This one is addressed to all the people like my noble friend here. This is to bring to your notice that atheists are not crazy people. This topic came up when I casually mentioned that my mom plays the Vishnu sahasranam and the Suprabhatam on the computer every morning. It was met with a strong "and you tolerate it?" question.
Yes, I do. I am an atheist, not a crazy person:
1. I don't unpray every night. I don't go to bed thinking thoughts like "God, you don't exist and here's me unpraying to you".
2. Just because you have an answer for everything as God, doesn't mean I need to have one too. I have not figured out how this universe works.
3. Don't expect me to talk about aliens building the pyramids or whales ruling the world.
4. I don't go upto priests in temples and tell them that they should stop misleading the poor people.
5. I don't throw away prasad offered to me, out of spite. I don't even refuse it. The difference lies in the fact that you revere it, I don't.
6. I know a lot about the Bhagwad Gita, Ramayan, Mahabharat. I know the Hanuman Chalisa by rote. I find Indian mythology one of the most fascinating that I have ever come across. "Mythology" - notice that?
7. I don't want to prove anyone wrong or myself right. I am very comfortable with your beliefs, just let me be with lack of mine.
8. There was no drastic event that made me think or not believe in this manner. My dog didn't die in front of my eyes, my grandparents weren't wronged by a Bishop and neither did I meet with an accident that changed my life. I have led a pretty much nondescript life.
9. When forced to go to a temple or attend a religious cenremony, I swallow my ego and pretend. I don't create a scene shouting "But what about Darwin's theory, hunh?". My peace of mind and of those around me holds high priority to me.
10. I don't go about telling people that I am an atheist. This is the only place where I have talked so much about it. Most of my friends happen to discover it. Some of them still don't know. Talking about it makes me uncomfortable, only because I know I'll be cornered with "oh so you think you know everything?" and descriptions of "miracles".
Before I wrap this up, let me just leave behind a few words that came to my mind when I was walking back home today, thanks to the roadblock caused by a temple near the area where I live-"I understand faith, I just don't understand religion".
Friday, March 27, 2009
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Satan anybody?! *carelessly whistles and runs for his life*
ReplyDelete*Wonders...uhmmm..how to unpray?! *-) *
You summed up pretty well infact - "I understand faith, I just don't understand religion".
ReplyDeleteProblem is when sometimes the faith goes to an overkill and causes trouble. Reminds me of Lord Ganesha drinking milk - wasn't irksome but was funny even in those days when we barely understood religion and faith both :)
I think faith is a characteristic of a lazy mind. I don't claim to understand it.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Its practically fatal for all mankind when over half of us believes in some form of Armageddon and/or an afterlife. *pftt* :p Where's the will to survive?
I hope Darwin's TONS sorts them out. I give it a hundred years; though sadly not in my lifetime.
Hmm...
ReplyDeleteReminds me of a quote that I heard/read somewhere, don't remember it but it's about holding contrasting ideas but still staying sane.
Stick it to the Wimpy man! :P
ReplyDelete@rockraikar btw, some of the "inspiration" behind this post was the "fashionable to be an atheist" comment!
ReplyDeleteI can completely understand what you feel. I tend towards atheism now and then. In fact, I am sure that if I think too much about religion, I'll become a hard core atheist.
ReplyDeleteI always say that if God truly existed, he wouldn't have let religion run loose on Earth.
But I choose to not overthink it. I'll believe in God... But my life will NOT be guided by things that books or social norms have put up. I have my own moral compass and I'll live by that. I will tolerate religion as far as it doesn't interfere with this compass.
I won't advocate against any religion, any God, or any other belief, as long as it is practiced withoug offending/ outraging somebody else's beliefs or thoughts. I won't ask anyone to stop praying, to stop believing, or ridicule their thoughts (I have a hard time keeping this in focus with scientologists, but I try) I myself will pray once in a while, because I want to.
I find that I don't do a lot of praying these days. But I'll try to do so.
Now am I being confusing? Am I contradicting myself? Or am I already a complete atheist? I don't know for sure.
I just know I'll try to be fair and open in my thoughts at all times. In the end of it all, isn't that all we can actually do?
There's something in every atheist, itching to believe, and something in every believer, itching to doubt. ~Mignon McLaughlin, The Second Neurotic's Notebook, 1966
ReplyDeleteHere's my theory.
ReplyDeleteThis universe is like a KSRTC bus. We are the sweating, bored, single, suicidal, abused, rich, handsome commuters. There's traffic jam, there are accidents, there is a paid ticket for the service. And there is one driver.
Religion is the fuel and the thing responsible for the pollution.
I didn't know you had a blog!
ReplyDelete