Hiding Atheism - Phill Sthal: Febuauary 2004
Submitted by ftcsadmin2 on Sun, 05/25/2008 - 14:49.
It's always interesting to check my inbox after each Freethinker column I write. A recent case, following my article 'Evolution or Confusion' was no exception. |
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Apart from the usual erroneous claims that invalidate most of these responses (e.g. inability to separate theory from speculation, inability - or unwillingness - to recognize the evidence for evolution) another claim that struck me was that I "hid my atheism." The complainant basically asked why I didn't just come out and say point blank that I supported an atheistic weltanschauung. |
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I don't know what rock this e-mailer's been under, but I've never "hidden" my atheism. Not in Barbados when I often went toe to toe - in their press - with various religionists, including local fundies, padres and mullahs. And certainly not in Baltimore when I lived there from 1992-2000 and penned numerous letters to The Baltimore Sun. |
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Certainly not here in Colorado Springs, either. This writer who took me to task for "not having the balls to admit my atheism" (never mind the bottom inset indicating my recent atheist book!) evidently missed my article on Mind Viruses and Memes (May 9-15, 2002). Therein I showed how and why religion acts as a mind virus, including appropriating the machinery of the mind to its own purposes. (Just as a physical virus does with the cells of the human body.) |
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I also clearly stated: "While it can't be scientifically proven that a god doesn't exist, the burden of proof is on the believer to support his insistence on adding to reality." |
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Of course, the reason any alleged deity can't be disproven is that one can't logically prove a negative, anyway. |
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In another article, 'Why Materialism?' (Nov. 14-20, 2002), I noted the redundancy of the entire supernatural hypothesis including god. I further pointed out the beauty of Materialism is that it's "minimalist by definition," and dispenses with "unverifiable presences and immaterial macguffins that would otherwise induce intellects to be squandered on the meaningless pursuit of phantasmagorias." |
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In the article 'Religiosity and the Brain' (Feb. 14-20, 2002), I noted how religious language itself is so much irrational gibberish, mostly amounting to meaningless noise, as opposed to information-based signals. |
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I showed that language constructs like soul, God, devil, heaven, etc. all demonstrate lingual confections that bear no counterparts in four-dimensional reality. We have no more obligation to listen and respect such blathering than the words of a drunkard in the throes of delirium tremens. Or a paranoid schizophrenic who insists his mother-in-law is an alien out to get him. |
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So, where's the reticence to proclaim or defend atheism? Must it be spelled out in each piece? Highlighted in black and white marquee letters? I think not. It may, however, be the case that many have so much denial operating in their brains when they read my articles, they tend to ignore what's staring them between the eyes. |
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But let me say I'm proud to be an atheist, and to me, atheism is the ultimate aspiration and goal of the freethinker. To put away ALL childish things, entities and fantasies and live in the real world devoid of metaphysical props and crutches. As Joseph Lewis said: |
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"The human race has suffered for centuries from the mental disorder known as religion, and Atheism is the only physician that will be able to effect a permanent cure." |
