but didn’t have the perspicacity to do it!
There are so many things non-atheists think about atheists! Some religious people, especially christians, believe atheists are lost or “backslid” or terribly misinformed. Some see them as enemies. No single christian, however, has a clue about who atheists really are, how they think, or what they “believe.” They make assumptions based on incorrect information and poor analysis. Many listen to preachers, ministers, or “apologists” who bash atheists, call them evil, deluded, satanic, or worse.
Wasted Effort?
I know there’s nothing I can do to explain life as an atheist to a religious person. Even so, I think ordinary religious people might learn a few things that help them understand that atheists are not their personal enemy. It is true that atheists see religion as a bad thing. It is also true that some atheists, a minority, show a considerable disdain for religious people. Most atheists may be vocal against religion but do not see religious people as an enemy.
1. Are You Really an atheist?
Yes I am
2. Why are you an atheist?
Becausee there is no god.
3. Why do you say that?
Because it’s obvious for anyone who honestly, thoroughly examines the evidence with an open mind.. Religious people never do that.
4. Why do you insult me?
What I say sounds insulting only because you believe you have an open mind. An open mind is one that truly considers all options. In this case, it means considering the possibility that there is no god. If you can’t do that then you do not have an open mind.
5. How can you know you’re right?
Because I am. I have examined all the evidence, looked back at my religious life, and considered every aspect of my religious teaching and realized it was all bullshit.
7. How can you claim to be smarter than thousands of well educated and learned religious ministers and teachers.
Those “learned religious ministers and teachers” never actually learn about who atheists are. They only make assumptions based upon their world view. Their thought processes come to a halt before they can truly understand what atheism actually is. There is a darker reason, however. Atheism is viewed as a threat to the very existence of their religious faith. It is a threat to their religious power. Thus it is in their best interest that they never actually look into atheism with an open mind. This is also the reason they mislead and often lie when they know better.
6. But what if you are wrong? What if there really is a god?
Which one? Jesus? Krishna? Alah? Yaweh? Thor? …which god? If only one of those is real, how the hell does one know who it is? If more than one is real then what one believes does not matter. Ask yourself if there is only one “true” god and it’s not the one you follow. That puts us both in the same boat.
7. How can you say everything just is, nothing was created?
Created? If the universe is created the creator was an idiot. And cruel. Consider handicapped people, born of horrible afflictions because of their genetic makeup. We have strange parts in our bodies that do little but cause us pain and difficulty? Worse, why would it be good to create a universe where one being ate another? Have you looked at the Hubble Deep Space survey? That alone is enough to blow the whole idea of a creator out of the window.
8. Without religion, what do you base your mortality upon?
Humankind created religion. Morality was not defined by religion. Religion was defined by the creators of religion and includees their moral views. I can do anything I want without fear of some god toasting me. The question is, however, what are the things I want to do? Do I want to rape and pillage and murder? No. There is no fear of god stopping me but there is a built-in sense of right and wrong, or morality, that is within me. A goodly number of people seem to be devoid of a moral compass. Those are the bullies, bigots, murderers and psychopaths. Those types of people are sprinkled throughout society, within and outside of religions.
9. But the existence of god is so obvious! How can you not see it?
Show me. There is, in fact, no evidence. Beautiful sunrises and assorted presumed “moves of the spirit” and all kinds of absurd “proofs” are not proof. Every single thing considered to be evidence of god is anecdotal. There is zero actual hard evidence.
10. If you don’t believe in god, what is the purpose of life?
There is no purpose of life. But you mean “higher purpose.” You’re asking what life means if humans are not pawns followers of god with a purpose defined by that god. I personally found the “purpose” of life as defined by my one-time beliefs as confining and frightening. Life just is. It is finite, short, and what we make of it. There is no “purpose.” There are very logical and valid reasons to follow a moral life, however, or at least live according to common moral standards.
11. If you believe there’s no purpose, are you not afraid of death?
No. Christians are afraid of death. There’s no reason to fear death. There’s no hell to fry us nor a heaven to bore us for an eternity. I will be honest and say knowing my days are short and finite makes me a little sad. All humans have the drive to survive. If we didn’t we would not be here. But there’s no reason to fear being dead. Either we no longer exist or something happens to our consciousness beyond death. I have no clue which is correct.
12. Is there anything I can do to show how much god loves you?
No. If you see a parent who says they love their children but abuse them, cause them pain, keep them afraid, and even kill them, does that parent really love their kids? I’d say no. Every god I’ve studied, and I’ve studied many of them, fall far short when it comes to parenting. First Corinthians 13, in the christian bible, defines love. The god who supposedly inspired those words does not live by any of them. Look it up. Read the Old Testament and Revelation. I can’t feel the love.
13. As an atheist, are you my enemy?
No. You and I share a common humanity. Atheists appear to be a religious person’s enemy because they condemn the faith that gives religious people purpose. It is inconceivable to a religious person that their religion is not real or true. People might have corruption and “sin” but still believe in the existence of god. A “lost sinner” is easy to understand. A “godless atheist” is not. Atheists are not the enemy of religious people. They are against the religions of this world because they see the harm it causes. Most of us care about humanity and want to see humankind free of oppression.
Conclusions.
There are hundreds of questions christians and theists of all sorts ask people who do not believe, aka, atheists. I have only peeked at a few the most common ones. If you have more, feel free to ask. I will answer you personally and probably post your question and my answer on a new blog.
You and I will never agree as long as you remain religious. We need not be at each other’s throats, however, We need not hate each other. Neither of us should discriminate against anyone who disagrees with us. We must also accept the occasional insulting, disparaging, or discourteous rhetoric coming from the opposing side. If you and I are inherently moral and sympathetic we will respect each other. We are all part of the family of man. Let’s try not to shoot each other, ok?
