Double Flee A

I got this link today in an email, it's very dense and goes everywhere, and it's all about people who, like me, are pissed off that the explanation that we all came from magic is supposed to be something other than a joke that isn't even funny.

The evangelical atheist, carnival of the godless #28

I see a theme here, which is that once you get in the habit of destroying the hell out of every dumb belief that people can come up with, it's so much fun, and so easy, that it creates a habit, and a culture, of rag dolling people. I tried it myself for a while, and it got old when the guy I was "debating" with claimed that no one has ever hurt anyone in the name of Jesus, and that god drowning the whole world (except for the get-along gang in the ark) in a big flood was a good thing. I literally was going to freak out if I didn't just walk away from this impossibly bone-headed babble, so I hit the dusty cybertrail a wiser and wearier person.

Let's see, the assignment was something positive about atheism, or in their words the culture of godlessness. I'd go with total accountablity for the way we act and feel. Nothing is required for it but reality; nobody has to pay anybody else for motivational and shaming speeches that threaten susceptible people with eternal torture and burning and whatnot. It's a no strings attached way to live, and I think that's pretty good right there, if not "virtuous", a word with problematic implications. If I do something nice it's not to suck up to my imaginary friend, it's to help a person. I can't say the same about the motivation of Christians, and entertainingly neither can they, because their entire system of belief is predicated on someone else being in charge of the fate of their immortal soul. Is my charge that it is impossible for a christian to perform a selfless act of kindness ill-considered? How can helping out someone not be a selfish act, if it increases the chances you're going to get a high five from the big guy later, when that's what's at the center of your existence?

"Godlessness" is a non-term anyway, a perceived way to be based in and biased by contemporary perceptions, since it's just really existence we're talking about, not existence in addition to some crazy made-up shit. Godfulness is what I'd like to hear people defending and expounding upon the virtues of. There would be a field day.

posted by dale @ 11:20 PM