Easter/Atheism

As I'm sure most of you are aware, today is Easter Sunday.  And if you've read this blog for any length of time you are also aware that I'm an atheist.  I do not personally believe in God but I respect other people's right to believe whatever they want.  And even though I don't believe in God, I still enjoy celebrating the day with my family.  Just because they believe in something that I don't doesn't mean I don't enjoy spending the day with them.  I enjoy Christmas as well.  I just don't look too much into the religious aspect of it.

I know people have strong views about religion.  I was raised Catholic.  I went to catholic schools up until the eighth grade.  I was baptized, had my communion, and was confirmed.  I know what it's like to be Catholic.  And I know people are curious about other religions or lack of them but that doesn't give you the right to be rude.  On more than one occasion I've been talking with someone and the topic of religion comes up and they find out I'm an atheist and they say things like:

"Where do you get your morality?" 

• I get my morality from what I believe is right.  I try to behave in the way that I believe a good person should behave.  And if the fear of eternal punishment is all that's keeping you from raping and murdering everyone in sight, you're not really a good person.

 "I'll pray for you."

• So basically you're going to do nothing.  Thanks, I guess.

"Why do you hate God?"

• In order to hate something you have to believe in it.  Which atheists don't.  Saying that atheist's hate God would be the same as me saying that Christians hate talking horses.  You can't hate something that you don't believe exists.

"Have you read the bible?"

• Yes, I have.  One of the reasons I'm an atheist is because I have read the bible.  Any God that condones rape, slavery, and murder is not someone I want to be worshiping.

"Do you worship the Devil?"

• I always find it surprising the amount of people who think that atheists worship the devil.  Atheists don't believe in the Devil.  We don't worship at all.

"Really?  You don't act like an atheist."

• This is possibly the most offensive statement I've gotten.  What the fuck is that supposed to mean?  How exactly did you expect me to act?  And if you replace 'atheist' with pretty much anything else it's immediately apparent how offensive it is.  You wouldn't say to someone: "You don't act Jewish." or "You don't act like a German." or "You don't act like a black person."

It doesn't help that many religions are against homosexuality.  The rate of atheists/agnostics in the LQBTQ community is at nearly 50%.  That's over two times greater than in the general population.  As a pansexual I have personally been treated badly by religious organizations.  I'm not saying that I became an atheist because I am LGBTQ and was treated badly.  I lost my faith in God years before I began identifying as pansexual.

So to all who celebrate it: Happy Easter.
To everybody else: Happy Sunday.

If any of you are curious about atheism I would recommend the books:
The God Delusion - Richard Dawkins
Is Religion Dangerous - Keith Ward
God is Not Great (how religion poisons everything) - Christopher Hitchens 

You could also check out: Friendly Atheist
It's a blog run by Hemant Mehta.  I found it very interesting and informative.  It can be found at: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/