May 07 2012

The flipside and beyond!

Categories:

So you’ve been reading the “Why I am an atheist” series here. In an interesting twist, Ian Cromwell has started a complementary series, “Because I am an atheist…” and is looking for submissions. What are you doing now that you’re happily godless?

This post has no tag

20 comments

Skip to comment form ↓

1

Glen Davidson

7 May 2012 at 2:18 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

…I’m not feeling guilty about it.

For numerous “its”.

Glen Davidson
2

ARKopah

7 May 2012 at 2:33 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

The nice thing about being “godless” is that atheism doesn’t require anything of you.
3

dianne

7 May 2012 at 2:36 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Huh. I’d say that I AM feeling guilty about it. For numerous “its”.

For every wrong that I don’t help correct. For every missed opportunity. For every person whose life sucks through no fault of their own. For every person dying young of a disease that I might know how to treat if I were cleverer (and better funded.) For every failure to get funding because I’m not clever and/or diplomatic enough.

There is no god that can make things right for us. It’s only us and we have to do whatever we can to make life the best possible for everyone. Because no one’s getting a second chance at it.

OTOH, cooking shellfish on a Saturday while wearing mixed fabrics (without tassels) and having gay sex? Not so much guilt about that.
4

raven

7 May 2012 at 2:38 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Do what I do every day. Trying to take over the world.

Of course, that was what I was doing all those decades as a xian.

Deconverting didn’t make a whole lot of difference except I no longer have to try to believe in fairy tales and I see a lot (not all) of xians as ugly minds and dumb and fundie xianity as a highly negative force for our society.
5

What a Maroon, Applied Linguist of Slight Foreboding

7 May 2012 at 2:45 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

I’ve got a lot more free time on the weekends.

Also, I’m not living under the illusion that the whole universe was created just for me.
6

dianne

7 May 2012 at 2:45 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Do what I do every day. Trying to take over the world.

Of course, that was what I was doing all those decades as a xian.

Yes, but now you’ll be better at running the world because you’ll have the pharynguloid horde as evil advisers.
7

cybercmdr

7 May 2012 at 2:50 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Unfortunately, being an atheist seems to be like being a pessimist. We’re right more often, but don’t seem to enjoy it as much as many Xtians seem to enjoy their religion.

It is easier to be oblivious, I suppose. Even with that, I would rather have my eyes open and know the truth. I took the red pill a long time ago, and won’t go back to their theological Matrix.
8

cag

7 May 2012 at 3:16 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

cybercmdr #7, how many xtians spend their alone time worrying about going to hell? The face they present to the world is part of the sales pitch. To appear less than overjoyed is like a ticket to the lake of fire. They may have their dopamine time but the downside is also more severe for those that believe in hell. They are always looking for Brownie points, which are gained by testifying (and, evidently for many, being bigots).
9

Ichthyic

7 May 2012 at 3:39 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

What are you doing now that you’re happily godless?

I no longer feel guilt for farming human babies for the BBQ.

*whew*
10

Ichthyic

7 May 2012 at 3:43 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Unfortunately, being an atheist seems to be like being a pessimist. We’re right more often, but don’t seem to enjoy it as much as many Xtians seem to enjoy their religion.

please, speak for yourself.

I for one am much happier now than when I was struggling with religious-induced cognitive dissonance.
11

Ichthyic

7 May 2012 at 3:46 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Do what I do every day. Trying to take over the world.

huh. Makes me wonder as to the religious inclinations of these two.
12

echidna

7 May 2012 at 5:23 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

cybercmdr,

Just to clarify, are you, yourself, less happy as an atheist than you were as a Christian?
13

What a Maroon, Applied Linguist of Slight Foreboding

7 May 2012 at 5:26 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Do what I do every day. Trying to take over the world.

Genius? Or insane?

They are always looking for Brownie points

Atheists, on the other hand, are looking for Brownian points.
14

cybercmdr

7 May 2012 at 6:04 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

@echidna
No, I can’t really say that. I think my response was due to a couple of factors:
- I’ve been doing battle with my analysis code all day, and I can’t say I’ve been winning. At least not as fast as I need to be.
- I’m somewhat disheartened by the total idiocy out there, which I guess is part and parcel of visiting the fruit of the loons sites that PZ points us to periodically. Been on Fox News this morning reading some of the responses to the dinosaur fart “report”.

The powers that be (i.e. the 1%) seem to be winning the war on making this country an idiocracy. Fox is obviously distorting scientific papers they don’t like intentionally, to make the scientists sound like fools.

Just feeling a little down today.
15

cybercmdr

7 May 2012 at 8:50 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

I hope I didn’t kill the conversation here. I’ve been running full tilt on my degree for too long, and it’s beginning to wear on me.

I’ll look into getting a prescription for growacet tomorrow. ;-)
16

Random Mutant

7 May 2012 at 10:14 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Because I’m an atheist, I have the ability to be more relaxed when outside during thunderstorms.
17

Ray, rude-ass yankee

7 May 2012 at 11:11 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

raven@4,

Do what I do every day. Trying to take over the world.

OK, Brain.

Ah, Ichthyic @11 you beat me to it.
18

Ray, rude-ass yankee

7 May 2012 at 11:19 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

OK, here goes:
Because I am an atheist I try to make this one precious, short life the best it can be. For myself, my family, my community, and the world.
19

sonofrojblake

8 May 2012 at 4:18 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

I can’t take credit for this line, but it seems apposite:

Now I’m an atheist I don’t have to waste fifty hours plus every year listening to a paedophile talk about his imaginary friend.
20

wendy

8 May 2012 at 10:30 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Getting into the practice of questioning everything has made life so much more interesting. Also, I’m having lusty, shame-free sex. A lot.