Atheism, What Are The "negative" Aspects Of Being An Atheist?

[RATTER15]

Please someone else start the list as I'm a bit stuck to be honest.

[ummmm]

We have to sit through religious ceremonies (weddings/funerals/Christenings)

[mccfluff]

people going "awwww" and feeling sorry for you when you tell them for the 1000000000th time you don't celebrate xmas, easter etc

[jim360]

Socially there can be several minus points, although it is presumably a lot less acute now than in the past, and also it may depend on the country you are living in. Within some people's living memory, for example, the adjective "atheistic" was used as a vicious barb by US presidents to describe the Soviet regime. Imagine being an atheist yourself at the time.

[Old_Geezer]

"Knowing" that you have no reason to be ?

[andy-hughes]

I honestly can't think of any at all.

To me, atheism is the absence of a belief system, rather than a belief to the contrary.

Holding beliefs means you may be called upon to justify them, which sounds like awfully hard work, whereas if you simply don't believe, no explanation is required.

So there are no negatives - only positives.

You don't have to live up to an utterly impossible role model that you can never get within miles of, and spend your life feeling miserable and a failure.

You just carry on - do your best, be nice, and head for oblivion in due course.

Couldn't be much easier than that.

[andy-hughes]

divebuddy - //I've seen plenty of people who are religious take great comfort from their religion when something bad happens. e.g. it helps them cope with a bereavement or their own looming death. This solace isn't available to the likes of me, being an atheist. //

True, but as a fellow atheist, I don't have to wonder how my God allows cancer in children, as Stephen Fry so accurately evidenced in his reasons for non-belief.

That would mess my head up on a daily basis, so I am glad to escape the utter misery of being told I am loved by a loving God, who allows people like Jimmy Savile and Cyril Smith to walk the earth with me.

[atalanta]

I see a lot of people around me attending a lot of social events which I can't join in. Especially in the church and the church rooms. Harvest suppers. Mothering Sunday festivals. Good Friday processions ending with hot-cross-buns in the vestry. All the Christmas functions with children, like Christingle. Beating the bounds. All the Great-and-the-Good among my neighbours attend church, and I do wonder if they are true believers, but if they aren't, I can't share their hypocrisy, simply for the sake of the companionship. I do attend funerals and weddings, but I feel antagonised by the preacher praying for god's blessings/comfort/forgiveness. I am irritated by the broad assumption that if you are in the church you must be a believer, even during events where atheists might well be expected to attend, if only to pay their respects.

[andy-hughes]

divebuddy - //Andy. I'm just answering the question posed by the OP, not getting involved in a debate about religion generally. Just let people give their opinion for gawds sake without the dubious benefit of your analysis of that opinion. Sometimes, less is more, you know. //

If that is your stance, then fine, no problem,

Personally, I like to exchange opinions with other posters, because that is how I learn - by an exchange of views which often give me cause to re-think my position on things.

If you don't wish to read or discuss my opinions, or yours, do feel free to ignore them.

I don' t think my analysis is necessarily 'dubious' - it is just my thoughts, and you are not obliged to take any notice of them whatsoever if you prefer not to.

[andy-hughes]

Atlanta - I am interested in your view, that you see attending religious functions as hypocrisy.

I attend Catholic Mass every Sunday, with my wife who is Catholic.

I see no hypocrisy in simply taking what I want from the situation - I enjoy mixing with friends, I like singing hymns, I enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of people sharing a faith, even if I do not share it myself.

I liken it to attending Wayne Shorter's 80th birthday concert in Montreal (I get to go for free) when I was aware that something special was going on, but I had absolutely no idea what it meant! I still enjoyed the experience though.

My take on most religious functions is that, yes, there probably is an assumption of belief, but that in itself is natural and harmless, and if your non-belief was identified, no-one would really mind. If they did, that's the chance to have an interesting conversation.

[RATTER15]

OG, "Knowing" that you have no reason to be ?" I have every reason "to be" I live life to the full, the difference as I see it, is I have no reason to die, life is is great, I dont need any God foa reason "to be"

Mccfluff, I never tell anybody that, I just go with the flow, knowing that all these celebrations are really pagan festivals after all! and I also quite enjoy telling people so if they have the desire to push the idea.

Divebuddy, "This solace isn't available to the likes of me, being an atheist."
as an atheist I have never needed the solace of something that does not exist, I am strong enough with out such nonsense, maybe being an atheist teaches you to stand on your own two feet.

Atalanta, just join in and enjoy the moment, most of the others are probably hypocrites anyway, and surely you are only a hypocrite if you agree with all that stuff, you are just there as a bystander.

So not a single down side from what I have seen so far!!

Thank God I'm an Atheist!!

[RATTER15]

please all, feel free to challenge and debate any of these issues raised?

[andy-hughes]

Thanks Ratter - I have already!!

[mibn2cweus]

The only downside to atheism I have experienced is how I have been treated as an outsider by those that are theists. Obviously, I make an effort to stay away from societies where the revelation that I am an atheist would constitute a death sentence.

In a world without theists there would be no downside to being an atheist . . . as far as I can see.

[andy-hughes]

mibn2cweus - // ... how I have been treated as an outsider by those that are theists. //

I am amazed. In my experience, even without knowing my view, most devout Christians are keen to be smug about their faith, or to advise you that they have something you need - neither of which moves me personally in the slightest.

However, I have never encountered hostility - especially not from my lovely wife who is a Catholic.

[Mamyalynne]

I find it sad that some Atheists here have been either shunned or treated in a bad way because they don't 'believe' - I would never treat someone in that way or indeed feel sorry for them.

We each make our path in life and for all there are pluses and minuses.

[RATTER15]

Andy, //most devout Christians are keen to be smug about their faith,// They dont have a copyright on smugness!! http://tinypic.com/r/2ci7g9v/8

[andy-hughes]

Mamyalynne - //I find it sad that some Atheists here have been either shunned or treated in a bad way because they don't 'believe' - I would never treat someone in that way or indeed feel sorry for them.//

Indeed - I would go so far as to suggest that any Christian who is being rude, or impolite is going entirely against the ethos of their faith - which is surely to embrace anyone and everyone.

That's one of the major issues I have with Christians, some develop an unassailable sense of superiority, which is utterly undeserved!

[-Talbot-]

The only down side I can envisage is God tutting and wagging his finger from side to side when I go to heaven.