RE: Would you go to church just to prove it won't change anything about you?
August 9, 2011 at 2:01 pm
Tolerance is highly over rated.
We only tolerate what we otherwise can not condone.
Family asking an atheist to attend a meaningful ritual to their side of the family, out of love and respect for, as you mentioned, a nephew's baptism, is not something I'd say one has to tolerate. It's family. It's a little baby boy who's family, while Theists, love him and you enough to make you part of what matters most in the moment to all their lives. Knowing you're an atheist, at that. That's love. That's family.
Tolerance comes into play, as I see it, when someone asks me to attend church because they think it'll save my soul from their god's wrath, because he never provided any evidence I could accept as reason to know for a fact he exists. Rather, I'm asked to take it on faith something never proven to exist, save by the repeated affirmations afforded by it's followers, does.
As in the OP, asking me to sit and listen to someone administer scripture that's supports the irrational isn't something I need to tolerate, because those who would know I'm atheist don't example tolerance for letting me live my life as I see fit, because I choose not to accept their faith is credible enough to live my life by.
"It doesn't take two people to end a war, only one, and you're the one. What a perfect set up." Byron Katie
We only tolerate what we otherwise can not condone.
Family asking an atheist to attend a meaningful ritual to their side of the family, out of love and respect for, as you mentioned, a nephew's baptism, is not something I'd say one has to tolerate. It's family. It's a little baby boy who's family, while Theists, love him and you enough to make you part of what matters most in the moment to all their lives. Knowing you're an atheist, at that. That's love. That's family.
Tolerance comes into play, as I see it, when someone asks me to attend church because they think it'll save my soul from their god's wrath, because he never provided any evidence I could accept as reason to know for a fact he exists. Rather, I'm asked to take it on faith something never proven to exist, save by the repeated affirmations afforded by it's followers, does.
As in the OP, asking me to sit and listen to someone administer scripture that's supports the irrational isn't something I need to tolerate, because those who would know I'm atheist don't example tolerance for letting me live my life as I see fit, because I choose not to accept their faith is credible enough to live my life by.
"It doesn't take two people to end a war, only one, and you're the one. What a perfect set up." Byron Katie
"In life you can never be too kind or too fair; everyone you meet is carrying a heavy load. When you go through your day expressing kindness and courtesy to all you meet, you leave behind a feeling of warmth and good cheer, and you help alleviate the burdens everyone is struggling with."
Brian Tracy
Brian Tracy
