The Blessings of Atheism

I recently came upon an article entitled "The Blessings of Atheism" by Susan Jacoby posted through one of my favorite websites, Filipino Freethinkers and realized that atheists are everywhere yet they are nowhere as much as their numbers suggest. Modern society, as postulated by Jacoby, seems to regard atheists as incapable of doing good, of making positive contributions to society. Jacoby is right in her observation that atheists preference to sit behind the sidelines and watch as religious nutbags frolic in the social spectrum has contributed to the aforesaid perception about atheists. I also believe that since atheists are not emotionally attached or hostaged by any "divine concept," they are less likely to go about and make their thoughts known. Unlike "believers," atheists are more secure, more comfortable about their psycho-emotional and intellectual state that they are not threatened, nor the least disturbed, that people do not share their framework. As such, they see no need to "proselytize."

I have observed through the years, and having been once a Catholic seminarian myself, that "believers" feel this need to actually go about and change other people's perception to match and fit their own in the guise of bringing them into the fold of God. They seem to be restless and uncomfortable about the perceptions and beliefs of "non-believers" so much so that they spend a great amount of time convincing them that only through God, by way of the Bible or through the Catholic Church in my experience, can a meaningful life truly be achieved. I believe that if one is secure about one's beliefs, there is really no need for you to go "nuts" that others do not share you inclinations. We know from scientific studies that bullies do what they do because of their emotional insecurities. Children who are emotionally mature, well-adjusted and come from open, secure and supportive families simply go about their lives, doing what they like without hurting or trampling on the feelings or physical conditions of their fellow children. They are also better able to read the emotions and facial expressions of other kids so much so that they are able to identify if the other child is happy, sad, nervous, apprehensive and so on. They can play with other children without problems, know how to negotiate and compromise and are generally liked by their peers.

Religion seems to blunt the capacity of man to think about reality and to substitute it for inflexible dogmas that are to most extent, harsh and inconsiderate to the specific conditions of modern man. A case in point when in 2009, durin a visit to Cameroon, Pope Benedict XVI he asserted that condoms could actually make the crisis of HIV in Africa worse. In that same article, it was reported that in 2005, he told the Catholic clergy in Africa that although HIV is a "cruel epidemic," IT COULD NOT BE CURED THROUGH CONDOMS (emphasis supplied by the author). ARE YOU KIDDING!!! Of course condom could not cure AIDS, but it surely can limit the SPREAD of HIV! As of the writing of this article, no drug has yet been formulated to cure AIDS, but some have been created to control the its damaging effects, retrovirals among them. Sometime in the middle of 2012, the US FDA approved the drug TRUVADA, it was reported to lessen the risk of HIV infection.

Pope Benedict XVI has since changed his views regarding condoms, but only with regards to male prostitutes. In a report published in the Guardian website, Benedict asserted that condom use is acceptable to be used only in certain cases, and this case is if used by male prostitutes. Although a significant improvement from previous church stance on condoms, this is still half-baked because essentially he is saying that it is only acceptable IN THAT SITUATION. It also implies that if used outside of those situations, it cannot prevent the spread of HIV.

Only science and philosophy can make man truly reach his potentials on earth. We should not worry about the afterlife if this earthly life of ours is as complex as it already is. Obsessing about something no one has been to and been back is useless, distracting and unnecessary. The history of religions will unequivocally tell us that after everything has been said and done, religion is nothing but a product of human imagination, borne of man's incessant need to make sense of this cruel and harsh world. Jean Paul-Sartre was right when he said that we create our own meaning, we have to because we were thrown into this world without our consent. To make sense of this life, Sartre further states, is man's ultimate longing. Somehow religion fulfills this Sartrian imperative, for indeed, as Bertrand Russell famously said: "Religion is a defensive reaction against the destructive forces of nature."

To be an atheist indeed is to be truly free, to face the world with one's own courage is nothing short of standing up to the inexplicable mystery that is existence.