It probably seems so to most people. I’ve lately found myself asking why we are so damned determined to defeat the other side and prove each other wrong. It seems as though we are locked in a kind of ideological struggle with no way out. Atheists and other non-theists tend to criticize historical proofs of the existence of a god, among other things. On the other hand, the religious look at atheists and atheist organizations, and all they see is an individual or group that appears to be determined to undermine ideas that are central to their lives. I am honestly not surprised that they are resistant to anything we have to say.
Does it have to be like this? There is good reason to criticize doctrines that most people tend to take for granted. Society does need to know that there is a respectable alternative to religion and belief in the supernatural. However, I personally have only had a desire to attack religion when it has resulted in bigotry and social isolation towards me or someone else for not being religious, or when I notice an example of when religious belief is used to manipulate people into being violent.
What I really want is what I think most people do: the ability to live a healthy, productive life, have rewarding relationships with friends and family, and to be able to start a family. Why shouldn’t atheists be able to do these things, and to be openly atheist at the same time?
Atheism is not a disease. We are not mentally ill, and we are not atheist because we are angry at a god or because someone associated with a religion molested us. We are atheist either because we were born that way and stayed that way, or because at some point we chose to become so again. We are still normal people. Most of us probably keep the fact we are atheist a secret because we do not want to be ostracized.
I am tired of fighting with religious people. I am tired of people asking me “so you think we came from monkeys?” when they find out I am atheist. I am tired of people buying me books by Josh McDowell and C.S. Lewis to try to convert me back to Christianity. I am tired of getting the cold shoulder from women that find out I am atheist as if there is something wrong with me. I am tired of the references to Stalin, Mao, and Pol Pot as leaders of supposed atheist nations.
I often find myself drawn into debates about these and many other topics, but what I really want is the ability to live a normal life while being openly atheist. This is one of many reasons why I decided to form my own atheist organization. Instead of focusing on this cycle of attack on religion that we often find ourselves in, it goes in another direction. Its three key activities will be community building, service, and outreach. Maybe I am wrong, and another approach will one day bear fruit. But my approach does not seem to have been tried before.
Actually it is a major idea going on in the atheist community- form a support structure for atheists to use and rely on.
What’s interesting is that I can invert your post and it sounds like a lot of the Christians (or other people “of faith”) that I know.
“Christianity is not a disease. We are not mentally ill”
“Does it have to be like this? There is good reason to criticize doctrines that most people tend to take for granted. Society does need to know that there is a respectable alternative to scientific research and academic bullshit.”
“I am tired of fighting with atheists. I am tired of people asking me “so you think we came from God?” when they find out I am christian. I am tired of people buying me books by Daniel Dennet and Chris Hutchens to try to make me atheist. I am tired of getting the cold shoulder from women that find out I am Christian as if there is something wrong with me. I am tired of the references to Jim Bakker and other fucking faker losers as leaders of supposed Christian organizations.”
It’s great man. It cuts both ways and I don’t know how to stop it, but the rhetoric’s identical, and it amazes, confuses, and infuriates me. If it’s all about Love then it’s all about Love, fuck the nonsense.
Pardon me for spouting such on your blog.
Doomed to be enemies? Not if religious people do nothing to infringe my liberties, or shred the rights of ALL.
Detract says : I absolutely agree with this !
I wrote a post criticizing a religious group that was going after the government in an attempt to save it because Obama meeting with a secular group and my co-blogger got harassed for days over it. I got called a bigot, and was told I was an idiot and spreading hate speech. I’m not in a particularly forgiving mood anymore.
How are we supposed to work out which is a “real” Christian organization? One that follows the tenants and doesn’t steal or bash people, I am assuming? So what do we do about the ones that do, write 1500 words essays making it clear that we know they are fake? What about the Left Behind books? Those guys were gleefully calculating how many people had to die to fill the valley in Israel with blood. 2 and 1/2 billion people. Is that not a real Christian? I honestly don’t know, I hear the Old Testament mentioned a lot in gay rights discussions.
I have never sent anyone an atheist book. When I have told my family, I got harassed. They continued to force me to attend church under threats of kicking me out of the house, they continue to send me bibles and all this other religious stuff. I have bought them religious books and things I personally found offensive, and have not had that returned in kind to me.
ID is dragging religion into science in a major way, but I can’t respond in kind. I get told religion and science are separate, right they are, but why do I have to take the moral high ground while watching people have to resort to suing to kick it out of science classes?
There are secular humanist groups that are doing what you are suggesting. You might want to find one in your local community?
Sorry, I’m still very angry.