Too Keen On God
I only capitalized the word god in the title cause I've been doing that to all words in my titles so far. In here though, I'm not gonna capitalize it. Why would I? Out of respect? Respect for an imaginary concept is as meaningless as talking to it.
I tell you, I am reminded of my atheism many times a day living in Egypt. This country has been obsessed with imaginary super beings for thousands and thousands of years. From Ammon to Aten, and from Jesus to Allah, they've always been a big part of life for Egyptians. The concept of god is ingrained in everyday life here in Egypt. It is weaved with Egyptian speech, attitude, and way of thinking. That's in addition to all the activities this all-powerful being wants you to do. So much energy going into something that cannot be proven don't you think?
If you wanna live your life chasing promises made by something that you've never seen so be it, but at the very least don't force that on me. Yes, don't force your beliefs on me. Don't ask me if I wanna pray, or why I'm not gonna pray with you if I say no. Don't make me hear calls to prayer 5 times a day. Don't give me books to read if you won't take books from me. Don't ask me to say a meaningless phrase after a prophet's name. Don't make me kiss the priest's hand. Don't answer me in words that pertain to your beliefs like "god willing" and "god will take care of it." Don't ban/edit movies or music just because they don't agree with what you believe in. Don't force your morality on me. Don't force on me the laws that come from your holy books. They are holey and not holy to me. Don't expect me not to eat in public during some random lunar month, I don't share those beliefs.
It is enough that non facts were fed to me in my childhood. How could you do that? How could you tell a little kid that so and so is true? How could you not tell him/her that you have no proof of what you're saying? How could you make him/her participate in rituals if he was not told the truth and given the choice? It's a crime. Yes, it's enough those years I spent reading ancient books and talking to nothing. It is enough that you filled my head with man-made myths when I should have been learning about the real world. Any religion that tells you that you will have 72 virgins in heaven or that you have to eat your lord's flesh and drink his blood or that you just happen to be a supreme being's chosen people is clearly a man-made myth. I have to live with a family that feels sorry for me since I'm going to hell cause I choose to think.
posted by MechanicalCrowds at 11:15 AM
16 Comments:
magine there's no Heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace
You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world
You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one
nuff said
1:57 PM
aww lennon.
anyway, i have a Hell club. want to join?
you'd be surprised how diverse our membership has become.
6:52 PM
You're talking as u r absolutely right ..
2:55 AM
The answer to all the whys, is not worthy to seek for, nor to waste time on. And the best thing you said was the last thing: "I have to live with a family that feels sorry for me since I'm going to hell cause I choose to think". I wonder how many people around Egypt may be saying the exact thing!. At least I kow I do!
very good post. I'm glad to passby.
2:08 AM
Hey M C, looooong time!
well.. of course i repsect your beliefs.. or rather the effort you've spent on thinking on your own and coming up with your own theories.. this is highly appreciated.. I'm not a big fan of taking things for granted! So although I may disagree with you in your basic beliefs.. I do believe it's your right!
However, the reason I was compelled to comment though is this: your parents feed you all supposed facts they believe in because they dooo believe that these are the ONLY facts! They never considered otherwise, hence.. in their heads.. it's the only right thing to do! I don't think you can blame them for that!
I used to think that "okay, if i have kids one day, I'd expose them to all diverse ideas and beliefs and let them figure out for their own what's right (which is relative).. but first I gotta teach them how to think. Then.. sadly, I found out that unconciously, i would want them to share my same beliefs, so I'd still be feeding them MY facts even if in a subtler way!! what would you do?
I realize this is one loooong comment (yeah sorry about that).. even kinda irrelative and drifting from your main focus, I think I'm just playing devil's advocate here!
Anywhoooo.. coming back to your blog reminded me why i liked it so much to begin with!
10:59 AM
This comment has been removed by the author.
1:32 PM
I absolutely agree with you.
It sucks when almost all people around you force you to do and believe what they believe "is right".
They have to repect your point of view,that you believe "you are right".
Always remember,they do not do this because they feel sorry for you,who cares what you do and what you believe.It is your life...your life alone.
Just think...why did you write this post in the first place!
And even a religious person is fed up with his mother forcing him to pray or a friend telling him to go to the mosque,this is our community,people here like to share their beliefs with others.
So I think everyone of us is like you,feeling obligated to do spiritual things he may not want to do,although he is not complaining about his condition as he is just doing it within the mainstream,you and many atheists do complain about something,feeling many times if not always confused and searching for answers.
This Life is a game of luck,you believe in god--die--find there is no god--you did not lose anything.
You believe in god--die--find there is really god--you win.
You don't believe in god--die--find there is really god--ooops.
1:36 PM
WS, this is what they call "Pascal's Wager." Look up the responses to it, I'm sure it'll set your mind to peace.
1:47 PM
thank you mechanicalcrowds for this information
I have looked for it and I have to mention one last turning points here
If someone lives in life only to win the game at the end and not really believing in god,I don't think god will bring him to heaven(if god exists)...but they say god is merciful!
If god told the human beings that he is here and showed himself to the human kind,then this life on planet earth would not have had a meaning or sense,because then everyone will believe automatically in god...where is the point here in life!
Our mind likes more to disbelieve than to believe,because it is an effortless process, while for a believer it is a lifelong hard job.
If there was no evidence of the existence of god(but there may be billions out there that just need to be discovered),at least the invention of the word "GOD" could be one.
9:56 PM
Just because things can be proven doesn't mean that they're true and vice versa of course. The real question isn't if something can be proven, it's how it affects us. Example of course is Boswell Bishop Berkeley's proof of non existence of matter which could not be scientifically disproved. Now I don't care what science says, I feel matter, I just can't prove it.
So whether you can prove something or not is irrelevant because what really matters is if it affects you. Most things that truly matter in life can't be proven anyway. Most energy is spent on trying to prove things that can't be proven, because they are usually what matter most. I don't spend any time trying to prove electricity, but I'm sure before they were proven right, Newton and Einstein spent a lot of time and energy trying to prove what they believed fueled by nothing but faith alone. Einstein even though being a believer in science places more weight on intuition and things he could not prove.
So anyway, the point is that proof is irrelevant and to think that only science is worth our energy or our thoughts are worth or lives is something that doesn't make sense.. because .. apply it to anything but God and it fails and you get yourself a '1984' or 'Equilibrium'
Having said all that, if intuition gives you no indication whatsoever of the existence of God, then there's no real question as to which path to take.
7:32 PM
it's really sad, to blame the wrong guy for the wrong reason.
i don't disagree with the way you're thinking or that you're thinking in the first place,,but i disagree with your conclusion.
i know need to hear this from me but i'm gonna say it anyway, you're saying that there is no proof that those super-characters exist...,ok. but, do you have a proof they don't?!
don't rush into putting the results of your thinking into word and just keep thinking because wht you don't believe today, you might believe tomorrow.
another thing, if your still reading. what makes you think your the only one who can understand or see the naked truth ?! and do you really think that all these millions are idiots or stupid or not smart enough to figure out what could be true or not?
we all reach the boiling point!
8:51 PM
What if God exists alright, and He is as great as you say every day ? What if HE is so great that HE doesn't care whether you believe in Him or not ? What if He looks at your heart and not at you beard ?
Desmond Tutu once said: "God loves you, not because you're good. God loves you. Period."
What if we all stop bugging each other with God ?
12:01 AM
It has been ages since you posted anything .... hope that last post did not leave you with a block of a curse:)
4:28 PM
Any religion that tells you that you will have 72 virgins in heaven or that you have to eat your lord's flesh and drink his blood or that you just happen to be a supreme being's chosen people is clearly a man-made myth.
Well said!
6:01 AM
What are your parent's religion, I dare ask.
8:48 AM
Wow!! I'm really glad I just stumbled on your blog man. THIS might interest you...
12:38 PM
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