I have recently been perusing the blog world. There is one blog I follow called Rainbow After the Storm. It is about a woman that has lost three babies through two pregnancies. All of them were girls. She now has a healthy son and is doing very well. I've never commented on her blog just always watched her journey from a far ever since I was pregnant with my own twins. Today I decided to checkout the blogs she reads. They are of other women and their losses through pregnancy. It is heartbreaking to think people have gone through such pain.
One ladies blog I came upon had lost her most recent son at 23 weeks gestation on May 31, this year. She had lost twin boys the previous year. One of her posts talked about how because of the losses she has now lost her faith in God but still believes there is a heaven.
I have never lost a baby at 23 weeks gestation before so I have no idea what pain she is feeling or how hard it must be to just get out of bed in the morning. I do know that true atheists do not believe in heaven. It is a wonderful idea. And I wish with all my wishes that she could have a place to meet up with her lost babies when she has gone as well but sadly I know this will not happen. And it makes me sad.
This woman is angry with God for taking her babies. I would be too if I had faith. But anger is not the way to make the appropriate decision of whether or not God exists or not. The simple fact that she believes in heaven shows that she wants to hold onto something higher than her self. I wish her the best and I do hope one day she will have a healthy baby.
This story also shows how beliefs can come and go with the mood you feel in that day, month, year, and so forth. This simple fact that you can declare that you don't believe in God yet believe in heaven proves yet again that human imagination is responsible for God and all the things that go with that idea. You can not one day decide to believe that the earth is actually a triangle and is also the center of the universe. I guess you can but the earth will still be a sphere and it will still revolve around the sun no matter how much you "believe" the contrary.
To all the women who have lost babies. Please know my heart aches for you and that I hope that life will be better to you in the future.
-Megan Austin
Monday, June 14, 2010
Sunday, June 13, 2010
A Past Memory
My family was military so we have lived in a lot of different places. When I was 9/10yrs old we lived in Alamogordo, NM on the military base. My brothers and I would go to a daycare type facility before and after school.
I remember one day talking to another girl that was my age, 9/10yrs old, about Santa Claus. She still believed and I did not. I kept telling her that he was made up and that our parents are the ones that leave the presents under the tree. She would not believe me. Her mother I think was a worker at the daycare...I think. Anyway we went up to the worker/mother because the girl was crying at this point, and asked her if Santa was real. She looked at the girl that was crying and said, "Do you think he is real?" The girl shyly nodded her head that she did indeed think he was real. The worker/mother then said,"Well then that is all that matters." And then turned to me and told me to drop it.
Now my nine/ten year old self didn't understand how someone could believe in something that was clearly made up. And clearly the adults didn't care if the child believed as long as it made the child happy. I didn't think to hard about it being that I was 9/10yrs old. You become more concerned with playing than with philosophical questions at that age.
My adult self can now look back at that situation and reflect on it. I was not an atheist at 9/10. But that situation seemed to predict my future to be.
That girl could not come to terms that there was no Santa. It made her emotional at the very thought that Santa didn't exist. Do you think he is real? Is the only question she had to answer to find out the truth. She didn't research Santa or ask anyone that was an expert on Santa. She was simply satisfied with knowing that if she believed that is all that matters. Frankly that is how I see most theists. They are completely satisfied with just asking that one question and no further research into the validity of the statement.
When it comes to what makes us happy does it have to be real? Is it a bad thing to think Santa is real or the Easter Bunny or God? I think it becomes a bad thing when people think that flying planes through buildings will impress their God enough to give them virgins when they reach heaven. Or that the fear of an imaginary hell sends people to give money to a church that keeps that fear lit constantly with lectures of sin and the evilness that you have inside you. To me this is when believing in God becomes a negative and should be put to a stop through research and intellectual reasoning.
-Megan Austin
I remember one day talking to another girl that was my age, 9/10yrs old, about Santa Claus. She still believed and I did not. I kept telling her that he was made up and that our parents are the ones that leave the presents under the tree. She would not believe me. Her mother I think was a worker at the daycare...I think. Anyway we went up to the worker/mother because the girl was crying at this point, and asked her if Santa was real. She looked at the girl that was crying and said, "Do you think he is real?" The girl shyly nodded her head that she did indeed think he was real. The worker/mother then said,"Well then that is all that matters." And then turned to me and told me to drop it.
Now my nine/ten year old self didn't understand how someone could believe in something that was clearly made up. And clearly the adults didn't care if the child believed as long as it made the child happy. I didn't think to hard about it being that I was 9/10yrs old. You become more concerned with playing than with philosophical questions at that age.
My adult self can now look back at that situation and reflect on it. I was not an atheist at 9/10. But that situation seemed to predict my future to be.
That girl could not come to terms that there was no Santa. It made her emotional at the very thought that Santa didn't exist. Do you think he is real? Is the only question she had to answer to find out the truth. She didn't research Santa or ask anyone that was an expert on Santa. She was simply satisfied with knowing that if she believed that is all that matters. Frankly that is how I see most theists. They are completely satisfied with just asking that one question and no further research into the validity of the statement.
When it comes to what makes us happy does it have to be real? Is it a bad thing to think Santa is real or the Easter Bunny or God? I think it becomes a bad thing when people think that flying planes through buildings will impress their God enough to give them virgins when they reach heaven. Or that the fear of an imaginary hell sends people to give money to a church that keeps that fear lit constantly with lectures of sin and the evilness that you have inside you. To me this is when believing in God becomes a negative and should be put to a stop through research and intellectual reasoning.
-Megan Austin
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Paul Washer
Wow! This guy is why I am an atheist. Not really but his message reminds me of the Salem Witch Trials. Using hell to get followers. Fear is what colts use to gain loyalty. This man should not be preaching to children. His words are poisonous.
I think his message is probably an accurate portrayal of Christianity which makes me angry. I am angry because people who say they are Christians don't even know the text of the Bible. People allow this insane religion to continue and do not even know what the base of the religion says. It is a negative, fear based religion. In order to do good you have to have an imaginary figure wave his finger and say, "You do good/worship me or else you will be tortured in a pit of fiery hell." You can't do good just for the simple fact that it is the right thing to do, we have to do good because of the fear of hell/god.
I know a lot of Christians. I love these people. But I am not going to shy away from saying that this religion is NUTS!!!! And Paul Washer is another example of this. Watch this video I found on YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wX_BPopbKI&annotation_id=annotation_38217&feature=iv If any logical, free thinking individual finds this man's words are not that of a cult leader then I am afraid for that person and the society they live in.
This should be stopped! Fear should not be used to manipulate people. And Christianity is a fear based religion. Paul Washer is not the only baptist minister that has this type of ministry. Visit www.godhatesfags.com and you will find the same message.
I have faith that the world will one day realize that they don't need fear to be a good person. That the world will one day be free of an evil dictator named God. People are smart. They just need to use that intelligence.
-Megan
I think his message is probably an accurate portrayal of Christianity which makes me angry. I am angry because people who say they are Christians don't even know the text of the Bible. People allow this insane religion to continue and do not even know what the base of the religion says. It is a negative, fear based religion. In order to do good you have to have an imaginary figure wave his finger and say, "You do good/worship me or else you will be tortured in a pit of fiery hell." You can't do good just for the simple fact that it is the right thing to do, we have to do good because of the fear of hell/god.
I know a lot of Christians. I love these people. But I am not going to shy away from saying that this religion is NUTS!!!! And Paul Washer is another example of this. Watch this video I found on YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wX_BPopbKI&annotation_id=annotation_38217&feature=iv If any logical, free thinking individual finds this man's words are not that of a cult leader then I am afraid for that person and the society they live in.
This should be stopped! Fear should not be used to manipulate people. And Christianity is a fear based religion. Paul Washer is not the only baptist minister that has this type of ministry. Visit www.godhatesfags.com and you will find the same message.
I have faith that the world will one day realize that they don't need fear to be a good person. That the world will one day be free of an evil dictator named God. People are smart. They just need to use that intelligence.
-Megan
Misconceptions
When people hear the word atheist a lot of negative misconceptions occur. I would like to better inform people of what an atheist is.
A theist is someone who believes in a god or higher power. An atheist or a-theist, "a" meaning non and "theist", is a non believer. Atheism is not a religion. Nothing else comes with that title besides the already stated of being a non believer.
Misconception #1: That atheists have no morals. This is incorrect. We are very moral people. We abide by laws just like other people would and we treat others with the same respect we would like to be treated.
#2: That our lives have no meaning. Incorrect. Our lives probably have even more meaning because we think that this is our only shot at life and we better savior and cherish every moment we have on this planet. We are busy living instead of waiting/preparing for death.
#3: Atheists are violent. I'm not going to say all atheists are not violent because I'm sure there are violent atheists but if you Google non-violent countries or the statistics of criminals in prison that are atheists you will find that atheists are much less violent then people who are theists.
#4: That something horrible had to happen to us to have chose to be a non-believer. In the majority of cases, you'll find that atheists have thought very hard about their belief in God, and found that it just doesn't hang together logically.
#5: Atheists hate God. Not true. Atheists may hate what the belief in God does to society or individuals but you can not hate something you don't believe in. It would be like a Christian saying he hates Zeus. It is simply illogical.
I hope this has cleared up some of the misconceptions of an atheist. If you have any other questions you would like to have answered by an atheist feel free to ask.
-Megan
A theist is someone who believes in a god or higher power. An atheist or a-theist, "a" meaning non and "theist", is a non believer. Atheism is not a religion. Nothing else comes with that title besides the already stated of being a non believer.
Misconception #1: That atheists have no morals. This is incorrect. We are very moral people. We abide by laws just like other people would and we treat others with the same respect we would like to be treated.
#2: That our lives have no meaning. Incorrect. Our lives probably have even more meaning because we think that this is our only shot at life and we better savior and cherish every moment we have on this planet. We are busy living instead of waiting/preparing for death.
#3: Atheists are violent. I'm not going to say all atheists are not violent because I'm sure there are violent atheists but if you Google non-violent countries or the statistics of criminals in prison that are atheists you will find that atheists are much less violent then people who are theists.
#4: That something horrible had to happen to us to have chose to be a non-believer. In the majority of cases, you'll find that atheists have thought very hard about their belief in God, and found that it just doesn't hang together logically.
#5: Atheists hate God. Not true. Atheists may hate what the belief in God does to society or individuals but you can not hate something you don't believe in. It would be like a Christian saying he hates Zeus. It is simply illogical.
I hope this has cleared up some of the misconceptions of an atheist. If you have any other questions you would like to have answered by an atheist feel free to ask.
-Megan
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Raising Free Thinkers
I have three sons. Three wonderfully brilliant smart little boys. The joy they bring to my life is unmeasured and never ending. Parenthood though is not as easy as it seems. You have to monitor their t.v. programs, your language, and what they eat. You have to make sure they have a nice home, are clean and feed, get proper check-ups, and are being taught important moral lessons. But do these moral lessons need a God?
Is it hard to know that stealing, murder, lying, and cheating are wrong? No, it isn't. There are laws that punish individuals for actions that are deemed negative or detrimental to the society as a whole. We need these laws to flourish as a species. The human race multiplies in greater numbers when there is less chaos and more stability.
Teaching these basic principles to your children should be natural and instinctual. God should not be included in a moral discussion because frankly God has nothing to do with morals. God is more of a philosophical idea, a mythological debate.
My goal as a parent is to raise free thinking individuals. I want them to come to conclusions about the world through research and investigation. To know that for every action that they make a consequence always awaits. That they can be moral and righteous without superstition.
-Megan
Is it hard to know that stealing, murder, lying, and cheating are wrong? No, it isn't. There are laws that punish individuals for actions that are deemed negative or detrimental to the society as a whole. We need these laws to flourish as a species. The human race multiplies in greater numbers when there is less chaos and more stability.
Teaching these basic principles to your children should be natural and instinctual. God should not be included in a moral discussion because frankly God has nothing to do with morals. God is more of a philosophical idea, a mythological debate.
My goal as a parent is to raise free thinking individuals. I want them to come to conclusions about the world through research and investigation. To know that for every action that they make a consequence always awaits. That they can be moral and righteous without superstition.
-Megan
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