ATHEISM REVIEW

-Marquell Garrett

July 5, 2007; Thursday @ 0900hrs EDT

INTRODUCATION:

There are in existence several documents that define the term atheist and several documents that give talks about and point out the discrimination toward the atheists and the negative stigmas of the atheists in the world. However, there is no single document that combines all of these things and attacks it head on as well as addresses the future of the atheist population and what need to be done to further such future. This review is designed to do just that, and serve as a guide to the United States, world, and all atheists of what are the issues of many atheists held down by society and the issue of what it means to be an atheist. As this review will not clear up everything and will not be the sole review or document to bring light to the subject of atheism, it will hopefully bring some light to the subject of atheism and start the long chain needed to correct the role and negative stigmas in society. Many atheists as well as the free thinking society wants to see a change in this world for the better and tired of all the prejudice and hatred toward not only the atheists but toward all that is different. It is ones hope that this review will ignite such transformation. Ultimately it is up to the individual people to respond to this review and act in a way to change things for the better, as stated above; this is only a review and guide of some concerns and facts of the atheists in humanity. The people of this world will do with it what they will.



ATHEIST REVIEW:

DEFINED: Atheism- The lack of a belief in a god, or the supernatural/supernatural being. The absence of a belief in superstitious and witchcraft, magic, EST. The lack of a belief in destiny, and luck. The absence of a belief in religion.

NOTE: ATHEISM IS NOT THE BELIEF IN ANY THING BUT THE ABSENCE OF A BELIEF IN SOMETHING. I.E. ATHEISM IS NOT THE BELIEF IN SCIENCE RATHER THE ABSENCE OF A BELIEF IN RELIGION.



HISTORY: Many theists and non theists have a common belief that atheism is either older than theism or younger than theism. This, however, is not the case. Atheism is clearly not a religion nor can it be considered to be such. Atheism is not the denial or hateful feelings toward theism and so can clearly have no common grounds that can be intelligently considered to be religious in any way. The fact is when the questions is asked, how old is atheism, atheism is being looked at as if it was a religion. Theism can be traced back to a specific era in time; however atheism could have never existed without theism. Before theism there was no religion or spiritual belief, so how is it then the opposite of something that doesn’t exist, can pre-exist. Atheism came into existence only as the opposite of theism. In this since the defining components of atheism is just as old as theism and no more or less. We, however, must commit to memory that atheism is not a religion and serves only as the opposite or absence of religion. The next question then regarding atheism is how long atheism has been coerced under the false pretence to religion or theism? The answer to this may not be as simple as one may anticipate. There are no clear dates or documents/evidence on this matter, however, atheism has been considered to be a religion in the United Stated of America for some time now. In fact there are accounts where atheism has been publicly criticized for being a hypocrite religion to religion as early at the early 19th century. There are also unconfirmed circumstances where atheists in Europe where considered to be apart of one mass religious cult in the late 16th century. Regardless of the reality of these circumstances it is clear that it is not new for atheism to be falsely accused of being a religion or cult. It would be unacceptable to say that uneducated Americans are apart of a religion or cult simply because they are uneducated regardless of there personal beliefs. This is too true when it comes to atheists. Simply because people are absent from a religious belief doesn’t make them automatically apart of a cult or religion. Many atheists have many separate views from other atheists. This is because atheism is not a religion and each atheist are human beings with different ideas and dreams. It is way past time for America and the world to push aside the stereotypical beliefs attached to atheism and accept atheists for who they are, human beings who deserve to be treated as such and not considered to be apart of some cult or religion just because they have an absence in theism. Christians and other theists can only argue their reasoning and belief in a religion and a god by simply reducing atheism to a religion. This, however, is unacceptable for Christians to do because as expressed above, atheism is not and never have been a religion or cult. It is not the responsibility of the atheist to prove the non existence of a god rather the burden of proof must be placed on the person making the claim that a god exists. This means that it is up to the theist to provide evidence that a god or higher power exists which they have failed repeatedly to provide. The next major question that comes to mind concerning the history of atheism is that of, Is there any famous or popular atheists amongst the atheist community and society abroad? The answer may be surprising to many theists and non theists but the answer still remains the same. There are many atheists that have stood out in history and amongst many atheist communities. Some of America’s most famous historical atheists are Benjamin Franklin, who was an U.S. Senator, Ambassador to France during the Revolutionary War, and the inventor of many useful things used stilled today. Thomas Paine, author to the novel Common-Sense, and Age of Reason. Albert Einstein, perhaps one of the greatest contributors to science this world has ever witnessed. And let’s not forget about Robert G Ingersoll, considered to be the “great agnostic”. There are other atheists that are popular amongst the atheist community as well. George H. Smith, author of the powerful novel, Atheism: The Case Against God is one of the most powerful free thinkers ever known to man. Dan Barker is a well known atheist who was a very religious person, and minister to the youth in his church that he founded. Dan Barker lost his faith in faith as he put it and became an atheist and afterwards, became the founder of the Freedom Foundation Institution, a community college in his local neighborhood, as well as the Freedom Foundation Organization, an organization for free thinkers to communicate some common issues. Dan Barker is also an ex-Christian who is the Author of the novel, Losing Faith in Faith, which is a very powerful book. Similar to Dan Barker there is Robby Berry, who was a very strong minded Christian and now a free thinking atheist. Robby Berry is also the author of many documents containing to atheism and life as an atheist in America. There are many other famous atheists throughout history such as the deceased actor Christopher Reed who died an active member of the American Atheist Organization, an organization fighting for the rights of the atheists in America. Do not be conned into believing that atheists are not in this nation’s history or this world’s history because you would be widely mistaking.



Discriminations of the Atheist: Many people discard the idea of prejudice and hatred/discrimination toward the atheist. Many people are sadly and dangerously mistaking. Fact, atheists are discriminated all over the world including the so call leader of the free world, the United States of America. As a well known atheist in America I know first hand of the hatred, prejudice, and discrimination faced by the atheist in America. I have seen first hand intelligent students who could have made a difference in this world expelled from school after exercising there right to not say the phrase, “Under God” in the pledge. I have witnessed personally being given a week of after school detention after refusing to pray at a memorial ceremony held at my old elementary school. I am here to tell you that a great friend of mind who was born in Italy and raised by Roman-Catholics where religion governed ever aspect of their lives moved to the U.S. in order to free himself from religion. Not only did he have to learn and recite a pledge demanding religion over this land but too have to spend currency everyday representing him believing in a God. A nation should not be focused on representing the religious majority rather representing all citizens equally. This nation’s currency should not read “In God We Trust”, rather more on the line of “United We Stand”, “We the People” or something that represents the foundation of this government and the people, not a religion. Many of the discrimination atheists face in this nation is contributed by the false stigmas and rumors about atheists. Until this stigma is controlled and eliminated the atheist in not just America, but the atheist in the world will continue to be discriminated against and hated by many. We must remember as humanity that the most prejudice and hateful person is the one that doesn’t have knowledge that they are indeed prejudice or hateful, this is also the most dangerous of them all. There are in fact people who losses there job due to there lack of a belief in the supernatural. Many atheists find themselves being avoided and even hated just because they are an atheist. Atheists find themselves facing housing and property discrimination. In Greenville, SC property was refused to be sold to a very good buyer based on the reasoning that because the person lacked in a belief in the supernatural it would be hard to explain to the kids in the neighborhood what this meant and who this person was and that the parents of the community should have a right to explain this on there own time and not because of a new buyer of property. What type of reasoning is this? It is the right of every American to pursue there happiness anywhere and anytime they wish to do so. It would be unacceptable to deny a black American that very same property for that very same reason and so it is too unacceptable to deny anyone else such property regardless of their religious belief or lack there of. Atheists have been ignored in the U.S. for many years but will no longer be ignored. It is said that when people are not familiar with other kinds, and become over whelmed with fear they replaces this fear with discrimination. Atheists are human beings like any other Americans. We have the right to be treated as such. There is no need to fear the atheist but only to fear the discrimination of the atheists in America and this world. There was a college professor a few years back who was the director of the science department of some college who lost his position as the director and his job as a professor after the Board of Directors ascertained that he was an atheist and taught evolution in class as he was suppose to. This is the type of nation we live in now. Where the rights of the individual matters none. Where the right to pursue ones happiness matters none. We live in a nation that tells our children that nonbelievers are all bad people and should be hated and avoided at all times. We are telling our children that the rights and feelings of such citizens matters none. To teach such hatred and discrimination to our children is to remove the fabric of this nation and replace it with Death, Slavery, Injustice, Inequality, and Pursuit of evil and destruction. The fact remains that most atheists, I myself being one of them, are only trying to spread Life, Liberty, Justice, Equality, and the Pursuit of Happiness. There are going to be many so call leaders, politicians, religious leaders, and fellow citizens trying to con you into believing that the atheists in America and around the world are not discriminated against for there lack of belief but I am here to tell you today that the people telling you this are sadly, and dangerously mistaking. So why would such citizens tell you a destructive lie? The answer to this is simple, they were told this lie and they believe this lie and so they feel they are spreading the truth. However, let us remember that the worst prejudice/hateful person is the one that lacks the knowledge that they are indeed prejudice/hateful. Be no fool, America as well as the rest of the world is full of prejudice, hatred, and inequality toward several types of people and the atheists is a great bit of them currently. Rest assures that the atheists will not accept this and will continue to push on for our rights not just as Americans and citizens, but as a part of humanity.

The Morals of the Atheists: First off, Christianity or religion does not give you morals. Many people are so quick to say that atheists are ill moral and that you must have some basic belief in a higher power to be at peace with your self and to have good and “righteous” morals. This is the most blankly false statement to ever be made in the history of mankind and it is statements like these that places false and extremist stigmatisms on the atheists and place all atheists in the so call evil circle or evil wing. News flash to all who believe in this false charge that atheists have no morals, there is a guy who was brought up around hate and religion. Religion taught this guy to hate others and the religious way was the only way. Religion taught this person that all non believers had a common theme of evil and betrayal and all was apart of the same circle of evil. The guy eventually broke free from this slavery call religion and became a free minded person. This guy went on to create an organization fighting for equality for all of humanity and the fair and equal protection and representation of each citizen of humanity. This person made several political and financial contributions to many religious communities and non religious communities. This person believe that all people were born equal and should all be treated the same. This person believes that there is nothing greater than the idea of freedom and wishes only to spread Life, Liberty, Justice, Equality, and the Pursuit of Happiness. This person’s morals are of pure love and are of Life, Liberty, Justice, Equality, and the Pursuit of Happiness. This person did not get this from religion or hate; this person gathered his morals from personal experiences in his life time and personal growth not from religion. This person is an atheist; I know this because this person is me. I have a message for the world. A person who is raised completely isolated from religion will still have morals. There morals will not be necessarily evil or ill moral. There morals will not be your morals but there morals. The fact is that most atheists’ morals include Life, Liberty, Justice, Equality, and the Pursuit of Happiness and most theists’ morals include Death, Slavery, Injustice, Inequality, and the Pursuit of Evil and Destruction. The fact is that the ill moral people and negative moral people are not majority non believers, but majority believers. It is an ignorant thing to say that morals come from religion. If that’s the case when you totally isolate a person from a religion forever and never expose them to such religious ways then they should never grow to have morals but the fact is that the cave men prior to establishing a religious belief had morals of taking care of family and the tribe and that they should be strong in nature and the ruler over the world. The fact is this was their morals then and many people’s morals today. These morals originated from how the cave men lived and not from a religious belief because they had yet to establish the idea of a religion or higher power. This proves that even without a religious up bringing and a religious environment one can still have what is concerned by society reasonable and good morals. This is because religion does not make a person full of good morals or good-willed. Religion, if anything, makes a person blind to life, and full of prejudice and hatred. This is not the type of morals I wish to commit to and definitely not the morals I want my children to commit to. When is comes to morals it is crucial that religion is left out of it and that the world’s future, the children, understand that it is not religion in which morals is sprung from but the experiences a person have throughout his or her life and the choices he or she makes based on those experiences. America and the world must realize that religion is full of hate, prejudice, and injustice, and should not be the supreme nor minute governor of anything, let along a government, or the creator of morals and virtues solely. I declare to the world that religion has never been the originator of morals and will never be. Eventually mankind will push aside religion all together and expand their mind far out beyond the universe after achieving unity and harmony. This will only be possible if we realize as humanity the faults in religion and the truth behind morals. Atheists as individuals have already achieved this, but this means nothing unless we can spread such achievement across the world and open the eyes of humanity to this truth and close the eyes of humanity the lies around the world. It is not the sole obligation of the atheist to push the truth that religion is not the original creator of morals but that of the individual person. People must push aside the foolishness and understand that morals originate from the experiences a person encounters throughout life and the way he choices to respond to them.



Atheists In Politics: There are atheists who are politicians; however the numbers of these atheists are very limited. This is because of the stigmas of the ill morals of the atheist and the stigma that atheists are all bad and a danger to society. With this attitude and frame of mind it is no wonder there are a lack of atheist leaders appointed and elected as government officials. The nation to deny such positions to a non believer the most is none other than the “leader of the free world”, the United Sates of America. This is because the United States over the past couple of decades have strayed far away from the great ideas of Life, Liberty, Justice, Equality, and the Pursuit of Happiness and now is a slave to religion and the hatred and prejudice taught by such. The very proof of the matter is in the currency spent in the U.S. and the words of the pledge to the flag representing all the lives sacrificed for this nation, many of which being atheists. As long as such perspective that religion represents this nation exists, it will be hard for the United States to see pass such differences and elect and appoint the best leaders to government positions. There need to be an increase of atheist leaders in the world, however. The fact is that most atheists are good people who will make great leaders and better leaders than the politicians this nation is faced with on a daily bases. Atheists need to rise up and demand to be included in politics. The fact is that the most atheist leaders are outstanding leaders and if the world would pay attention more to leaders who share the identical goals and ideas of those of atheist leaders, one will find that the world would be a better place. One does not have to be an atheist to be a great leader, however, most atheist leaders are great leaders because they have no religious agenda or prejudice/hateful ideas to hold them back from spreading true harmony. The fact is that most atheist leaders wish to spread nothing but Life, Liberty, Justice, Equality, and the Pursuit of Happiness and live like any other human being, as do most atheists in general as well as humanity. The fact is that as long as there is negative stigmas attached to the atheist by society and as long as society sees atheists as the opposite of humanity and the opposite of good and morals, atheists will continue to be discriminated against in elections and continue to be ignored for appointments of government positions and the election of government positions. This is unacceptable. Because of the negative stigmas attached to the atheist and the negative outlook by society on the atheist, causes great leaders to become denied to positions where they can better the world. Atheists are denied such positions because of a lack of belief in a god or higher power. The fact is if an atheist was to run for President or any other political office they would not even make it to the final preliminary stages because of their lack of belief in a god or higher power. This is a very prejudice and hateful virus that is destroying not only the United States of America, the so call leader of the free world, but it is both abruptly and leisurely destroying the very fabric of freedom and good in the universe. Are atheists not humans? Atheists have been discarded from the politics for a long time. This must no longer be stood for. It is time for the United States and the world to know that atheists is no longer asking for the same opportunities and equal rights as any other citizens of this world to be elected to political positions, we have been asking this for far too long. Atheists are now demanding that we are given equal opportunity to such positions and not looked upon as the lesser of society. The fact is that more theists commit crimes and so call immoral sins than the atheist. If you look at the ratio of theists who commits crime versus the ratio of atheists altogether the percentage of crimes per population for theists will still be significantly higher than that of the atheists. So with this fact who is contributing more chaos into society, and who are truly the lesser of society. Society needs to stop trying to decide who’s evil and who’s not base on their religious beliefs but need to focus on the real issue of who best to unite the world behind the ideas of Life, Liberty, Justice, Equality, and the Pursuit of Happiness. The fact is that religion doesn’t spread these ideas; it is the heart of humanity that spreads the idea. It is time for these ideas to rule the world and be set into stone. By electing theists to political positions is not spreading such ideas. Atheist leaders are great leaders, and like any other leaders deserve to be elected and appointed to positions where they can demonstrate their great skills and ideas across the world. The fact remains that the atheists are not going to tolerate the discrimination and prejudice they face everyday by society and should be appointed and more importantly elected to a lot more government and political positions not just in the United States but the world. There is nothing logical or rational that can be said that will justify why there aren’t more atheists appointed and elected to government positions. There are several atheists world wide that are running for such positions and not getting elected based primary because of their lack of a belief in a higher power or a god. Let us remember that the most dangerous person in any society is the one with nothing to loss. You do not need ten such men, one will do. Well there are millions of atheists all around the world and we will not be ignored and will not continue to be discarded from political or government positions.



The Organizing of the Atheists: One of hate’s biggest allies is silence and fear. Atheists must not be silent and must not be afraid to shout to the world that atheists will not be ignored and will not be stepped on. Many atheists, particularly with the youth, refuse to exhibit or declare their lack of a belief in a god because of the knowledge and fear of what will come next. What comes next is the discrimination and hatred. What comes next is the out casting by society and tossed into a society where you are the lesser and the ill moral one. What come next are hard times and a lot of fighting for what is rightfully all of mankind’s’. What comes next is not pretty but what comes when one lives under false identity and declares not there lack of belief is a lifetime of lies and shamefulness. Atheists must not allow this hate to drive one down. Atheists must unite and stand up with one mighty roar that atheists will be heard and will not surrender to hate and prejudice. Concealing ones lack of a belief in a god or higher power is to allow into the society that teaches such lack of beliefs to be evil and a danger to society. There must no longer exist a fear in the atheists when it comes to uniting and standing up against the discrimination and hate in this world. There are millions of atheists around the world and its time for them to take a stand. It is time for atheists to support other atheists. It is time for atheists to protest against the hate and fear in society. It is time for the atheists to vote and elect other atheist leaders to public office. This is the only way the atheists will be respected. This is the only way the atheists will be free. Atheists have been the victims of Christianity, hate, and fear longer than any other group or theme of people in the history of the universe. Atheists are indeed the last minority. But through unity and fearless pride we will break the chains of fear and hate and take our place amongst society as equal citizens. Young atheists must come out of their closets and corners and take their positions on the streets fighting for equal rights and civil liberties. There has always been a need for more activists amongst the atheists. Change does not come by sitting on the side lines shouting for change. Change comes by getting out on the fields and getting dirty. There are too many clean sideline atheists shouting for change and not enough dirty, fighting for changes, atheists demanding for change. America is the worst when it comes to the hate and discrimination of the atheists but even still the great up rising and demands for equal rights of the atheists should not begin in America, rather in the entire world simultaneously. It is the responsibility of the atheists to make this happen. Atheists must unit, regardless of their differences, and attack this plague of discrimination, hate, and fear head on. It is time for this plague to be destroyed. This means that young atheists must stand up as well and join the mighty roar of freedom and equality. There must be, as there will be, a clear message to the American people and the citizens of humanity that atheists will be free as well and will not stand on the sidelines any longer. The wealthier atheists have advantages because they have money. This is not justice nor is it equal. However, it is something the atheists will have to work with. In order to spread Life, Liberty, Justice, Equality, and the Pursuit of Happiness the wealthier atheists will have to put there money on candidates that can best benefit the atheists and will also have to spread the message of change throughout the nation and world. This will be harder to do for the lower class of atheists but the less wealthy of atheists must assists as well in their attitude, performance, and financial ways. The road to peace and harmony will have to be carved by the atheists. It is apparent that standing on the sidelines will not amount to change. It is even more apparent that for the atheists to be free we will have get off of the sidelines and lead the way to Life, Liberty, Justice, Equality, and the Pursuit of Happiness. We will have to lead the way to peace and harmony. Atheists will unit, and this world and universe will finally begin to see the hate and prejudice dissipate and the road to freedom, peace, and harmony begin to become paved. Life, Liberty, Justice, Equality, and the Pursuit of Happiness will come to the atheists, but will only come to the atheists through unity and fearless pride. America has come far from representing freedom and equality. America is the guiltiest of spreading this hate, and prejudice toward the atheists. Soon, however, the atheists will eliminate this plague all over the world and endure this freedom dreamed of for millenniums. It is way past time for change in this universe and way past time for the atheists to unite. With millions of atheists fighting for change this universe will see the biggest event since the big bang. The event of Life, Liberty, Justice, Equality, and the Pursuit of Happiness being spread throughout all of humanity.



CONCLUSION:






Being an atheist is just that. Being an atheist does not make you a part of a religion or cult. Being an atheist does not make you a believer or disbeliever in anything, rather the lack of a belief. It doesn’t matter whether one is an implicate atheist (one who has never practiced religion or have no consciences objection to religion) or if you are an explicate atheist (one who have practiced religion or have a consciences objection), you are still an atheist. A person with out a belief in the supernatural or higher being. Being an atheist does not make a person ill moral. There are many atheists who have their own families and are some of the best and model families in the universe. Atheists have been around for a long time and have contributed a lot to society. Atheists are very discriminated against but that is all about to change. The atheists will rise up and unite, and there will be a change in this universe. Much of humanity is afraid of change, but change is coming. Atheists will no longer be pushed aside and ignored. The atheists must unite and the world must realize that change is coming whether by force or voluntarily. Long live the atheists.