my bleak existance
I came across this article today and was moved to respond to the author. I think it's time I speak up a little more rather than simply dismissing them. As pointless as it may be explaining my view to someone like this, I'd feel even worse if I simply gave him and others like him a pass. It's not until we all speak louder and more often that people may at least not be able to dismiss us so quickly.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jon Lowis"
To:
Sent: Thursday, December 14, 2006 11:56 AM
Subject: our bleak alternative
Sir, I was compelled to write to you this morning in regards to the article I read on Boston.com titled "Atheists' bleak alternative". I'll pass over roughly 75% of your article as it was rather uninteresting. What I would like to take a moment to respond to is the last few paragraphs in regards to atheists and morality.
You write "the atheist alternative is a world in which right and wrong are ultimately matters of opinion, and in which we are finally accountable to no one but ourselves".
I trust you do not believe that Christians get their morality from that holy book now, do you? At best, you are foolish, and at worst you are thinking dangerously. Is it not the Christians who pick and choose which moral ideas to accept from the bible? If morality comes from the bible, we would be stoning our disobedient children, and those who work on the Sabbath. We would rightfully own slaves as long as they were from other countries.
Your good book preaches hatred, intolerance and the authority to treat women as property. If you want to pick and choose which parts of scripture to live by and which others no longer apply, then I contend it is you who decides your own morality. When a hatred towards others is authorized by your good book, you see it as validation for it.
That, sir, is anything but a tiding of comfort and joy.
The ideas of right and wrong were instilled in me by my parents, not a preacher. I was not raised in any religious capacity. I owe it to my parents who never picked up the bible for my ability to see humans as humans and to value life. As an atheist, I get a good feeling out of helping people, being kind, and not hurting others. I suspect this is what drives most moral people to be good. Fear will also drive people to be good, but for a completely different reason. Fear of hell is a powerful way to scare children into obedience. An impressionable child listens to his parents, and for good reason. Unfortunately, if his parents are telling him or her fairy tales, they will listen to that too.
Fear of God is no way to live one's life. And it is no way to raise children either. It certainly does not have a very good track record.
Regards,
Jon
Thoughts, anyone?
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jon Lowis"
To:
Sent: Thursday, December 14, 2006 11:56 AM
Subject: our bleak alternative
Sir, I was compelled to write to you this morning in regards to the article I read on Boston.com titled "Atheists' bleak alternative". I'll pass over roughly 75% of your article as it was rather uninteresting. What I would like to take a moment to respond to is the last few paragraphs in regards to atheists and morality.
You write "the atheist alternative is a world in which right and wrong are ultimately matters of opinion, and in which we are finally accountable to no one but ourselves".
I trust you do not believe that Christians get their morality from that holy book now, do you? At best, you are foolish, and at worst you are thinking dangerously. Is it not the Christians who pick and choose which moral ideas to accept from the bible? If morality comes from the bible, we would be stoning our disobedient children, and those who work on the Sabbath. We would rightfully own slaves as long as they were from other countries.
Your good book preaches hatred, intolerance and the authority to treat women as property. If you want to pick and choose which parts of scripture to live by and which others no longer apply, then I contend it is you who decides your own morality. When a hatred towards others is authorized by your good book, you see it as validation for it.
That, sir, is anything but a tiding of comfort and joy.
The ideas of right and wrong were instilled in me by my parents, not a preacher. I was not raised in any religious capacity. I owe it to my parents who never picked up the bible for my ability to see humans as humans and to value life. As an atheist, I get a good feeling out of helping people, being kind, and not hurting others. I suspect this is what drives most moral people to be good. Fear will also drive people to be good, but for a completely different reason. Fear of hell is a powerful way to scare children into obedience. An impressionable child listens to his parents, and for good reason. Unfortunately, if his parents are telling him or her fairy tales, they will listen to that too.
Fear of God is no way to live one's life. And it is no way to raise children either. It certainly does not have a very good track record.
Regards,
Jon
Thoughts, anyone?