You Probably Know an Atheist and Don’t even KnowYou Do
Relax, It’s Really Not a Problem
If you’re religious and are triggered by an atheist, most likely you’re overreacting. By in large, it’s hard to pick an atheist out of a crowd. We are a minority who remain pretty quiet most of the time.
Let me explain …
I’ve never run into an atheist on a street corner who is passing out tracts.
Nor has an agnostic ever rung my doorbell in order to proselytize.
I’ve never heard an atheist politician mention their beliefs.
There are no grand steeples dotting cities across the world that ring bells in order to inform atheists that it’s time to gather together.
Nor do atheists waste huge sums of money building another enormous church because they disagree about which non-god is the true non-god and therefore can’t worship together.
Unbelievers have no traditions, like prayer, that they insist on performing in my presence.
Atheists don’t own a big book that they insist has the answers to the universe and should be honored by everyone else.
Nor do atheists constantly feel the need to try to save a religious person from their ignorance.
Atheists have been known to debate the existence of a god and an afterlife but are usually outnumbered and often hated by believers who feel they must protect their particular god from any criticism.
I’m sorry. Religious people are the majority by a long shot. They have the cultural power to minimize the atheist’s platform and immortalize their own beliefs. It takes a very brave person to question the religion of their ancestors.
If you know an atheist, chances are you don’t even know you know an atheist. They rarely feel the need to mention this to their parents, friends, or colleagues. But if they do — — they’re most often met with righteous indignation, grave concern, and sometimes even shock and disappointment.
There are a few of us who came out of the closet years ago and although we’re rarely looking for a fight, we take a stand when a religious person gives us a reason to do so. We’ve been bowing our heads for the sake of our friends and neighbors for so long that we have a crick in our necks. It feels good to hold our heads up high and calmly disclose that we believe in just one less god than you do. Your god. We can agree upon disqualifying all the gods, it’s just when we include your god on the list that hurts your feelings.
Atheism isn’t another religion. It’s merely a realization that no god has ever fed a hungry child. If the child receives help, it’s because another human extended a helping hand. We accept our responsibilities and don’t try to pass the duty to a god or place blame on a demon.
If you know an atheist, be grateful. We won’t persecute you. People from other religions may actually give you a lot more grief if you’ve chosen a different religious path and different beliefs than the ones they hold dear.
Atheists don’t threaten believers with an eternity of hellfire and torture if they insist on going to churches and worshipping their gods. Terrorizing people to control their lives isn’t playing fair. The devout on the other hand have been known to get impatient and burn people at the stake rather than allow their god to do the judgement and punishment himself.
Romans 12:19–21 King James Version (KJV)
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
See what I mean?
If every religious person on the planet believed the same thing, we could save a lot of money. The world is full of palatial churches with empty seats because believers found it impossible to worship together. There have been centuries of war between various god-fearing people who refuse to accept another group of devout followers of a different religious faith. There is enough strife and disagreement between religious sects to keep persecution and division alive on this planet for decades to come.
Most of the time, atheists don’t care one way or the other which religion a person chooses just as long as they don’t try to convert us. In that respect, all forms of religion are considered equal to an atheist. We’re pretty easygoing because we know how serious religious people can be, and it’s just easier to try to ignore it all.
So, don’t be afraid. We’re just leading our lives on this planet the best we know how, too. Life is already hard enough for all of us. Just be nice, and if we disagree, rest assured that you are still in the majority. More people agree that there is a god of some kind than those who don’t.
You win! So, why not be a gracious winner?
Teresa Roberts is an author and professional myth buster. You can find her books on Amazon.
