I am an American expatriate, living in southeast Asia. In my future entries, I will explain my reasons for leaving the US, and my criticisms of that society, especially in regards to religion.
As the title of the blog makes clear, I am an Atheist. I also wish to remain anonymous. This is because of the simple fact that, even in today's world, being honest about being rational can be dangerous to one's physical safety, not to mention familial and business relationships.
Examine further what I wrote above: "being honest about being rational can be dangerous". I often feel as if I'm the only sane person in a crazy world. Everyone else believes in fairy stories, but because only I believe in the rational, the provable, the scientific, it is I who is "odd".
With this blog, I hope to bring a bit of reason to an unreasoning world; a world where daily people are killed, tortured (physically or mentally/emotionally) all because of imaginary beings called gods. People hate and kill each other over a difference of opinion on what these gods are like, or what they want people to do. All the while there is absolutely NO evidence that any of them exist.
Why is it that, in the regular world, we all demand evidence? In criminal court, in a laboratory ... anywhere. When somebody claims something, you want proof. But not when it comes to religion. You just believe what you were taught as a child, never questioning it, never giving it much thought. Thinking is to religion what antibiotics are to disease. So why is it, when it comes to this one sphere of life that you turn your brain off? It's as if at the door of every church there's a big sign that says "stop thinking now", and another on the way out: "begin thinking now" (or "no thinking zone" and "thinking allowed").
Why is it you, the believer, gladly accept the fruits of science when it cures your illness -- but thank a mythical god for it? Why do you contort logic (or throw it out the window) when trying to match up your bronze age myths with reality?
Ask yourself: What good has religion done? Then, what good has science done? Science has cured diseases, invented space travel, this very computer I'm using, extended our life spans greatly ... so many positive things. What diseases has religion cured? How has religion made anyone's life better? "It makes me feel better", "It helps me cope with life." These are the things a drug addict says.
Yes, science can be put to bad use; such as developing weapons that religious fanatics use to kill each other. But I ask again, what good has religion done? Charity? Well, don't tell me we need religion for charity. There are many non-religious charities; if religion were to be wiped out tomorrow, we can be sure people would still do good and help one another. In fact, we can be certain there would be more charity because the hate spawned by a difference in superstitious beliefs would be gone.
What about morality? After all, you need religion for that, right? No. Each of us knows right from wrong instinctively. Our society makes rules that we all agree on, and follow. Common sense is our guide, not some ancient book of myths (that no two people can agree about anyway). We do good because we want a better world to live in, to create good will among our neighbors, not because of what some ancient book may say.
No, science is not perfect, but it has advanced us as a species, while religion has held us back! Think how far humankind would have progressed by now, had we abandoned belief in the supernatural long ago.
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I would like to include some of my favorite You Tube videos in my blog entries, and comment on them.
This is a great video with really good music. It points out all the famous people who have made great contributions to society ... who are atheists. Most of the greatest minds of history were atheists.
I want to do my part to drag the world out of the darkness of religious superstition and into the light of reason and science. I invite you to join me.
Until next time ...
I am Atheix.
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