I am an atheist. Run in fear if you believe the nonsense peddled around about people like me in the rancid swamp called "conventional wisdom." I'm apparently a militant person who will burn all the things you cherish, I have no morals, so I will rape and kill you, anyone you know, and I will take your kids and "indoctrinate" them into my Satanic religion of anything-goes. I'm worse than Stalin, Mao, Hitler, Pol Pot, bin Laden, Saddam, and anyone that can't do anything but exude pure evil. Heck, I'm even worse than Harry Potter.
Needless to say the overall stigma attached to being an atheist is bullshit and almost everything said about atheists by people who themselves are not atheists is false. One of the most pernicious is that atheists don't care about anything, are all moral relativists or nihilists. Hence how the question can come up so often, almost always by people who are for some reason insulted that I don't believe as they do: "Why do you care?"
It's pretty simple if you give any degree of actual thought to it: I'm human. More specifically, I have a genuine concern for people captured by this ignorance called religion, and this verges on rage when they willfully do it to children.
I think a nice explanation comes through in one of my screen names: BlissfulKnowledge. The most obvious reference being that this is an inversion of "blissful ignorance." I don't ever believe in such a thing. The other thing being also obvious: it's true. Knowledge truly is a great thing, it should make one happy (and I know it does for me). Being ignorant isn't a sin and it's different from being stupid -- though, I will admit I've often been too quick in calling people stupid when they're just ignorant, totally my own faults. Willful spreading of ignorance and intentionally keeping people ignorant, however, is a sin.
Now, I'm not always patient, and don't always come across as the most measured, diplomatic, and comforting person in the world. In fact, I do accept the "militant" description of an atheist, as long as people realize that by that watered down version of "militant" I'm hardly killing people because I'm intolerant of other viewpoints. I'm blunt with my assessments because this really is a very simple issue to me, where others simply are not able to see the real world through nothing other than their own closed eyes. In such a situation, I don't see a need for gentle coaxing and patient walk-through of step by step short actions that need to be taken -- all that is needed to tell them to open their fucking eyes.
Too true, certainly some will take offense at such an approach, but if they want the gently supportive way that gives total respect, patience, and deference they can wait for someone else. It still comes down to the same thing they need to do: open their eyes. Call it tough love, harsh lessons, general impatience, or some other measure. It's still a one step process, and they're refusing to take that step. If stating the truth is a militant action, ok then. I'd probably phrase it more as "bringing awareness."
I also care what people believe because in a democracy it truly does matter what other people believe. An extension of this is that if what you believe is strong enough (say, as a message you believe to be from your eternal judge), it will dictate your behavior. You can see this case in point in Mike Huckabee (among many others) when he clearly says that his faith defines him and is "a good predictor" of his actions and decisions. We can also see this in people's reasons for voting, when 62% say they would not vote for an atheist as president. As well as with the recent Gallup poll, and others where objective scientific fact is made somehow into a partisan and theological issue.
Clearly, something is wrong in this country, and we should care. The majority of the US being ignorant on so many varied issues is the same in a sense as walking around with your eyes closed. Undoubtedly, you're going to knock over some things and very likely break them. How can I not care about these important things being destroyed by fools?
When I hear stories of people who are essentially letting their marriage devolve and deteriorate due to some extreme twist of religion.
When I hear and see crystal clear examples of theocracy being propagated before me in absolutely nothing other than a pure affront to the fundamental principles, concepts, and features of my nation.
When I hear and see cases of willful ignorance being foisted on children that can be nothing other than child abuse and brainwashing.
When I see and learn about cases of people so fearful or ashamed or self-hating of themselves that they hide what they are for years and are unable to live (yes, one example is Ted Haggard).
When I find out that our nation as a whole is being made less safe because some people just can't get over the fact that some people are naturally attracted to the same sex.
When I see that certain people want to spread fear and ignorance and failed nonsensical policies to their children simply because they themselves can't ever figure out what is truly sacred and what is profane, and seemingly can't deal with the concept of autonomy that ultimately leads to the consequences of many many more deaths for other people.
When I see examples of women being treated as items, as if they're less than human rather than equal to men.
When I hear of cases where people do not seek out proper, tried, tested, and proven medical treatments and instead resort to superstitious nonsense that results in the easily preventable death of other people, in many cases children.
When I hear and see countless cases of people who argue for a narrow apocalyptic-phile based mentality that want to run forward to their own destruction and take everyone with them.
When I see and hear of numerous cases where completely nice people, even though they harbor these ignorances, are swindled out of so much by corrupt people who say they work simply for their religion.
When I see and hear of cases of retro-active historical writing on part of religious institutions that are quite truthfully the height of deceit.
When all of these aspects and more are used against notions of tolerance, liberty, freedom, fairness, and decency, how is it possible that I'm supposed to stand by and just ignore it or do nothing? It always makes me thing of a very simple quote:
There once was a time when all people believed in God and the church ruled. This time was called the Dark Ages.
-- Richard Lederer
Irrational beliefs harm real human beings. They can cause so much harm and devastation to people because religion so commonly overcomes humanity. When delusional beliefs that are accepted by a society simply through dogma and authoritarian assertion take precedence over conscience, compassion, and morality -- real people suffer.
I care because I want to prevent that. These irrational and purely faith-based beliefs are standing in the way and preventing people from seeing what they should do. I want to see people no longer bound to the slavery that is superstitious thinking.
Cross posted at The Stone of Tear.