Why I'm an outspoken atheist
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Why I'm an outspoken atheist
I've been an atheist and a skeptic all my life - long before I knew the words. In my family, it was custom to speak the verifiable truth, and be corrected if you strayed. For me, that was as much part of growing up as learning to walk.
It's taken me 30 years to realize that rational thinking does not come natural, not even to the most intelligent. Thinking is a skill that has to be learned and exercised. Most people simply don't have that skill: They have to rely on wishful thinking, magical thinking or feelings - which has brought us to an overpopulated world, about to be destroyed by our "success". We have wars over what's the best fairy tale. Even in the western world humans share most of their morals with chimps and meerkats - and that's the good morals. The bad morals (on homosexuality for instance) are strictly human: Most animals are at least as liberal as we are.
What I value most is leading a free, safe and healthy life. I wish that for every human (and every other conscious creature), and I know that there's only one way to strive for it, and that is by facts and reason. That's the facts as Science tells them: How pandemics work, how tsunamis work and how a climate works, to name just a few examples. Knowing them is the only way to fight them.
I'd very much like to see politics being run on facts and reason - and I don't think it will ever happen. In my lifetime, we will not leave the 15'th century - but that's no reason not to try.
That's my story, and that's the reason I found this forum through Richard Dawkins' forum. That place is too crowded for my taste - so I'll give this one a try. I realize I'm the first member at the moment - but since the forum is only a week old, I might be part of the start of something beautiful. I'll hope for it; I won't pray for it.
It's taken me 30 years to realize that rational thinking does not come natural, not even to the most intelligent. Thinking is a skill that has to be learned and exercised. Most people simply don't have that skill: They have to rely on wishful thinking, magical thinking or feelings - which has brought us to an overpopulated world, about to be destroyed by our "success". We have wars over what's the best fairy tale. Even in the western world humans share most of their morals with chimps and meerkats - and that's the good morals. The bad morals (on homosexuality for instance) are strictly human: Most animals are at least as liberal as we are.
What I value most is leading a free, safe and healthy life. I wish that for every human (and every other conscious creature), and I know that there's only one way to strive for it, and that is by facts and reason. That's the facts as Science tells them: How pandemics work, how tsunamis work and how a climate works, to name just a few examples. Knowing them is the only way to fight them.
I'd very much like to see politics being run on facts and reason - and I don't think it will ever happen. In my lifetime, we will not leave the 15'th century - but that's no reason not to try.
That's my story, and that's the reason I found this forum through Richard Dawkins' forum. That place is too crowded for my taste - so I'll give this one a try. I realize I'm the first member at the moment - but since the forum is only a week old, I might be part of the start of something beautiful. I'll hope for it; I won't pray for it.
Niels- Posts : 140
Join date : 2009-09-10
Age : 60
Location : Netherlands
Re: Why I'm an outspoken atheist
I really like what you said about skepticism and critical thinking not being natural for people. I never real thought about this since to me it has become very natural but so has swimming yet I know people who cant swim because this unnatural ability was never taught to them. Being pattern seeking animals it is actually natural to assume things and to jump to conclusions.
Re: Why I'm an outspoken atheist
Hi, Niels! Glad to see you here. Hopefully the others will join, soon. Peace, jenna.
courtney- Posts : 13
Join date : 2010-01-11
Re: Why I'm an outspoken atheist
Hello Jenna. I'm delighted that you signed up here. You're the most pleasant enemy anybody could have. ;-)courtney wrote:Hi, Niels! Glad to see you here. Hopefully the others will join, soon. Peace, jenna.
Niels- Posts : 140
Join date : 2009-09-10
Age : 60
Location : Netherlands
Re: Why I'm an outspoken atheist
Enemy? Ya ain't seen nuthin yet!Niels wrote:Hello Jenna. I'm delighted that you signed up here. You're the most pleasant enemy anybody could have. ;-)courtney wrote:Hi, Niels! Glad to see you here. Hopefully the others will join, soon. Peace, jenna.
courtney- Posts : 13
Join date : 2010-01-11
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