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March 23, 2006
Proud to Be...
a member of America's most mistrusted minority?
I had no idea. This idea that atheists are self-centered, materialistic, immoral people is just idiotic. I think Christopher Hitchens puts it quite well in his article The Future of an Illusion, where he basically argues that atheism is the morally superior position because it requires that we live well and treat others well because of a rational recognition of the fact that we are all connected and our lives affect one another, not out of coersion by a priest, church, dogma, or fear of repercussions from some all-knowing deity.
If we are alone in a spiritual sense, then we'd better treat other human beings well, because they're all we've got. Conversely, if we are rewarded with a glorious afterlife for following our chosen creed, it becomes easy to divide the world into "us" and "them" and consequently dehumanize those who don't believe the way we do. Terrorism, the Crusades, the ongoing violence, rape, torture, and misery across the planet from Darfur to the Middle East to the former Soviet Union are the fruits of religious devotion.
Just my two cents, I suppose.
Posted by mwashburn at March 23, 2006 02:40 PMPosted to Culture & Politics
Comments
What's really unsettling is the guy that said if it weren't for religion, he'd be killing and raping everyone in sight.
Posted by: adam at March 24, 2006 09:43 AM
I thought the USSR was pro-athiest...and that may be where some distrust comes from in older demographics, no?
I hope, like you, that this trend doesn't continue. But it doesn't help that our children recite "In God we Trust" before class every morning.
Posted by: linmoo at March 27, 2006 12:07 PM