Atheists Believe (In Something)

This will probably be the first and last time you might ever see me discussing my political or religious beliefs in this forum. Basically, I've had enough with thinking I need to change people's minds or whatever, because that's not my job. I think what I think, and I'm comfortable with that thought process and the steps that led me there. So I don't feel the need to discuss it unless people ask me, then I'm happy to provide whatever they want to know.

Anyway, my co-blogger Dee over at our sister blog Just Being Dee asked a question: If Not God, Then What? Now, unless she has other people in her life she considers a "sister" who is an atheist (ha ha), I believe she was referring to me and my belief system, or lack thereof as she says. Now, I'm not offended or upset by it, it's an honest question. When I started to respond to her post, though, I felt like many atheists need to spend a lot of time setting the record straight.

So I'll just throw it out there: I am a liberal, free thinking atheist. Yeah, there I said it. I'm not ashamed of it, nor do I hide this fact. This was a decision of several years of rational and critical thinking, even having been raised by a quasi-Catholic mother (though she's not practicing, and leans towards more agnostic thoughts now). The other side of my family are devout conservative Southern Baptists.

When I was in college, as many would attest I considered myself a feminist but also a conservative. People would often ask me how I could balance the two. Honestly, it wasn't hard. I was always more fiscally conservative, plus I was from New Jersey, which is a typically liberal leaning state, so even if there was a Republican governor, they supported some of my social beliefs like women's health and basic human rights. As I got older though, my social beliefs started to trump my fiscal leanings in the sense that they became more important to me. So that's why I tend to identify with more liberal thoughts now.

But my relationship with the Christian version of g-d is not that complicated, actually. I used to go to church every now and then. I read The Bible (which as an English major, I see as a fine piece of literature). I was told to believe in g-d so I did. But as I grew up, there were a lot of conflicting thoughts in my head, and even though I attended an all-women's Catholic college, I came to the conclusion that I was an atheist.

This decision was nothing to do with being flippant like "There IS NO GOD!!!" when something happens like a natural disaster or seeing suffering in the world if g-d is supposed to be "good," etc.

I consider myself a rational, critical and free thinker. Most atheists do. But when Dee questions what do they believe in, I have to chuckle because atheists do believe in something, actually very many different things.

Some atheists believe in evolution. (Editor's note: I was just told there is a faction called "naturalists," who knew?) I call it personally the "cycle of life," as all living breathing elements expire at some point. They eat things to survive, and then have to "fight it out" in nature so as not to cease to exist.

Now some folks (I'm looking at you, Christine O'Donnell) will ask "Well why aren't monkeys still evolving?" when people bring up the evolution theory. Guess what? Humans still evolve and still are. There's scientific evidence that humans are phasing out wisdom teeth in future generations. And it takes millions of years to get to that point. Plus monkeys are still evolving. It took us millions of years to get to where we are, so it will take millions of years to keep that progress.

I'm not going to say it's perfect but there's certainly more evidence pointing towards supporting a rational evolutionary process for not just humankind but animals as well. But it's just that: a theory. We don't know what came first: the chicken or the egg. But for people who point to g-d as the creator, my question is...well, who created g-d, then?

Atheists do have belief systems, they are just not theist or religious-based. For me, I believe, for lack of a better term, in the circle of life, but also in respect for other life forms. Respect for the Earth. Thinking and knowing that the world is bigger than just "me." There seems to be a faction that can't understand how we can be so comforted without having a "supreme being" way of thinking to save us. Well, I believe we have one life to live, I don't believe in the afterlife, I personally believe we are all worm food after we perish. It sounds scientific and cold, but this isn't sugar-coating, to me, what I think we all are once we leave this life.

Atheists are spiritual! I know, it can seem contradictory, but it goes towards the whole "world is bigger than me" thought process. Over at Columbus Circle, an Atheists group hands out pamphlets, and I just asked them flat out if an Atheist could also think of themselves as "spiritual." They looked taken aback, like they hadn't thought of it deeply themselves.

I chimed in and said, "You know, it depends on how you think of 'spiritual.' I'm not talking about having 'faith' but mostly to me spirituality can be part of a belief process and thinking that the world is bigger than me, having respect for all thinking, breathing life forms, etc."

Then I saw the light bulbs go off. One man told me, "I'm a vegan because I can't imagine hurting an animal or participating in that brutal industry, so I consider myself spiritual too." While I eat meat, I don't eat veal for ethical reasons. I also won't buy things as a consumer that I disagree with their practices. So that's my own version of spirituality.

I often categorize myself as "spiritual, not religious," simply because I don't want to upset my family members who are all deeply Christian based. But the fact is, you can be a good person and have respect for all breathing life forms and have a belief system, even if it isn't in the "biblical sense." And yes, that term was intentional.

More wars have been started as a result of religion and lack of respect for other belief systems. This is has been proved countless amounts of time. I'm not even talking about wars with other countries, but even wars within ourselves. Now, I know that this is a blanket statement, and I'm certainly not saying that ALL religions are like that. But I love how a Christian-based thought process will call out another religion for being "extremist" when there are plenty of extremists in Christianity too. It goes both ways.

As an atheist, I respect human rights, especially those who want religious freedom, as an example. I know, it sounds contradictory, but as I said above, it's not up to me to try to change people's minds. There's a lot of circular reasoning there and often defers to a g-d no one has seen. That's great for you, but for me, I've come to the conclusion that religion has done more harm than good.

But when it has to determine a war or killing others simply in the name of g-d is what I don't get. I mean, isn't g-d supposed to be an omnipresent peaceful being? Yet, there is a natural selection (for lack of a better term) for humans to engage in aggression. At the same time, we'll hear about holy wars.

To this atheist (and many others), it's a foregone conclusion that some religions' imaginary friends have caused more harm than good. And trust me -- it's not just outside us, our country has been just as bad with that historically. Even now, my favorite pastor Fred Phelps spends more time spreading around messages of hate and disgust, while being a "Christian." Most Christians I know don't waste their time worrying about marriage equality or telling people they are going to burn in Hell because they disapprove of their lives. But this guy does with a huge platform. Atheists are generally accepting of everyone...just not hateful people.

Lastly, Atheists are scientists. I think that's sort of funny to describe me as one, because I sucked at math and science as a student. But it's the only way to discuss rational thinking that comes to a conclusion. Charles Darwin constructed a theory of evolution. It's stood a test of time, although like many theories it has a lot of open ends and questions. But for the most part, it's answered many questions.

Atheists are good people! It blows my mind how many people think if you are an atheist, you are automatically a goth-music loving, vampire-looking, devil-worshiping freak. Uh, no! (Well, except the goth music part. I do love goth). I'm probably one of the most normal, down-to-earth people you would ever meet with a rational thought process who can see the bigger picture. We help old ladies cross the street, we check on our elderly neighbors in heat waves, we give up our seats on the bus or train to pregnant ladies or disabled folks. We're not all heathens. As long as we don't discuss religion, I'm sure we'll have more in common than you think...

So, Dee, I know this was a long answer to your simple question, but I feel like I need to set the record straight about how I came to this conclusion about my life. I'm very comfortable with this, and I didn't write this to be flippant or offend anyone. I just hope that you can embrace my way of thinking with respect, as I respect yours and others!