religion's reach. I noticed how many theists were determined to modify society, science and culture to fit their particular dogma. I see many ill effects theism has on society and how many strong believers want everyone, whether they subscibe to these beliefs of not, to follow their religious code. This made me angry. The parts that most upset me are where faith intersects science and politics, trying to hinder progress, repress society to their moral code.
So I think it is a good thing that I know more about religion now than when I believed. I have issues I feel strongly about that are only fightable when you know your enemy. Alas, this is just my viewpoint...
Welcome to the forum, Largo. Nice to meet you.
Yes, there are plenty of nominal Christians that don't give much thought to their beliefs. These are probably the ones that write us to tell us to get a life.
I haven't been non-Christian for as long as you, so I guess I haven't come to a need reassurance stage. I'm always open to new evidence, but I hope my journey ended when I decided to leave. Perhaps it really is life long.
I think she meant a screen shot.
Your MS Paint portrait is awesome. You're my new hero.
My post count reads over 666, so I missed my chance. I'll take a shot at 1000 though.
I agree. I was relatively serious as a teenager and in my early twenties. What's more is my dad is extremly serious about his faith. I think most of my studies have been to make sense of my former beliefs after the fact.
I haven't come out to most of my family and Christian friends, except my brother who's been really cool with my decision. I do admit that religion is destructive. This is part of what I'm saying. Religion is still robbing us.
I was never religious, but I was always fascinated by it. When I was little, I wished I could be religious. As I got older, and started reading more about religion and culture in general, I thought religion was a powerful thing but didn't believe in any type of religion. If you had asked me why when I was 18 though, I don't think I could have given you an answer besides, 'it just doesn't make sense'. Well, 12 years later, it still doesn't make sense to me. I think now I want to know why so many people can't see that god doesn't exist and religion was merely a tool to make the populace conform to societal norms.
I also read extensively about religion (Christianity mostly) because it directly affects my life and it shouldn't.
If god takes life he's an indian giver
True, but I've done enough studying to confidently commit to atheism.
The answer to your questions is, yes. Knowing your position is necessary, I agree. Part of my studying is so I can respond to my dad once he figures out.
I understand that I could stop. But I can't.
I know there are others like me on this board who are drawn to studying these sorts of matters.
I don't think it's a waste. On the contrary I think what we're doing here is important in the context of the cultural climate in the US.
I just find it ironic. Maybe doomed was a little to dramatic.
BTW, nice to meet you too Magus.
I totally agree with you. This is why I decided to become active. And it's the reason I will try to remain so.
Also, I liked Megatokyo more when Largo was writing.
Look at my blog! It's awesome!
I'm also on this Twitter thing
The key word in this sentence is "think". I agree completely. I've read the bible more in the past 6 months than I have my entire life cumulatively. I've also been surfing the net and reading other books. The thing is I can no longer accept what someone says at face value - on any subject. Now I research and ask until my questions are answered even if it means I am wrong.
Question 1 - Yes
Question 2 - Only until we eradicate religion
I am just happy that I have found a place where I can pose my questions, get answers, be wrong, learn and have fun.
I have heard of only one "religion" (and I put that in quotes because I consider it not a religion, but a business) that prosylitizes outside of Christianity. That is Scientology, which I consider to be so much shit worked up by a sci fi writer to make money. Jews don't proselytize. Neither do Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, Wyccans or any other actual religion I can think of. Perhaps you know of more.
I've had 64 years to see what I left behind, and I don't see any reason to go on searching. If a Muslim presented an argument for Allah, then I would do enough research to refute him. But I don't see that happening. My Jewish and Wyccan friends are perfectly content to go their own way and leave me to my beliefs. I don't struggle with them about God or whatever spirits Wyccans believe in, and they don't tell me I should join them. It works out pretty well.
And what's Megatokyo?
Megatokyo is a popular webcomic. It stars Piro and Largo, which are the pseduonyms of the creators of the comic. Initially, Largo wrote it while Piro drew it, but Piro took it all over a while back, and it's much less funny and interesting now.
Look at my blog! It's awesome!
I'm also on this Twitter thing
Some of my old wiccan/pagan friends were VERY preachy and judgemental. Always going on about all the shit you could see "if you'd simply open your mind" to the spiritual world. Like, uh...fairies, and nature gods and stuff. REALLY PREACHY. Always trying to get you to go to their circles, and sabbats. I knew one friend who pretty much forced me to hold his hand while he prayed to the moon and his "wolf spirit". I insisted I wasn't comfortable with it, but he insisted I would "see" afterwards that it's very powerful. It wasn't. It was just weird.
I must say, that my Muslim and Jewish friends are way chill about it. They shrug, and say, "Whatever, you don't believe, nothing can change that." My mormon buddy and I agree to disagree, and most other people are pretty laid back. My run-ins with Christians and Wiccans/Pagans have definately been the most hostile(on their end).
I must say, I care more about the whole "god issue" now more because it seems the world, the superpower that is the USA , and the middle east especially, is relying more on religion to make laws and judge behavior. I speak out because I don't want that to happen. I've alwas been fascinated with religion though. I love ancient Egypt, and any ancient religions. Joseph Campbell's Mythology series is one of my favourite things to read.
PS. I have all 4 Megatokyo graphic novels and read them online as well. Yeah, it was better with Largo...
Perhaps the reason is atheism itself. In atheism questions about gods and religions are not absolute and therefore atheists usually read and talk more about issues relating religion, gods, etc.
To theists those issues are more or less dogmatic and therefore they do not engage in discussion about religions as much.
There are a lot of Muslims in my area (Bay Area, California), but I have never had one offer to enlighten me about his/her religion. I have Jewish friends who, while they did invite me once to a passover seder, never did or said anything that was even remotely inviting me to change my mind. I have at least two friends who are Wyccans. I haven't discussed religion with either of them. I have been put upon by strangers, though who were Christians of one stamp or another. Jehova's Witnesses, of course and Mormons have come to the door, and a little old lady on a bus bench once turned to me out of the blue and said with a beatific smile, "Jesus loves you." I told her thanks, but I didn't believe in Jesus. That didn't affect her at all. She continued "witnessing" to me until her bus arrived and she had to go. Aa coworker a few years ago tried to convert me at work. He was from Lebanon, but he was a born again Christian who told me that I would go to hell if I didn't accept Jesus as my personal savior. I told him I didn't believe in Jesus or in hell. "You'll find out," he said to me with a grin that showed actual pleasure in the contemplation of my eternal agony. He was otherwise a nice guy, but it occurs to me that if people have really considered the meaning of everlasting torment, and can not only accept, but glory in the idea of anyone else's pain, they must not really be such nice people. Anyway, I haven't personally been approached by anybody but Christians. If your experience is different I will defer to you and agree that Jews, Muslims and others do proselytize.
I've never seen the comic. My user name is just a combination of my first and last names (Larry Gott). Here I'm just Largo, but on YouTube and a cuple of others I'm Largo64 becauuse they already had a Largo. I just added my age. I like the sound of largo because it's a musical term. In case you didn't notice, my last name is German for God. A bit ironic, what?
ANOTHER FAN! Yeah, I follow it now more out of habit than anything else. I mean, occasionally Piro's writing is worthwhile, but most of the time it's too damn slow moving.
Also, according to your MySpace, you're also in BC. Rock on!
Look at my blog! It's awesome!
I'm also on this Twitter thing
Look at my blog! It's awesome!
I'm also on this Twitter thing