Atheists will all tell you that atheism isn’t a religion, but I think these days it’s becoming one. I constantly see more and more people posting links to posts proclaiming that “science” beats “religion” every time, even though the majority of the world’s religious population are perfectly normal people who also believe in “science”. And plenty of the world’s not-religious people are blithering halfwits.
Perhaps I’m getting old, but there’s a sneering pompousness about atheism these days that doesn’t really reflect my own point of view. Sure, I don’t believe in gods. And yes, I think that people who do are a slightly odd. I also think you’re slightly odd if you want to drive a car with an automatic gearbox, but I won’t align myself with a group of people whose only entertainment in life is slagging off people who have automatic gearboxes. It just seems a bit too negative.
So from now on I’m not an atheist. My religion is “none”. I don’t believe in a god, and I don’t believe in taking pot-shots at people who do.
Who’s with me? I need money to build our church.
Preach on! … Um. … I mean, keep on with the lack of preaching on!
I’m an comparative-religion Christian with scientific affinities. One of my best friend is an anti-theist. We have fun together because we can both laugh at our own…everything.
During a difficult spot for for this friend A-T:
Me: “If you commit suicide, I know how I’m going to get my revenge.”
A-T: “How?!?”
Me: [dramatic, solemn pause] “I’m going to pray for the happiness of your soul.”
A-T: [falls over laughing!] “Yeah, there I’d be, floating around, going, ‘Damn. She was right!'”
But my fave A-T religionist/anti-religionist memory is that, when he gave a ride to my 91-year-old southern, Southern Baptist gramma and I, Gramma & A-T started teasing each other about the pixelated SATAN sticker on A-T’s car. They love hanging out together, too.
I wish everyone could just relax and get over themselves like that.
I was going to build an organization somewhat like you describe in the 1990s. I even had “fortheloveofgod.org” reserved (to use in an exasperated way or not, as could be decided by each member), but I lost the domain & spare energy after I became too ill even to work, from around the turn of the millennium till now.
If you or someone else do have the wherewithal to create a “let’s calm down, people!” group & like the irony of For the Love of God as the name, I donate the idea in lieu of cash.
As for my rambling, I apologize along with Blaise Pascal, “I have made this longer than usual because I have not had time to make it shorter.” (I have to apologize for rambling so often these days that I have that quote bookmarked. 😛 🙂 )
Although I could understand the blog, I failed to comprehend a single word from geekdiva. I should stop going around the internet now. Either people are too intelligent or I am just getting old.
I made someone read this blog, much to her annoyance and disagreement. She confirmed I am not off my trolley totally as she herself couldnt make head or tail of the previous comment.
“none” .. you got it Chris!