There are atheists among us. They believe in no god. They worship nothing. Their worldview precludes the supernatural and includes only the natural. They view God as an adult's fairy tale. They look at those who spend Sundays at church and think what a waste of time. They believe in one life and one life lived well.
There are atheists among us. You will see them on the street, in the supermarket, in the mall. You will meet them at work and at parties. You will meet them in the restroom and at the gym. You will not know who they are. You will not know them by their fruit. All you can know is that they do exist and that they do influence you, your city, your state, your country, and, slowly but surely, your world. Atheists matter.
There are atheists among us. They are scattered in every corner of the earth. They influence politics, education, science. They have their materialistic hands in everything. Everything they touch turns to naturalism. Everything they touch turns to realism. Everything they touch turns to reality.
There are atheists among us. Most hide, but more and more are coming out. More and more are witnessing of religion's deceit. More and more are evangelizing trust in logic and reasoning and common sense. More and more are telling others to grow up, to get with the evolutionary program, and to stop pretending that a single book, a hodgepodge of wishful thinking, solves the world's problems. More and more are coming to grips with life instead of avoiding it.
There are atheists among us. What will you do about it? Will you try to convince them that your religion is right? Will you try to convince them that you alone know the truth? Will you try to prevent them from speaking and using their minds? Or, will you simply ignore them, supremely confident of winning the war of ideas with sheer numbers? Will you care at all?
There are atheists among us. You must care. You must say and do something. You must listen to their beliefs. You must recognize their influence. Numbers do matter, but numbers are not on your side. Atheism is growing. Religions do not last. Two thousand years is nothing in the history of religion. Make no mistake. Religions will die. Religion will be forgotten. All you will have left, all you will have to hold, is reality. Reality is all you will ever need.
I would concur with everything except that ' atheists worship nothing'. That does not seem to be exactly true. I can only speak for myself but I do try to embrace the cultural beauty and the best of all religions while absolutely not believing in any gods whatsoever. I am an atheist. But if some idiot would come out in my city to burn, say, a Catholic Church I would willingly join my fellow- Catholics and all others in saving it. I do not think that atheists are the ones who worship nothing. Maybe we just worship... humanity and nature?
by
Mark Sashine (51 articles, 19 quicklinks, 244 diaries, 3454 comments)
on Thursday, September 14, 2006 at 9:40:14 AM
I once thought that it should be a natural progression, that when a child understands that the tooth fairy, the Easter bunny and Santa Claus were all fictitious constructs, and that one was expected to outgrow them.
But it takes a tremendous test of courage and resolve to outgrow the next step, and many people simply can't do it.
It means that you have to come to grips with the fact that it's a cold uncaring universe that is simply indifferent whether you live or die, or that there are some rather strange ideas about life after death from people who eat meat everyday. That we are primates, that we exist on one planet in one solar system among millions in one galaxy among billions of other galaxies.
It's just too hard for most people, and not all of us are exposed to the sciences of Astronomy, Physics and Anthropology, which I think are essential to taking that next big step. So, all we can do is to promote education and practice compassion and understanding.
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Chuck Garner (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 118 comments)
on Thursday, September 14, 2006 at 6:33:46 PM
Don't look for the 'Big Things'...just pay attention to everyday life. It's all right there. The biggest things are the smallest things. A smile, an attraction, a conversation, or the cashier at the supermarket. Don't seek....just find. And don't try so hard to believe, either. It has been my experience, that whenever I try, it backfires. Keep your mind and heart and eyes open. Or your ears. When you find, or see it.....it will be in the very last place you would have ever expected to find it...the last place you would have ever looked...the last place you would have imagined. And quite possibly, also with the last person you would have imagined. Beliefs can change from day to day....they are not guaranteed. But five minutes with something you can really say you 'know happened'...and it will always stay with you. Trust yourself.....make sure you do not miss God if he's inside, and part of you...or Christ. Last, the window to the soul is through the eyes....you can see it there. The windows are not always open, though.....and not visible and available to all , and at all times.
Pay attention to animals, and nature , too. Sacred Music, like a Bach Cantata...and I am ready to die every time....it is one of my most intense and immediate connections to 'God'. (I feel comfortable using these words as a metaphor) Good Night! Katrin
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Katrin R. (3 articles, 0 quicklinks, 11 diaries, 514 comments)
on Thursday, September 14, 2006 at 11:39:44 PM
"I want to know my fairy tale sky daddy's thoughts"-Einstein
the above come from substituting the word "God" in Einstein's original quote with the principle of God in the article. Similar quotes can be gotten from doing the same with Newton, Godel, etc, as well as great civil leaders like MLK and Gandhi.
The point is, if people want to be naturalists, kudos. If you want to fight irrationality in religion, kudos. But if you want to define the concept of God so that its totally separate from the natural world, you are going up against some very great minds who thought otherwise.
by
jujubee (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 1 comments)
on Friday, September 15, 2006 at 11:33:44 PM
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