Godless Mom in the Bible Belt

Wednesday, May 25, 2005

Atheism and Me

The moment I realized that I was no longer encumbered by belief in God was the most freeing and exulting moment of my life. I felt as though I had stepped into a vast new world that is full of real, observable truth and free from scary monsters in the closet.

So how does Atheism effect the way I view the world and my relation to it?

I believe that this life, here on this planet is all we have. As a result, we must do everything in our power to make it as perfect as possible and leave the world even better than we found it. A lot of time is wasted worrying about what will happen after we die, rather than worrying about what we do now while living.

I try to approach things logically without letting irrational fears or superstition effect the decisions I make (sometimes easier said than done!)

When I have a problem in my life, I know that I have to rely on myself to solve it. There is no god to guide me or assist me. There is security in knowing that I have control over my own life, that I'm not at the mercy of some supernatural being.

I try to be kind to my fellow man and do things for the benefit of others who may not be as fortunate as I am. Not because I think this behavior will be rewarded in the after life but because it is the right thing to do for humanity.

I make a point of being kind and considerate to the other species with whom we share this planet, both plant and animal. We are not something special, we are just one of many life forms that inhabit Earth. It is extreme arrogance to assume that just because we have big brains we must be the rulers of the planet. We are not rulers, we are merely a very small piece of a very large puzzle.

I cannot deny that I believe the world would be better off without religion. There is so much hatred and bigotry, so much war and oppression in the name of one deity or another. Sure religion has it's good points, but I truly believe that the good things offered by religion are just as easily accessible without it.

I don't need a god to recognize the beauty of the world and to feel an emotional connection to that beauty. I don't need a god to tell me what is right and what is wrong, I am a social being and as such I am more than capable of discerning those things for myself. I do not need a god to validate my existence, I am part of the universe as we know it, in all it's mystery and that is enough. I do not need to give credit to a god when I succeed at some difficult task, I am responsible for my failures and I take credit for my accomplishments. I don't need a god to act as my conscience and I eschew the guilt associated with artificially restrictive moral laws.

I am happy, content and at peace with myself. I do not know where the rest of my spiritual journey will take me but I've sure enjoyed the ride thus far.
posted by GodlessMom, 6:17 AM

8 Comments:

Blogger Lila said:

I agree that it's all mystery... would you call yourself a mystic?
Posted at 7:50 AM  

Blogger GodlessMom said:

Hmmm. A mystic? It depends on how you define the word. I freely acknowledge that there are mysteries and wonder beyond our scope of understanding and I personally get a kick out of being part of such a cool unknown. However, I don't believe there is anything out there that can't be understood through careful observation and study. There are much bigger brains than mine who are working on the mysteries of the universe, maybe some day we will know much more than we do now. Right now though, just because we don't completely understand something doesn't mean that it is supernatural in origin. Does that make me a mystic?
Posted at 8:05 AM  

Blogger Lila said:

I'd say no, you're not a mystic. As I define it, mystics believe that there are some things that are beyond scientific knowledge, etc. It sounds like you believe that, ultimately, everything is knowable by science - when we're smart/advanced enough. I was just curious where you stood. I think your stance is completely respectable, and you might even be right!
Posted at 10:51 AM  

Blogger GodlessMom said:

Ahhh those unanswerable questions! In the end we will never know who is right and who is wrong. However, if it turns out that Jerry Falwell is right I'm going to have to slit my spiritual wrists.
Posted at 11:27 AM  

Blogger BarbaraFromCalifornia said:

The mysteries of life, as pointed about by aral can be stunning.

Goddless Mom: I can see that you define yourself as an atheist, but do you believe that there is any kind of power, within yourself or the outside world upon which you rely to give peace, hope or certainty?

Not judging or condemning. I was an atheist for 15 years. My children, who are in college, called themselves atheists for some time. Today, I am not an atheist and consider myself to be a very spiritual person with a strong faith in God.
Posted at 12:36 PM  

Blogger GodlessMom said:

Barbara, yes I do define myself as an atheist, probably in a way similar to how you define yourself as Jewish. It is not the sum-total of my personal definition but it is definitely a part of it.

There are other, more important terms that define me (wife, mother, daughter) but I guess right now I feel that the atheist part of me is most under attack by the society in which I live. (Your post today regarding theocracy hit a very raw nerve in me.)

I don't believe that there is a power outside of myself upon which I can rely for peace. I find peace within myself based upon my observations of the world around me and my experience thus far. I have learned much greater patience over the past few years, that goes a long way toward inner peace. :)

Isn't it fun to look at where our spiritual paths take us? Where we started, where we made turns in course, where we may end up. I find the whole thing endlessly fascinating.
Posted at 2:20 PM  

Blogger BarbaraFromCalifornia said:

godlessmom,

Yes, it is fun to see where our journey takes us each and every day.

Someone once told me that her definition of God was that great power deep within herself that she could not explain, but one that brought her much peace and comfort. Your description of peace today reminded me of her definition.

I suppose labels are overrated, although necessary to define and communicate meaningfully.

Thank you for being such a frequent visitor to my blog. This notion of our country become a theoracy hit me this moring when I was reading the newspaper and there was an article about how Iran was treating those who were practicing non-fundamental policies. The kind of strongholding that has become such an integral part of this country lately made me stop and take note.

Keep on trucking, as the Greatful Dead once said. Each day will bring forward a new window into which you can see the world.

All best,
Barbara
Posted at 7:20 PM  

Blogger Meegan said:

Beautifully written post -- you've captured my own feelings perfectly (I wish I had written it!).
Posted at 6:34 PM  

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