Atheistic notebook

Fourth quarter of 2004

Beginning of the "Atheistic notebook"

On this page are collected some reflections or thoughts, noted with the passing days, chronologically presented, therefore without logical continuation.

Why?
It is often heard that atheists cannot explain anything, that they cannot answer the "why of things", why is there something rather than nothing, why the life, why intelligence, what is the engine of evolution...?
An atheist only says that he does not believe in divinities, in the immortality of soul and in other supernatural phenomena. Atheism does not propose any explanation about life or universe. It is the work of Science to answer. If science is not sufficiently advanced, atheist proceeds no further and humbly states his ignorance about it.
For many people who need certainties, it is an intolerable position. Best for them is to believe in what is the more pleasant, insofar as they do not oblige anybody to believe like them.
Atheists have nothing to prove since they affirm nothing. The duty of proof always returns to which affirms the existence of something.
(December 21, 2004)

The keep of faith
Often, before rational or scientist arguments, religions are in difficulty. Believers take refuge then in their impregnable keep: faith. "We are on two completely different levels, faith and reason."
All is say. It is no more necessary to discuss or argue. Faith is what allows believers to put cheaply in the shelter of the rational arguments. Faith is the nuclear bunker of credulity.
See the quotations about faith
(December 14, 2004)

Poor Catholic
Some Catholics complain that we are too hard on this site with their religion (implied, not enough with the others). They also are pointing out that the catholic Church is no more the one of Inquisition and that it has changed a lot since this time.
OK, I want well to admit this. It is undoubtedly the disadvantage of being the majority religion (in France). One begins with what one knows best.
Except perhaps for Lourdes (France), for the Pope and for the worship of the Virgin Mary that are typically catholic specialties, the majority of criticisms are transposable to the other religions. Moreover, many Moslems give me their indignation free rein in terms often harder than Catholics.
(December 07, 2004)

Deadlock
Fortunately, the majority of Moslems are moderate people.
Unfortunately, they base their religion on a text, Koran considered as written at God's dictation. So, the problem is not so in its content (Bible contains also its share of atrocities and cruelties) but because all that Koran contains is divine word, therefore untouchable, immutable, inalterable, eternal. No reform is possible. Fundamentalists and terrorists will always find in its verses what could morally justify their acts.
From this point of view there, Islam is a deadlock.
(December 03, 2004)

Beyond atheism and freethinking
Often, in their generosity (and I thank them), believers think that behind my commitment to atheism, there is a search of sense. They wish that I ended up finding what gives meaning to their life, this God they love so much and reaching that way my (eternal) Salvation.
Ah! If they knew how much I am impermeable to the concept of divinity, soul's immortality, of Salvation... In fact, God is well the least of my worries.
The questions to which I would like to answer are to be found "beyond atheism and freethinking" : How to reduce the existential pangs of man? Which forms have to take morals, economy, and political action, to make the world more harmonious and fairest?
(November 30, 2004)

Morals without God
It is often heard that if there is no God and that life does not have sense, man can satisfy his most primary instincts.
If everyone did what he longs for, world would be intolerable and humanity would quickly disappear. It seems to me that morals correspond to a kind of survival instinct for mankind. To do what each one desires is an individualistic response of short-term satisfaction. Morals encourage, on the contrary, men to cooperate and to live together in harmony, in a long-term vision.
(November 27, 2004)

Hide this doubt that I could not see
Existential pangs? Metaphysical distress? Fear of unknown? Uneasiness before the vastness of Universe? .. and, at the end of the human road, the death, the nothing.
Religions bring the miracle cure: Holy Scripture.
All is there, only there!
Doubt is out. The time of certainty has come.
"Here the book on which there is non doubt; it is the direction of those which fear the Lord." (Koran, Chapter 2, Verse 1)
As an ostrich, its head hidden in a hole, it is the mellow comfort of religions!
What is the use to be a human being if it is not to assume all the consequences of the intelligence that nature provides us?
(November 19, 2004)

Morals, Christianity and perfection
Christianity has taken, like reference for its morals, the teaching of Jesus Christ that is God himself and Son of God.
Here, it is undoubtedly one of the most open to criticism and one of the most perverse aspects of this religion, i.e. to have taken as model a divine figure. Perfection being an indefinable and inaccessible attribute of God, believer exhausts himself reaching it (when he does not impose his morals to others), feels guilty not succeeding in that way and makes a mess of his real life.
Morals have to be less ambitious, so that anyone can reach it.
(November 9, 2004)

The aim if atheism
The aim of atheism is not to make disappear religion, but to make it inoffensive.
In my opinion, the process of atheism is much broader. Its purpose is to give to men the means of being free in their way of thinking. There are chains which one could see and others that one does not could see (including for those who carry them) and which make prostrating oneself before God or a idol of human origin.
Even if that could appear frustrating, atheism is actually the only one "thing-with-ism" where one has to abstain from indicating to man what he has to do or to think.
(November 03, 2004)

God: absolute and perfection
The God of believers is perfect, I do not doubt it.
Search the absolute, imagine the perfection, call it "God" and you are a believer.
This God, if he remains purely personal and metaphysical, is certainly more inoffensive than the one of the Holy Scripture.
(October 27, 2004)

Reality-show
A well-aimed extract of the French visitors' book:
"God, it is like people who look at a TV reality-show, he does nothing but look at... like an idiot!"
(atef-annaba / October 26, 2004 - 09:58 pm)

The bet of Pascal
The bet of Pascal (even with a chance in an infinity, it is in one's interest to bet on the existence of God and on the eternal life) implies that God prefers the hypocritical people who believe "if" rather than those living in coherence with their opinion.
(October 18, 2004)

In the name of atheism
Atheists are people like the others and they could commit crimes, but not in the name of atheism. By definition, atheism only defends the idea of not to believe in a God and criticizes, when that it is necessary, the religions. Atheism is not an ideology which proposes a way of life, a philosophy or a policy.
(October 16, 2004)

Following page >>> Notebook : third quarter of 2004

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