What makes you happy to be an Atheist ? - Page 2

ghoulslime · 01-09-2012, 02:22 PM

Quote:

lostsheep wrote

I don't feel happy that I am an atheist, honestly. My life might even be easier or perhaps better if I had some kind of religious belief, since I would fit in better within our highly religious society. Some people prefer non-conformity, but I find it stressful, generally speaking. But it doesn't make sense for me to say that I would be happier as a theist: I started out this way but found myself frustrated by the illogic of it all. So atheism must be a better thing for me, personally, than theism.

I feel you, sister! If I could have just walked the Mormon walk without questioning my magical underwear, my life would have been so much easier. I just couldn't live with the lies. Swimming against the current has not been easy for me, but at least I have a clean conscience. I can say for sure that I feel a lot better now that the lost sheep and the black sheep of these Jesusy States of America can flock up and stand against the wolves of religious delusion.

lostsheep · 01-09-2012, 02:37 PM

Quote:

ghoulslime wrote

I feel you, sister! If I could have just walked the Mormon walk without questioning my magical underwear, my life would have been so much easier. I just couldn't live with the lies. Swimming against the current has not been easy for me, but at least I have a clean conscience. I can say for sure that I feel a lot better now that the lost sheep and the black sheep of these Jesusy States of America can flock up and stand against the wolves of religious delusion.

Agreed!

muse · 02-17-2012, 06:16 AM

When I came out as an Atheist. I had former friends express their hate for my non religious life choice and me. I doubt they were real friends and I do not miss them. If relationships are that shallow or fragile not much is lost.

Professor Chaos · 02-17-2012, 06:41 AM

I can have gay sex and give preteen girls abortions.

West491 · 02-17-2012, 06:56 AM

muse, some family members tell me all the time that they "love me no matter what" while at the same time they have cut off all communication with me, insist on preaching to me any chance that they get, and constantly commit the ultimately patronizing act of telling me that I'm simply "going through".

I'm getting better with totally ignoring the bullshit and trying hard to remember why I care about them. In other words, I try to keep their true essence and their religion separate in a way, if that makes sense.

And I agree, anyone who ends a relationship with you for the simple crime of being right doesn't deserve your companionship in the first place.

muse · 02-17-2012, 09:31 AM

Quote:

West491 wrote

muse, some family members tell me all the time that they "love me no matter what" while at the same time they have cut off all communication with me, insist on preaching to me any chance that they get, and constantly commit the ultimately patronizing act of telling me that I'm simply "going through".

I'm getting better with totally ignoring the bullshit and trying hard to remember why I care about them. In other words, I try to keep their true essence and their religion separate in a way, if that makes sense.

And I agree, anyone who ends a relationship with you for the simple crime of being right doesn't deserve your companionship in the first place.

Thanks for the kind words. My problem and it is a problem for me alone, I have begun to feel sorry for people who need an invisible friend to make their lives have value. What a waste of a human life and their potential for a life free from the chains of religious dogma. Sadly, nothing I could say would or could help them see my point of view, Am I wrong to pity them in a non pious way?

West491 · 02-17-2012, 09:41 AM

Someone once told me:

"One doesn't come to have faith through reason, one doesn't lose faith through reason."

While this statement is a bit cynical, as I am an ex-religidiot, it serves to capture the essence of faith. With that being said, I think that nothing you say will change their mind.

I use to be very quick to make fun of people's religious beliefs, but as I matured, I learned a bit more about why people clench on to religion for dear life. I don't think there's anything wrong with feeling sorry for them (especially kids who were indoctrinated) just as much as I don't think there's anything wrong with teasing adults for believing stupid things.

muse · 02-17-2012, 09:59 AM

I avoid religion and politics with most people. I live in the Bible belt in rural N.C. Most folks here are happy with their delusions.
I was told by my mom when I was 11 that my rejection of Christ and the talking snake was blaspheme of the Holy Ghost and I was going to HELL. She said I could never be forgiven and was damned forever.
It was a shock, but I read the Bible as best I could, and I soon found that such a god was not worthy to be respected by any thinking person who could face reality. I think the OT stories are just fodder for horror movies.

West491 · 02-17-2012, 10:03 AM

My mum and I had this discussion a while back. She said they she thought I was going to hell but that I didn't deserve it and that despite the fact that I didn't deserve it I was goin anyway because it's god's law/will. Now that's some morality!

btw- The OT stories are completely unoriginal myths and folk tales passed down generation to generation. Nothing more. Many stories in the bible precede Christianity.

missgreengreen · 03-20-2012, 07:48 PM

I was/am in a situation similar, Muse. My father works for the Southern Baptist Convention/NAMB and has been doing so since long before I was born. It was a HUGE part of my life growing up and when I finally (at 22) came out, my mother was furious and my dad was just sad. After many arguments, I finally just stopped my dad mid-sentence and asked, "Papa, do you love me?" He replied, "Yes" to which I responded, "Well, I love you too, so let's just leave it at that" and he did. Sometimes you have set boundaries. I still freak out the locals when I go back to my home town to visit (word of heathens spreads like wildfire).
As far as what makes me happy about being an atheist, I am happy that I don't have to live with the crushing guilt that a Christian wraps themselves up in. Yeah, I still feel guilty about doing things or not doing things or whatever, but that guilt is mine. It comes from ME, not from some random dude twirling his beard and sitting on a cloud. It's sad that I used to think I was the crazy one for not "feeling the presence of the holy spirit".

muse · 03-21-2012, 01:15 PM

I work as a therapist for 15 years and have seen religion worry people who were already overly stressed to a point they ended their lives or became non functioning.

Religion is the oldest known WMD.

muse · 03-22-2012, 08:16 AM

"If you could reason with religious people, there would be no religious people" HOUSE

Religion is a mental illness and it destroys the ability to reason. When your head is up your ass the view never changes.
When Jesus lives in your colon, your head will always love being in your colon with the Holy Spirit up there, and the love in knowing God is a bowel movement.

Heeere's Jonesy! · 04-14-2012, 10:08 AM

I like being guided by the strength I receive from my own imagination and not the dull, uninspiring imaginations of stuffy bible t(humpers). Jesus is boring. I prefer to draw and write about my own heroes and idols.

Tyler · 04-19-2012, 04:54 AM

When I was 16, a good friend of mine died in a car accident with 3 other teenage boys. My friend Anthony had a seperate funeral due to his family being roman catholic, and the preacher man had to state repeatedly that the 3 other deceased boys weren't going to heaven because they weren't catholic, and that we should all be thankful that at least Anthony was. That was the most evil that I have ever been in the presence of, and it makes me very, very happy that Im not a part of it.

Stargazer · 04-19-2012, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Tyler wrote

When I was 16, a good friend of mine died in a car accident with 3 other teenage boys. My friend Anthony had a seperate funeral due to his family being roman catholic, and the preacher man had to state repeatedly that the 3 other deceased boys weren't going to heaven because they weren't catholic, and that we should all be thankful that at least Anthony was. That was the most evil that I have ever been in the presence of, and it makes me very, very happy that Im not a part of it.

Interesting. Welcome, and I think I've played an Xbox game with a character that looks like your Avatar.

Happiness is a lack of, so to speak, for you?