Admiration

[Will-Mun]

So I am an Atheist... I used to kinda not want to use that term, I used to find that you can't group the DISBELIEF of something together... That and Atheism still today gets a bad rap of being filled with amoral pricks who don't disbelieve in a theistic world, but are instead DO believe in a god, and are just pissed off at him.

But I do describe myself as an atheist now, it's what I am and I'm not shy about it. And most people I come across pay it little mind, just one of the many facets of me. In fact, I have a friend at work who is Catholic, and we love to joke around about our beliefs, there's no disrespect or hatred when he calls me a Dirty Atheist, and the same when I point and laugh while saying "Ha, you have faith." It's all in good fun and in fact shows how much we do respect each other as more than our theistic beliefs or rather lack of.

But one day, while we were joking around another coworker turned to my friend and told him how much admiration she had that he so strongly held his beliefs... I don't think she was trying to offend him, but it sort of struck a cord with me. Now I'm not saying he doesn't deserve admiration for believing what he does...But why does he deserve it over me...Or anyone really.

He chose to believe something given to him since birth. Now to be fair he is not a passive Christian, he has actually studied it and holds it to be true.... But why wouldn't I deserve the same, or more, admiration. Isn't it more difficult to chose NOT to follow something that you were brought up with, to have the strength to break away from something so powerful? Isn't it more admirable to question something most people simply accept blindly?

Now my friend does deserve some admiration, he studied his faith and truly understands what it means. He's put more thought into what he believes than most, and believing so strongly in it, while still respecting other people's choice to NOT believe what he believes.

But I've done the same, I just chose to be someone who DOESN'T believe in a world filled mostly with those who do. Why don't I deserve admiration?

(Note I am not LOOKING fo admiration, this is just something I've been kicking around in the noggin.)

[Sylvia727]

Pessimistic - the coworker holds the same view as the Christian and thus admires in him the qualities she admires about herself. In other words, "I like you because you're like me."

Optimistic - the coworker has seen more evidence of him defending his faith, and thus compliments him for a quality you both share, but which she has seen more of in him.

Generally speaking, complimenting people for belonging to a particular faith just makes the complimenter sound ignorant. Complimenting people for researching their beliefs and backing them up is a bit better, but still strays into membership terrority. I've seen people of many religions compliment their fellows for having found enlightenment (yes, even atheists) and it just doesn't sound like a true virtue to me. Best case scenario? "I can see that you've spent a lot of time researching and considering this issue, and I admire your dedication and perserverance."

[Slytovhand]

Well, firstly, everyone is an 'atheist' in one in one context - the context of belief in one version of deity. Christians are just as atheistic towards the Hindu Gods as Wiccans are to Satanists (course - that depends on whether by 'satanist' you mean a humanist or someone who actively believes in such an entity).

Secondly, when I was working at the library many years ago, there was a strong christian contingent. I got along really brilliantly with one of them in particular, because her 'faith' was a very important part of her life (rather than just being of significance). I was, of course, the rampant pagan. But... we could discuss things openly and ask the difficult questions. I 'admired' her faith, but not that of the others. Why? Because she had been through some real serious life crisis stuff, and it wasn't just the mere book-following of the others. Nor was it because she was well researched and thought out. It was a true 'faith' borne of hardships in life.. and that's hard to come by in life.

I think most people go with what's easiest in life.

In the same time period, I had started work on the same day as another christian type. She was egotistical enough to say that "someday I'll learn". She even went so far as to say that I'd lose my faith before she lost hers. I thought about this, and had to agree. I don't consider myself so gullible that if some entity popped up in front of me, said "Hey, I'm God - go sacrifice your best friend to me to show your faith in me", that I'd go and do it willingly. If I believed that 'my god' is all loving and caring, no way would such a request be made to me just to satisfy an ego (yes - that is exactly how I would see such a thing... go figure, Abraham!)


Besides, Will-mun, you've got so much evidence, rationality and logic to back up your beliefs, thus it doesn't take much 'effort' to be an atheist. You don't have to 'justify' your ideas in face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Now, if you witnessed a 'miracle' before your very eyes (and I am talking serious miracle material here), but still kept your atheist beliefs, I'd either call you a complete idiot, or say that I admire your convictions (maybe both )

Slyt

[Lace Neil Singer]

I tend to see myself as partly atheist and partly LaVeyan; mostly cuz I agree with a lot of the laws. I don't believe in a god of any description. However, I was brought up as a Christian; which brings some people to describe me as "fallen" for some unknown reason, or to act as tho I'm just taking an extended break from Christianity before I return. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot? I can't just go back to believing, when I see belief in God as pointless as believing in the tooth fairy and Father Christmas. I don't see why people can't just accept my lack of belief and respect it, as I respect other people's belief systems.