What Atheism means for me

Debate Room
#1

When I began my journey to becoming an atheist 13 years ago… I did a lot of vacillating, going back and forth between religion(Jehovah’s Witnesses) and Atheism. I WANTED to believe(in God)… but what I had discovered online(the sun turning into a red giant one day, billions of year from now) had made me question my beliefs just a little. I WANTED to believe, because doing otherwise would be tantamount to admitting that this life is all there is… no heaven, no resurrection, just this one life. But I was too afraid to ask questions, to question, to critique, to ask questions that could end up with me being disfellowshipped from the religion.

That is too much for a lot of religious people to deal with I think. They would rather believe in improbable nonsense for no good reason than yield to the logical conclusion that there isn’t a Jehovah God up there and religions, like the one directed by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society is just another tool designed to pry the money from people’s wallets for whatever purpose they see fit.

It took me a long time to get over it though… but I think deep down I knew it made sense. It did require me to overcome a lot of fears. Most importantly… my fear of death, my fear of losing everything, especially my family.

That’s why the move to Atheism can be so hard for a lot of people. It’s definitely the logical position for a human being to hold, but the emotional weight of surrendering belief in a magical anthropomorphic genie is just too much for people. It doesn’t mean just leaving behind fictional characters, God(s), but sometimes your family, loved ones, and friends.

What I can say is that becoming an Atheist has made me stronger in many ways. I don’t fear death like I used to. I don’t fear divine retribution for speaking against the evils of religion.
Just one step on the road of life, and so many more to go.

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#2

Sounds like my awakening from my christianity stupor. I agree…it took me awhile to reconcile my prior beliefs and dispel the fears instilled in me. My family is no longer a bone of contention…but was for years. However the freedom of thought and action I have now, is empowering, to say the least. I don’t presently worry constantly about death as I did…but I imagine I will again at some point…this time It will be a fear of the unknown without the accompanying weight of christian dogma attached. Not ever going back.

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#3

I was raised theist, and left the church at approximately age 19 not because I did not believe in a god, it was because I considered organized religion more of a social club and it got in the way of me finding a more direct connection with my maker. My search went decades and yielded no results, even though I prayed, did lot of discussions with theologians.

But over that period of time I learned a lot about physics and such areas as the origin of the universe, based on the evidence. It became obvious to me that the evidence out-weighed the stories and myths.

Since my break was a very long process and I came from a very soft religion (United Church of Canada) I did not have to wrestle with the fear of hell. But even then, once I realized I was an atheist (I did not set out to become one) it was a liberation, I was completely freed from the trappings, fear, and nonsense religion inflicts on a person.

Additional to all of this, I have lived a very “interesting” life, and what I endured and enjoyed countered many arguments theists put forth. I died on the operating room table and was resuscitated, did have a powerful dream, but it was not religious in tone. That destroyed the near death experiences theists love to tell. I have also faced extremely dangerous situations, that dispels the “there are no atheists in foxholes” argument.

Strangely enough I do not dispel the notion there may be a god. But is sure isn’t the ones proposed by the many religions I have encountered.

At best it created this universe and then went on to party elsewhere. It doesn’t give a shit about us, and we should reciprocate.

edit: to clean up typos and grammatical errors.

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#4

And each step more fascinating than the last when you no longer believe you have the answer behind everything.

Take a breath and enjoy the journey. So many interesting things cross our path.

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#5

I guess what Atheism has done for me is freedom to create my own moral code and no fear of punishment in the afterlife, your dead your dead that’s it. I see morals as subjective. My moral code is if it feels good regardless if it is against the law or not I do it if I know I won’t get caught. Without religion or a punishment in an afterlife to stop me I can act as I wish without any feelings of guilt.
I have been with over 30 prostitutes in my lifetime. Done all kinds of drugs, been a regular patron at my strip clubs, gotten away with many crimes in my lifetime and still have a clean record because I never got caught. I feel no quilt or remorse for my actions because I don’t have religion or God to stop me.
Why I loved Atheism so much from an early age was 1) it logically made the most sense to me, religion just always seemed irrational and a way of mind control governments created to persuade their citizens to be more moral law abiding citizens. 2) I agreed a lot of what many philosophers and scientists said about religion. 3) in 1st grade I asked my my mother if there was such a thing as Santa, she said no. Then I told her well if there is no Santa then the idea of God or afterlife is just as silly too.

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#6

Uhhhh… Wow. Just… Wow… Uhhh… I’ve got nuthin’. Anybody else wanna chime in here?

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#7

I like the fact that @DarkLover has stated that he has strip clubs. What a source of interesting material here that’s likely going to be.

But all the rest of it has me wanting to block him right off the bat.

So, yeah.

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#8

Kind of sounds like a sociopath, right? Who thinks this is okay? Apparently, he does.

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#9

Since you have not specified the nature of the crimes you have committed, I would have serious reservations accepting your position(s). If you are unconcerned about the effects of your behavior on others, then you need the shit slapped out of you.
If the only reason you ever felt remorse was because of god or religion, then you need a serious crash course in morality, ethics, and the concepts of public laws as they relate to the collective well-being of those in your community, etc…and then have the shit slapped out of you. What the fuck is wrong with you?

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#10

You need to have morals. At least try. It doesn’t matter whether a deity fucking exists or not. You should have the want & desire to be a better human being. I don’t care about your personal life. But you should consider cleaning up your act and quit acting like a fucking savage.

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#11

Soooo… You somehow think being an atheist gives you free rein to do whatever-the-fuck you want to do without consequences?.. Hmmm… :thinking:… Basically, then, you seem to be saying you are PROUD to be a complete douche-bag. Well, allll-righty then. Good to know. But, uh - damn, dude - you need Jesus.

(On a side note… (sniff-sniff)… I think I smell troll.)

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#12

I read his post and I was like thinking. Fuck! What are you? A fucking animal?

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#13

Goddamn, Mr.D. :hushed: Why you gotta go insulting animals like that? I know many animals that are much better than our dear friend Dark.

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#14

I never once viewed my Atheism as a pass to go and commit crimes. That’s not what being an Atheist is about. Madalyn Marie Ohare and Christopher Hitchens both came up with a set of rules for Atheists to adhere to. I’m sure if you search Google you can find them. I’ve always viewed morality & rules as something that separates us from the animals.

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#15

My troll meter reads 9/10.

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#16

Okay “DarkLover”, I gotta call bullshit on your claim of being an Atheist. You sound less like an Atheist and more like a manifestation of all the cliches that religious people believe about atheists.

I think it’s far more likely that you’re just being sarcastic… for kicks(or just for the sake of being a troll, as everyone else has already pointed out)? I don’t think you honestly believed you were ever making any kind of point.

Sorry dude, you’re as transparent as Wonder Woman’s plane.

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#17

Impressive. Supporting the working girls, huh? Nice. :+1: Thinking back, I have to say I’ve never had sex with a prostitute… :thinking:… Well, at least not that I am aware. I mean, that is to say, if I ever had been with a prostitute, she didn’t charge me. In which case, I can only deduce I was really-really good… OR… Maybe she just felt sorry for me. Eh, who knows?.. (shrugging shoulders)…

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#18

Yea, sorry realized too late that I liked the post. 🫣

#19

Very interesting… I was thinking the same thing. Good catch.

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#20

You know you can unlike it, right? Just click on it again. Takes the like away as if it was never there.

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