CelticBear’s Musings

So, a week ago my wife’s Sunday School discussed atheism. I wanted to tell the teacher that I’m an atheist and would love to be available to answer questions and dispel any myths about atheism–but he didn’t get my message in time. So, I sat quietly and listened. And sure, as expected, I heard some of the usual comments: Remarks that atheists don’t believe anything, followed by requisite jokes about not believing in chairs or traffic. Comments that they must be joyless and wallow in hopelessness and despair.

I suppose some atheists do, sure. But so do some Christians. Some Christians really take the Christian message of worhlessness and born in sinfulness to heart, and it affects their entire self-image and their behavior. But in general, atheists aren’t any less happy than anyone else in general. Maybe….

Yesterday I attended a MeetUp of some local atheists and freethinkers at a cafe. While the topic of conversation was more in my interest, I found by and large most people there to be just as, if not more, snide and cynical and negative than a usual gathering of Christians. It was actually very annoying. How many times can we complain about the same things over and over. (Well, I guess the honest response would be as long as they keep trying to get Creationism in public schools and creating faith-based government initiatives and exclude non-believers from the social forum. So long non-believers continue to be the most hated people in the country–then groups of non-believers will continue to be negative and whiny and defensively arrogant.)

What I found really surprising about the Sunday School meeting, was that after the initial pre-class joking and offhand comments, when the discussion turned serious, there was a lot of honest questioning and curiosity over what atheists think and how they got there. (Granted, this was a Methodist group which tend to be pretty liberal and open-minded. If it were, say, a Southern Baptist church, I wouldn’t even think about mentioning my atheism. I seriously believe that if anyone had found out at the Promise Keepers rally I attended a few years ago that I was a non-believer, I’d have been roughed up and brutally thrown out. The hate-speech against atheists, socialists, and feminists (in that order) all that weekend was scary! Anyway, back to moderate Methodists….)

I chose to remain silent at the Sunday School meeting because I wanted people to be able to speak freely, but I so wanted to speak up and offer insight. They really seemed curious about the topic and I think most of them would have been polite in listening to me and interested. I doubt I’d deconvert anyone, but I think I could have good discussions with them.

On the other hand, the group of “free thinkers” yesterday, I don’t think they’d welcome any kind of dialogue. In fact, one person spoke of wondering if any Christians may have the idea of “infiltrating” their group. I actually did speak up and say I would welcome a Christian, as I think it’s absolutely vital they see what we’re really about, and we can have an open and honest dialog with them and we can work together. But I don’t think my sentiments were well received.

I hate to say that this group was stereotypical elitist and arrogant atheists, but they kind of were. And it was a downer. A disappointment. I don’t know. I know during the first year or two of my honest acceptance of my non-belief I was very outspoken (to certain people) and very vitriolic. Heck, my blog shows a record of it! In fact, there are some instances where I still get fired up and upset and blog some flame about religion. But that gets it out of my system. Perhaps for these people, living as we do in a community where everyone is assumed to be a church-goin’ Christian and the culture is geared for that, when given the opportunity to commune with like minded persecuted ultra-minority, it’s time to vent and find solidarity in shared anger and righteous arrogance.

I can understand that, and even support it to some degree. But, it’s also very wearying, being that negative. I have to say, what the people talk about at the Sunday School and Bible study make me cringe on the inside and beat my imaginary head against an imaginary wall, I much prefer the happy and upbeat joyfulness of the Christians. If only I can be around a group of freethinkers and atheists who talk about non-theist stuff, but with the same positivism and good naturedness of the believers. (Again, this is a liberal Methodist group…I’ve been to some Baptist groups where the arrogance and self-righteous indignation and vitriol was as bad as the atheists’.)

Does this make me miss being a believer? I’d be lyin’ if I said it didn’t. Oh, I’m not about to throw in my reasoned de-belief in favor of community; but I can see why some non-believers, like Robert M. Price, continue to enjoy church and the ritual and the ceremony. I still find church services to be too much for me: the mindless ritual, the blood-soaked death worship, the abdication of personal worth and value, the painful cognitive dissonance and the veneration of ancient myth…I hurts, I tells ya. But I still really like the people. I’d like to spend more time with them. And you know, when it does come out that I’m an atheist, then maybe they will have gotten to like me as well, and I can be a force for cooperation and understanding.

I just wish more in the atheist community could be as positive and upbeat. Maybe when they’re not constantly being bonbarded by the cultural message of their (our) forced elimination….

Related links:

• What is the Future of Atheism?
• What Happens When Atheism is the Norm Instead of the Exception?
• Do You Fit the Atheist “Stereotype”?

Update: Oh, I didn’t see this when I posted this article, but this link is great and perfectly related:

• Atheist Arrogance

.