This will become an atheism oriented blog. I’ve been reading a lot of atheist books and blogs recently, and they all arouse strong feelings in me about the evils of organized religion and religious fanaticism. In my daily life and work, there’s not much I can really do about such things except speak out. This blog will be one of the form in which I speak out. I’ve also been wearing the red atheist “A” (a lapel pin) that Richard Dawkins and The Out Campaign have been promoting to increase visibility of atheists and the public perception of them. Sadly, statistics show that atheists are thought of very poorly as compared to other groups (minorities, gays, Muslims, Mormons, et hoc genus omne), something which I linked to in an older post.
It’s interesting how I’ve come to realize over the years how strongly atheist I really am. It’s been a slow realization. I recall that in elementary school when I first began to think on the idea of God having created the universe, my first question was “But who created him?” It didn’t make any sense to me then (3rd or 4th grade, I believe) that the universe necessitated an act to create it but somehow a creating god did not. I’ve also always had an issue with Christianity, the most prominent religion in this country. It’s manipulative and controlling, and it always seemed to me that those who preached its ideas were more in it for themselves and for the sake of having more people on their side than they were for the benefit of others. It’s always seemed very selfish to me.
I slowly came around to atheism as I began to know atheists in real life (a kid in high school, my friend Jason in Florida, others). I didn’t yet say to myself or others that atheist was what I was, but it made the most sense and I respected it most. The one “click” moment I really know of was reading Clayton James Cubitt’s (a/k/a “Siege”) blog on Nerve.com where he referenced his atheism and I thought “Me too.” Since then I’ve not shied away from the label.
In the past month I’ve read The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins, which really got my blood boiling against religious fools; The Little Book of Atheist Spirituality by August Comte-Sponville; and The Quotable Atheist by Jack Huberman (who also authored The Bush-Hater’s Handbook and Bushit!). I bought, as well, Everything You Know About God is Wrong and The Portable Atheist. Daily I am in the habit of reading Friendly Atheist and Skepchick.
Oh, and going far enough out to be poking fun and belief, I’m thinking of buying a Flying Spaghetti Monster pin.