People often regard 'atheist' and 'immoral' as synonyms. As soon as you say "uh...no, I don't really believe in God...", some people have the tendency to assume that you also don't know the difference between right and wrong. Here's the thing folks: you can have one without the other - you can behave morally without religion, just as you can claim to be a Christian without displaying morality.
So many people will put 'Christian' under 'Religion' on Facebook...but then you scroll down and you see they're a member of 'hot chicks with big boobs' or 'bring back the old South Africa', and they brag about their ultimate hangover in their status. In real life they also do drugs for fun and get freaky with random people. And after all this, they still have the nerve to argue for God in a religious debate. Seriously?!? I am more 'Christian' than that and I don't even believe in God.
Of course it's not really about being the better 'Christian'; its about morality. Frankly I don't care if you call yourself a 'Christian' or not but if your immoral behaviour is obvious to everyone, don't attack me for not believing in God. Ask yourself the question: Which is better - a Christian who judges others based on religion and engages in morally questionable behaviour, or an Atheist who accepts that people have different beliefs and upholds values universally regarded as 'good'?
I can defend my lack of belief; its my right to do so and I have no agenda to convert anyone to atheism. And yet, when I post something promoting atheism many people feel offended. Should I feel offended when a Christian posts a Bible verse? Of course not.
If you took a moment to consider the two possibilities that 1) God exists and 2) God doesn't exist, you may also consider that many people feel there is not enough hard evidence to confirm EITHER of the two options. That is what my atheism can be reduced to - you can't prove or DISPROVE the existence of any God; a true answer is unattainable. Therefore, as a purely philosophical viewpoint, it has nothing to do with the practical aspects of life such as morals and values.
Don't assume that I am a bad person because I am an atheist because I don't assume that you are a good person (or a bad person for that matter) just because you are a Christian.
"Believing there is no God gives me more room for belief in family, people, love, truth, beauty, sex, Jell-o, and all the other things I can prove and that make this life the best life I will ever have." – Penn Jillette
I can defend my lack of belief; its my right to do so and I have no agenda to convert anyone to atheism. And yet, when I post something promoting atheism many people feel offended. Should I feel offended when a Christian posts a Bible verse? Of course not.
If you took a moment to consider the two possibilities that 1) God exists and 2) God doesn't exist, you may also consider that many people feel there is not enough hard evidence to confirm EITHER of the two options. That is what my atheism can be reduced to - you can't prove or DISPROVE the existence of any God; a true answer is unattainable. Therefore, as a purely philosophical viewpoint, it has nothing to do with the practical aspects of life such as morals and values.
Don't assume that I am a bad person because I am an atheist because I don't assume that you are a good person (or a bad person for that matter) just because you are a Christian.
"Believing there is no God gives me more room for belief in family, people, love, truth, beauty, sex, Jell-o, and all the other things I can prove and that make this life the best life I will ever have." – Penn Jillette
First :P
ReplyDeleteBut anyway more on topic, generally if you do explain yourself like this to someone who regards themselves as Christian you'll still get the generic response "you're going to hell"...
yeah...because my atheism makes me bad; all the good 'Christian' things I have done in my life won't count for anything...God will pick the bad Christian over the good atheist...or will He?
ReplyDeleteSuper cool blog Anina. And enlightening. I'm a Christian and I try to live a moral life, even though I feel I make human mistakes I shouldn't. So I never feel I have the right to point fingers at others, but I do totally agree with the fact that some Christians will even say I (a Christian myself) should repent and change my ways to suit their church values. Ironic since I've heard stories of their numerous one-night stands. - Ronel
ReplyDeleteHi Anina in my opinion true Christianity is not based on whether a person is good or bad, or even on whether one shows the morality of Christ, living by His example.It is based on the belief (or fact: can anyone deny that?) that all human beings are sinners and that each individual can only be saved, granted a resurrection and an afterlife the way God inteneded "life" to be, by the belief that Christ, being both God and human, paid for his or her sins on the cross. If we were to be judged by our "good" or "bad" life, no-one would be saved, for these words as well as the term morality are extremely relative concepts. We all can, for example, be so loving in one moment and bitterly disappointed, angry and hating in the next - to such an extend that we can actually commit a murder. So I believe that each human being has body and spirit, and that belief in Christ and his Spirit guide one through processes of spiritual growth, and even through times of utter despair. Besides, on this earth, we are bound to physical rules, but off this planet, dimensions change in a way that most of us can barely comprehend! Even here, though, we have some indications of how spirit can overcome physical stumble blocks. There is more to our brains than just the logical side. Anso
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