Let's begin with the brilliance of NonStampCollector:
Gabriel's description of the universe starting at 4:05 is reminiscent of my response to the Fine-Tuning Argument. In the description of this video, NonStampCollector explains that his inspiration for "Yahweh's Amazing Miracle" came from a video from fellow YouTuber C0ct0pusPrime:
Yeah, that was unfathomably stupid.
Theists, if you want to believe in god, fine. I don't really care. Just don't expect me to share that belief when I see a universe that shows no evidence at all of being the product of any kind of designer, much less an intelligent one. Don't expect me to accept your faith when the only "divine intervention" we see is only found in either stories in an ancient book, or in testimonies of ambiguous personal experiences that can just as easily (if not more easily) be explained as coincidence or misinterpretation. And especially don't expect me to praise god with you for such "miracles" as the safe plane landing in C0ct0pusPrime's video when such scenarios do nothing but raise even more questions about god's alleged intervention in human affairs.
Ambiguity is the heart of a theist's testimony
I went from being a Christian to an atheist because, when I looked for reasons to support my faith, I found nothing but unsound arguments and ridiculous anecdotes. When I sought answers to all of my questions, all I found were more questions. I'm no longer a theist for the same reason I'm not a practitioner of the Atkins Diet, or a believer in unicorns or faeries: because I have seen no good reason why I should be.
I say this to emphasize the point that theists tend to judge atheists so readily because atheists dare to not believe in their god, yet such judgments are unwarranted. I can't help that I don't share your belief. I tried. Believe me, I struggled with trying to hold on to faith. But I can't deny who I am or what I think. I'll let the A-Unicornist explain:
Belief is indeed not a choice. Our beliefs arise out of our best understanding of the information presented to us. If someone is convinced that the evidence is squarely against theism, they can't magically make themselves accept the existence of gods anyway. In fact, this realization was pivotal in my de-conversion. I never outright rejected my faith – I simply reached a point where I didn't believe any of its tenants to be true, and I was unable to hold on to my faith.
[From William Lane Craig thinks atheists aren't real]
My de-conversion experience is similar. You want to judge me for this, or tell me I'm going to hell because I disagree with you? You have nothing to back up your claims. Your arrogance is completely unfounded.
I saw a bumper sticker the other day on the back of a van in front of me as I was driving to the store. The sticker said:
I've seen this bumper sticker dozens of times before, but this is the first time I've seen it since coming to terms with the fact that I am an atheist. At first I thought, "What the hell does that even mean?" Then, waiting at a red light behind this van, I thought: "this bumper sticker is a criticism of me and people like me." Theists look down on atheists. I have a friend who discovered recently that a client of his now refuses to do business with him any longer because she found out "the terrible truth" that he's an atheist. I wish I could say that such judgmental behavior from theists is rare, but I can't. This is what passes for "Christian love" these days, and it's pathetic.
There are those of us who have hope that things will change eventually, and bigotry towards non-theists will be overcome. I share that hope, and will continue to speak out until such hope becomes a reality.
See you next year!
Dead-Logic.com
