Atheism
Is there such thing as a true atheist?
My hunch is that actually, no, there's not. This supposition has crept up on me over the years. First, atheists in general seem to be angry at God. I don't see how you can be angry at someone that you don't believe in. Secondly, it appears that atheists, when under extreme pressure, give in to the natural yearning to pray. And they might even make a deal (what the bible would call a vow) to God. Third, it's really quite amazing, if you think about it, how whether a person professes to have a relationship to God or no relationship to him, we all have a clear and natural understanding, or grasp, of who God is, which is remarkable that most of us have never seen or heard God, God being invisible and inaudible.
To illustrate this last point, let me give the example of what a friend told me about his earliest recollections of knowing who God was. When he was small, he'd hear his mom praying (like if he was sick or whatnot). Rather than wonder what invisible person she was talking to, or being alarmed that she might even be crazy, he knew full well who she was talking to (God) and what she was doing (praying). It's not like he had to ask his mom what she was doing or why. He just knew. And this isn't even to say that my friend believed in God. He never did and he still doesn't. But he knew what his mom was doing. And even now, when we get into arguments about religion, to hear him argue from his side, you can tell that he actually believes in God. That is, he argues from this base assumption that God exists and is real, even though he vehemently denies this. Come to think of it, I had this experience with another (atheistic) friend, and when I pointed it out to him, he looked sheepish but denied it.
Another thing that betrays atheists (and somewhat related to my first point above), is how very much they love trying to debunk God. Of particular attraction is debating or cornering a Christian, which is the most delicious morsel to the atheist. As a matter of fact, I think atheists don't even care about deconverting people of other religions; they just want to deconvert Christians. And I'm not even sure if atheists care so much that the gods of other religions don't exist -- they just want to make sure that no one believes in the Christian God. It's like what Bertrand Russel said -- "Why I Am Not a Christian". Why not "Why I Am an Atheist" or "Why I Am Not a Theist"? But no, everyone knows that those topics aren't interesting at all. Why all the fuss over something that doesn't even exist (from the so-called atheist's perspective), unless they really do think God exists and are trying over and over to fight God and convince themselves that he's not there?
What’s the point of professing atheism if 1) it does nothing for them emotionally (ie, they act and feel as if they were believers) and 2) they’re not even truly atheists (and I’m not even sure if there’s such thing as a true atheist)? But then on the other hand, people do live as though there were no God, in that they live godless lives and have no fear of him. And also they give into despair and have no faith and become desperate and pathetic, instead of brave and victorious, so what’s going on here? It seems that they have a selective belief that enables them to have pleasure, but avoid suffering.
Paradox – atheists who have the honesty to be depressed about their philosophy, but not the honesty to see the truth. I even read about one who committed suicide.
Why is it that “rightful” indignation at God for the state of the world leads to a most ironic and unholy rejection of Him who is good?
Why aren't atheists consumed with jealousy and self-pity? (If this is the only life, sucks to be you if you've been dealt a bad hand, and easy to envy those who've been dealt better.)
What is an atheist like? How does an atheist live? Love? Die? According to one atheist (The Stainless Steel Rat) on Yahoo! Answers, atheists are less afraid of death than religious people.
How can people be more loyal to a human than to God? (the NKs to Kim Il-sung)
Very strange. How come people never criticize the dictator (because they worship him), but people freely criticize God and even decide he doesn’t exist because of all his perceived faults?
Why did people used to (and still do) worship evil gods and goddesses (Zeus, Kali), but in our society (defined as any modern society), if somebody comes to believe that God is evil, they decide God doesn’t exist?
Do atheists care about their reputations after death? Or what happens to their bodies (such as whether they’re humiliated or not)?
Survey question: Would you care if somebody had sex with your dead body?
Why, whenever people say God doesn’t exist, do they specifically single out for attack the Christian God and Christian religion? It’s really peculiar. Of all the gods and religions out there they could deny, they don’t care for any of them except the Christian one. Go on any message board or even Yahoo! Answers and lurk around a bit and see for yourself. Even Bertrand Russell wrote “Why I Am Not a Christian” not “Why I Am Not a Theist”, which would have made a lot more sense.
I used to be in a philosophy group, and the discussion for that week was the origins and purpose of religion. Inevitably, the conversation turned towards the origins and purpose of Christianity. No other religions, whether the great world religions or primitive tribal religions, were covered. I don’t know if anybody else noticed this except for me, and I didn’t bring it up either.
My hunch is that actually, no, there's not. This supposition has crept up on me over the years. First, atheists in general seem to be angry at God. I don't see how you can be angry at someone that you don't believe in. Secondly, it appears that atheists, when under extreme pressure, give in to the natural yearning to pray. And they might even make a deal (what the bible would call a vow) to God. Third, it's really quite amazing, if you think about it, how whether a person professes to have a relationship to God or no relationship to him, we all have a clear and natural understanding, or grasp, of who God is, which is remarkable that most of us have never seen or heard God, God being invisible and inaudible.
To illustrate this last point, let me give the example of what a friend told me about his earliest recollections of knowing who God was. When he was small, he'd hear his mom praying (like if he was sick or whatnot). Rather than wonder what invisible person she was talking to, or being alarmed that she might even be crazy, he knew full well who she was talking to (God) and what she was doing (praying). It's not like he had to ask his mom what she was doing or why. He just knew. And this isn't even to say that my friend believed in God. He never did and he still doesn't. But he knew what his mom was doing. And even now, when we get into arguments about religion, to hear him argue from his side, you can tell that he actually believes in God. That is, he argues from this base assumption that God exists and is real, even though he vehemently denies this. Come to think of it, I had this experience with another (atheistic) friend, and when I pointed it out to him, he looked sheepish but denied it.
Another thing that betrays atheists (and somewhat related to my first point above), is how very much they love trying to debunk God. Of particular attraction is debating or cornering a Christian, which is the most delicious morsel to the atheist. As a matter of fact, I think atheists don't even care about deconverting people of other religions; they just want to deconvert Christians. And I'm not even sure if atheists care so much that the gods of other religions don't exist -- they just want to make sure that no one believes in the Christian God. It's like what Bertrand Russel said -- "Why I Am Not a Christian". Why not "Why I Am an Atheist" or "Why I Am Not a Theist"? But no, everyone knows that those topics aren't interesting at all. Why all the fuss over something that doesn't even exist (from the so-called atheist's perspective), unless they really do think God exists and are trying over and over to fight God and convince themselves that he's not there?
What’s the point of professing atheism if 1) it does nothing for them emotionally (ie, they act and feel as if they were believers) and 2) they’re not even truly atheists (and I’m not even sure if there’s such thing as a true atheist)? But then on the other hand, people do live as though there were no God, in that they live godless lives and have no fear of him. And also they give into despair and have no faith and become desperate and pathetic, instead of brave and victorious, so what’s going on here? It seems that they have a selective belief that enables them to have pleasure, but avoid suffering.
Paradox – atheists who have the honesty to be depressed about their philosophy, but not the honesty to see the truth. I even read about one who committed suicide.
Why is it that “rightful” indignation at God for the state of the world leads to a most ironic and unholy rejection of Him who is good?
Why aren't atheists consumed with jealousy and self-pity? (If this is the only life, sucks to be you if you've been dealt a bad hand, and easy to envy those who've been dealt better.)
What is an atheist like? How does an atheist live? Love? Die? According to one atheist (The Stainless Steel Rat) on Yahoo! Answers, atheists are less afraid of death than religious people.
How can people be more loyal to a human than to God? (the NKs to Kim Il-sung)
Very strange. How come people never criticize the dictator (because they worship him), but people freely criticize God and even decide he doesn’t exist because of all his perceived faults?
Why did people used to (and still do) worship evil gods and goddesses (Zeus, Kali), but in our society (defined as any modern society), if somebody comes to believe that God is evil, they decide God doesn’t exist?
Do atheists care about their reputations after death? Or what happens to their bodies (such as whether they’re humiliated or not)?
Survey question: Would you care if somebody had sex with your dead body?
Why, whenever people say God doesn’t exist, do they specifically single out for attack the Christian God and Christian religion? It’s really peculiar. Of all the gods and religions out there they could deny, they don’t care for any of them except the Christian one. Go on any message board or even Yahoo! Answers and lurk around a bit and see for yourself. Even Bertrand Russell wrote “Why I Am Not a Christian” not “Why I Am Not a Theist”, which would have made a lot more sense.
I used to be in a philosophy group, and the discussion for that week was the origins and purpose of religion. Inevitably, the conversation turned towards the origins and purpose of Christianity. No other religions, whether the great world religions or primitive tribal religions, were covered. I don’t know if anybody else noticed this except for me, and I didn’t bring it up either.
