> OK, I'm going to try something kind of dumb. I'm going to try to lay
> out, clearly and succinctly, why I have become an atheist. I am doing
> this because I value the opinions of people on this list, and I am
> curious what your reactions will be. I am also an optimist, and believe
> that as a community, FoRK may actually be able to discuss these subjects
> without descending into a flame war. I am not doing this to proselytize
> anyone; in fact, I will take to the streets to defend all of our rights
> to believe anything we want to. This will also publicly archive my
> current thinking, so that I can potentially deeply regret this post
> later.
[snip]
> Does the lack of God mean that life is meaningless? Perhaps. I am
> optimistic enough to think that life has all the meaning we imbue it
> with, no more and no less.
Well I suppose my belief in God comes down to one basic concept. I just
want to believe that there is some sort of "glue" holding it all together.
So if that "glue" is called God, or Hindu, or whatever so be it. But I
think the key word or phrase here is "want to believe." Some people want to
believe in UFO's.
What I absolutely don't believe in though, and maybe I should start my own
religion on this, is the concept of Satan, or the great evil. Because you
see, evil just doesn't exit in nature. It only exists in man, and as such
is a fault of man, not the universe, or the universe as we know it. So this
thought that this fallen angel, the one that loved God so much that he
wanted to be him, and God sensing that cast him out, and now they are
bitter enemy's fighting for my soul. I just find that whole concept
laughable. And the thought that I listen to Marlyen Manson, and not Amy
Grant puts me on a fast track to eternal damnation is, well, pretty damn
funny to me. And I'm tired of limp dicked old men in Washington making up
laws limiting my freedom based on this concept of saving my soul. If I have
the balls to live my life according to the wishes of my inner voice, my
soul will be taken care of with what it needs. If not, there is always next
time.
Tim
-
Care about people's approval and you will be their prisoner.
-Toa Te Ching
<>tbyars@earthlink.net <>