being hiccup is cuddling: Atheist Privilege 

andurrs:

feministhistorian:

myprivilege:

• Since there’s no such thing as “hell”, I’m not encumbered by “morals”.
• I don’t have the burden of self-awareness or social skills; I can butt into conversations at any time and spout my views whenever I want.
• I can spend my valuable Sunday mornings jacking off to anime and chugging Mountain Dew instead of wasting my time in “church”.

• Atheists have a better moral compas than you if you think we need “hell” to keep us from committing crimes and being assholes.
• Sounds more like Christians to me than Atheists. We don’t go butting into conversations asking “Do you believe in Jesus? If not, you are going to burn in hell! Let me tell you about Jesus.” We also don’t wake people up on Sat. morning to tell them about Jesus…
• No one forces anyone to go to church. So why are you making people feel guilty for jacking off to anime and chugging Moutain Dew? It sounds more fun than church anyways…
  
  HAHAHAHAHA WHAT

Okay, so since these kinds of stereotypes (on both sides) really annoy me, I’m going to make some facts clear. And I apologize if I seem rude or pushy or if whatever I say offends you.

I’m Christian myself. I live in France, probably the most secular state in Europe and where religion is very much part of the private sphere and separate from politics. This isn’t a bad thing, because when I look at the US and see what happens when you mix religion and politics, I thank God to live here. But it’s also a very intolerant state towards religion in general. I’m not talking about Protestants only, I’m talking about every religion: Catholic, Buddhist, Muslim, Jewish, everything that has the ‘religion’ tag on it. In the USA (from what I’ve seen but I may be wrong) if you draw a cartoon making a ‘blasphemous’ parody of Jesus dying on the cross, you would get a national outcry or debate. In France it’s so commonplace that if a Christian or non-Christian dare protest, they’d be promptly told to shut up and stop going against what they call ‘freedom of speech’. This image didn’t hit you? Here another one: In France, you can openly insult Islam and the Prophet in public, and you’ll be protected and even applauded by some. If you dare protest, then you’re nothing but a religious idiot who needs to loosen up. Here’s the final blow: in school,you are not allowed to wear a religious sign of any kind. Any Muslim girls wearing veils by choice would be sanctioned by law. Okay? Got it?

Now, as one of the few religious people at my school (not counting the people who got baptised at birth by tradition), I’ve been called numerous things for actually admitting I willingly go to Church. I have some Muslim friends who got far worse because they pray, and they can’t even do it in public. This is what you get for when you’re religious in France. You get called an amusing oddity at the very least, a retarded jackass bigot and a threat to peace in France and the world at worst. Once again, it’s even worse for Muslim students. A friend of mine (in a different school) once had to sit for hours as her history teacher, instead of teaching the class about the historical beginning of the Three Abrahamic religions, started going on for hours on how religion was nothing but crap, how religious people are all stupid and superstitious, and how without religion the world would be perfect.

Not getting my point yet? Let me get straight to it:

• You have every right to believe in anything you want or, in your case, not believe in anything. It’s your choice and your choice only. However, don’t assume that the only reason people are religious is because they’re scared of Hell. I’m scared of Hell, but not for myself. Frankly, I’m much more afraid of what the human race itself can do. I’m religious because I believe there is a God who loves us and who called me to love others through Him. It’s my personal view, you don’t have to share it. And my morals are not imposed by the Church. They’re based on my own personal reflections and on what I think God wants. I often disagree with other Christians on certain moral questions, such as war, freedom of choice, abortion, the rights of LGBT and asexual people, and many others. We all disagree with each other. And frankly, perhaps you’re right. Perhaps my “morals” “encumber” me. But really, if they do, I’d happily be encumbered because on the day of my death, I want to look back and think I did some good with my life (not saying you can’t do good if you’re an atheist, but some atheists also have more morals than some Christians I know).

• So the “burden of self-awareness and social skills” is something only religious people have? Man, my whole life is a lie, thanks for informing me of the truth. Saying things like these is stupid. No really, it is. Maybe it’s different for you in the US, but most of the time I am the less self-aware person in a room full of Atheists. Social skills? AHAHAHAHA—Sorry. Just a list of all the times I’ve shown a lack of social skills popping in my brain. Mind to peek? Might take a couple of years to go through it all, though. But Truth is, you have Atheists and religious people who have both of these characteristics, or one of them. And you have people on both sides who have none. So please, don’t tell me only Christians get these and that Atheists are never self-aware or have social skills, because then I’m the least religious person in my entire school. I often don’t get to spill my religious or moral views with my Atheist friends. Most of the time I have to bite my tongue if I don’t agree with something. But I do have a friend who’s braver than me and can do it, often scandalizing our Atheist friends. See? Stop stereotyping.

• That’s how you spend your Sunday mornings? Good for you. You can also spend them sleeping, doing homework, having sex, writing a book, playing video games, and many others. It’s your choice. I don’t fancy Mountain Dew or anime, but if you’re into it, I’m not going to call it a waste of time because I don’t like it. I like video games. Some friends call it a waste of time, but I still love it. I love going to church. I love singing all together, I love hearing testimonies from people of all ages, origins, and social classes, whether they’re man or women. I love listening to a good message that makes me think, whether I agree or disagree with it. I love to be able to read a passage from the Bible and finding a new meaning to it, I love being able to pray with a large group of believers, sharing our doubts, worry and pain so we can express our joy and hope together later. I love that moment in the week where I can lay down all my worries at God’s feet and forget all the tension I’ve had through the week, speaking to God and feeling Him nudging me and saying “Go on! We’ll do this together!”
  For some of you, this must be a load of bullcrap. But it’s how I spend my Sunday mornings or Saturday evenings and for me, it’s not a waste of time. At least, not as much as Mountain Dew feels for me, but then we all have our choices. If you’re actually forced to go to church, then I’m sorry because I know it’s stupid to force someone who doesn’t believe to have a religious life, especially when they don’t want to. But really, if you do have the choice, then why do you call me stupid for choosing what I want to do in my own free time?

All these are my opinions. Maybe in the US, you act differently, but this is how I feel. You don’t like that? Okay. You’ve been harassed/forced/oppressed by Church members when you’re clearly a non-believer? I’m sorry for you and I agree it shouldn’t happen. But don’t immediately assume I’m stupid or self-righteous because I choose to be religious.

Want to argue the point further? I’m all open, and I may be wrong, so don’t hesitate to PM me. I don’t bite.