I have been reading Google news this morning, as I sometimes do, looking for interesting articles which talk about the non-religious community.What I noticed was that the vast majority of results were not atheists writing about atheism, but either religious authors bemoaning atheism, or atheists responding to the bemoaning of religious authors.  Personally I love a good debate, and like most people I will rise to the challenge of arguing my position in relation to religion.

What I hear from the religious perspective though, is that atheism is to be feared, because it causes all kinds of evils in the world.  One article I came across highlighted, Lenin and Stalin and their murder of innocent people in the name of atheism.  Yes they were evil men, and they did evil things, and they were in all likelihood atheists.  Does this mean anyone who does not agree with the position of the churches should be branded a mass murderer?

I know of many people who describe themselves as either religious or spiritual who don’t believe that.  Some right wing ministers will have you believe that atheists will corrupt your children, simply proving once again how the religious point of view gives way to reason and fact.

Where does all this hostility to atheists come from though?  I don’t stand outside my local church on a Sunday berating people for wasting their time talking to their invisible friend.  I don’t go banging on their door telling them they’re completely bonkers and that religion is the cause of all their problems.  So why is it acceptable for religious people to treat non-believers in this way?

There was much comment around the fact that Obama acknowledged the non-religious in his inaugural speech.  Many non-religious people felt this made them an accepted part of their nation, and that they were now valued and equal partners in their country.  Whilst many religious commentators made the argument that America was founded on “Christian” values.

I think it is a poor reflection on our society when atheists cannot reach out to one another in a public forum and discuss the issues which affect us.  The atheist bus campaign was reviled by many, as an attack on religion, when in reality the intent of the message was to offer reassurance and comfort to non-religious people.   The organisers made it clear the ad campaign was in response to another campaign by religious groups which condemned the non-religious to hell.  This is pretty hateful and uncharitable message by any standards.  How would the message have sounded if you replaced atheist with, black, Muslim, Jew, fat, or gay?

I am saddened that people in our society view atheists so negatively just because we reach out to one another.  Why shouldn’t we be allowed to share our thoughts and feelings?  Why are the religious so “Offended” because I wear a t-shirt that says there’s probably no-god?  It is a fair a logical comment, which you may or may not agree with.   You don’t have to like it, but it’s what I believe.
As an agnostic the idea of an infinite god, which knows all, sees all, hears all, and is all powerful seems highly improbably.  The evidence I have seen to support the case of this improbably entity is also very scant.  Therefore I reason that there probably isn’t a god, and so choose not to focus on that or let it influence my life.

What I can see is that there are human beings, and other animals in the world with which we co-exist. We can make choices about the way we shape our world through our actions, and the outcomes they create for ourselves and those around us.  My choice is to enrich myself and those around me as much as I can through compassion, honesty, and integrity.   These are values I have developed myself, influenced by those around me.  Is it a belief system? Of course it is!  Through application of these ideas, I can observe the way these behaviours impact me and other people, and if they create desirable or undesirable outcomes.