"I am an atheist"

One of the most frequent topics encountered in my recent intensive online conversations regarded religion. I didn't wanted to ask, as in the case of many of those I was speaking to, it is more or less obvious. But, when asked, my answer was very sincere: "I am an atheist". And, as predicted and as I am used to, the feedback was varying from condescendent words to refuse to continue talking - argument "my religion is forbidding me to talk with somebody like you" (here it is, of course, my fault, as my IQ might forbid me to spend my neuronal connections talking with various kind of ...let's say people with a high degree of intolerance).

Atheism in US

on the rise.

Religion

as a matter of choice or rejection of a social laziness of thinking. It is all about your own choice. To take off.

Chicago bus ads part of Indiana atheist campaign

Associated Press, Chicago Tribune
May 23

For the past week, 25 buses from the Chicago Transit Authority have been bearing an unusual advertising slogan. The large ads read "In the Beginning, Man Created God," and they're scheduled to remain on the sides of the buses through June. They're part of an effort by the Indiana Atheist Bus Campaign, with the help of the American Humanist Association. The board that runs South Bend's city bus system recently agreed to allow ads on that city's buses reading: "You can be good without God." The group had hoped to have the ads installed on 20 South Bend buses before President Barack Obama's appearance at the University of Notre Dame last Sunday, but that move was delayed.

Bloomington, Indiana's city bus service recently rejected similar ads, prompting a lawsuit.

God is not Great

In comparison with Hitchens, I was cured by religion from an early age. I found at least of anthropological interest his wandering from various religions, as self-introducted in God is not Great: (:233) "...having in the course of my life been an Anglican, educated at a Methodist school, converted by marriage to Greek Orthodoxy, recognized as an incarnation by the followers of Sai Baba, and remarried by a rabbi...". But, in fact, those experiences are offering insights of the history and histories of religion. Even, even as an atheist observer, from outside or better said, from above, all the observations and considerations regarding religion could be valid as well.

For me, the essentials of the books are resumed in Chapter Fifteen - Religion as an Original Sin - as follows (:245):

"There are, indeed, several ways in which religion is not just amoral, but positively immoral. And these faults and crimes are not to be found in the behavior of its adherents (which can sometimes be exemplary) but in its original percepts. These include:

- Presenting a false picture of the world to the innocent and the credulous

- The doctrine of blood sacrifice

- The doctrine of atonement

- The doctrine of eternal reward and/or punishment

- The imposition of impossible tasks and rules"

And, setting a right balance while answering the detractors of atheism (:300):

"Humanism has many crimes for which to apologize. But it can apologize for them, and also correct them, in its own terms and without having to shake or challenge the basis of any unalterable system of belief. Totalitarian systems, whatever outward form they may take, are fundamentalist and, as we would now say, 'faith-based'".

Rise of atheism: 100,000 Brits seek 'de-baptism'

AFP
March 31

More than 100,000 people have recently downloaded "certificates of de-baptism" from the Internet to renounce their Christian faith.

The initiative launched by a group called the National Secular Society (NSS) follows atheist campaigns here and elsewhere, including a controversial advert displayed on London buses which declared: "There's probably no God."

"We now produce a certificate on parchment and we have sold 1,500 units at three pounds a pop," said NSS president Terry Sanderson, 58.

John Hunt, a 58-year-old from London and one of the first to try to be "de-baptised," held that he was too young to make any decision when he was christened at five months old.

The male nurse said he approached the Church of England to ask it to remove his name. "They said they had sought legal advice and that I should place an announcement in the London Gazette," said Hunt, referring to one of the official journals of record of the government.

So that's what he did -- his notice of renouncement was published in the Gazette in May 2008 and other have followed suit.

Michael Evans, 66, branded baptising children as "a form of child abuse" -- and said that when he complained to the church where he was christened he was told to contact the European Court of Human Rights.

The Church of England said its official position was not to amend its records. "Renouncing baptism is a matter between the individual and God," a Church spokesman told AFP.

"We are not a 'membership' church, and do not keep a running total of the number of baptised people in the Church of England, and such totals do not feature in the statistics that we regularly publish," he added.

De-baptism organisers say the initiative is a response to what they see as increasing stridency from churches -- the latest last week when Pope Benedict XVI stirred global controversy on a trip to AIDS-ravaged Africa by saying condom use could further the spread of the disease.

"The Catholic Church is so politically active at the moment that I think that is where the hostility is coming from," said Sanderson. "In Catholic countries there is a very strong feeling of wanting to punish the church by leaving it."

In the country, where government figures say nearly 72 percent of the population list themselves as Christian, Sanderson feels this "hostility" is fuelling the de-baptism movement.

Theologian Paul Murray at Durham University disagrees. "That is not my experience," he said, but concedes that change is in the air.

"We are in an interesting climate where Catholicism and other belief systems have moved into the public, pluralist arena, alongside secularists," he said.

De-baptism movements have already sprung up in other countries.

In Spain, the high court ruled in favour of a man from Valencia, Manuel Blat, saying that under data protection laws he could have the record of his baptism erased, according to a report in the International Herald Tribune.

Similarly, the Italian Union of Rationalists and Agnostics (UAAR) won a legal battle over the right to file for de-baptism in 2002, according to media reports. The group's website carries a "de-baptism" form to facilitate matters.

According to UAAR secretary Raffaele Carcano, more than 60,000 of these forms have been downloaded in the past four years and continue to be downloaded at a rate of about 2,000 per month. Another 1,000 were downloaded in one day when the group held its first national de-baptism day last October 25.

Elsewhere, an Argentinian secularist movement is running a "Collective Apostasy" campaign, using the slogan "Not in my name" (No en mi nombre).

Sanderson hopes rulings in other European countries will pave the way for legal action in Britain, since European Union directives require a level of parity among member states' legislation.

"That would be a good precedent for us to say to the British Information Commissioner: Come on, what's your excuse?" said Sanderson.

The bus-side posters that hit London in January sported the message: "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life."

The scheme was in response to pro-Christian adverts on buses directing passers-by to a website warning those who did not accept Jesus would suffer for eternity in hell.

Comedy writer Ariane Sherine, mastermind of the bus campaign that saw a copycat version in Barcelona and other cities, said she backs the "de-baptism" movement but insisted the two initiatives were separate.

Sanderson meanwhile remains resolute. "The fact that people are willing to pay for the parchments shows how seriously they are taking them," he said.

Here is

Texas!

Atheism 2.0.

It is about the good side of the 2.0, in societies where freedom of thought should be a secret well kept.

The answer is: No

Randomly surfing to other blogs the last week, including atheist ones, I've found various levels of philosophical interrogations regarding the proofs you, as an atheist, you'll need, in order to believe in a god. Because I'm always in a hurry, I will not think too much in terms of philosophy. For me, the world around without any religious explanation is so amazingly complex and interesting and offering an infinite challenge for thinking that all this religious explanation is simply outrageous for the intelligence. And I don't waste my time thinking what if a god will make my dog talk, or whatever else "mystery".

Who's afraid of the atheist campaign?

The last news about the atheist campaign - http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/07/world/europe/07london.html?ref=europe

Las Vegas mood, not for all

The state where you could get married easier in the States is Nevada. But, this gambling is having its limits: you need to belong to a religious congregation. Otherwise - if you are an atheist - you can't.

"Why believe in a god?"

The atheist campaign is in Washington DC, with a inspirer headline than in London: "Why believe in a god? Just be good for goodness' sake". The advertiser is the American Humanist Association, which is putting $40,000 into the holiday campaign. I'm curious where it will be the next stop. It seems it's a huge room for a permanently improving. What a about a campaign running under the logo: "No God! Start living!" or "No God! Enjoy life!"?

Religion, out of public schools!

Religious education should be, in my humble opinion, be kept out of school's gates. If the school is public, of course, because in a private one, parents have the possibility of the "right" choice, according to the vision of theirs children education (even, sometimes, for some kids, it could be useful to be helped to escape an eternal brainwashing).

But, when public education/funding is involved, the children have to receive the basic information in order to make them good, socially integrated citizens, meaning able to make choices while respecting the alterity of the others.

What about morality, I might be asked? You don't need religion to share empathy with the others, to respect the laws and, in general, to do not harm your neighbors. In fact, religions, all of them are stating the exceptional status of their followers. You simply have to be taught about the value of the individuality, the way in which your freedom don't have to harm the freedom of the other, in Rousseau's words. You don't have to be good only because all we are the creatures of a god, but you have to understand the basics of the human behavior, the limits and punishments, the limits and benefits of social co-existence. If your fellow human is suffering, instead of praying for him it's better to move yourself to find out what you can really do for helping him. And the examples could continue.

Not necessary to look after theological arguments, simply look around you and think with your free mind.

Atheist? Oh...Jew????

It's not a basic curiosity. Not too many people, after asking these two consecutive questions - sometimes with a deep anger or an utterly disgust - are going directly, after meeting me, to the first library, or look after helpful information on the Internet (like this one - links for the curious provided: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atheist_Jew, helpful for those doubting any cognitive dissonance in my short answers "yes" to both questions).

In fact, me, I don't use to ask people what their religion is. Usually, I can have my own conclusions, but only if it is relevant for the general topics. I can easily discuss about weather or daily life without jumping to religious - more or less theological arguments.

But, I'm often faced with this kind of questions - unfortunately - and when my simple answer is "Atheist Jew", I'm often regarded as a strange person, in the very bad sense of the word.

In fact, from this point on, any other discussion, excepting the analysis/trial of my choice, is dead. I either have to be regarded with deep compassion ("oh, what happened with your life?") or deep aggressiveness ("why do you need to know other fellow Jews, in fact you don't have to call yourself a Jew", it's one of the softest appreciation I can get).

Atheism is a bad brand. I could be considered a communist (impossible!), a person without principles (not corresponding to the reality). Plus, my knowledge about Judaism is scrutinized carefully, mostly by people who know approximatively 10% of what I'm knowing about.

No, I don't feel any inferiority complex and I don't suffer of being excluded; my place is not with narrow minded, intolerant and aggressive people. I don't have any plans to change myself or to reconsider my very personal existential options.

And no, I don't hear voices, I'm not killing people, goats etc., I'm not suffering for any addictions, I wasn't abused in my childhood, I'm not zoophile, pedophile etc. and I'm very monogamous. "Sounds" normal ????

Still surviving

Most part of the tremendous support enjoyed by religion is based on the terrible fear of dead. It's an unequal mix between pure fear and selfishness (of the kind "I want to survive at any expense, now and the illusory, but better than nothing after-life") and it is quite secure to think about a "life", your life precisely, continuing after your physical death.

Humans set-up rituals of remembering the deaths mostly to be constantly assured themselves too, when not alive, will be remembered somehow. It could be psychologically healthy and the concept of social guilt is, in some respect, compulsory for the members of a family to follow the traditions, whatever the religion or their inner beliefs. Shortly, a huge hypocrisy.
Facing the death of people you fully love is terribly painful, but it's nothing you can do about it. It's not about looking to replace to loved one(s), but to try to reorganize your life (this one you are living right now) from a different perspective, being at least happy of having at least the occasion to experience what others are looking for a whole life without necessarily ever finding. You have the taste of an authenticity, maybe impossible to find lately, but still a real life standard, not an imaginary one. This could be terribly painful too.
As an atheist, I took everything as it happened, as facts occurring into my life. Not a single moment felt the need for a prayer, and I don't have/need tombs to put flowers on it, to carefully arrange weekly or to light candles at. A one year Kaddish is nothing and by no way it would alleviate such a loss. But I tried to reorganize the happy memories into a daily life of self-respect, not acceptance of narrow-minded, denial and lies and illusions. I had the chance to know at least one single authentic individual.
Found this morning on richarddawkins.net an interesting account of an Atheist woman who found her own way of living with the grief of loosing the loved one. Without Gods.

Atheism explained

I am not a strong supporter of organized, militant atheism. Rather, I consider that, starting from the early childhood; children have to be taught to think by themselves and to never stop curiosity regarding the world around. And to be real fighters, never giving up despite the overwhelming amount of mind intolerance and idiotic aggressively individuals.

In the same time, it is a need of public explanation of what a free mind is, but on an individual, permanent basis. Lack of information or certain social contexts could be countered by a coherent discourse of explanation, not necessarily on a bureaucratic, organised basis. But, public awareness is needed, at least at a certain point so, the efforts made recently in US or in London, could be part of a wider effort of public awareness regarding the basic meaning of atheism. Even, as in London case – where the public message was finally diluted (btw, why religious people never would accept a public awareness campaign having as message at leas “probably is a god”, they always utter strong opinions)? – the medium could change the message, the efforts are more than nothing and could encourage people to be boulder in supporting their own identity.

A life without a god

One of the conclusions of this study is that the more atheistic societies tend to have a healthier social life.

Never ending intolerance

More or less is the same each time an issue is addressed from the religious point of view. At the end of the discussion will all of us be nurtured by the "natural" desire of killing the other. Being sure we are following, of course, the will of a god. November 4 1995, a guy called Yigal Amir killed then Israeli prime-minister Yitzak Rabin, because he thought is the right follower of the religious commandments.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/libby_purves/article2617350.ece

When? Where? Whom? What? Why?

When -Always it is the same problem: Where in this world are hidden and scattered the people who don't give up critical thinking - defined basically as: "The cognitive skills of analysis, interpretation, inference, explanation, evaluation and of monitoring and correcting one's own reasoning " (a helpful lecture could be found here - http://www.insightassessment.com/pdf_files/J_Infrml_Ppr%20_2000%20-%20Disp%20&%20Skls.PDF) ? The complex brains are always putting on trial the world around (and, of course, for these people, is not a matter of never-ending permanent meditation if it is or not a God, because it is NOT; they are spending their time trying to understand the world on the base of reason, a by far more challenging and passionate and demanding approach, trust me) and the individuals inhabiting this world. I had many times the experience, through a dialogue, with different kind of people to be qualified in different ways, because a natural curiosity I would never refrain. Of course, it is my problem - of choosing a certain pattern of life - whose else could it be? As it is my choice to start sharing my thoughts to an unknown and undefined audience. Perhaps this kind of blind, but targeted searches, would get some results. The most important thing it's that people who have something to say, to say it loudly, and to do not give up and shut up, whatever the percentage of stupidity, pressure of ignorance or level of corruption of their minds.