Sign In Sign-Up

Welcome!

Close

Would you like to make this site your homepage? It's fast and easy...

Yes, Please make this my home page!

No Thanks

  Don't show this to me again.

Close

Question196

In your opinion, what is the best thing about being an atheist?

• Being free to think independently and not have to try to find ways to make everything fit the preconceived ideas that religion invariably requires.

  When I was a Muslim I sometimes had to reject ideas that didn't fit with Islam in order to avoid compromising it. Now I can base my opinions and ideas entirely on logic and reason, and what appears to be right. (Jeffrey L. Graham aa#1946)

• Owning up to your actions.

  Not living in as much hypocrisy as a theist.

  Living in reality.

  Oh, this list can go on and on... (Jeremy Martin aa#1884)

• Having been a 'born-again' type Christian at one time,

  My atheism is a product of trying to be honest with myself. And it stems from trying to view things objectively; as opposed to continuing to accept a world-view based on some unsubstantiated mystical 'hope' or wishful-thinking.

  So, at least for me, the best thing about being a (weak) atheist is that: it is the product of wanting to know where honesty and objectivity would lead to. (pan aa#1432)

• Having the ability to make a rational decision, based on fact and reason.Not having to lie to myself in order to make religion work. Taking resposibiity for my own actions. (Prove It...)

• Having the freedom to consider al possibilities. The ability to use reason and logic to come to solutions, whatever the solution might be. (Kilmir aa #1944)

• There is no "best thing about being an atheist". I don't consider my self an atheist for what if offers or means to me. Rather "being an atheist" is the simple result of being openly honest to myself, accepting personal responsibility and wanting my personal freedom. (Woden)

• I think it is not having to rearrange my life based on what someone else says my beliefs should be. I have seen many people change things they do in their everyday life simply because a pastor told them to do so. If it's wrong, then it's wrong. I don't follow very well, I guess, but I don't see why I can't come up with what is right and wrong for me on my own. (ClaySkye aa#4)

• The ability to look at an object, situation or process free of mythological misconceptions about its source or cause; the freedom to say, "I don't know how or why this works or doesn't work but I'm certain there's a practical explanation." (chibiabos)

• The *very* best thing is not being told to hate anybody because of their beliefs or private lives, stuff that's no one else's business but their own.

  Being able to think about everything. Weigh the evidence and come to conclusions based on that. Reserve the right to change opinions when faced with new evidence. Etc.

  And more.

  In fact *everything* about being an atheist is great. (Orhan Orgun aa#1867)

• Not living in a fairyland constantly afraid of an invisible boogieman. (The Central Scrutinizer)

• Not being burdened by a whole bunch of superstitious nonsense with no connection to reality. (raven1 aa#1096)

• Having been an atheist all of my life I have no other experience to compare it to. It's neither good, nor bad - it just is. Sometimes I wonder what it's like to believe, but I can't imagine it and I'll probably never find out - unless someone were to give me some evidence for the existence of deity/ies - which I don't count on happening. I'm not holding my breath for it. I simply don't understand why people believe, it seems odd to me and I've yet to hear of a religion which I don't think is more or less silly. (Nikitta aa#1759)

• No guilt or shame for just being alive. Being able to take the credit or the blame for my actions without having to drag in imaginary entities. Not having to justify my decisions according an aribtrary, incoherent and inconsistent framework. Being able to sleep easy at night, even if I fucked up big time the day before. Its nice to base my decisions promarily on rational thought and out out of fear of pissing off the aforementioned imaginary entities. (Erikc aa#002)

• There are several.

  1) Having a grasp on reality.BR> 2) Feeling of oneness with the universe.
  3) Feeling of oneness with all life on Earth.
  4) The ability to be totally alone when needed (no big brother feeling).
  5) Being totally responsible for my actions (no blaming satan or praising god).
  6) Not having to jump through intellectual hoops.
  7) Not being worried about pleasing a deity all the time.
  8) Being able to swear to release stress.
  9) Being able to have sex and not feel guilty (not married).
  10) Feeling of worth rather than being an evil sinner (no inferiority complex).
  

  I'm sure there are more but that's all I can think of at the moment. (Wayne Bagguley)

• The shortest, sweetest answer came instantly to my fingertips: "Not being a theist".

  But this lacks something.Hmmnn... what could it be? Perhaps elaboration? Okay, here goes:

  I *don't* have to cower in perpetual fear of the fate of my eternal soul;
  I *don't* have to feel guilty for thinking sinful thoughts, even about preachers;
  I *don't* have to (any more) feel as though someone is watching and judging my every thought;
  I *don't* have to get up on Sunday;
  I *don't* have to give money to anybody I don't feel like giving money to;
  I *don't* have to sing those ridiculous hymns, not even in sign;
  I *don't* have to go through mental gymnastics to believe in an eternal Hell *and* a divinely omnibenevolent "god" of any sort;
  I *don't* have to reconcile multiple Biblical contradictions just to be able to stand the sight of myself in the mirror;
  I *don't* have to feel like a worthless sack of shit just to feel as though I'm living well;
  I *don't* have to tell anybody "the good news";
  I *don't* have to pretend that Bush is a good man just because he's the Religious Reich's man;
  I *don't* have to pretend that all those religious people who committed horrors in the name of their religious convictions were misguided while I, glorious *I* maintain the ability to discern Truth(TM);
  I *don't* have to look at everyone around me and feel guilty as shit that they're all going to fry in Hell while I sip Mai Tai's with the Lord;
  I *don't* have to contemplate e perpetuoso of "Holy, Holy, Holy"s and Divine Butt Kissing after I die;
  I *don't* have to pretend "Touched by an Angel" is based on real life events;
  I *don't* have to keep chanting, "Real Soon Now" to stay a believer for the rest of my life;
  I *don't* have to eat those raunchy communion wafers or sip grape juice from a shot glass the preacher probably didn't even wash after the last time they were used;
  I *don't* have to avert my eyes when they fall upon the sight of a nicely exposed piece of pleasantly toned manflesh;
  I *don't* have to repress my sexuality in ANY way;
  I *don't* have to buy a nativity for Xmas;
  I *don't* have to have a "church suit" or own anything else which might qualify as "Sunday Best" clothing;
  I *don't* have to pretend Mother Teresa was a good girl just because she allegedly helped to spread Xianity;
  I *don't* have to view ANY theism as anything other than a festering, mind-rotting, rancid disease worthy only of immediate irradication;
  I *don't* have to pretend like there isn't any reason to be afraid now that the Religious Reich has as much power as they do;
  I *don't* have to pretend like America is the "Greatest Country on Earth"(TM);
  I *don't* have to compartmentalize divergent realities into hermetically sealed quadrants of my mind just to keep them from annihilating each other upon contact;
  ...
  

  There's more, I *could* go on, but I'm *sure* you get the idea. To abbreviate the *ENTIRE* point once again, the best thing about being an atheist is this: NOT BEING A THEIST! :-) (Avender aa#88)