Have you ever been faced with an ad for religion while riding the bus or the metro? I'm sure we all have at one time or other, well the atheists (in the interest of full disclosure I must say that I am a long time atheist) are finally standing up and telling their side of the story. This has certainly ruffled more than a few feathers in the religious community.In Ottawa the Ottawa Transpo originally refused to run the ads because it would be too controversial, yet it ran Christian ads all the time. It finally went to city hall where an acrimonious debate took place between councillors who were insulted by the supposedly anti-religious message and those who supported free speech. I'm glad to say that free speech finally won out.
Did you ever notice that for religion what is good for the gander is not necessarily good for the goose. The religious community can condemn the non believers to everlasting hell but if a non believer says anything against religion it raises a furor worthy of a global calamity. I have been accused of being immoral, of having no values and of being a terrible human being. Why is it that most of the atheists I know are much more tolerant and open minded than those who are fervid believers in a religion? It seems to me that what most religions preach is love thy neighbour, not love thy neighbour if he believes like you and hate the others. I have, despite being an atheist, read the Christian Bible from cover to cover, as well as the Koran, and Buddhist teachings (If I had to be religious I'd probably be Buddhist I must say.) and I have yet to find the kind of hate and intolerance that is shown by a good part of the religious community. I know that there are good people who believe in religion and some of them have done much for the community, but I think that there is also a certain amount of hypocrisy when your religion preaches love and your actions speak of intolerance. Maybe someone out there can explain it to me?
7 comments:
Amen (my nod to religion) brother mine!
I too have been called immoral, told that I have no values, etc etc. Funny how the intolerant christians always seem to fall back on the same argument eh? No religion equals no morality. Sheesh.
This being said, most christians I know are quite open minded and accepting of the fact that I'm an atheist. Now, if that really vocal minority would just take the blinders off and look at people for what they are, life would be much easier for everyone I think.
I was so pleased when Obama specifically mentioned nonbelievers as part of pur country in his inagural address. That is a first. Altough I count myself both a Quaker and a Buddhist, I'm also a nontheist. My position is that a belief in a god is not necessary to being spiritual. It makes me crazy that atheists speaking their mind is consideered "controversial."
I do believe in some kind of greater power, be it NATURE, GOD, GODDESS, LOVE, whatever. I don't name it. But people who cannot accept others' individual beliefs, atheism included, are not spiritual people, in my opinion.
V.
This is another aspect of life where I don't fit in with anyone that I know. I totally believe in a higher power but do not believe it is anything that people have imagined. We call the beliefs of the ancient Greeks "Greek Mythology" and future peoples may use the terms "Christian Mythology" or "Muslim Mythology." People have an insatiable need to explain things and keep coming up with stuff to try to explain things they can't comprehend. That's how religions are born. I know for a fact that there are forces at work that we can not comprehend, but to try to name them or describe them is beyond our capabilities. I call the force that I pray to "God" only because it's a convenient word. But my God is certainly not the god of the Bible, the Koran or the Torah. I guess I think of my god as "The God of The Universe." I can't look at pictures of the universe without seeing it and feeling it. Take time to study a picture from the Hubble telescope and you will be filled with wonder and joy. Maybe I should call my god "Astro." And that would be okay because my god is cool like that.
Lil sister: like most human endeavours there are always the fruitcakes. It's just the the religious one kind of stand out more.
Citizen: I also think that to be spiritual, or a good person does not need a god.
Voyager: you're right especially when their religion preaches tolerance and love thy neighbour.
Geewits: Your explanation of a higher power is as good as any I've read of listened to. The universe is filled with wonder as is simply looking at the big blue eyes of my grand daughters. :o)
I'm a happy little heathen (or however you spell that) :D
Great post. Did you happen to see Bill Maher's documentary called "Religulous" I thought it was both hilarious and terrifying.
And come by and visit. I so miss your comments.
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