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Just another untrustworthy atheist
It’s a normal weekday afternoon. I’m kicking back in the computer chair, relaxing after a long day at school. I open up my amazingly speedy internet browser (Firefox, of course) and initiate my daily visit to Facebook. I glance at my news feed long enough to notice someone’s reposted chain message. It’s one I’ve seen before. It says something along the lines of “I am proud to call Jesus Christ my savior. 97% of facebook users will not repost this, but I am not ashamed of God. Repost this if you feel the same way.”
I frown. Where do people come up with these bizarre statistics, I wonder. Clearly, most Facebook users won’t even see this post, so this is irrelevant anyway.
Slightly annoyed, I proceed to my message inbox; a rare event has occurred! I’ve gotten a new message! My frown deepens as I open the message and read an angry proclamation that I have allowed the devil to overtake my life and that the sender is very disappointed that I do not see God the way she does – the way I SHOULD. So, I do what anyone else would do: I click on the sender’s profile link so I can glare at her profile. But alas! She has deleted me from her friend list, so there is no profile available for me to glare at!
While I hastily type a rational explanation of my religious beliefs to the de-friender, I sigh in exasperation, but deep inside, I’m hurting. Am I not worth talking to because of my religious beliefs? Would Jesus have deleted me like that?
Every day, atheists in the USA face scenarios like this one. Recent studies have shown atheists to be the least trusted people in the country, with more than half of people questioned in one survey proclaiming that they would flatly refuse to vote for an atheist presidential candidate (never mind that candidate’s policies – atheism is a clear indicator of a crooked politician).
Such statistics, as well as the remaining presence of God’s name in the USA’s motto and Pledge of Allegiance, as well as on its currency (and even federal weaponry, as recently revealed) show that despite its alleged separation of church and state, the US still has a ways to go in the way of secularism and religious tolerance. The US, according to yet more studies, has one of the highest rates of theism, as far as developed countries go.
Other counties, such as Sweden and the Czech Republic, have much higher rates of atheism, with a majority of citizens in both countries claiming to have no religion. Despite the apparent lack of trustworthiness among the people there, I really haven’t heard of any horrible riots or violent outbreaks or mass terrorism in those countries.
Theists have asked me what my purpose is in life and why I feel any obligation to remain moral. Apparently, since I don’t believe in an invisible, all-loving deity that will promptly throw me into hell for all eternity if I don’t life a sinless, conservative lifestyle, I must be a purposeless animal of no morals. There is absolutely nothing stopping me from stealing and killing right now. Since I’m an atheist, I must be too stupid to care about humans laws and too unfeeling to care about humans themselves. Regardless of the fact that every atheist I know, myself included, believes all humans have potential, dignity, and worth, I am moral-less, crude, and unfeeling.
I’ve also heard people complain that atheists are too adamant about their beliefs. They are intolerant of theists and they are completely arrogant. They shove their beliefs down the throats of theists. While I have definitely met some adamant and arrogant atheists, I can certainly say that I have never been approached by an atheist with threats of hell accompanied by a cordial invitation to the church that will save me from these fires. And when I was a Christian (which I was, meaning I have given theism a chance), I was never rejected as a friend by an atheist due to my theism.
One could also argue that every single person is born atheistic, before being instilled with religious dogma and beliefs by others, or, as a Christian might put it, “receiving the Good News.”
Finally, I can say that if I’m wrong and that the Christian God really is up there (and there’s a chance that he is), then I’m sure I’ll be going to heaven anyway. See, if God exists, he loves me and he has a plan for me. And since atheism is clearly part of his plan for me, I must be doing the will of God. Since he’s all merciful, he won’t condemn me to hell for my lack of belief, especially since he didn’t offer any actual evidence of his existence. Yup, I’m certain that if God exists, he’s saving a nice seat for me up in heaven.
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This article has 75 comments.
Christians often claim to be oppressed and put down. Are the 76% of all Americans who claim to be Christian really victimized by the 15% that don't practice organized religion?
Public institutions embrace secularism because we have something here in the U.S. called separation of Church and State. If a government-controlled institution reflected Christianity, it would go against the principles of religious freedom that help define our nation. This has nothing do to with whether or not people "dispise" Christianity and more to do with the government's position outside of religious matters. Still, the majority of Americans would refuse to vote for an atheist presidential candidate, regardless of political standing. Atheists are thought of as arrogant, close-minded, and materialistic people with no sense of right and wrong.
Come back and talk to me again when someone calls you a commie, the devil, spawn of Satan, godless, hippie, brain-washed, libtard, etc. because of your beliefs.
There are so many articles on this website about chosing athiesm and how they are fround upon (particularly by theists) for being atheist. Rest assured, its the Christians who are fround upon by society and are critized for being "intolerant...etc." Just look at the educational institutions of today, they all embrace secularism and dispise the Christian religion.
It is the Christians who are being persecuted all around this world, we always were persecuted, and always will be.
The characteristics of God preceed the works of God. Being 'just' is a characteristic of God. Therefore, I only believe someone will be punished only IF its just. If it is just, how could one complain?
Its not a matter of "I go to hell because I don't believe." We all deserve hell because we are totaly depraved (look at the world around you). I am a Christian, I deserve to go to hell; through the grace of Christ, the Christian is saved.
So a serial killer who believes Jesus was his savior will go to heaven, but some pinnacle of good who did not believe in the Judeo-Christian deity (Gandhi, for example) will burn in hell for eternity?
And we were not created with atheistic or theistic views. We are born with no knowledge. Christians either become Christians through childhood indoctrination or through personal choice as teens or adults. Atheists are the same way. We are born neutral, not Christian.
Thank you for your comments - they are appreciated.
Here's a quote from your article:
"If we are one nation under God then why do people insist on the seperation of religion and state?"
That sure sounds like it's promoting the combination of Church and State. How are you restricted on your faith? Please give evidence that faith is restricted here in the US. Teachers are not allowed to lead class prayer in public schools because that would be promoting one faith over another in a state-controlled institution. However, they are allowed to read the Bible, just like anyone else.
Practicing a faith and promoting a faith are two different things. When I read your article, I got the sense that you were trying to portray them as the same thing. As someone of a different faith than you, I have absolutely no problem with you practicing yours, but I would not be ok with you, or any religious person, trying to promote a religion or convert me in any situation in which the US government is somehow involved.