I had a Facebook friend ask me the other day if I had become an atheist because I was mad at god. Um no…
You can read my journey to atheism post here if you haven’t already. It tells of how, over 20 years ago, I became an atheist because of my desire to become a better Catholic.
The question by my friend did get me thinking. I have noticed people posting on atheist blogs, either their own or in the comments on others blogs about how they became an atheist because of… (insert story here). Sometimes it has to do with a journey to become a better of whatever flavor of Christian they were. Sometimes it’s as simple as, god wasn’t answering their prayers, or they were angry that god let something bad happen to them or someone they love. Then of course, there are those who have just never believed. Born and raised atheist. And so many other journeys to atheism in between.
I have to be honest. When I hear about someone becoming an atheist because of unanswered prayers or anger toward their god I tend to judge them as “not as good of atheists” as those who have “logically” become, or been born and raised an atheist.
I know on some level this is very wrong of me to do. But then again…
Have you ever heard the typical Christian comment that atheists are just angry with god. While I am glad to see so many new atheists around, and I am very glad our numbers are growing. I cringe whenever I hear someone say they decided to become an atheist just because something bad has happened and / or why didn’t god answer their prayers. I would prefer that be their starting off position, the beginning of a religious education that leads to atheism, instead of the ending point. I would even prefer atheists just say “I just can’t make myself believe” or “it’s all just nonsense to me”, rather than giving the Christians examples of people to use for their beliefs that there aren’t really atheists, they are just mad at god.
Am I the only one who feels this way?
I was mad that prayers weren’t answered at first. Now I just can’t believe in something that no one has been able to prove even exists.
I have all kinds of friends, you know that, right? I’ve seen posts where people have blatantly called atheists idiots because they don’t believe in God. (I am no longer following that blog.) However, I would never call a Christian an idiot even though they don’t have any tangible evidence to back up their belief. I feel they have a right to believe whatever they want to.
I feel I do have evidence that he/she/it does not exist.
Great post!
Hugs!!
You are such a nice person Tracey, that sucks that someone would say that…
I have read a lot of “angry atheist” blogs, however it seems to me that the reason that many of them are angry now is that they feel as though they were lied to by people they trusted (not god) most of their lives. This, of course, isn’t necessarily why they became atheists, but I think a lot of theists maybe get this confused. Did that make sense?
Signed – One of those lucky born and raised ones
It makes perfect sense. I don’t remember ever going through an “angry” phase of deconversion. But I understand it.
Also, I’m kind of jealous of you being born and raised. Probably made it a lot easier.
You know that my deconversion was a gradual and rageless loss of belief.
As a result, I’ve had a similar prejudice. I almost feel like saying, “ok, I understand. Come back to me in a year after you’ve cooled off and we’ll see.” I don’t like including “atheists of passion” because I feel that many of these become the atheists who reconvert to Christianity. I’d rather just say that these people were never atheists in the first place. But that’s really a fallacy, isn’t it?
I tend to agree. I worry about the “atheists of passion” as well. They do tend to be the reconverts, who to me are the ones who then become angry toward atheists.
I just hate to say “you were never really an atheist”, it makes me feel like the christians who say that other christians who commit crimes aren’t “real christians”. Or christians who say that christians who become atheists “were never really christians”. So I tend to want to shy away from that.
Exactly. You can’t fall into the “no true Scotsman” trap.
http://lostandfoundinindia.blogspot.com/2009/10/science-delusion.html
Don’t even get me fucking started. This pissed me off to no end.
Hugs!!
WOW stupid at a whole new level. I have actually seen that stupid story on her post going around FB, and every time I have to point out that it is not a true story. Kind of like the bible…
Gradual. Thoughtful. Slow and painful was how I became one. To want to know everything and understand is how I am. But someone that part of me was switched off in regards to religion during a lot of years. Once I became a lot more interested in learning and knowing about the church I went to week on week without fail is when the rocks of the foundation starts to crumble.
Eeeepp posted with my old log in. Would mind deleting that? I wouldn’t want certain evil people to know that I’m back
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Gradual. Thoughtful. Slow and painful was how I became one. To want to know everything and understand is how I am. But someone that part of me was switched off in regards to religion during a lot of years. Once I became a lot more interested in learning and knowing about the church I went to week on week without fail is when the rocks of the foundation starts to crumble.
Ok my fluffy bunny friend. It is deleted.
Always have been. Thought it was all silly when I was 6 years old. 42 years later I haven’t changed my mind. Its all silly.
I’m definitely jealous of those who didn’t even waste any of their years on church shit.
I’m jealous too. We should form a club Of course I still waste my time on it but that’s beside the point.
P.S. I don’t know if I need to refresh my cache or something but evil wordpress is still displaying my first comment in this page with my old login.