Am I Evil?

My friend John posted an article from Psychology Today (http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/homo-consumericus/200908/atheists-are-the-most-mistrusted-group-they-are-evil-and-immoral) that sorta leaves me with a peculiar mix of emotions: I’m sad because I’m reminded how I feel as an Atheist in a community that throws a tremendous amount of credence to Judeo/Christian myths, and although I would never deign to cheapen the term most commonly associated with homosexual fear and self doubt, I feel sort of locked in a closet.

I’m glad, in a twisted way perhaps, that I can see the awareness being raised about folks like me, and that I can count myself (perhaps with some deeply unearned pride) among some of the greatest intellectual personalities of the last several hundred years. Me! Yes, I’m proof that even the beer-drinking, guitar-slinging, Mayor-of-Simpleton types can count themselves among some of the greatest humans in history, an elite group of courageous thinkers and brainiacs. I say, “good show.” Kickass.

I’m also, unfortunately not surprised. After all, the vast majority of Americans believe that there is a higher moral power, a being who created us all and will be there to judge us. In nearly every case (mine included, if I had chosen to keep my faith) these are beliefs that were instilled in us from birth. How, therefore, should I be able to expect anything less? The idea of someone not believing in an all-knowing power, invisible though it is, one that gives these people a sense of hope, purpose and morality, one they sincerely believe will make their after-death an experience far beyond the dreams of their living experience, is completely foreign. One may as well (especially in the case of the Catholics) profess a disbelief in food. “Give us this day our daily bread.”

Yea, verily, the ranks of the faithful doth live on bread alone, and cannot understand how anyone could go without. Which begs the question (fodder for a future entry, perhaps, or for John to take and run with): If the religious take their daily bread for nourishment, what food best suits the nonbeliever? As for me, I think that bread is best served in its higher, noble, and liquid form, beer. It doesn’t spoil or mold as easily, acts as a thirst quencher as well, and in my case at least, leaves the imbiber with a happy state of open-mindedness, goodwill and love for whomever else is around.

But I digress.

I can understand the fear of the unknown. Truly. I remember feeling a certain disgust and mistrust of homosexuals growing up. The day I found out that a man I knew well as a jovial, decent and giving person was gay I realized my fears were completely unfounded and unfair. He, like me, was human. Different from me, but human. And for some I think the local atheist might be less of a boogeyman if they understood that atheists are people like me, and human. I don’t much care if you have a faith in some unseen being; that’s your choice to make. All I ask is that you treat me with the same respect.

As someone who chooses not to subscribe to Judeo/Christian morality, am I evil? A bad guy? If you saw me on the street, or at the local food bank, or helping my neighbors, would you think so? Would you even know? Do I LOOK evil? What does evil LOOK like?

Of course, things are a lot more complicated than that, and in some future post I will bare my feelings about the faithful demanding special treatment from society and government, their disdain for scientific fact and their desire to rewrite the Constitution as some pro-deity framework for some Christian nation.

Thanks for reading.

Cheers!
Chris