What Atheists Believe

This is another one my comment posts on the CNN Belief section. This was in response to the founder and executive director of the Fixed Point Foundation opinion piece about how those awful Atheists should be careful for what they wish for. 

Being an activist atheist and after decades of hearing theists decry we want the destruction of  religion and also claim it will be the end of civilization can wear one down. But, someone needs to stand up to these bullies and  point out this is not true. This is just one of many stereotypical accusations  thrown about blatantly by social conservatives. The accusation is not true! Most atheists are smart enough to know religion is a part of the human condition and won’t disappear (wishful thinking). We can only hope religious fundamentalism fades with time and has less sway in the political realm.

We think religion is a personal, private matter and we do believe the freedom of conscious is crucial for  a successful democracy such as ours. We stand atop the Jeffersonian wall of separation and defend both the atheists and theists first amendment rights. Modern American Atheists can not and should not be compared to notorious foreign tyrants of the past. We are proud citizens of a country in which we are allowed to speak our minds and live our lives as we see fit. Being an atheist means only one thing. It does not define who one is, its only a statement of non-belief in a supernatural being or beings. That’s all, nothing more or less. We are just like you, except we don’t go to your church. We are your neighbors, co-workers, family members. Our numbers are growing, and more and more of us are coming out and standing up  for our civil rights just like any other minority who have been denigrated forever.

Of course I can’t speak for all atheists, but many of us, don’t care what you believe or why as long as it doesn’t harm you, your family or anyone else.

Divide and Conquer

From Christopher's book "Arguably" I found a line by Adams that I had to blog about. In this book, Christopher writes about our American founding fathers and what they really believed or did not believe. In it there are examples of how it was seen advantageous to divide and conquer using sectarian strife. It still works today.

Here is a line from Adams about Jefferson's supporters with a twist.
"Let us have an Atheist or a Deist (as President) or anything rather than an establishment of Presbyterianism (insert any sect here)."

Today, it seems some Republicans would rather have an adulterer as a presidential nominee rather than a Mormon.

My comment post for the CNN story about Bob Jones U students protesting sexual abuse within their community and missionary organizations

Church leadership abuse their power over the gullible in many ways. When people automatically accept what they are taught and are told blind faith is a good thing, bad things happen. Naive people who trust all Christians are easy targets.

Look in the mirror and ask yourself why you believe what you believe?

Xmas Parties this year

The 2011 Season (1st Sober)

Actually had a great time at the Navy Reserve Xmas party this year! No prayer and not a single person said Merry Christmas. Amazing!

On the other hand, someone at my office suggested we sing Christmas carols at the office Christmas party. I cringed and thought, I will have to find something else to do next Friday. I managed to skirt attending last years party, but we have a couple of new ladies in our department that have been over zealous in preparing for the party. Its seems to me, its no longer voluntary. I was asked outright if I was going to participate in the Secret Santa, and I reluctantly said yes. I feel like complaining to management about the blatant abuse of my goodwill. I did not forget to sign up, it was on purpose damn it. This is not my favorite time of year. I do not want to play their reindeer games, especially now that our new employees have decided to take over and I wonder how far they will push it. The way they behave is exactly what one would expect from people who assume everyone celebrates Christmas. Its very rude and unprofessional.
Update: We had our division Xmas party yesterday, it was fun. More like amusing. I did notice there were a few other co-workers like me appeared to be reluctant participants. I wore a Hum Bug Oscar the Grouch Xmas t-shirt under my hoodie. I did flash it to those I trusted had a similar outlook about the festivities. I admit it was fun, its just very irritating to be "pressured' to attend and play along. And it was telling to see our new Christian co-workers decorations and especially all the posters, screamed "Merry Christmas"! not Happy Holidays. A blatant, thumbing of the nose to half the people in the room. I have decided to send a Xmas card to management and ask them to tone it down a little. The handful of true believers we have had way too much fun strutting their stuff.
Talking about Xmas cards, I did not send any last year and will no longer do so. My sister sent New Years cards last that works for me. I digress, A Mr. Hitchens received a card, written on a torn piece of brown paper bag, was something like this: Money is tight, times are hard, Here is your dam Xmas card.


By the way, we do have a tree in our house and we open gifts Christmas morning, just like I did growing up. We don't go to midnight mass, or go to church or perform grace. Its all about family and spoiling ourselves and our children, since really we have need for nothing.

This year will be different for us, we will be staying home (2nd time in 18 years). It won't be as much fun, with just the four of us, but it will be less stressful for me and to make up for it, the kids can ski everyday on the local mountain. Also this year, I will be taking vacation the week between Xmas and New Years.The best part of the "Holiday's" for me, is when we have friends and family over New Years Eve. We play pinochle and then Wii past midnight.

Have a Happy New Year

Conspiracy

Being an atheist and apolitical I find people who believe in conspiracy theories troubled souls. Most of these people have one thing in common. They lead very isolated lives, mostly by choice. They cry wolf so often for every little thing , and they wonder why no one takes them seriously? They shout the sky is falling and point at every possible conspiracy as the cause.  They do not seem to realize everyone that is associated in some way to these claims are their neighbors. One good example is someone I know who subscribes to anti-government theories could point to everyone in my family as co-conspirators. Which of course is silly. My father was a journalist, my brother is a deputy sheriff, my sister is a thespian and I was in the military and now work for state government. All job descriptions which are continuously connected to one conspiracy or another at the local level and beyond. From what I can see after traveling all over the world and our great nation and meeting people of all walks of life, I am convinced most conspiracies exist only in the minds of those who do not understand how things really work beyond their simple life. The world is a big scary messy place and they fear what they do not understand. Fear equals anger then which fuels violence, and individuals then lash out and blow things up. This never works for the benefit of the individual, or for some perceived impossible goal for a group of like minded individuals.  

Our system of government is specially designed to disrupt long standing conspiracies, we have an election cycle and the separation of power. Politics is a nasty business, but someone has to do it. Who that is depends who wants to enter the fray. Who those people are tend to be convinced they can make a difference, but seem to forget the loyal opposition feel just as strongly. Therefore there is a sense of futility within the population when things do not go exactly how they think it should. So many withdraw and sit back and fume over  their situation, go online and discover other malcontents who fuel their angst against the system. It’s easier to blame someone and throw up their hands and pretty much give up because life is one huge conspiracy after another. They are helpless and blameless for their inability to function within their own society.

Too bad so much time is spent on conspiracy theories, for or against. But it seems human nature to go on and on about these distractions. It is difficult to face reality no matter who you are. Its easier to focus on what you can’t fix rather than what you can. Think local, that’s how as an individual can really make a difference. Make a positive contribution to your community. I mean positive not political, for politics is all about self interest and not for the community as a whole.  Even thought this will not directly change the world, at least you might feel better about yourself and hopefully your neighbors too.

Comment posted on MSNBC

After reading many comments about the new bible version about to be published and seeing so many arguing about translation and other nonsense, only a few like me drilled it down to a meaningful retort against the bible overall.

Here is my comment

If religion is so important why do so many people know so little about theirs? It was recently pointed out that atheists know more about what is in the bible than most everyone sitting in the pews. People say they believe in God but can't really say why. To actually read the bible from cover to cover would be a shocking experience to modern Christians. If anyone today reads the whole bible all the way thru and still thinks its the "Good Book" they are cruel people who worship a cruel god.

Soviets teaching strict atheism?

My email to the author, because I am so tired of this kind of comparison between communism and atheism.

Dear Sir,

I discovered your book "The Religious Case Against Belief” at the Lewis and Clark library and have enjoyed it very much.

I do have one question. Being an American atheist, I was wondering exactly how did the Soviets teach "strict atheism"? Through example, my children learn secular values, so I am not sure what you meant on page 52. I have listened to hours and hours of debate on what is the difference between agnostics and atheists. From what I can tell, claiming to be an atheist only means one thing. An Atheist is a person who does not believe in a god or gods. period. How the person thinks or believes in anything else is not apparent.

I do appreciate your learned opinions and it has been fun to finally read something that is not overly sectarian or secular.

Montana Prayer Breakfast

unbelievably unconstitutional

inconceivable ignorance

unconvincing understanding

precocious to pompous

piously pretentious

evangelical egoist

silly sectarian

Global Warming

Age of Consent

http://helenair.com/news/state-and-regional/article_6fd5edd8-3622-11e0-acf6-001cc4c002e0.html

"Senate Bill 97 would require girls under the age of 16 to give 48 hours of notice to parents before receiving an abortion. Republican Sen. Jim Shockley of Victor told members of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Friday that the bill is about protecting children and involving mature decision makers in the abortion process."

He can't have it both ways… The age of consent is 16. If 16 year olds are legally considered "adult" enough to decide for themselves about sex, then they should have the same right in deciding what is best for them concerning the aftermath of having sex at 16? Subject: age of consent for Montana Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1998 21:04:38 EST In the 1997 edition of the Montana Codes Annotated and the 1997 Montana Law Enforcement Reference Guide section 45-5-501, Definitions part (b) (iii) states that the victim is incapable of consent because he is less than 16 years old. The actual law for sexual intercourse without consent is 45-5-503.

Hitchens in Montana!

Hitchens was in Billings last October and I missed it! Oh I am so mad about it. How could this not hit my radar? I know what it was, typically our local newspaper would not mention it until after the event, or not at all.
I am so bummed out, it may have been my only chance to ever have seen him in action. I am about to cry. Our newspapers and our news stations are awful. I guess from now on out, I have to read every single Montana paper everyday to learn about anything interesting going on. Who has time for that?
The only reason I learned he was in Montana, was because I was watching another one of his many interviews since he has been diagnosed with cancer. He mentioned he has been to all of the states except three, he was able to visit the Little Big Horn and a "park" durng a trip to Montana. He has yet to be to the Dakotas and Nebraska.
Life can be so unfair some times.