Let me first start by saying that this post will probably get me kicked off the reservation but here it goes. To start off everybody is entitled to their opinion but the facts remain the facts. The sky is blue weather you believe it or not, fire burns weather you believe it or not, poison can kill you weather you believe it or not...

So let's start off with some factual definitions. A lot of you say that you tried religion and it did not work, they where hypocrites, bla, bla, bla. So lets start with hypocrite.

Main Entry: hyp·o·crite
Pronunciation: \ˈhi-pə-ˌkrit\
Function: noun

1 : a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion
2 : a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings

Are we not at all some point in our life's hypocrite? As a matter of fact when we all go out on a date we typically are not who we really are. We put on a false appearance of being powerful, confident, in control. In reality the scared little child in all of us is locked up in a cage. You get married and then find out what you really got yourself into.

Main Entry: re·li·gion
Pronunciation: \ri-ˈli-jən\
Function: noun

2 : a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices
3 archaic : scrupulous conformity

Now let me say that I myself don't practice religion but like most of you was drug to church, told and taught to believe these certain things, say these certain prayers, do these certain things and maybe I might go to heaven. I must say though, that at my age I certainly liked all the pictures and some of the stories were cool. I would hear the pastor say, "If you repent to some extent, you'll be saved to some degree, maybe?" That's like telling me buy my insurance and if you get in an accident we might cover you and good luck in getting any money from us. I believe a lot of people go to church like it's some kind of insurance policy just in case any of the "bible" stuff is true.

Main Entry: athe·ist
Pronunciation: \ˈā-thē-ist\
Function: noun
Date: 1551
: one who believes that there is no deity


Okay, so if we don't believe in a deity (god) why do we make other things (relationships, stuff, money, athletes) stuff we worship? A god is worshiped, given a higher place in our life. SO if as atheists we don't want to acknowledge a "higher power" that we can't see but surrender to the "higher powers" in our life, what's the difference? We won't acknowledge God or a god but we will reschedule all of our plans, including marriage plans if a certain athlete (higher power) is playing on that day? And you guys and gals who worship football, basketball, etc., know damn well what I'm talking about.

Here is where one would typically tell me, "Eric you don't seem to understand. I've got power of these things and they don't rule me..." as sweat is pouring down their brow. Anything, (god) that makes you do thing out of sense of being, or submit to that is a "higher power". The problem is that the higher power has got us chained and we don't even know it. Why, because the higher power "makes us feel good, happy". It's like getting a drug fix and the only demand is that you keep doing it.

Okay, here it goes. I love motorcycles and my garage was my church and worship service was blazing the south Texas hill country up to Leakey at speeds exceeding 100mph. Hunting better known to our PETA people as population control specialty is a blast and it give me time to spend with my 4 beautiful children. Have I put these things ahead of everything in my life including my marriage to my lovely wife for 20 years? You bet. What happened I kept looking for another fix, something that was going to make me "happy".

That word happenstance which is were we get our word happy is dependent upon situations. The thing that makes us happy last for a while till we can get another fix. Love. Love is not a feeling, love is not an emotion, love is a choice. For those of us who are married the guy representing a higher power said, "do you choose to love him/her, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, etc. and in order to pass the test you had to say "I do".

Getting back to definitions let me say that "I Am" gave us a definition for religion in the bible and it simply to take care of the orphans and widows providing food, clothing, etc. That's it. I will tell you that I have not religion with Him but "oh no is he going to say it?, you know that word RELATIONSHIP"? You bet I have a relationship with the great "I Am". He is everything I would ever need to bring me joy, NOT HAPPINESS. Joy is what sustains me in living in the immoral and corrupt world we live in today. It's the best high in life I've ever had. He is just a call away.

So in closing I must apologize if I led you to believe I was an atheist. Truth is I'm the furtherest from it. I was and do still have days when I'm a big hypocrite. Part of me rises up and wants to smack people around for their stupidity and then tell them that Jesus loves them. (Oh no, he said the "J" word... ahhhhhhhh). I have found though a love that I can not explain and I know that everyone should have that has changed my life.

Please read my post carefully and if you still will permit me to peer into what the "atheist" are doing I would certainly appreciate it...

God is Vaseline rubbed on your lens.

Please don't vote.

Troll: someone who posts controversial, inflammatory, irrelevant, or off-topic messages in an online community

Hmm... Yep, let's just say you obviously like to take the long way around to try to make a point.

First, these are simplistic definitions, but yours are wrong and you seem to need the easy answer, so here goes. Atheism is a lack of belief in a higher power or deity. Agnosticism is a lack of knowledge about whether a higher power or deity exists. Humanism is a philosophy that basically says we can be good without a higher power or deity.

The fact is that you choose to believe in fairytales and that is your right. Many of us here don't and that is our right. Get over it and move on. Here, let me help you...

Eric, you must be one very BORED individual.

Let me continue by stating that my use of the word "fairytale" was not meant as a slight against religion. I am just stating a fact. Wikipedia (a most unreliable source) defines a fairytale as the following: A fairy tale is a fictional story that may feature folkloric characters such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, giants, gnomes, and talking animals, and usually enchantments, often involving a far-fetched sequence of events. ... In cultures where demons and witches are perceived as real, fairy tales may merge into legendary narratives, where the context is perceived by teller and hearers as having historical actuality. While there are no fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, or gnomes, there are giants, dragons, unicorns, leviathans, satyrs, cockatrices, and talking animals.

If you doubt the presence of these "essential" elements, please reference the the Skeptic's Annotated Bible. Now you may so, "Whoa, I don't believe in those things. I just have faith. I believe in J.C." Well, seeing how J.C. is a character from the bible and you probably wouldn't know of him otherwise, we have to assume the bible is the definitive source of your knowledge about faith - even if you aren't "religious". Therefore, you can't just cherry-pick the stories you accept as the truth and the those you believe to be parables. You can't say, "Well I know this story is the absolute truth, but this stuff about dragons, giants, etc, well that is complete bunk." That just isn't rational. Don't even get me started on the so-called "miracles".

The bottom line is that the bible is a great and horrible fairytale (if you have read all the nice and juicy parts), as are the religions on which it is based.

I haven't met anyone that didn't need some kind of crutch to get through life. and most of the time its religion. and i don't mean to say that in a bad or evil way, just misguided. it is what it is, a way to get through life. unfortunately in this country (and actually almost all of world) its the norm to drill religion into a childs head, it's very much a form of brainwashing. if, for the sake of argument you didn't introduce religion into a persons life until they were capable of making an educated decision as to where there beliefs lie, i don't think this dicussion would exist. Me personally, I'm not an atheist out of rebellion or because I at some point felt foresaken by god, it's because I was allowed to form my own beliefs based on available evidence.

"Okay, so if we don't believe in a deity (god) why do we make other things (relationships, stuff, money, athletes) stuff we worship?"

Because these things are undeniably real.

Worship is a dangerous concept.

It's a shame when people leave the group just as we're getting to know them so well.

Well, I know he would have been loads of fun, but I gave him a hand.

This community is a place where non-believers can feel free to be themselves and express themselves without fear of reprisal, prejudice, or pressure from those who would try to impose their beliefs. You are welcome to your beliefs, and I am sure there are many places where you can share them; this just isn't one of them.

Thanks, Dave. I get enough of that on a daily basis. In fact, I really wonder if that may have been someone I know. They all use the same tired arguments. Who knows, right?

Also, yesterday, my coworker pretty much demanded that I say, "gOd bless you" after greeting him. What's up with that?

Yes, I kind of go off on a tangent at times. Sorry. Anyway, this person would have made a great chew toy for all of us but, sometimes, we just want to be around other atheists. It gets annoying being surrounded by people who choose to live in a fairytale land. I'm glad I found this group before I went berserk.