Reasons for being an Atheist

[popeyespappy]

One of the most traumatic events of my life was the death of my father. Far from 'turning to God', I made a lunge at the priest delivering the funerary service. He made the remark that, 'God, in His infinite love and mercy, will welcome home even someone like Ned Shannon.'

If my 5 brothers hadn't held me down, it might have been a double service.

I don't know if it's Catholic funerals or what, but I had a bad experience with one, too. After the service I was just scratching my head thinking, "What the fuck?!?" It wasn't as explicit as your example, but it definitely sent the message that my deceased friend now resides in hell.

Aint got shit on hillbilly southern Baptists. Several years ago my great uncle had a difference of opinion with the new preacher at the little church he had been attending for most of his 80ish years over the quality of the sermons. Otis stopped attending Sunday service. his beliefs didn't change. He just stopped going to church. When he died a few years later the same preacher presided over the services at the funeral. He basically told the widow, children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and couple of dozen other people in attendance that Otis was burning in hell.

[Minimalist]

Yeah - big fans of jesus the motherfuckers are.

[Faith No More]

Aint got shit on hillbilly southern Baptists. Several years ago my great uncle had a difference of opinion with the new preacher at the little church he had been attending for most of his 80ish years over the quality of the sermons. Otis stopped attending Sunday service. his beliefs didn't change. He just stopped going to church. When he died a few years later the same preacher presided over the services at the funeral. He basically told the widow, children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and couple of dozen other people in attendance that Otis was burning in hell.

That's petty. At least the priest at my friend's funeral could say that his assholishness was backed up by Catholic doctrine.

[popeyespappy]

That's petty. At least the priest at my friend's funeral could say that his assholishness was backed up by Catholic doctrine.

It’s all good. The church is (was?) located on forest service land. They had worked an arrangement with the Forest Service in the twenties when the government acquired the property to pay some paltry annual rent. My uncle had been making the payments for decades. When he died apparently no one even knew there was a rent so it didn’t get paid. A couple of years ago the church approached the Forest Service about expanding the cemetery. After which the Forest Service figured out none had been paying the rent. The church was forced to raise a shit load of money in order to buy a nearby nicer and much larger piece of land so they could swap it for the property the church sits on. Now instead of an annual rent part time help at McDonalds could afford they have a mortgage payment on a couple of hundred thousand dollar loan.

http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/nepa_project_e...ject=41411

[Rahul]

Hm, Idk, maybe she means being angry at god and calling yourself and atheist is not the way to go? In a way she'd be right because you'd be angry at something you believe exists.

I've always considered it weird that some theists think atheists are angry at god. Well, except when an atheist states they wouldn't follow god if he came down in front of them and proved his existence. Those atheists confuse me as well. It seems very illogical.

I was never angry at god back when I believed in it. I let go of my belief in it because logically the idea is unsupportable.

Anger never factored into the equation.

[Fidel_Castronaut]

Yeah - big fans of jesus the motherfuckers are.

I see what you did thar

[Walking Void]

I do not have to side with any religious faction. Whether it be Christians v. Muslims or any kind, I am not adding to anybody's offensive force. In fact, an atheist or agnostic might be the ideal peacekeeper or peacemaker.

[Clueless Morgan]

I don't know if it's Catholic funerals or what, but I had a bad experience with one, too. After the service I was just scratching my head thinking, "What the fuck?!?" It wasn't as explicit as your example, but it definitely sent the message that my deceased friend now resides in hell.

My best friend's grandfather died in January and she and her family spent quite a while reading through different bible translations trying to find the wording they wanted for certain passages - and then the (catholic) priest who officiated/presided over/conducted the funeral read the passage and then expounded on some bizarre "and this is how we interpret this..." which completely pissed the whole family off.

As for my reason for being an atheist:
You can't profess a belief in something you don't think exists and I have no reason (no philosophical reason, no evidential scientific reason, no intellectually honest reason) to think that any gods exist. Therefore I'm an atheist.

[genkaus]

I do not have to side with any religious faction. Whether it be Christians v. Muslims or any kind, I am not adding to anybody's offensive force. In fact, an atheist or agnostic might be the ideal peacekeeper or peacemaker.

Really? Because here, atheists and agnostics make the ideal bystanders who go "Fight! Fight! Fight!".

[wwjs]

I've always considered it weird that some theists think atheists are angry at god. Well, except when an atheist states they wouldn't follow god if he came down in front of them and proved his existence. Those atheists confuse me as well. It seems very illogical.

Why is it illogical? Knowing that he exists and obeying him are two different things.