I am one of 25 million freethinkers in this country who will not follow blindly and who feel free to demand proof, or at least logically sound theory. The fact is that there is nothing shameful about atheism. Rather, it should be viewed as a major accomplishment. Most people stick with the religion in which they were raised, never thinking or examining the reasons why. Those that switch religions (or sects of a particular religion) often never truly question the belief in a god. Those that do should be proud that they have searched and reached an educated conclusion, and so am I.
As an atheist, I have broken out of the cycle of doing what I’m told because someone says God says so. I think for myself, I am self reliant, and I am responsible for my own actions and decisions.
Call me atheist, agnostic, freethinker, whatever. I am Leisel, and this is me. Like it or not, I am what I am.
Thank you for your time. And as always, I mean no offense.
The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one. The happiness of credulity is a cheap and dangerous quality. ~George Bernard Shaw, Irish playright
I just finally found your blog, I've been following your family one but just remembered and saw that you have your individual one.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds from your post that you are feeling really angry towards "someone," like you feel like your freedoms to think for yourself have been taken away. I'm sorry if that is the case because I can't imagine how that would feel but it would be awful.
We all have our personal beliefs and for our own reasons, whether logical or emotional. I do find it offensive though that you say above that you are among a group who will not "follow blindly," as if everyone who has other beliefs are following blindly. I believe it is our responsibility as a human being, not because God says so or for any other reason, but to not make cruel judgments on others and their beliefs. It is not anyone's place to judge why we have come to each conclusion we have and I truly hope that you are judged no more from others than that of the judging you are doing yourself of others.
Good luck in your endeavors and I hope you are able to find peace in your thinking and life with your family.
I'm sad that you were offended. I will try to explain more clearly what I meant by "following blindly". I do not want to even begin to presume that everyone who follows religion follows blindly. By stating it that way, I was hoping to get across the message that I was following blindly, and when I took my own personal blindfold off I realized I have no belief in any religion at all. Again, this does not mean that you or anyone else in any religion definitely has blindfolds on. I will say, though, that not everyone in religion DOESN'T have blindfolds on either. It's just something everyone has to come to know for themselves.
ReplyDeleteI didn't think I was angry towards someone for taking my freedom to think for myself away, but since you brought it up, I have thought about it and I realize I am a little disgruntled for being told all my life that anything in the gospel (or in the whole belief of religion for that matter) that I didn't quite understand fully wasn't to be questioned. I was told that all the things that didn't make sense in the scriptures wasn't supposed to make sense to our "earthly brains". I was told that if the prophets said to do something, I was to obey without question because they receive their instruction from a higher being. After the 9/11 tragedy, I have learned more about the Muslim religion and have found that they too believe in doing anything for their leaders, because their god is supposed to be behind him. I'm not saying the LDS leaders will have the members flying planes into people-filled buildings, but I am saying that if the LDS leaders did tell the members that they should do something, chances are a majority of them will not argue regardless of what the suggestion was.
I hope my response has cleared things up. It has gotten rather lengthy, so I am going to end here.
That does make more sense Leisel. I'm glad you clarified that you don't see it as if they believe unlike you they must be blind which is what it originally sounded like. I guess that is where the anger came from, it just sounded so suppressed which made me feel sad for you. Anyway, I hope you find what makes you happy :-)
ReplyDeleteTalk to you.