The last post drew no request for my omitted Atheist declaration (which is fine). So I imagine no one cares or wants to hear about it. But it did draw one person's interest enough to comment this prayer:
"Someday you will see the light and God will fill your heart with his Awesome love....Until then I will pray for you :)" ---anonymous
hmmm...how to field this last comment. obviously it was well intentioned (or a joke from one of my Atheist friends) so thank you for thinking of me and hoping that I will someday think like you do and believe what you believe...
I don't want to sound rude or mean here but please please please don't pray for me...anyone. The only way that the light of god will fill my heart is if he is a real human man or woman named "God Albert Smith or God Judy Johnson" that opens my chest with some sort of surgical device and shines a flash light in there. That is a real event that could really happen someday and for my sake lets hope no one needs to peek in there.
If the light of god is really a light then I'd be more interested in it, I'm interested in light, wavelengths, visual spectrums, laser beams and what not, but, the reference here is almost certainly a "feeling" or a "belief" in which case the word should be used as so:
You should have said, "Someday I pray that you believe in god as others do." And then specify which one you want me to believe in.
Is it one of the million hindu gods in practice today, or an outdatd one like zeus, athena, aphrodite, or how about the sun god Ra from egyptian times, either way most of us can admit we don't believe in many Gods that have long since been proven "untrue" by social standards no longer suitable for belief. I simply take it one or two gods further. I don't believe in "ANY" god but especially the Abrahamic gods such as jesus/god and mohammed/allah .
I've heard many ways to respond to people when they say they will pray for you and the one I usually resort to is "I forgive you for that." Because essentially someone just told you they would think an unrealistic thought for you. Now I wonder how this person would react if I read there deeply religious blog and anonymously commented:
"Some day I hope you will learn the logical, rational thinking of reason and problem solving based on observations and evidence so that you can solve your own problems in life realistically. I will plan to sit down and problem solve with you soon."
That would probably not go over too well.
In this case this comment/declaration of prayer is someone who reads this blog and that I want to continue reading, and if they read the blog they probably know me and I love people regardless of what supernatural story they believe, so I guess I will say that you are free to do whatever you want to make yourself feel better about life and how you understand it (like praying), you just can't expect me to be overly thankful for an anonymous person saying that they will do something that has no scientific basis for having any effect on anything past a synaptical impulse of your brain and self satisfaction .
Most of what I omitted from the last post has to do with the overly apologetic practice of religious respect anyways so its probably good that this comment came in because it gives me a clear reason to say that you are reading an Atheist blog right now, an Atheist that loves his family and friends, tries to teach others about good things, tries to live a good life, and decides to be a good person knowing full well that this is the only life he has and that no one is watching or keeping score in the sky.
I'll do my best to write about something else next post but every so often a very crucial moment comes along where I have to define just exactly what you are reading.
...besides all this discussion, ENJOY the fall and have a great week (if you need help figuring out how to do that just get ahold of me we can brainstorm some ideas!)
Kale
2 comments:
I truly think your honesty is admirable. But I have to say that after reading some of your other blog entries, I am surprised not by your opinion but by the arrogance behind it. You don't seem like a jerk in general--in fact, you seem like a cool guy who loves your family and friends. But you are so cruel and dismissive about any faith that is exactly that: taken on faith. As someone who is on the fence about religion, I believe that we should all admit that we are open to doubt. Religion is one way of making meaning in this life. If you have found another way to have peace and meaning, I think that's great for you. But suggesting that you have all the answers is pretty lame. There are rational, intelligent, open-minded individuals who practice a wide variety of religions. Insisting that they are misguided and ridiculous because they seek a larger truth behind this life? Well that just makes you seem sort of childish. Can't we all--atheists and religious folks alike--just agree that none of us has it all figured out?
I don't think anyone's prayers will convert you, but belittling an act of faith is simply unkind. I also don't think your spiel on atheism will change anyone's mind or destroy their faith. Surely a mutual respect isn't too much to ask?
repent kale! give up your dark-sided ways!! turn to the light! no, i'm kidding. but seriously you need to listen to last week's This American Life because they had this crazy show on hell houses, which are pentacostal youth group's version of a haunted house in which they scare you by showing you the ways you can go to hell. They have an abortion scene, a homosexual boy dying of aids, a girl getting gang raped at a rave, a scene from columbine shooting, etc.. Anyways, There is a documentary about it too I think, probably on the level of Jesus Camp. I'm freaked out. Happy Halloween!
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