Welcome to Atheist Living!
I hope that this site will encourage thoughtful dialogue, show atheists that they are not alone, and dispel some myths about atheism. Discussion is open to all visitors. You do not have to agree with my point of view to add a comment, but please be respectful when disagreeing.
Please feel free to browse around and leave comments on any of the specific posts. If you prefer, you can also leave general comments about Atheist Living here.
Hello Susan, I too am an atheist. You have some very interesting articles here and I look forward to more posts.
ReplyDeleteThanks Pete for posting the Christmas Songs article on your Buzz. Great Blog Susan, I look forward to reading more posts on here.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jon! And thanks for following on Twitter too. :-)
ReplyDeleteGood luck with this website.
ReplyDeleteI have to say that I'm fascinated by the fact that sites like this need to exist. Until recently, I didn't realize that I was lucky enough to live in a country where I can go months without hearing mention of God or Jesus. This, without there ever being a 'movement' that I am aware of.
It seems that once religion starts losing it's grip, things move pretty quickly, so stand up and be counted and in a generation or two... who knows?
@SaucyArt
Thanks, @SaucyArt. In America, I frequently hear people say that they don't really believe in god or religion, but they go along because it's expected or acceptable. They don't want others to think they are "bad" for not believing. That makes me sad for so many reasons. Hence the blog. :-)
ReplyDeleteYes, I live in Georgia - one of the strong parts of the bible belt. The secret unbelievers that I know say that it is mostly social and financial. They have a network of friends and a ready supply of customers through their religious affiliation. Voicing their true opinions, beliefs and doubts would serve no purpose other than upsetting their lives. So, they go along with the whole charade.
DeleteEyegor- Thanks for leaving a comment! Seeing hypocrisy in my church growing up (Catholic) probably did contribute to my lack of belief, but ultimately I couldn't find a way to reconcile the contradictions I saw in the bible (or in the church's teachings). Exploring other religions led to the same conclusion: I just don't believe in a supernatural "god-like" being.
ReplyDeleteOf course, my definition of atheism may be a bit on the agnostic side because I don't say that there absolutely is no god. (That's as unprovable as saying that there absolutely is a god.) But I don't believe that there is a god, given the current evidence, and I think that makes me more atheist than agnostic.
To me, it's the same as saying that leprechauns don't exist. I can't really know for sure that there aren't leprechauns living in some hidden way, but there's enough evidence for me to conclude that leprechauns are a man-made fiction. If someone were to produce a leprechaun--or strong evidence of their existence--I'd certainly reconsider my position. :-)
I also find it kind amusing to claim I'm a pastafarian (Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster). My wife thinks it's insulting to Christianity, but it's mostly just to be silly.
ReplyDeleteI read a few interesting articles on wikipedia on agnosticism and atheism that break down the various flavors on non-believers.
Given all the evil done in the name of god, I find it disturbing that people think I'm immoral because I'm not religious.
My oldest claims to be a pastafarian, too. He even made me an FSM pipe-cleaner sculpture once, complete with meatball eyes and many noodly-appendages. :-)
ReplyDeleteOn this point, I couldn't agree more: "Given all the evil done in the name of god, I find it disturbing that people think I'm immoral because I'm not religious."
Hi Susan,
ReplyDeleteI'd like to compliment you on your website Atheist Living. I love the design and learned a lot about atheism by perusing your content. :)
I have recently started my own Atheist blog and invite you to check it out! I have added a link to your site on my blog.
The URL for my blog is:
http://handelinatheism.wordpress.com/
All the best,
James Handelin
I am a Catholic and I find if not all then most of your aritcles way out of line with the Catholic Church. I do understand that athiesm is the rejection of the Catholic Church but I find that many of the things you have mentioned have been the wrong and Immoral look upon the Catholic Church. What you write about may make sense to you but it is because you are looking at the Church in an incorrect way. I admit Catholics in the past and even present have made mistake but the Church itself does not make mistakes. I recomend looking deeper into the Catholic Church and maybe you will find the true faith that has been reigning for thousands of years. Thank You
ReplyDeleteHi, Anonymous, thanks for stopping by. I'm not sure I quite understand your message. My articles are "way out of line with the Catholic Church" because--in most cases--I'm not discussing the Catholic church.
ReplyDeleteI do not consider atheism to be "the rejection of the Catholic church" as much as a lack of belief in all supernatural god(s).
I have a right to not believe in god(s), just as you have a right to believe in Catholicism (or anything else). You have your beliefs and I have my own. My beliefs seem "incorrect" to you, and many of your beliefs seem "incorrect" to me.
If my articles bother you, you do not have to read them. If you want to discuss a specific point in an article, please comment on that article and I'll try to answer your questions. Thanks!
Thank you for your site, I like that it is a non angry place for atheists
ReplyDeleteRESPECTABLE MADAM,
ReplyDeleteFIRST OF ALL I THANK YOU FOR THE EFFORTS TO ENLIGHTEN THE PEOPLE TO BRING THEM OUT OF THE WELL OF SUPERSTITIONS. EVERY PERSON WHO DOES NOT ACCEPT ANY THING SIMPLY BECAUSE IT IS PREVAILING IN THE SOCIETY SINCE LONG OR SOME INTELLIGENT PERSON HAD TOLD IT,BUT ACCEPT IF IT SATISFIES ON THE LOGIC POINT OF VIEW IS AN ATHEIST. I WAS LOOKING FOR SUCH GOOD IDEAS AND YOUR IDEAS ARE EYE OPENING.THANKS.I WILL COMMENT IN FUTURE ALSO
RESPECTABLE MADAM,
ReplyDeleteFIRST OF ALL I THANK YOU FOR THE EFFORTS TO ENLIGHTEN THE PEOPLE TO BRING THEM OUT OF THE WELL OF SUPERSTITIONS. EVERY PERSON WHO DOES NOT ACCEPT ANY THING SIMPLY BECAUSE IT IS PREVAILING IN THE SOCIETY SINCE LONG OR SOME INTELLIGENT PERSON HAD TOLD IT,BUT ACCEPT IF IT SATISFIES ON THE LOGIC POINT OF VIEW IS AN ATHEIST. I WAS LOOKING FOR SUCH GOOD IDEAS AND YOUR IDEAS ARE EYE OPENING.THANKS.I WILL COMMENT IN FUTURE ALSO
There are two things in the universe: energy, and information; and, information is the conformation of energy. That conformation must be in differentiated closed circuitry, that there be something to move out of the way and fill in behind in the one substance, energy. Enough differentiation causes consciousness so that, in turn, the matrix of energy is thereby differentiated and therefore conscious.
ReplyDeleteIt was found that in outer space there are automatic differentiations wherever there is enough nothingness, for, the infinitesimal point nothingness, . , is rastered by time into space, U , which exerts its oneness in one direction, /, stirring closed circuitry, O, that all going the same way, vO^XvO^, repels, X, forcing confluency, =, back into undifferentiation.
The force of stirring, /, is different on either side of a circuit in this process due to the value of pi going from zero to higher values, and thereby there is a different amount of force on either side of the circuit thereby allowing the circuit to circulate.
The friction is caused by the Planck's volumes. Nothing can be smaller than Planck's volume. The infinitesimal point nothingness is absolute nothingness, nothing. As said "nothing" can be smaller than Planck's volume.
This process is eternal, therefore, energy is eternally conscious, and has been called God.
Hi, how do I get permission to share or distribute posts from this site?
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome to share and distribute posts as long as you include the original links to the site. (Either online or in print.) :-)
DeleteThe evolution of the Golden Rule
ReplyDeleteThe origin of the Golden Rule is often suggested to be impossible without a god. To the contrary, I despair that a global respect of the Golden Rule is possible with the diverse and often aggressive adherence to religious doctrines, even within what may be identified as the same religion.
The simple expression of the Golden Rule, "treat others as you would wish to be treated" seems overly naive as two individuals may not wish to be treated similarly. Furthermore, many religious tracts are well sprinkled with dire consequences and punishments for those who would diverge from the 'wishes' of the 'favored' group. Clearly, not all 'others' are considered equal and apparently do not qualify for Golden-Rule treatment.
Can something like the Golden Rule arise out of an evolutionary process? I would argue the opposite and suggest that evolution could not occur without something like the Golden Rule to influence its progress. It is our failure, even within academic science, to recognize the huge importance of tolerance and acceptance as critical components of survival. Even the popular notion of 'survival' seems a misrepresentation. It applies to some, but overpopulation - better described by 'thriving' is also a concern. In our world, thriving seems to coincide with cooperating. So, you may wonder if a driving force in evolution is cooperation. Those who adopt the mantra of 'Nature, red in tooth and claw' don't seem to do as well overall. It suggests that our widely held notion of 'fitness' is wrong and that being nice to others may be more beneficial than dominating them. It doesn't have to be 'active' niceness. Mere tolerance permits opportunities for things to remain in proximity to each other with the possibility of encountering opportunities to thrive together more successfully thaneach would in isolation. If one of our 'selfish genes' had individually prevailed at the expense of other genes in our cells, there would have been no opportunity for us to exist.
Why stop at the gene? Nucleic acids and even atoms had to come together, despite their difference, to create the building blocks of our existence. The beginnings of tolerance and cooperation had their origins alongside the origins of the universe.
Today, few if any could claim the ability to create some human accomplishments without help from others. Given the need for sophisticated technological know-how across many fields of endeavor, the time commitment alone would likely exceed a lifetime. It requires a multitude to produce supercomputers and jetliners. Most even rely on others to put food on their table. We should recognize that we are parts of a 'social organism' much bigger and capable of so much more than we 'individuals'. In that complex web we occupy and rely upon for our endeavors we may well have benefactors that in our own minds are our enemies. That web of benefactors extends well beyond our fellow humans and even beyond biology and our present time. Inanimate objects are and have been as vital to our existence as our own hearts, lungs and minds. Without the sun, the supply of energy to sustain us would disappear and without plants to capture that energy and create the air we breathe we would die of want. The very atoms that we are made of were forged in long-departed stars that had to die before the path to our existence could be completed. We cannot indiscriminately compromise the world around us. We need it to sustain us and must therefore care for it.
If we don't tolerate, cooperate and care, we can't exist. We couldn't even have evolved.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Rocio. I would like to advertise on your site:
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Please let me know who I need to speak with to make that happen.
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Hello Susan -
ReplyDeleteI am new to your site. I found it by googling for Secular Children's Songs and Bob Wire's post came up in the results which led me to your wonderful site.
I too am an atheist. I have managed to convince many of those around me to follow the same line of thinking.
I realize the appeal of religion - it is so tempting and comforting to think there is some all powerful, knowing, loving being that is going to make everything right in the end. However, this is just childish, foolish, wishful thinking devoid of reason and logic which leads to much human suffering in the wrong hands.
I applaud your dedication and effort in maintaining this web page. It is needed and I think the tide is slowly turning towards the trinity of science, reason and experience. Hang in there and keep up the good work.
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