I have read it all over the Internet that today, April first, is "Atheists Day." I don't know who came up with that idea, but I can't imagine it was an Atheist. More likely it was a Christian, who thought he or she was being oh-so-clever throwing around Bible quotes like, "the fool has said in his heart, There is no God." Psalms 14:1.
In response, I can only, humbly, offer another piece of scripture. "Whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire." Matthew 5:22
Why would an atheist come up with the idea that April Fools Day should be called Atheists Day? Indeed, why would an atheist think we need any day at all? It isn't athesists who are all about public exultation. We're perfectly happy to believe what we believe, without trying to impose our beliefs on any others. If I remember my scripture, it isn't Christian to be all about public exultation either. Didn't Jesus rebuke his disciples for public prayer?
Because, let's be honest, public prayer isn't about exultation of God, is it? It's about exultation of the self. "Look at me, I'm all righteous, and stuff!" To those who want to spout off in public about their piety all the time, I recommend a thorough and careful reading of The Book of Job. Don't come back until you understand what Job's sin was. Then let's talk.
How's Easter for you?
April 01, 2009
Atheists day?
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11 comments:
Oh, you'd be surprised! Local Kansas Citians have a website where atheists and agnostics can go to talk about how idiotic Christians are.
Personally, I don't try to push my beliefs on others. I'd appreciate it if they would show me the same respect. They don't seem to be too vocal, though. It's been 10 months since any of them posted.
http://doubtingfaith.blogspot.com/
That's because most atheists just aren't like that. Just as Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church do not represent the majority of Christians, those few, most outspoken and abusive atheists on the Internet do not represent most atheists.
Still, no atheists threaten you with a horrible, torturous death if you don't believe what they believe, do they?
Yeah, I always thought that was sort of rude of them. Good thing they're not all like that - some Christians I've met were quite devout, but they did not threaten hell upon the rest of us (I guess they figured God would sort us out, heh).
I have trouble with those big public displays of religious fervor. I always figured one's spiritual path was a road one should walk on his own, in private. I can't see why people would need others to give them all the directions, and trust they haven't been mislead.
So far my Easter is Pagan-ish. But I'll worship if it means they'll keep making Reese's peanut butter eggs.
I'm an Atheist and I thought the idea of an Atheist Day sort of, uhm, missing the point but...
I've got to say, Paul, having read your comment to Donna, that I've been around some Atheists who don't particularly seem like "fringe nuts" but they feel the need to talk about how IGNORANT IT IS to believe in God whenever any whiff of religion comes up. And ignorant isn't their strongest word by far. They laugh & mock & shake their heads about the dummies who believe, give big self-satisfied "We're just more intelligent & more aware" looks... and I can see how that would piss someone who truly believes in a Creator God off.
In fact, my ex-bf's daughter gets kids PARENTS making fun of her(not "all the time" but 3 times) when she's talked about her prayer groups and offered to pray for someone who was ill. I found that particularly odd.~ Hey, we're adult Atheists laughing at a teenager who offered to pray for Grandpa!
I'm not saying this is the Average Atheist, just saying it isn't isolated.
My Mother, even when she was very ill and in pain , rarely ever prayed for herself and honestly never for show. She was mostly at home with just me. She used to pray for others or to thank God and she really believed God was listening.
Is it possible Hallmark came up with the day ;-0? ~Mary
We're perfectly happy to believe what we believe, without trying to impose our beliefs on any others.
Interesting points, but I have a serious question:
What is your definition, exactly, of "trying to impose your beliefs on others?"
The serious question is;
What is your definition, exactly, of "trying to impose your beliefs on others?"
Well Patrick, I believe that Paul is referring to the fact that there are no atheistic TV shows preaching that "There is NO God!"
There are also no atheists going door to door (That I have encountered).
Even the most offensive *sarcasm* recent atheistic effort of bus and public adverts are asking the simple question of "What if there is no God?"
You have to admit that compared to hundreds of years of attempted conversion of 'heathens' right up to the current TV evangelists and your general "If you don't follow 'insert your deity here' you'll go to HELL!" crap, for the most part atheists are pretty quiet.
For the most part, the religious groups are trying to sell you their product.
Atheists are just asking you to look at facts before deciding.
I'm good with that.
Brent
I like what Mary said, maybe it's a Hallmark ploy to grab another day for card sales.
Isn't everyday, an Atheist day? If you think about it, we don't have to live in dire fear, we don't have a religious schedule to uphold and we aren't required to pay our dues weekly. So, we have an even, no break 365 days a year to just wallow in our unchained ways.
Just a thought~
Rebecca
Whoa.. hold them horses back.
I don't go up to someone and say "do you believe in god?" and if they say "yes", say "You're an idiot". That's absurd.
If you NEVER bring god into the conversation, I won't question your god belief.
This is a serious issue of religion getting respect that it is not entitled to.
If YOU introduce god/religion into a discussion, it's fair game.
Paul, from reading your post, it appears you didn't research the origin of Atheist Day, also sometimes called Atheist Holy Day. You merely needed to use a search engine to find the answer of how Atheist Day began.
Atheist Day actually has it's origins in an email that was circulated a few years back! The email contained a story that was not true, and was meant to be satirical. However, unfortunately, people believed what was written in the email was an actual account of a court case. This made up account told of an atheist who petitioned a FL court to have an Atheist Day in which atheists could celebrate, once a year. According to the email, the joke court case occured on April 1st. Many read the email, both Christians and atheists, as it made it's rounds online, and believed it was a true court case!
At this point, both Christians AND atheists began to celebrate Atheist Day on April 1.
Paul, I wanted to know how much truth there was in this so I went to a source I trust almost all the time which is www.snopes.com. You should check it out. Put Atheist Day or Atheist Holy Day in the search engine. It will explain to you about the Urban Legend of Atheist Day, about the faux court case, and how Atheist Day evolved into a true "holiday" among Christians and atheists, despite the fact that some even now know that the court case isn't real. Atheist Day is just something that is desired to be celebrated. And I believe more by the atheists than by the Christians, if you research and read...
Hope that helps in your research! And speaking of research, it's always good to do some before you speak on a subject! ;)
No, I don't know who the very first person was to celebrate this holiday, a Christian or an atheist. But you certainly can't say that Atheists aren't celebrating it as much as Christians. Please do some research and you'll find this to be true. Anyway, here's one URL to check out:
http://www.atheistnexus.org/forum/topics/atheist-holy-day
In the first reply to the entry called "Atheist Holiday" Lorne Oliver says "I hope to make April 1st an Atheist holiday. Let's mobilise." (sic)
Okay, must run. Oh, I don't know if you will print this for two reasons. Don't know if you'll print something that doesn't state your opinion, LOL, (I know I don't have the right to say that bc I have no idea), and bc I just remembered, you have a policy we can only go back a certain amount of time in your blog. Sigh. If you'd like, please respond in a more current post, and I'll respond again! If you so choose, it's your blog, LOL.
take care, krissy :)
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Hi Krissy,
I'm sorry to have to point this out to you, but you have completely missed the point of the whole snopes.com article on this topic. The (yes I know it's fake) story of the judge telling the atheist that non-believers already have their own holiday on April 1st is a joke told by believers at the expense of atheists. It is a way of insulting atheists, by calling them fools. It is a sign of intense disrespect. It has absolutely not "evolved into a true holiday among Christians and atheists." Saying that Christians and atheists celebrate "atheists day" together is kinda like suggesting that Germans and Jews should celebrate holocaust day together. Yeah, a bad idea. Why would I want to celebrate any day with a group of people who would prefer it if I didn't exist?
Oh, and atheistnexus.com is a joke. It is not representative of any athesist community that I am familiar with. In fact, it has been questioned whether it is a real site, or a Christian parody site, because the opinions expressed there by so-called "atheists" seem so far from what most atheists feel as to be unbeleivable.
But, yes, you are fully welcome to express your opinions here. I have never censored comments at this blog or at the original Aurora Walking Vacation.
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