What it's like to be an atheist

A couple of days ago a blogger on Dkos for who I have a great deal of respect posted a series of diaries regarding his personal atheism. His articles try to give some insight in what it is really like for those of us who choose rationalism over religion, and I think he does an admirable job of trying to do so in as respectful a manner as he possibly could. Of course there were those who were offended by his posts, I suspect because of his audacity to state his position more than his words but that was expected I guess.

The first diary found What it's Like to be an Atheist is quite long but very eloquently and patiently explains HOW he feels as an atheist living in a world of theists. I share many if not all of his frustrations. Reading this post put everything in a nutshell that I have ever felt and thought about being an atheist in what I feel is a world gone mad.

I've always been an atheist, I know nothing else. From my earliest memory of considering the question, I'm talking maybe age three or four, I was skeptical as hell. The God stories just didn't add up. I'm amazed everyday of my life that everyone isn't an atheist like me. But they're not, I have no idea why that is, but it is reality. And based on many questions over the years it sounds possibly hard for someone who is not one to understand it. So follow me for a bit if you can. And I'll try to describe the world as seen through atheist eyes.

Imagine that you live in a world where 90% of the people around you sincerely believe in something that appears to you to be downright whacky, if perhaps relatively pleasant on the surface in many respects. Say they believe in Santa Claus; beard, the big red suit, the flying reindeer, the sled loaded with a billion gifts, the North Pole Workshop, Mrs. Claus and the elves; all of it.

But in this fantasy world, they're not content merely to believe in Santa Claus, they want you to publicly agree all the time that you also believe in Santa, in their specific version of same, and they pressure everyone else in numerous ways to pretend that they're not strange or childish for believing in this. They don't just limit it at that even, they insist everyone kiss their ass about their Santa belief every damn day of their lives and if you don't humor them at the drop of hat under any circumstances, you're being disrespectful, you're out of line. No matter how much you humor them, they always demand more.

Imagine, seriously imagine for a moment now, that these people, the vast majority of the electorate, vote for politicians based in large part on what they think Santa wants, campaign speeches all end with "Be good or Santa won't come to visit". And most of these voters won't even consider voting for someone who doesn't believe in Santa Claus and his factory at the North Pole. Yet they routinely congratulate themselves as belonging to the most graciously tolerant and open minded people in all of history. ... There's more ... and it's worth reading

The second diary found Why I am an Atheist explains WHY he is an atheist. This diary is a much more controversial effort as the mere existance of his rational questions is obviously an insult to many theists. None the less it is a highly readable insight into the mind of one atheist who is able to put down his thoughts so well into words and I am happy to have someone else explain how I feel. Especially when he does it so much better than I can.

In my Santa Claus analogy I mentioned near the end to imagine why it is you don't literally believe in Santa and his North Pole factory. I bet for most of you, it's not because you hate Santa, I mean who would? It's probably not because you hate Christmas or despise giving or receiving gifts. I doubt it's because you detest having days off or eating kickass food with your family and friends. You probably can't prove there is no Santa and even if you try, I assure you from long experience in dealing with creationists* I can offer a counter argument.

No, none of that is the reason: Your disbelief in a literal Santa Claus, flying reindeer, nocturnal visits, toy factories, elves, etc., likely centers on three concrete objections:


1 . "It" makes no sense


2. There is no evidence for "it"


3. We're adults who can get by fine at Christmas time and enjoy ourselves without "it" having to be true


Evidence by far is the key. Something might not make sense, like Quantum Mechanics, but we accept it because of the evidence. OTOH something might make sense, like the possibility of life elsewhere in the universe, but we don't accept it as valid, yet, because we have no evidence. The reason for this asymmetry is, as the late Carl Sagan said: Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. ... Once again there's more and it's worth reading

IA