What no one told you about becoming an Atheist...

[Will]

I've been an atheist for years, but it takes time to really feel at home and comfortable in your truer role with new perceptions. I expected things like some people not understanding, or being bigoted. I expected meeting harsh or pleasant realities. There were a few things, however, that I didn't see coming at all.

1) The Exorcist isn't scary anymore. I had never realized it before, but the reason the Exorcist scared the living crap out of me as a child was because I actually believed that it was possible to be possessed by a demon or the devil. The idea of having a foreign, and evil entity possess me kept me awake at night after seeing the movie. Now? It's one of the most boring things I've ever seen. It's just watching the deluded perceptions of religious people misdiagnosing someone with schizophrenia. And as someone with some knowledge of psychology and psychiatry, I can tell you that holy water is only likely to work in a psychosomatic role (the power of the water is in the perception of the child, and in this case, in the minds of the child, the old coot, and the younger coot).
[schild=18 fontcolor=000000 shadowcolor=C0C0C0 shieldshadow=1]Bring me a Young Coot and an Old Coot!![/schild]

2) Sunday Mornings are glorious. You know how you sleep in on Saturday, but sometimes you have to wake up and clean the house or do yardwork? Not on Sunday. That's right, the atheists get the ultimate sabbath and best of all, we aren't morally obliged to go anywhere or do anything. You know what I did yesterday morning? Jack. I slept in till like 10 got up and ate some breakfast and just hung out at the house with the family.

3) No depressing Good Friday. Oh? Jesus died? That's too bad. *yawn* I'll see you guys after I get Easter off to hide eggs with my family without the horrible downer of torture and death. But you guys have fun, kay?

4) I can read whatever I want before bed. You know what I'm going to faithfully read before bed tonight? Maybe the Wallstreet Journal. Maybe I'll finish that great biography on Robert Kennedy. Maybe I won't read at all. I won't be quizzed on what I've read on Sunday, after all.


So what are the unexpected plusses and minuses of coming out the other side for you guys?

[rlrose328]

Yeah, baby... that so great!  

In relation to your #1, I don't remember the overwhelming religious overtones to the miniseries "The Stand" that we caught the last of last night.  It all fit and made sense when we first watched it but last night, it was repressive.  I realized the good guys (overhwhelmingly religious) were just plain depressed and unhappy while the bad guys (with the ultra-evil Randall Flagg at the head) were having a darned good time in Vegas.  They were keeping to themselves... it was the good guys who went to Vegas to kill Flagg.  Why?  I'll have to re-read the book.

And I particularly love your #3... "That's too bad.  *yawn*"  :-D  Whoohoo!

A big minus for me is the loneliness (IRL... online I find LOTS of heathen friends).  I'd love a good covered-dish supper or some other regular gathering... not to ingest dogma, but just to have others of a like mind to hang with.  The church-going crowd have a built-in group of friends.  Oh well... if that's the price to pay to be free of their mind-control and fairy tales, I guess I'll have to deal.

[Will]

The Pac NW has a ton of atheists, you know. I'd guess it's second only to New England, in the US. You might visit museums, libraries, or take a night class in something relatively advanced to find like minded people. An atheist putluck sounds like a blast! Maybe have a Darwin theme. "Hunt the Flesh, Eat the Flesh" game hens, with naturally selected green bean casserole and Galapagos red potatoes.

[rlrose328]

I've heard there are tons of atheists in the PNW, but I've yet to find the congregation.  I did find a big meet-up group a few weeks ago but haven't yet had a chance to attend a meet-up.  Hopefully, once I do, I'll be able to have that potluck.

The point, though, isn't so much that they're hard to find... in comparison to religion, whose followers can find a group of like minds on any corner with a church, non-believers just don't gather like that.  There are a dozen churches in our little town.  There are no atheist halls or secular humanist chapels.  I have to go looking for atheists with whom to commune.

[Will]

Well we're generally more educated, so it would make sense to seek more of us out in a higher educated environment like schools or libraries. I know, "Are you an atheist?" is an odd conversation starter, but if by chance they are you may have made a good friend.

[Whitney]

I was always bothered by having to believe in hell.  Although,while still a theist, I decided it was a absence of god rather than burning I was still bothred by the idea of hell.  So, having rational reasons to not have to accept the idea of hell is a big plus.  I would think anyone would like a reason to not to accept the hell-concept...even die hard Christians.

[tigerlily46514]

Although a born again atheist, i still believe in hell sometimes when i am with my inlaws...JUST KIDDING!!!!

 Actually, i have awesome inlaws.  It's MY side that's weird.  But rlrose, i hear ya about the community thing, i'd love that too!!  I have a big community of friends, but still, it would be nice to have that philosophical connection with a buncha citizens in my hood.  Guess that's why i belong to moveon.org, the ACLU, and our local Dems...but still, i'd love to hang with a buncha atheists......i've never experienced that.

Okay, i've hardly even ever met any atheists in real life, just the two i raised, and my sweetie....that's about it...THANK GOD for atheist webblogs!!!

Plus, i make a kickass chinese salad...LET'S ALL HAVE A CONVENTION!!!!  okay, a picnic even....

[donkeyhoty]

in re: The Exorcist, I was watching the new show "Reaper", and besides being kind of boring the whole, "sell your soul to the devil" shit is just dumb.  Suspension of disbelief only goes so far.

Although, if a show/movie is good enough, I'll turn suspension of disbelief back on for a "religiously based" show. e.g. "Carnivale"

[SteveS]

I would be troubled by the whole idea of dead relations knowing everything you're doing.  There's plenty of stuff that I've done that I'm really happy I'm the only one who knows about it.  Nothing sinister, just mundane stuff, but still.

I was surprised by how happy it made me to declare myself an atheist.  I used to say I was agnostic, or I wasn't a believer, or whatever ... it just felt so much more right to say "I'm an atheist".  So - I guess mine is an unexpected benefit - call it the happy conscience that comes from being honest or something (I don't know what to call it).

[Steve Reason]

Losing friends is a minus.

Realizing that there isn't a god that will provide me with all my needs, is a plus. That's a dangerous belief to have.

Realizing that the earth really could be crushed by an asteroid and that sort of thing, because there is no "God's Plan", is a minus. Or maybe that's a plus-- hard to say.

Not fearing hell-- BIG plus. :evil:

Not living forever-- I'll call that one a wash.

Feeling like I finally got it right, is another BIG plus.

Getting it right so late in life, is a minus, but not a big one-- better late than never.

And the fact that I can finally let go of my hate for people that weren't like me, is a plus.

And finally, the realization that I can finally let go of the guilt that Christians carry around for not being perfect, and live the life that I should have been living all along, HUGE plus!!!  

[Allhailtuna]

According to Christianity Hitler would probably be in Heaven, from what I've heard of his speeches.
And seriously, even for all of his crime, does anyone really deserve eternal torture and burning?

[Steve Reason]

According to Christianity Hitler would probably be in Heaven, from what I've heard of his speeches.
And seriously, even for all of his crime, does anyone really deserve eternal torture and burning?

Well, if anyones does, he'd be a good candidate, no doubt. Maybe reincarnation as a Jew would be a better punishment.  

[Will]

Getting it right so late in life, is a minus, but not a big one-- better late than never.

44 is the new 24, bud. I'd not call it "late in life".

[SabineMaia]

The biggest bonus for me? Realizing this world is all we have, and that realization makes life and all things living so much more precious and worthy of respect and protection. It's shifted my whole world view.

[User192021]

The biggest plus I can think of is that I no longer feel conflicted in my beliefs.  I don't have to make up excuses for why I still believe god exists despite horrible things that happen all around me.  The world just makes more sense.  Instead of observing things that seem to contradict my religious beliefs and then having to perform some intellectual gymnastics to justify my belief, these things only strengthen my non-belief.  

For example, I say a prayer and nothing out of the ordinary happens.  Maybe I pray for something that is possible, but unlikely (I always used to try to keep my prayers realistic), and it doesn't happen.  In my religious days, this presented an obvious problem.  I'm a good person, I try to treat people right, I go to church - so why couldn't god grant me this simple request?  I thought that was how it was supposed to work.  Well....maybe I did something bad and this is my punishment.  I did say "no" earlier today when that cashier asked if me I would like to donate a dollar to the Make A Wish Foundation.  Yep, that has to be it.  

Now, it would go something like this.  God didn't answer my prayer?  Well that's not surprising, since I doubt god exists anyway.  
Makes much more sense to me.

As for any negatives about being atheist.  Knowing that there is no ultimate justice.  That bad people can do bad things and if they are not brought to justice in their lifetime, then they have effectively gotten away with it.  I have to say, that does still bother me.