a-the-ism
Okay, I mentioned this a while ago, and I've decided to do it now. I'm going to cut it because it might come off as offensive to some people, so don't look if you don't feel like it. *grin*
So here it is, why I am an atheist.
I try to keep from using Christianity as the only example of religion, but seeing as how it's the definate religious majority where I live, it'll be hard not to.
Now where to begin? Well for starters, I was raised in a rather religiously ambiguous environment. My mom considered herself a Christian, while my dad...well, I have no idea; I think he is an atheist, as he's never mentioned it really ever. When I was about twelve or so I think...my mother became a Latter Day Saint, and brought my brother and I to the church as well (by then my parents had divorced). I think I may have believed in God then, simply because I was supposed to. I really didn't know any better. After a year or two, we eventually stopped going to church, though my mother I believe to be still a Christian or Agnostic, she still has faith as far as I can tell. Myself, I really didn't mind the lack of church at all, and at about that time I started reading up on other religions a bit. From then until I was about eighteen, I considered myself heavilly influenced by Buddhism and Wicca, though I never actually believed in any of the spiritual teachings of either of them.
Finally, I started thinking long and hard about the subject of my spirituality, and I eventually declared myself to be a total atheist. And I have been up to this time.
I consider myself to be a very logical and analytical person. I'm not a computer by any means, but I am the sort of person who sort of takes the scientific method and uses it for everyday life. Atheism isn't something that I just pulled out of a hat, but something that I've considered quite a bit for a long time. For myself, it is the only logical choice. Many people say that there is a God, Goddess, or multiple Gods, but the only thing that is brought to the table is faith. The scientific method requires proof.
In its simplest form, atheistm is a denial of the existence of a God or Gods. I have never observed anything in my life that cannot be explained rationally. I am not content to simply push the "I believe button" that faith seems to be; I would rather find out why something is the way it is through use of intelligence and analytical thinking. In my own opinion, faith is a cop-out, belief without proof has never really sat well with me. It seems to me that choosing to believe something blindly is just willingly choosing ignorance. It just doesn't seem right to say that things can't be understood without actually trying.
So what happens to us when we die? Well, we die...and that is it. Once brainwave activity ceases, that's the end of the game. Next is oblivion. It's a pretty depressing and nihilistic approach, but it's the only one that makes sense. Gods, souls, afterlifes, and reincarnation are ideas created by the human fear of death. When humans became aware of their own impending demise, they created buffers to save themselves from despair. Back then it was probably necessary, as people were much less intelligent. In current times, I'd like to think that fantasies like that are no longer necessary. I'm often asked why I don't just choose a religion just in case there is an afterlife, as a safety net. In my opinion, if you're only religious because of a fear of what might happen to you if you weren't...that's not real belief, that just cowardice. I'd rather live with integrity, doing what I believe to be right.
I feel that I am a more levelheaded person for making this choice as well. Rather than having morales dictated to me, I choose my own based on what I believe, not what I am told to. Because of this attitude, I feel that I may be taking it too far sometimes. I believe in personal choice, but I often can't help but feel superior to people that are blindly religious. I'd rather not feel that way, but I can't seem to help it sometimes.
Meh...I dunno, I think I've lost my point and have devolved into rambling now. So I will stop for the time being. Feel free to post comments, and I will attempt to answer in a straightforward manner.
Again, sorry if I upset anyone, it was not my intent.
.
So here it is, why I am an atheist.
I try to keep from using Christianity as the only example of religion, but seeing as how it's the definate religious majority where I live, it'll be hard not to.
Now where to begin? Well for starters, I was raised in a rather religiously ambiguous environment. My mom considered herself a Christian, while my dad...well, I have no idea; I think he is an atheist, as he's never mentioned it really ever. When I was about twelve or so I think...my mother became a Latter Day Saint, and brought my brother and I to the church as well (by then my parents had divorced). I think I may have believed in God then, simply because I was supposed to. I really didn't know any better. After a year or two, we eventually stopped going to church, though my mother I believe to be still a Christian or Agnostic, she still has faith as far as I can tell. Myself, I really didn't mind the lack of church at all, and at about that time I started reading up on other religions a bit. From then until I was about eighteen, I considered myself heavilly influenced by Buddhism and Wicca, though I never actually believed in any of the spiritual teachings of either of them.
Finally, I started thinking long and hard about the subject of my spirituality, and I eventually declared myself to be a total atheist. And I have been up to this time.
I consider myself to be a very logical and analytical person. I'm not a computer by any means, but I am the sort of person who sort of takes the scientific method and uses it for everyday life. Atheism isn't something that I just pulled out of a hat, but something that I've considered quite a bit for a long time. For myself, it is the only logical choice. Many people say that there is a God, Goddess, or multiple Gods, but the only thing that is brought to the table is faith. The scientific method requires proof.
In its simplest form, atheistm is a denial of the existence of a God or Gods. I have never observed anything in my life that cannot be explained rationally. I am not content to simply push the "I believe button" that faith seems to be; I would rather find out why something is the way it is through use of intelligence and analytical thinking. In my own opinion, faith is a cop-out, belief without proof has never really sat well with me. It seems to me that choosing to believe something blindly is just willingly choosing ignorance. It just doesn't seem right to say that things can't be understood without actually trying.
So what happens to us when we die? Well, we die...and that is it. Once brainwave activity ceases, that's the end of the game. Next is oblivion. It's a pretty depressing and nihilistic approach, but it's the only one that makes sense. Gods, souls, afterlifes, and reincarnation are ideas created by the human fear of death. When humans became aware of their own impending demise, they created buffers to save themselves from despair. Back then it was probably necessary, as people were much less intelligent. In current times, I'd like to think that fantasies like that are no longer necessary. I'm often asked why I don't just choose a religion just in case there is an afterlife, as a safety net. In my opinion, if you're only religious because of a fear of what might happen to you if you weren't...that's not real belief, that just cowardice. I'd rather live with integrity, doing what I believe to be right.
I feel that I am a more levelheaded person for making this choice as well. Rather than having morales dictated to me, I choose my own based on what I believe, not what I am told to. Because of this attitude, I feel that I may be taking it too far sometimes. I believe in personal choice, but I often can't help but feel superior to people that are blindly religious. I'd rather not feel that way, but I can't seem to help it sometimes.
Meh...I dunno, I think I've lost my point and have devolved into rambling now. So I will stop for the time being. Feel free to post comments, and I will attempt to answer in a straightforward manner.
Again, sorry if I upset anyone, it was not my intent.
.