A Pile of Shit

Being an Atheist won't make you smarter.

My, non-believing types sure are a popular lot lately, no? Could this have been an inevitable consequence of a Post-Bush America? Possibly that young people will look for absolutely any reason to rebel and fit-in at the same time?

When I was in High School, I worshiped the very stages that Marilyn Manson tromped and pissed on: He was brash, batshit-crazy and everyone else hated him. My Mom found my copy of Antichrist Superstar, which I paid for by tucking away my lunch-money, and started going to a support group after work. Any of you who have kids can look forward to such things when they hit about 12 years old.

"Not my kid!" You say? Ha-ha okay, if you say so...

To my horror, Chuck Taylors are back in fashion with a vengeance along with glittered make-up, testicle-choking pants and obnoxious plastic glasses (not all that different from the ones I used to get beat-up for wearing.) But for the first time in a long time, perhaps for the first time ever, doubt and skepticism are the new Black. I can't think of any other part of the history of civilization where openly proclaiming disbelief didn't put someone (in our little corner of the world, there are other countries where Atheists are executed) next in line for being set on fire.

Everyone wants to feel special, the kind of warm fuzzy "I belong" that previously we could always count on the blissful ignorance of religion to provide. So what's with thousands up on thousands of "New Atheist" Un-Holy Hipsters that Hitchens' would Hissy-Fit about had he lived to see this?

Am I glad to see masses breaking away from the ties that bind to blind faith and even violence? Absolutely! But I have to ask if there are a lot of us out there that are in this for the wrong reasons, maybe there are some out there who really are just angry.

As for me, I've had enough of people making lame excuses for their bad behavior and saying "It's okay for me because an invisible dude told me so in this book he wrote."

I understand that people are going to disagree, I've been called a psychopath and a "gun-nut" just because I own a firearm or two. I've been called a whore and a disgrace to women because I openly admit that *GASP* I like sex. I thought this was supposed to be a movement that embraced logic and reason instead of rationalized judgementalism and dick-baggery. You can own a gun without having a violent streak, you can enjoy sex without shaming yourself. How about instead of jumping to conclusions for the sake of public opinion, we actually walk our talk?

Besides, at least prostitutes are honest.

No one likes a bully, or a busy-body and especially a know-it-all. I have been accused of all three of these, but the difference is I can at least be civil with people that I don't agree with (until I am given proper reason not to be, in which case I'd rather just walk away.) The side with the sharpest Zing doesn't necessarily win the debate, if that were true you'd win every chess match you engage in just by flipping the board. Go on, try this and see how far you get.

There's questioning a person's opinions and beliefs and then there's being a bully. Sadly, I seem to be seeing a lot of the latter from the younger Atheists I meet. You don't have to hit someone or call them a name to be a bully.

All you need is something to prove and nothing better to do.