Faith

I found a new OD member whose writings were interesting enough for me to browse through and even read carefully. The writer (I assume it won’t be a violation to link to the diary, as the diarist seems to enjoy both attention and the opportunity to convert) is Atheist Under Ur Bed. His last entry, “Sunday Dialogue and Debate” was listed on the Reader’s Choice… so I ventured in. Oh, what a treasure chest of borderline fanatical and easily narcissistic banter! An atheist with the noble cause of educating the theists of the world – expelling the silly notion of God, Allah, and the like to embrace the stark reality of logic and science – seeks to help theists find truth and stand on their own two feet, without the crutch of deities, false gods, and religion. Interesting.
 
I noted, as AUUB seems to encourage, the following:
 
 
I’ve only briefly read some of your entries, but for me the big question is… why organized religion? Organized faith seems to divide us with rules and confines (who goes to hell, what requirements are there for heaven, what would Jesus do).
Perhaps alone for the most part, I believe that God – or some higher power – is not there for us to understand, and it is our pursuit to understand – by dissection – His will that leads to the confusion and conflicts. Differing views on His words/His judgment of us have lead to a massive amount of bloodshed throughout our history.
If God is not there for us to understand, but simply as a guide to lead us in the general direction of hope, compassion, love of each other (and not of specific country/color/religion), and peace, then it seems that our designated religions might inadvertently be seeking and preaching in the wrong direction…
I have faith in people and of a God who loves His people unconditionally, but I also believe that the attempts to understand more than ‘do your best to be the best person you can be… and help somebody if you can’ could be what leads us away from the lesson this life is meant to teach us.
That said, I understand the atheists’ point of view as I’ve spent most of my life preaching from a soap box in much the same manner as is written here (though I was a bit less eloquent and a bit more naive). I found and continue to find atheists to be both good and bad… they are people, just like theists. The only difference is their belief systems.
If atheists are able to find love, compassion, and hope without need of God, then ‘woot’ for them. If others need guidance to find these things, if others need a reason they exist, a protector to lean against in times of great struggle, why is this wrong?
The only thing, in my opinion – which I’ll freely admit is limited by my lack of age and experience in the world – that truly matters is the willingness of each person to do more good than harm in our lifetime, to help others to do the same.
Poking fun at theists is fair game if done in good spirits (it’s not as if the ‘you’re going to hell’ thing isn’t reason enough for the most part), but the intent to ‘educate’ and reform theist to suit a cause is as pointless as the Christians’ conversion of every territory conquered.
At what point is being a good person good enough?
The endless battle between who is right or wrong (theist v. theist or atheist v. theist), the struggle to prove or disprove a point seems to me to be the foundation of what we as a people are missing. Why does it matter whether someone believes in flying fairies and pixie dust if it helps them to be a better person and to embrace life without the fear and panic of death?
If the world focused on understanding, on similarities rather than differences, would it matter who believes in God? Focusing on the similarities, a love of all life, and compassion has led me down a road that does not discriminate against theist or atheist anymore than black or white, rich or poor.
But then, to many advocates of atheism, my belief in pixie dust must be clouding my view…
 
It took 3 notes.
And to expand:
I spent most of my life preaching logic, pleading for proof, requiring reasoning. I thought, wrote, and spoke as an atheist. I was always a good person. I valued, as I do today, honesty, integrity, loyalty, compassion, and dependability. I only came to believe in a higher being a few years ago. I subscribe to no religion; I have no sound logic, no proof to offer, and no reason that would support my belief. Faith, by definition, is a conviction without evidence, and I have faith.
<font face=”Calibri”>I never expected to ‘find God’ or be converted or born-again. I was simply sitting on my back porch, staring up at a starry sky with Iced Tea in my hand and the song “If You Like Pina Coladas” stuck in my head. I felt a change – physically, emotionally, and spiritually. It was the damnest thing.
In any case, my views on humanity and organized religion have never changed. Organized religion has a bloody history, is the opiate of the masses, but manages to give faith to millions. There are benefits and deficits… like just about anything else.
My problem is, and has always been, with people and organizations who seek to convert others. Aside from fanatics, most theist groups have evolved to the ‘live and let live’ casual thinking of the new generations. Fanatics remain vigilant, however, and continue to pursue their prey through every outlet available… including OD. Screaming until your lungs explode that God doesn’t exist is fine by me (though your lungs may take issue with the exploding part), but the mission of conversion by atheist or theist makes my stomach turn.
 Do atheists who press so violently for others to ‘see the truth’ not see themselves clearly? Do they miss the irony completely? See the truth in science and logic! Ok… there are so many things that science cannot explain… and our logic is based on our current understanding of the world… as science and logic evolve, the arguments against a higher power evolve as well. The ‘religion as a mental illness’ is my favorite assertion—though not a new one, if memory serves. Regardless, the fanatical ravings of theist or atheist to ‘see the truth’ or ‘embrace the wisdom of his/her words’ is all the same.
 
 
There are things in this world we do not understand. There are things in this life we may never understand… perhaps because we are not meant to even try. A lack of understanding neither proves nor disproves God’s existence, but it should show the limited nature of the arguments from either side. As I stated in my note… when will striving to be the best you can be, to do more good than harm, to help others… when will striving to be a good person be enough for either side?
Compassion, love of life, peace, honesty, and tolerance… these are the hallmarks of my ‘bible.’ Whether Jesus walked on water or sank like a rock is irrelevant to me, and I refuse to waste my time trying to figure it out. Still, zealots are forever intriguing when you see them clearly and refuse to allow their impassioned rants to dictate or influence your mind.
 
 
 
I believe because I have a mind of my own… and I chose to use it.
 
 
It is my dream that one day that statement will be true of everyone.