“In fact, ‘atheism’ is a term that should not even exist. No one ever needs to identify himself as a ‘non-astrologer’ or a ‘non-alchemist.’ We do not have words for people who doubt that Elvis is still alive or that aliens have traversed the galaxy only to molest ranchers and their cattle. Atheism is nothing more than the noises reasonable people make in the presence of unjustified religious beliefs.” – Harris
So what is atheism? I don’t mind the name personally, it’s just a word after all, it describes me and it allows for an understanding of myself from others when I say it.
But there is a problem: a-theist.
Why should I have to define myself according to others, I am not a believer in a God. I’m using a negative to describe myself. It suggests that I’m wrong in a kind of way. Even gay people aren’t spoken about in that sense: a-hetero, or a-straight? like a straight person gone wrong? That’s a disgusting notion and I know that if I went around referring to people in that way I’d get in a lot of trouble, so why can people talk about me like that? Why do I talk about myself like that?
I mean in all honesty I’m not sure that there is a would I would rather…In an ideal world you wouldn’t have to tell someone you were atheist because everyone would have (excuse the pun) ‘seen the light’ and we would just refer to those nutters who still try to contact a kind of creator being and ask for some forgiveness as a theist, and that word would have a changed meaning, no longer the norm.
But I’m more than just an a-theist. Not only do I not believe in an almighty lord and master to rule over us (and let’s face it do some pretty sick and twisted stuff-more on that later) who is fallible by the way, he says so himself in the bible, and who is not all knowing either (again more on these points later). I am against religion…a kind of anti-theist I suppose. There are lots of reasons I feel this way, but like the Christians I hate the sin and not the sinner…I don’t blame people for wanting a God, wanting to shift blame and responsibility of life on to someone/thing else. I don’t blame people for wanting someone to talk to, to be a part of a society, who want an explanation for the things that science is still looking for etc.
I do blame the ignorance. I blame the self loathing message that many religions give, I blame institutions of worship for lying, for brainwashing and for seeing themselves as above and beyond the laws; the laws of science and the laws of the land. I see the dreadful things that religion has done and I hate it. I understand it…but that does not make it right.
So I can sit in my own little word, not believing in God, having no effect on any one. Or I can open my eyes (the reason I found out I was atheist in the first place) and see the damage and the ignorance of large scale religion.
And once you’ve done that…there is no sitting in your own world.
consciaspuella 