Credit: This is not mine, I got it from iambilly.wordpress.com, and thought it was interesting and kind of funny.
"As I was leaving work today, I noticed an older woman sitting alone. She sat on one of those walker/stools which have become quite popular. I thought it odd as the park was closed. So I stopped to ask, “Are you waiting for a ride?”
She smiled at me and, in a beautiful North Carolina Piedmont accent, replied. “Oh, yes. My husband and I parked at the mall and he just walked over to get the car. So I hope he’s picking me up.”
I thought for a moment and realized that there may be a problem. The walkway to the mall is usually locked right at 5:00pm. So it may already be locked, in which case this could get difficult. I explained the situation and told her that I would check an make sure he made it all the way up the ramp, and would also make sure that the main gate was still open so he could get back in.
She beamed at me and said, “Oh, you are so wonderful. You are a good Christian and one of God’s people.”
I grimaced (internally). Then I realized that, what the hell, it is past 5:15 and I’m not on duty. “No, ma’am, I’m an atheist.”
“Pshaw. You’re too nice to be an atheist,” she said. And yes, she really did say ‘Pshaw.’ First time I’ve ever actually heard it used.
“I really am,” I replied.
“You can’t be an atheist. You’re too nice.”
“Yes, I am. And it has nothing to do with being nice or not.”
“Well, you just think you’re an atheist. I’m not sure why you’re mad at God, but He still loves you. You’ll accept him when your pain is resolved.”
“Ma’am, why would I hate something that does not exist? I’ll go check to make sure that your husband made it to the parking area. You have a good evening.” And I walked away.
As I walked away, she said, “I know you’re a Christian. You’re too nice to be a God hater.”
Her husband did make it to the parking area. The front gate was still open. I popped in a Haydn trumpet concerto and seethed.
Two things bothered me.
First, the denial that atheists exist. I accept that there are people, a majority of the people on earth, in fact, who believe that there are supernatural beings who take an active interest in the doings of Homo sapiens sapiens. I disagree with them, I think that they are living in a faith-based fantasy world which releases them from responsibility for their own actions. I think that their end-of-the-world mythologies encourage rapacious behaviour in the natural and man-made world. I think that their mythologies have dangerously skewed our government and our education. But I accept that they actually exist.
Too many theists (Christians, mostly (at least the ones of which I have read and the ones I have encountered)) deny that atheists exist. The possibility that someone (like me) actually does not believe that god(s) exist is so far outside their limited world of thought that they do not believe in atheists. (Which is even more remarkable when one considers that there is far more evidence for the existence of atheists than there is for the existence of any god(s).) So, rather than accept that my lack of belief exists, they deny even the possibility of honest atheism.
Second, I am sick and tired of this absurdity that one must be a Christian to be good. The aerobic shootings here in Pennsylvania were committed by an avowed theist. MoJoey has recorded hundreds, possibly thousands, of instances in which preachers, ministers, pastors and youth pastors have been caught (and these are just the ones who have been caught) cheating, stealing, molesting and raping. Christianity does not, based on ample evidence, make an individual a good person.
What about Stalin, or Pol Pot, or any other atheist who has committed atrocities? The Marxist or Maoist leaders who have committed atrocities, committed genocide, did not commit these atrocities in the name of atheism; they committed them in the name of Marx or Mao. They simply substituted faith in the historical dialectic for faith in god(s).
Christianity has, however, directly inspired genocide and other atrocities. Carcassone was sacked in the name of god. So was Jerusalem. The Bogomils and the Albigensians were hunted to extinction. The nation states of Central and South America were eliminated in the name of god and profit. The terrorists blowing themselves up in the Middle East do so in the name of their god(s). As did the terrorists in 2001. As did Dr. Tiller’s murderer. I am not claiming that atheists do not commit crimes. Some do. We do not, in any instance of which I am currently aware, commit crimes in the name of atheism.
Atheists really do exist. And, even without the rules laid down by an imaginary skydaddy, we are not criminal reprobates, we don’t barbecue babies. We are not anything other than rather boringly normal people. Why are these two ideas so difficult for a theist to comprehend?"
What do you think? Have you ever met anyone so in denial? I've met hardcore Christians, but no one like THAT. *shakes head*, Some people.....
"As I was leaving work today, I noticed an older woman sitting alone. She sat on one of those walker/stools which have become quite popular. I thought it odd as the park was closed. So I stopped to ask, “Are you waiting for a ride?”
She smiled at me and, in a beautiful North Carolina Piedmont accent, replied. “Oh, yes. My husband and I parked at the mall and he just walked over to get the car. So I hope he’s picking me up.”
I thought for a moment and realized that there may be a problem. The walkway to the mall is usually locked right at 5:00pm. So it may already be locked, in which case this could get difficult. I explained the situation and told her that I would check an make sure he made it all the way up the ramp, and would also make sure that the main gate was still open so he could get back in.
She beamed at me and said, “Oh, you are so wonderful. You are a good Christian and one of God’s people.”
I grimaced (internally). Then I realized that, what the hell, it is past 5:15 and I’m not on duty. “No, ma’am, I’m an atheist.”
“Pshaw. You’re too nice to be an atheist,” she said. And yes, she really did say ‘Pshaw.’ First time I’ve ever actually heard it used.
“I really am,” I replied.
“You can’t be an atheist. You’re too nice.”
“Yes, I am. And it has nothing to do with being nice or not.”
“Well, you just think you’re an atheist. I’m not sure why you’re mad at God, but He still loves you. You’ll accept him when your pain is resolved.”
“Ma’am, why would I hate something that does not exist? I’ll go check to make sure that your husband made it to the parking area. You have a good evening.” And I walked away.
As I walked away, she said, “I know you’re a Christian. You’re too nice to be a God hater.”
Her husband did make it to the parking area. The front gate was still open. I popped in a Haydn trumpet concerto and seethed.
Two things bothered me.
First, the denial that atheists exist. I accept that there are people, a majority of the people on earth, in fact, who believe that there are supernatural beings who take an active interest in the doings of Homo sapiens sapiens. I disagree with them, I think that they are living in a faith-based fantasy world which releases them from responsibility for their own actions. I think that their end-of-the-world mythologies encourage rapacious behaviour in the natural and man-made world. I think that their mythologies have dangerously skewed our government and our education. But I accept that they actually exist.
Too many theists (Christians, mostly (at least the ones of which I have read and the ones I have encountered)) deny that atheists exist. The possibility that someone (like me) actually does not believe that god(s) exist is so far outside their limited world of thought that they do not believe in atheists. (Which is even more remarkable when one considers that there is far more evidence for the existence of atheists than there is for the existence of any god(s).) So, rather than accept that my lack of belief exists, they deny even the possibility of honest atheism.
Second, I am sick and tired of this absurdity that one must be a Christian to be good. The aerobic shootings here in Pennsylvania were committed by an avowed theist. MoJoey has recorded hundreds, possibly thousands, of instances in which preachers, ministers, pastors and youth pastors have been caught (and these are just the ones who have been caught) cheating, stealing, molesting and raping. Christianity does not, based on ample evidence, make an individual a good person.
What about Stalin, or Pol Pot, or any other atheist who has committed atrocities? The Marxist or Maoist leaders who have committed atrocities, committed genocide, did not commit these atrocities in the name of atheism; they committed them in the name of Marx or Mao. They simply substituted faith in the historical dialectic for faith in god(s).
Christianity has, however, directly inspired genocide and other atrocities. Carcassone was sacked in the name of god. So was Jerusalem. The Bogomils and the Albigensians were hunted to extinction. The nation states of Central and South America were eliminated in the name of god and profit. The terrorists blowing themselves up in the Middle East do so in the name of their god(s). As did the terrorists in 2001. As did Dr. Tiller’s murderer. I am not claiming that atheists do not commit crimes. Some do. We do not, in any instance of which I am currently aware, commit crimes in the name of atheism.
Atheists really do exist. And, even without the rules laid down by an imaginary skydaddy, we are not criminal reprobates, we don’t barbecue babies. We are not anything other than rather boringly normal people. Why are these two ideas so difficult for a theist to comprehend?"
What do you think? Have you ever met anyone so in denial? I've met hardcore Christians, but no one like THAT. *shakes head*, Some people.....
