I Am No Longer an Atheist

OnTheWayOut

Thanks to my ever vigilant search for truth, I am giving up the title, "Atheist."

Christopher Hitchens explains it well in this video. The subject is covered in the first part, up to 1:20.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=We7DyKWw61I

I hope you picked up on it. Atheists say there is no evidence to believe in God. Such a person might wish it was true, but follows the evidence. An antitheist (defined as an active opposer to theism) thinks it would be awful if the God of belief were real. I also like "Realist" as defined by Bill Maher (maybe it was in "Religulous"). Anyway, I have no wish that the God of monotheism were a reality.

People on JWN are wondering why it matters, why the passion. This is an attempt to explain one side of that. Many believers go on about the love that God/Jesus show mankind. That shows just how far the propoganda has gone. The love that humans show for each other is credited to God/Jesus. Once we learn to place the credit properly in human hands, maybe we can move forward.

I think it would be awful to be told we have free will, but those that choose the wrong side are punished by God.

I think that the very idea of setting up Adam and Eve with an unfair test then demanding a life be shed to forgive people is awful.

I think it would be awful to worship the God who allows innocent children to suffer in disasters like tsunamis or with birth defects.

I think that admiration of Abraham for offering his son to God is disgusting.

I think that making women second-class beings in the name of God is sad.

I cannot wish it were true that the God of the Bible were true, as that God allowed rape and killing in His name and didn't even end slavery among His people.

I know you are going to pick apart some of the reasons I have listed for thinking that rule by "God" would be awful.

Remember that this is posted in the "heated debate" section. Heat will happen. Debate away, but I am making a statement more than anything else. Including myself, do not expect people to debate every last point you make. There is really nothing new here, so it is really an opportunity for some to state their clear position more than anything else. I may not engage in the same old tit-for-tat unless you come up with something really intriguing. I suggest that people on both sides do the same.

KateWild

OTWO-I thought you were joining the God squad. Nevermind, you make some very good points. As a woman I love the following the best........

I think that making women second-class beings in the name of God is sad.

1Cor14.34,35 was read at the meeting this week, about women being silent, and it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the congregation. Why does God permit suffering? I don't know. I may believe he is the creator of all life, but I don't like him very much.

I hope this heated debate remains friendly, lets go....Kate xx

rocketman

"I think that making women second-class beings in the name of God is sad."

You're right, OTWO.

I make them second-class beings, but I just don't do it in the name of God.

OnTheWayOut

Rocketman, thanks for diverting the heat to yourself. I hope you are joking. Otherwise, good luck with your path.

KateWild

That wasn't sexist much!!! Rocketman, humour is good, I am sure you can do better than that LOL! - Kate xx

braincleaned

I agree. For practical reasons I call myself an atheist — but I'm really an anti-theist a la Hitchens.
And yes — I have a burning passion about it also.

I can't prove that there is no god — but I sure as hell can prove that the Abrahamic God did not create life with Love.
Everything prouves a cruel struggle for life, not to mention the waste of species (98% extinct) — and more, that prove Jehovah is just an invention of human folklore.

tenyearsafter

OTWO - I will refer back to my earlier thread about "does it really matter?"...listening to both Hitchens and Hannity, there is a smug attitude that their ideas are correct and the other opinion is ignorant and wrong. My earlier point is that either side of the discussion can be perverted to evil. Religion has done horrible things in the name of God. Atheistic despots have heaped horrible carnage on fellow humans. Either side of that equation is despicable, but I don't understand the passion of either blaming God or dismissing his existence to prove either side of the belief system. I guess what I don't understand is, why does God need to act to prove his existence. Are we as parents required to act to prove our status as parents? If you are a "bad" parent, does it mean you aren't a parent? Again, I think we create such huge passion for either side of the argument so that we can show we are right. I think it is human nature to believe we are right, regardless of what psychological destruction to others we leave in the wake of that exercise of rightness.

I do agree with the definitions...an Atheist might wish for God's existence but sees no proof. I had never heard the term Antitheist, but it definitely denotes a difference by indicating non-belief with non-desire to have that deity even if it could be proved.

I just see that extremism in either belief system to be detrimental to effecting any positive change in others. I watch Hitchens, Dawkins or any number of ultra-right religionists and I am immediately turned off to either argument.

braincleaned

tenyearsafter, the passion we have is a 'reaction'. In this country we are bombarded by the Christian Right that impose on our laws; people vote on the faith of a candidate! — believe me; we have a lot to fight against.

I don't understand is, why does God need to act to prove his existence. Are we as parents required to act to prove our status as parents?

Oh my goodness — I hope you see the difference... invisible parents that do nothing to reveal themselves would be fairly doubted!

Dawkins and Hitchens have an important part my conversion — so you see, it does work.

paranoia agent

Regarding jw's, if the purpose is to get them out of the cult anti-theism may do more harm than good, just saying.

KateWild

tenyears-I agree extremism is damaging. The BOrg are extremists and many deprogramming from this cult are still dogmatic to some extent. I have only been exposed to a snippit of Dawkins, like I posted on another thread IMO I find him arrgant and sanctimonious for his cause-Kate xx

braincleaned-Passion is good, it means life, and love. I am a passionate and zealous woman. Too many nowadays are mudane, boring and apathetic-Kate xx

I Am No Longer an Atheist

Share this