It’s a question I would not expect Christians to ask an atheist, but somehow it happens. There’s really a simple logic as to why Christians ask atheists what purpose their lives have.
Christian theology states that this life is fleeting, like a grain of sand on a beach of the infinite. I agree. Christian theology states that the pleasures of this life have consequences. I agree. Christian theology states our soul survives death and undergoes judgment, at which point our actions will determine our eternal fate. This is where our views diverge.
I fail to see how lacking a belief in the afterlife makes my life meaningless. On the contrary, it makes my short, finite life the most meaningful thing in the world to me. Nor does this view make me wreckless. Our lives are short, and because I believe this is all we get, anything that shortens our lives will have “eternal” consequences, as far as I’m concerned.
Christians also don’t like the scientific view of the universe. We’re one of billions of species on a wet rock, hurtling through space around a hydrogen fuelled fireball, which is one of billions of star systems in our galaxy, which is one of billions of galaxies. It isn’t “special” enough for them. It wasn’t all created for our benefit. To Christians, science [and by extension, that wretched atheism] is shattering their anthropocentric view of the universe… but what is the harm in the humility of this realization?
Christians also find something offensive about being descended from apes. Of course, they are even more shocked when you point out we are also descended from pond scum. Is that so much worse than being dirt that some god blew life into? I don’t see what the fuss is about. Besides, we aren’t pond scum, we’re the descendents of millions of success stories. Our DNA carries most of the same coding as our ancestors who hunted mammoths. We are the spawn of heroes. Religion has no monopoly on romanticism, nor does it even have the best product for sale.
It’s not hard to see why Christians cannot imagine what life without religion would be like. I guess since they define hell as “the absence of God,” a life without God must not be worth living. I’m glad religion is there to act as a crutch for these people, but it would be nice if they would stop hitting people over the head with it.
There are more reasons to live than there are people alive today, which is why most of us aren’t in a hurry to leave. Even Christians, who claim to believe in eternal bliss after they die, fight and struggle to stay alive, even going so far as to protest euthanasia and abortion on the grounds of being pro-life (capital punishment is ok… that's in the Bible… like what they did to Jesus…). The Pope drives around in a bullet-proof car, what more is there to say?
"I’m glad religion is there to act as a crutch for these people, but it would be nice if they would stop hitting people over the head with it."
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame that this is true. It reminds me of people that go to prison and "find Jesus", or whatever else has been presented to them as a great idea for redemption. It's pathetic, those people shouldn't even exist at all, but thankfully they're not out in society until they're released five years later. Regardless of if they keep their decency upon being released, why should people that need a reason, other than just being so, to be a respectable human being in society be allowed to live at all? There is no need for reason because by nature we don't want to kill each other, so they're obviously more screwed with their thinking.
The last line of this was pure genius, and very clever. Great post.
The worst to me is Christian who believe there can be no morality without God....
ReplyDeleteSo you're telling me the only reason you don't kill me and take all my shit is because you're afraid God will punish you? You mean to tell me that you don't really like me and appreciate my company and value my life on its own sake?
It's silly to me. Fundamentalists make it sound like without their God everyone would be a crack-whore that went around killing other people to get a quick fix.... Which is silly.
"I don’t see what the fuss is about."
ReplyDeletePerfect. Usually atheists are pointed as "sad" people for not thinking about the miracle of this world. I think it's the other way around. I see more beauty in my life and in universe as it is without the presence of a creator, being, as they say, "pure chance", than I see in a universe, as complex as it is, being created by the most perfect existence. That would be really easy for 'it' them right? So why are we the ones that are "cold". I see more beauty in this world (and admire it more) than every single religious I know in person. It almost seem that, to some, if a perfect one created this, then there not much beauty in it. It's just a work of a master.
For us, wouldn't it be like the most perfect work that exists and which was made by "itself", or with the worst "artisan"? One that does not even exists.
My view of reality only makes it more beautifull to me, unlike what many say.
Great post, I relate to pretty much everything.
We can, in fact, be even better than religious people. For if choose to be what they call a good person, it's out of our free will. We don't blame it into anything. We just want to be like that. Unlike many that choose to be like that for fear of hell or for need of his God's approval.
^^
I agree with what you said Almeidinha, I think atheists are some of the most decent, honorable people on the planet because of that. ["We can, in fact, be even better than religious people. For if choose to be what they call a good person, it's out of our free will. We don't blame it into anything. We just want to be like that. Unlike many that choose to be like that for fear of hell or for need of his God's approval."] The atheists that are good people are because they realize they simply can be without an extraordinary selling point attached to religious conditioning. What better a human than someone honest and good without being told to be so?
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how trusting the world could become overnight if everyone disregarded religion before the sun rose, and were simply good "just because". No one would have to worry of fraud because fraud wouldn't exist among the good people.
Precisely Alexis. =)
ReplyDeleteI assure you, being atheist doesn't make anyone a better person, nor does being religious make one a worse person (in the sense of morality, intelligence, or any other broad quality). I find the trait to be largely unimportant, akin to judging people based on other preferences (from food to sexual orientation).
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you all liked my post, but I don't think atheists are inherently better.
That wasn't what I meant to get across, I was just pointing out the differences between being good because you feel you have to and being good because you choose to be. I poorly worded my thoughts due to my exhaustion, pardon me on that behalf.
ReplyDelete/\ That's quite what I got.
ReplyDeleteYes Ginx, you are correct. Being atheist doesn't, by itself, make a better person. However, I find annoying that to most people being an atheist makes you a worse person.
That's what I tried to show. =/
P.S: I also don't think all atheists are "good".
I am who I am because I choose to be so. I believe I am a good person in the meaning I try to do my best living my life and helping others live theirs. DEspite that, I don't believe that being more more religious would make me a better person in the concept I have as a good person right now. Sorry if I am confusing.
Just covering my ass, in case a theist comes strolling through here and says I vilify religious people. I don't think all religious people are are dumb, just some of them (and a shocking number who have internet connections).
ReplyDeleteRegarding the bias atheists deal with, see here.
Completely understandable. :) I'll check out the link.
ReplyDelete"Why Is Atheism Distrusted?"
ReplyDeleteis a nice post. =)
You know, i think there are different types of people. Some have this "craving for religion" or for one determined religion, others don't. Or other crave for a different religion than they grew up in.
ReplyDeleteWhat is sad is that under some circumstances, people are forced into one religion (or also out of one religion) against their will, against their innermost striving.
Hey Ginx, great post!
ReplyDeleteand I enjoy reading the comments too, it's so refreshing after spending some time on Makarios' blog...
It's funny because I was also going to quote this part that I found particularly interesting: "I’m glad religion is there to act as a crutch for these people, but it would be nice if they would stop hitting people over the head with it." but someone was quicker than me ;)