I CRIED OUT LOUDLY, TO NO ONE THERE…”…I’M NOT AN ATHEIST…”!

Hold on there, 700 Clubs ….

I’M FURTHER FROM ‘ATHEISM’ THAN THE MEDIAN CHRISTIAN, MUSLIM OR JEWISH CLERGY

When I had open heart surgery. Many of my wonderful peeps said things like, “…I’ll pray for you, even though I KNOW you don’t believe in God and are an ATHEIST …”or words to that effect! 

Interesting. Often spoken sincerely by people who have zero interest in what my views & conclusions actually are. It seems enough that, if one is TAOIST, or Buddhist— or otherwise not Christian (or Jew or Muslim), it follows that one is a godless pagan Atheist. 

Of course I deeply appreciate knowing that there are a few people who cared if I croak!  I am not an “Atheist”, though. But you never asked. Do I think that religious dogma is generally silly? Yes. 

Many “believers”, in my experience, have spent little (often NO)  time, thinking critically about the incomprehensible vastness of the cosmos, or the mysterious depths & metaphysics of our existence. They are not interested in actually drilling down into time, matter, distance, infinity. They prefer the ready-made “answers” from a “pastor” or in the “Bible”, without really considering how deficient all of that obviously is. 

I have tried (and given up) discussing these issues with them.  I found they often know almost nothing of substance about science, history, anthropology, —space, time, matter. They usually do not even know the origins and circumstances which brought about the Bible’s (Talmud /Quoran) existence. Yet they proclaim their veracity and completeness.

Instead, they study and proclaim simple, fictional stories about imaginary people— written by nomads or primitives who didn’t know what molecules were. Not to say there are not some rules and allegories and parables in the Bible/Quran/Talmud that make sense, but the same can be said of Beatrix Potter’s or Tolkien’s stories—but they are more fun to read. 

I do not believe in a MAN, hiding in the sky, listening to “sent up”prayers— fighting Devils, deciding whether to grant or deny requests—keeping track of what you say, what you believe, what day you worship, whether you cuss, or your daughter wears lipstick— to me it’s absurd. Belief that certain among us will speak particular words and thus be picked out of our graves, to be part of some giant celestial picnic, forever, is preposterous. 

These observations are not Atheism! 

I marvel at molecules, atoms, or distances— which cannot even be grasped— I study science, flora/fauna, planets, moons, in an attempt to understand some small part of who I am and why all of this exists. I marvel. Marveling and studying without conclusions is not Atheism. I try to be ethical and not hurt people or take advantage. 

Making up and imagining things, or writing them down and believing them — or repeating things that one has heard, which have no factual basis, is not really an answer to me. Rejecting that stuff is not Atheism. I am deeply in awe of my spiritual existence. I fear death, because I am self aware &  I like being alive. I must accept what comes; I have little control over any of it. I can only try to stay in the best health and frame of mind   I can swing, and staying as strong as possible. Having friends and family thinking about you makes a difference. But my searches and contemplative positions to not make me an Atheist!