Posted by Prembone on August 18, 1999 at 12:34:59:
In Reply to: Here is the text of one ex-atheist testimony.... posted by A Lurker on August 17, 1999 at 18:30:46:
: You should have fun with this one
(Prembone) Oh, indeed. ;-)
: Sanjay Merchant - Los Angeles
: At one time in my life I considered myself an atheist. At least I thought that I was an atheist. However, I often struggled with the hypocrisy that I saw in my life due to the difficulties with actually living out atheism. From a detached "intellectual" point of view it's easy to wave your hand and proclaim, "there is no God because there is no proof of his existence." Yet most atheists are really shaking an angry fist in spite of the evidence which they know to exist.
(Prembone) Actually, some of the most defensive people I've known are fundamentalist Christians...or fundamentalist ANYTHINGS.
: You see, it's easy to claim atheism, but it's difficult to live atheism.
(Prembone) Actually, it's very easy to do, because atheism fits reality much better than a magical-thinking supernaturalist world view does. Living in the "expect a miracle" mode was a constant strain, mentally, emotionally, and, of course, financially.
Not that I don't have financial strain now, but that's due to my own (wholly explicable and causally-sensible) shortcomings as a manager of money, not because I'm throwing money around waiting for "god" to "provide."
: In turn, I had simply assumed this theory to be fact as my sixth grade teacher had told me it was so.
(Prembone) But your sixth-grade teacher's assertion, unlike the assertions of evangelists, has reason and evidence to back it up. Just because you (the author of the testimony) believed it "because she said so" doesn't mean there's no more substantial reason to believe it.
: I had trouble, however, trying to explain the guilt and sickness I had felt when I knew that I had done what was wrong.
(Prembone) Either unreasoning culturally-conditioned shame or you knew that you had caused harm to someone and deep down didn't really believe it was right to do so. Having a conscience is a matter of giving a damn about someone besides yourself, not a matter of belief or nonbelief in a deity.
: Another real problem arose for me when it came to discussing religion. I could calmly discuss the teachings of Mohammed or Buddha, but when it came to Jesus I became very angry.
(Prembone) And this is proof, of course, that Jesus was right and Mohammed and Buddha were wrong.
: I thought that an atheist should act rationally and never get angry.
(Prembone) Atheists don't have emotions? Maybe on Vulcan.
: I argued with and harassed Christians without cause.
(Prembone) And some Christians argue with and harass atheists and other nonchristians without cause. Look at the Christians who are protesting the recognition of Pagan religions by the military; is that harassment proof that Paganism is the True Way?
: I hated their joy and love for one another.
(Prembone) HUH??? Man, there's an oversimplification and idealization if ever I saw one!!! Sure, some Christians are joyful, loving people, but a lot of what evangelistic types point to as "joy" and "love" is actually a sort of mind-numbed happy-trance state of denial and suppression of any "unacceptable" feelings or thoughts. It's not real.
A good book on this subject is Leo Booth's "When God Becomes a Drug."
: But, I found that I was afraid of life. I hated almost everyone, especially myself... but of course, this was "natural".
(Prembone) Not really.
: I met people who were nothing like I had imagined. I hung on every word of the speaker. I was in awe of his wisdom, while still attempting to disagree.
(Prembone) This doesn't sound like an objective, disinterested frame of mind by which to fairly evaluate the speaker's claims. ;-)
: I simply can to realize what happens when an atheist meets Jesus.
(Prembone) Well, I came to realize what happens when a Christian gives up on trying to make illusions stick and embraces the real world: sanity, stability, equilibrium....without the zombification that True Believers mistake for these.
Thanks for posting this, Lurker. I did have fun. ;-)