The Wise Fool

Hello and Happy Saturday!

I wish to thank The Agnostic Wife for her wonderful interview! I very much enjoyed reading your answers and I thank you for sharing with us!

Today we have a new interview so please welcome The Wise Fool. The Wise Fool is an Atheist and I know you'll enjoy his interview as well!

Here Is The Wise Fool's Introduction:

Hello there! I'm a blogger under the alias of The Wise Fool. When I'm not playing the role of a religious scholar online, I enjoy playing out other roles, such as husband, son, brother, uncle, mechanical engineer, programmer, bicyclist, hiker, baker, and wanna-be artist.

http://foolishtongues.blogspot.com/2012/04/about-me-index.html

1) What religion do you practice? None 2) Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting? I was raised as a Christian in the Methodist denomination. My conversion to atheism was a gradual one, begun through observation, and completed through study. 3)Within your religion are there degrees of observance (ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance? There aren't official degrees of atheists, but they do cover a pretty wide spectrum. Some, like me, "de-converted" after study. Some were just deeply disappointed or hurt by their original faith. Some never bothered to care about religion one way or another. I could go on, but the basic idea here is that there is no one reason why people choose walk away from faith, and some people never even begin a faithful walk. Because of that diversity, atheists express their "observances" in different ways; ranging from hostile to faith, indifferent about it, or even amiable to it. 4)Within your religion what degree of observance are you ((ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal) ? Why did you choose this degree of observance? I fall on the amiable side of faith, despite not having any of my own. I think that faiths can serve a purpose. On the flip-side, though, I also can recognize some potentially harmful elements of it. That's what drives me to blog from a skeptic perspective, but I'm not out to rid the world of religion. I'd be happy if I could reveal just enough inconsistency to create a healthy amount of doubt, so that people don't act dogmatic and intolerant. 5)What is the Afterlife within your religion? For example: what happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment? (such as a Heaven/Hell concept) Well, I am an organ donor. So I hope that after I die, someone can make good use of my spare parts for the rest of their lives! :-) 6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why? Biblically speaking, the answer is no, and that is based primarily off of God's decisions. Ref: Romans 9 among others. But if there was a heaven, it may not be a "paradise" for all. Just like the verse from Paradise Lost says, the mind is a separate place, and it can make a heaven of hell, or a hell of heaven. 7) What makes your religion a good fit for you? Atheism just seems to fit with the world. It's simple. There is no "problem of evil". There's no intelligence behind why a natural disaster strikes here or there. There's no reason behind why someone gets cancer when another person doesn't, beyond genetic and environmental factors. It demands us to stand up for the causes for the betterment of mankind that we believe in, because no deity is going to help us make it happen. 8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them? I still celebrate Christmas because I love gathering with family and friends. I even love singing the old Christmas songs. It's just more of a tradition than a religious observance for me. 9) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends? Definitely. I don't hold anyone's faith, itself, against them. That goes for my family too, many of whom are deeply religious. We get along fine. 10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why? Sure! Despite not claiming a faith of my own, I am deeply fascinated and interested by faiths. Besides, I don't have to worry about blaspheme. ;-) 11) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law? First, the easy one: Shariah Law, and I assume that you mean modern implementation of it. I would not want it to be used at the governmental level, just like I would have problems with the Torah being implemented at that level. There are regions and communities where those who desire to live under Shariah Law can do so. However, I do not believe that it those who do not want to live under Shariah Law should be forced to do so in the name of religious freedom. I would hope that such a stance would be acceptable to pro-Shariah Muslims, as, in their view, we will all ultimately answer to Allah someday anyway. So why not just leave us to Allah to handle? As for the burka, as a matter of security, as well as from the standpoint of building relationships, I am absolutely against the form of burka which covers the face. Other than that, if a woman chooses to wear the burka of her own volition, and not out of fear of repercussions for not wearing one, I feel that is her right. Any woman, or man for that matter, should be able to dress as modestly as they would like to dress. However, the problem is that when a large enough portion of the population wears a burka, it may be less of a choice in modesty and more of a coercion of doing what is "right"; with ostracism, or worse, to follow if you do "wrong" by not wearing one. So, there is no easy answer as to what to do with the burka which can both respect a woman's choice to wear one and, at the same time, guarantee that it is truly a choice. On the other hand, what we can do is continue to push for the education and rights of women. Eventually, doing so will probably render the burka debate obsolete in time. 12) Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister, rabbi, iman etc) in your religion and how do you feel about it? Atheism is an equal opportunity employer. ;-) 13) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel? Atheist is open to all and non-segregated. Except that we don't get together for worship. So, in a way, you could say that we are completely segregated from one another! :-) 14) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc? Not any, really. I don't think "since there's no god, what do I want to do?" I just try to be the best person I can, while trying to be considerate of the situations of people around me. I'm still working on that. But as for the big issue decisions, I try to evaluate them from all sides and come up with a position of understanding. 15) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion? I'd generally be fine, except perhaps the more extreme ends of the spectrum, like with a cult, or hyper-conservative, or extremists, etc. 16) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell? No. If they're lucky, maybe their molecules will get recycled into a flower of some sort. :-) 17) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not? Atheism has no real requirements other than not believing in a god, so it's a pretty diverse group, and it's hard to fault someone. However, I don't agree with the way some of them bash the faithful. Fortunately, most of the "prominent" atheists are well spoken in general. 18) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain. No, but I've been pretty quiet about my lack of faith offline. Yet I do plan on exposing my lack of belief publicly at the right time. 19) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you? No. 20) Does your religion give you peace of mind? I wouldn't say that atheism gives me peace of mind, but I do normally have it. :-) 21) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not? No, not in the traditional sense, because there isn't consistent proof for it. I have heard rather interesting stories along the lines of reincarnation. They make me wonder, in completely fantastic speculation, if we have yet to discover some different kind of reincarnation. Like if we breath in/consume/absorb enough molecules which were used by someone else if we will begin to be influenced by them. I doubt it's true, but it does sound like the premise of a great Sci-Fi story. :-)

Mano Singham

Hello and Happy Saturday!

I wish to thank Recovering Agnostic for his wonderful interview. I very much enjoyed reading your answers and I thank you so much for sharing with us!

Today we have a new interview so please welcome Mano Singham. Mano is an Atheist and I know you will enjoy his interview as well!

Here Is Mano Singham's Introduction:


I am a theoretical physicist, originally from Sri Lanka. I have interests in many areas such as science, atheism, religion, history and philosophy of science, politics, and human rights. I am currently director of the teaching center at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. I am the author of three books: God vs. Darwin: The War Between Evolution and Creationism in the Classroom (2009), The Achievement Gap in US Education: Canaries in the Mine (2005), and Quest for Truth: Scientific Progress and Religious Beliefs (2000)

My blog is at http://freethoughtblogs.com/singham

1) What religion do you practice?

None. I am an atheist.

2) Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?

I used to be a Christian in the Methodist Church denomination

3) Within your religion are there degrees of observance (ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance?

N/A

4) Within your religion what degree of observance are you ((ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal) ? Why did you choose this degree of observance?

N/A

5) What is the Afterlife within your religion? For example: what happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment? (such as a Heaven/Hell concept)

I don't believe in an afterlife

6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?

N/A

7) What makes your religion a good fit for you?

N/A

8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?

None

9) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?

Yes.

10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?

Sure I do, if they invite me. I do it because they invite me as an act of friendship and I respond similarly.

11) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?

I think these practices, like all religious rules about dress, food, and behavior, are absurd.

12) Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister, rabbi, iman etc) in your religion and how do you feel about it?

N/A

13) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?

N/A

14) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?

N/A

15) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?

Who my children marry is up to them. As long as their spouses' religious practices do not infringe on their rights as human beings, it would not bother me.

16) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?

I don't believe in hell

17) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?

N/A

18) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.

No

19) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?

N/A

20) Does your religion give you peace of mind?

N/A

21) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?

No. I have never heard of any convincing evidence that it happens

Dana

Hello and Happy Saturday!

I wish to thank Tansy Firedragon for her very interesting and informative interview. I really enjoyed reading your answers and learning more about your faith!
Thanks so much for sharing with us Tansy!

Today we have a new interview so please welcome Dana.
Dana is an Atheist and I know you'll enjoy her interview as well!

Here Is Dana's Introduction:

 My name is Dana and I blog at thekitchwitch.com. I'm a mother, former high-school teacher and writer.




1) What religion do you practice?
 None, unless you count the church of Don't Be a Douche.

2) Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
My parents tried to take me to our Lutheran church in North Dakota, but I hated it. I guess I've always been more of an independent thinker.


3)Within your religion are there degrees of observance (ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance?
 no

4)Within your religion what degree of observance are you ((ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal) ? Why did you choose this degree of observance?
I guess I'm "renegade?"

5)What is the Afterlife within your religion? For example: what happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment? (such as a Heaven/Hell concept)
Alas, I think we just sort of pass and become fertilizer. I know that's nothing that people want to hear, and I'll admit it's grim, but honestly, nothing else makes sense to me. The only afterlife that I can see is the ripples of influence a person has made on others while still here. People die, but their kindness and their influence live on.

6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
Since I'm a non-believer, if there's a Hell, I'll be making cocktails in it. I think Heaven is a lovely concept devised by people who have frustrating/inadequate lives. Miserable on Earth? No problem! Just wait until you die and things get better!

7) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
 I get to hike on Sundays.

8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
 We do most of the Christian ones, but we really make a stink about winter and summer solstice. And, because of our blended family, Diwali and Bastille Day and St. Patty's Day and Boxing Day. Gotta celebrate every inch of our heritage!

9) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
Of course.

10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
 Why not? I'd love to eat latkes with my wonderful Jewish friends or attend a Christening of a baby. People of all viewpoints love a celebration.

11) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
Hoo-boy. That's a heated issue. I guess I will just say that women should not be forced to hide their beauty. And not hiding their beauty should not be reason for rape or ostracism.

12) Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister, rabbi, iman etc) in your religion and how do you feel about it?
I certainly can't be in favor of a religion who views women as second class citizens. Women have good minds, and to say otherwise is ridiculous.

13) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
 Well, since I'm married to a "brown" man, I think segregation is antiquated and narrow-minded.

14) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?
 It doesn't affect me, obviously. However, I think love is love, no matter the color, lifestyle, religion. How anyone can deem love (in any form) "sinful" is counterintuitive to me.

15) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
 I guess I'd say, "Do you love this person?" If so, go.

16) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
 Maybe. I will probably be making cocktails in there, so belly on up to the bar.

17) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
People need to judge one another on deeds and kindness, not religion.

18) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
 no

19) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
 Why would I subscribe to a religion that didn't value me?

20) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
No, but that's okay. I think that is the appeal of religion; if you can't explain the unexplainable, say it is the will of God. I'll struggle with the harder truths of life on my own, thank you.

21) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
 I have no idea. I just hope that I don't come back as a mosquito.

On Her Own

Hello and Happy Saturday!

I wish to thank Kendrick Macdowell for his very interesting interview last week.
Thanks so much for sharing with us Kendrick!

Today we have a new interview so please welcome On Her Own.
On Her Own is an Atheist and I know you'll enjoy her interview as well!

Here Is On Her Own's Introduction:
Born and raised in the Modern Orthodox Jewish tradition, On Her Own spent many years trying to come to terms with what she saw as the contradictions within the Jewish faith before leaving the fold. While she still values many of the rituals and traditions of her ancestors and still practices many of them, she is now an atheist.


On Her Own blogs at http://findingherpath.blogspot.com



1) What religion do you practice?
I'm in the semi-strange position of continuing to practice some elements of a religion (Judaism) while not believing in its basic tenets at all.


2) Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
I was raised an Orthodox Jew. I guess I've gradually "converted" to be an atheist Jew. Judaism still plays a big part in my life as I celebrate many of the holidays, though generally not in the traditional way I was taught to celebrate them.


3)Within your religion are there degrees of observance (ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance?
I'll just talk about Judaism now, since I guess I still do consider myself to be Jewish (although, how odd -- I don't believe in the religion, but I still consider myself to be Jewish; I think Judaism is one of the only religions that is also an ethnicity). Yes, Judaism has a variety of different types of observance. (I'm also going with different types of observance rather than different "degrees" because I've met some very observant Jews in all of the different denominations; they just have a different philosophy of how Judaism should be observed. I don't buy into the "Orthocentric" view of Judaism which classes all the non-Orthodox branches of Judaism as "less observant."


In Judaism, there is Orthodoxy (which itself can be split into Litvish, Hasidic, Centrist, Modern, etc., etc.), Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist, Renewal, and probably loads of other smaller branches that I don't know about. What separates the Orthodox and Conservative movements from the others to me is an allegiance to time-old rabbinical interpretations of Jewish law. However, where the Conservative movement allows for reversals of old interpretations of the law by their rabbinical court and is relatively socially progressive in their interpretations of the laws, Orthodoxy remains more rigid.


4)Within your religion what degree of observance are you ((ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal) ? Why did you choose this degree of observance?
Okay, well I've already established that I am atheist but let me also step back for a minute and say that belief in God and in the veracity of the claims the religion makes (i.e., with Judaism -- that the Torah is authored by God and was received at Sinai) is not necessarily essential to be considered a practicing Jew. (Some Jews will inevitably disagree with me here, but I even know people who practice Orthodox Judaism who don't believe in these things.)


In any case, I am an atheist but I do still practice/observe Judaism in some ways. That said, I don't fall very easily into any of the categories that exist. I recently discovered a branch of Judaism called Humanistic Judaism, which is secular humanist in its philosophy but still ascribes to some of the values and traditions of Judaism. I guess this would be the closest to what I am, although I feel odd categorizing myself as such as I have never been to any service/celebration that was Humanist Jewish, nor have I ever met a Humanist Jew.


Here's a rundown of my current level of observance:


-- I don't keep kosher (even on Passover) or do anything to observe the Sabbath most weeks (I do occasionally do something though) or fast on Yom Kippur.


-- I do have my own way of celebrating the holidays (which I usually decide upon soon before the holiday and are frequently not very traditional) including holidays that most secular Jews don't celebrate (read: Sukkot, Shavuot, Purim). I do identify strongly as a Jew and read Jewish-related books/websites/articles, attend Jewish-related lectures, etc.. I also occasionally enjoy participating in Orthodox/traditional celebrations of Shabbat and/or holidays.


5)What is the Afterlife within your religion? For example: what happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment? (such as a Heaven/Hell concept)
Oy. Well with Judaism it's not really so clear cut. Popular Jewish culture definitely ascribes to the idea of heaven and hell, at least to some degree. Growing up, I always heard that a Jewish soul spends up to a year in gehennom (hell) to cleanse it before going to heaven and that this was why people said kaddish (a prayer of mourning) for someone who died for a full year after their death. Also, people love to talk about evil individuals (read: Hitler, etc.) as being in gehennom.


However, the idea of hell/heaven isn't really so fleshed out in the Torah and it seems to have developed later on in the history of Judaism. But here's me being scholarly! Certainly in popular Jewish culture those ideas exist -- as well as the idea of "Olam Habah" (the world to come) and ideas of messianic times where everyone deserving will be reincarnated.

I still think that even in popular Jewish culture these ideas are not quite as well defined as they are, for example, in Christianity.


6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
I don't believe in heaven/paradise.


7) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
Um, well. The degree to which I practice Judaism has more to do with my upbringing and the respect for my ancestry/cultural history than anything else. Atheism is a good fit for me because it intellectually makes sense to me.


8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
Jewish holidays include: Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot/Simchat Torah, Chanukah, Tu B'Shvat, Purim, Passover, Shavuot, Tisha B'Av, in addition to a bevvy of smaller fast days and other smaller holidays. If I go with the term "holy days" instead of necessarily "holiday," there's also Shabbat, which happens every Friday night/Saturday


I try to do something for most of the holidays to feel connected with my heritage and my upbringing. Sometimes I celebrate these holidays in a traditional manner but most of the time it's non-traditional. For example, whereas Yom Kippur is generally observed by fasting and attending synagogue (even amongst the less traditional branches of Judaism), last year I went on a hike. This reflected my understanding of the spirit of the day, which is contemplative and reflective.


9) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
Yes! Always! They are some of my favorite friends, too. Indeed, my friends poke fun at me for always wanting to know so much about religion and swaying the topics of discussion towards religion (be it how they were brought up or if/how they celebrate it or feel towards it now).


10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
I have. Last year, I attended a Christmas service at a church and joined two of my friends for Christmas dinner. To me, it's just a way of appreciating life and humanity as a whole. Similarly, I have invited people who are not Jewish to celebrate Jewish holidays or Shabbat with me. I actually enjoy it more that way. I like the pluralism of it and getting to talk about where the traditions are rooted, what they mean/have meant to me, and how they look to someone for whom they are completely unfamiliar.


11) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
This is a really tough question. Rather than talk about the burka or Shariah, I will talk about the Jewish laws of tzniut (modesty, which overwhelmingly apply to women rather than men), since I have more background in Judaism.


I see Jewish tzniut laws as a reflection of the society in which the religion was born and continued to grow. In that society, women were considered property and were most certainly governed over by men. The way I see it, these laws were a way to keep women in check and keep them from posing a threat to the establishment.


Today, many women who I consider to be strong, interesting, and vibrant individuals (and who sometimes consider themselves to be feminists) ascribe to these laws and feel a connection to them. I don't necessarily understand why they wish to do so or why they believe that these laws are directly from God, but I respect their decision to follow the laws. The only time I will start to get angry/upset is if I feel like a woman/women are being bullied into keeping these laws against their own will (be it by their husband, their teachers, other women, or the community as a whole).


12) Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister, rabbi, iman etc) in your religion and how do you feel about it?
In the branch of Judaism in which I was raised women have traditionally been barred from becoming a rabbi. This bothered me to a great degree when I started to analyze it as a younger adult. At that time, it was becoming more common to have women in other, lesser positions of power -- like a yoetzet who is trained to make decisions regarding marital purity laws. More recently (in the last year), an Orthodox woman was ordained as a rabbi. This was met with severe disapproval from the larger Orthodox community but I was inspired and excited by it. I think that not allowing half of your society to have input into the decision making processes that govern their lives is straight-up unethical.


Other branches of Judaism have been ordaining women as rabbis for decades now. The Rosh Hashanah service that I recently attended was led by a female rabbi and it was one of the most inspirational and amazing services I'd ever been to. I do believe that it's only a matter of time (though maybe still decades away) before the idea of the female rabbi becomes increasingly acceptable among the Orthodox.


13) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
Orthodox synagogues segregate women from men. Other branches of Judaism do not. Intellectually, the segregation bothers me as I don't see why women shouldn't be as engaged in the services as men. However, on an emotional level, when at a traditional service, I still feel more at home and comfortable when there are separate sections for men and women. I do not like this about myself.

14) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
I don't have any children and currently don't plan to. If I did have children and they wanted to marry outside of Judaism, I would support them. However, I imagine that psychologically, there would still be a part of me that would be upset about it. This is especially ironic because I, myself, would consider marrying someone who isn't Jewish.


This inner, judgmental (and Orthodox) part of me exists and is real but I am not happy about it. It's a result of years of training and is more instinctual than faith-based. I recognize it and try to fight against it. It's the same way people will recognize that racism is wrong and try their best not to be racist but still find themselves instinctually making racist assumptions, etc..


Here's a riddle that illustrates my point. Someone told this to me and my inability to figure it out surprised the hell out of me:


A man and his son were driving down the street when suddenly they got into a huge accident. The ambulance came and found that the father was dead on arrival but the son was still alive. They took him to the hospital where he was instantly admitted to the emergency room. There, the doctor looked down at the boy and exclaimed, "That's my son!" Who is the doctor?


**Answer and commentary is at the bottom**


15) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
No. And even mainstream Orthodox Judaism doesn't believe that.


16) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
I think everyone who practices something that they consider to be Judaism is a practicing Jew. However, it bothers me when Orthodox Jews claim to speak for Judaism, deriding all other branches of Judaism as inauthentic and wrong.


17) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
No.


18) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
Yes. I feel like traditional Judaism and the Torah devalue me as a woman. The Torah seems to be directed at men and seriously devalues women, from my perspective.


19) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
No. Neither atheism nor Judaism gives me peace of mind.


20) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
No. It's completely illogical and nonsensical. I don't even believe in God. Why would I believe in reincarnation?


**The answer to the riddle in #14 is that the doctor is the boy's mother. This may (hopefully, especially in context?) seem obvious, however when presented with the riddle, many people will struggle and say, "The man in the car was his adoptive father and this is his natural father," "He's the son of a gay couple," etc., etc.. Indeed, this is how I answered it. When I found out the answer, I was disgusted with myself. Why was I, a feminist, assuming that the doctor was a man to the extent that I was ignoring the most obvious answer? Obviously, even as I've reexamined gender roles ad nauseam and concluded that contemporary gender constructs are problematic, I've still absorbed that ideology into the way I think on some deeper, subconscious level.

Larry Tanner

Hello and Happy Saturday!

First up I wish to thank Janie (aka Mother Moon) for her wonderful interview last week. Thanks so much for sharing with us Janie!

Today we have a new interview so please welcome Larry Tanner.
Larry is an Atheist and I know you'll enjoy his interview as well!


Here Is Larry Tanner's Introduction:


I am married with three young children. I have lived in Massachusetts most of my life and still do. Since 2008, I have self-identified as an Atheist. I was raised in a Jewish home of relaxed observance, and I keep some interest in Jewish culture. My wife of 11 years is a devout Christian.

http://larrytanner.blogspot.com


1) What religion do you practice?
Although I don’t feel that I practice any religion, I give a small amount of money to a local Jewish religious center. Through my wife, I support a local Christian church. I recently held a Passover seder with my family, and I attended an Easter barbeque with my wife’s family. Being non-religious, and in some cases anti-religious, has not completely removed religion from my life.


2) Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
I suppose I am a “convert” to Atheism. In 2008, when I was 38 years old, I accepted that Atheism best reflected what I thought was true about the state of the world. I arrived at this conclusion after many years of learning about my religion, about Christianity and other religions, about the textual histories of various holy books, about both world and human history, and about methods of knowledge and understanding in various disciplines of the sciences and humanities. Before I accepted that Atheism was the view I truly held, I considered myself a Jewish believer and I made a practice of reading Torah, donning Tefillin, and visiting shul. After my acceptance—I don’t think “conversion” captures my experience—I became more focused on the knowledge and activities that really interested me. I wanted to learn about probability. I wanted to blog and to do computer programming. I felt more empowered to pursue my best self.

3)Within your religion are there degrees of observance (ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance?
Some people give different degrees of Atheism, as in strong Atheism or weak Atheism. The degrees are supposed to reflect how certain one is. Atheism is often contrasted with agnosticism, which is the position of “I don’t know.” Even at the times in my life when I was most believing, I always harbored some agnosticism. Eventually, however, I realized that I knew enough to make “I don’t know” a weasel conclusion. I didn’t think it was honest for me to sit on the fence anymore, and so I became an Atheist.

4)Within your religion what degree of observance are you ((ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal) ? Why did you choose this degree of observance?
I suppose I would be considered a strong Atheist, as I don’t think there’s any question that no gods exist or ever have. I’m certain that all religions are man-made and that all the holy books are human invention. Don’t get me wrong: some of the narratives, poetry, and teachings in these books are lovely. But these books do not warrant special authority and they often don’t make great guides for how people ought to live their lives today. I am also personally critical of religious organizations. I think the Catholic church is a horrible, evil institution. I think religious apology and evangelism are mostly immoral activities. I am an advocate for the position that religious organizations should pay state and federal taxes.

5)What is the Afterlife within your religion? For example: what happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment? (such as a Heaven/Hell concept)
I don’t know of any good reason to think that there is an afterlife in the sense of a Heaven or Hell.

6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
In my opinion, and I feel I’m on the right track with this, everyone dies and eventually decomposes.

7) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
Atheism makes a good fit for me because it brings me back to basic important questions that need to be asked about most anything: Is this actually true? How do we know? How else can we legitimately understand this? It’s also a good fit because I don’t need to do things I always thought were kind of silly—such as giving thanks and praise to nothing, or calling Abraham’s willingness to murder his son a good thing, or standing in respect to a book or a wall.

8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
Every day is “holy.” We don’t get a chance to re-do the right now and the today. Hopefully, what we are doing and learning right now set a trajectory for good things.

9) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
Yes, people of other faiths are my friends. Heck, one of them is my wife! I don’t know what my young children will choose for themselves religiously. My worries for them are more material, but I would not want them to join a religion in which they feel compelled to avoid me. That would hurt.

10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
I try to minimize the amount of time I join family and friends in specifically religious activities. I have better things to do. When they are done with the religious part, I usually try to join them at that time. Sometimes, as for a funeral, one must enter a church and sit through the blah-blah, but these times are relatively few.

11) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
I think both the burka and Sharia Law are awful and antithetical to human happiness and welfare.

12) Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister, rabbi, iman etc) in your religion and how do you feel about it?
There are several Atheist organizations, and I believe women are able to hold any office within them. Personally, I advocate equal opportunity for all.

13) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
No.

14) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?
Atheism affects my daily life in some ways. I read the Atheist blogs. I don’t worry about having bacon or sausage. Most of the time, the non-existence of divine beings in the universe doesn’t seem to affect me.

15) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
If the potential spouse is a Red Sox fan, I can handle most anything.

16) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
No. I have a hard time understanding how people could think that their group alone has the keys out of Hell while everyone else now living and the billions upon billions who have ever lived before are baking over brimstone.

17) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
There are some prominent and outspoken Atheists. They don’t speak for me or for anyone else. They know it, too.

18) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
When I was a kid, I was probably called various Jewish names before (e.g., “kike,” “Jew-ball,” etc.).

19) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
No, not at all.

20) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
No. I get peace of mind from the love of my family and from being a decent person.

21) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
Not in the sense of people “coming back” as other people or animals. I’m not familiar enough with any pro-reincarnation arguments to comment much on the idea.

Kriss

Hello and Happy Saturday!

First up I wish to thank CF for his very enjoyable interview last week. Thanks for sharing with us CF!

We have a new interview today so please welcome Kriss.
Kriss is an Atheist and I know you're going to enjoy his interview as well!

Here Is Kriss's Introduction:


Hello everyone, my name is Kriss (no last name like Sting, Cher, Bono and my boss, Joan) and it is my pleasure to participate here. I'd like to thank Debra and all others involved with You Me and Religion for this opportunity. It is my hope that we can all emerge from this with a better understanding of each other. I am 42 years old and I've work in a cafe called Espresso Metropolitan for the past 18 years. I casually go to college and still hang on to the dream of being a professional musician (sigh, one day). In 2004 I came out as an atheist when the Four Horsemen and The New Atheist appeared on the scene. I'm very proud to be a skeptic and an out atheist in this day and time. My blog is called krissthesexyatheist and my intent is to redefine what "sexy" is, show the humanity of The New Atheist, report on the negative aspects of extremist and intolerant religion and have a little fun in the areas of art, music and culture along the way.

http://krissthesexyatheist.blogspot.com/


1) What religion do you practice?
I do not practice a religion, I am an atheist. I was raised Catholic, just like most Filipino's are, and indoctrinated into the martial arts in 72' and with that came Eastern philosophy. In 2004 I came "out of the atheist closet" and I do consider myself a part of the movement called The New Atheist. For purposes of time and space, let's define atheist as lack of belief in God(s) and the supernatural, nothing more.

2) Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
As Richard "Papa Bear" Dawkins says, and I believe this to be correct, we are all born atheist. It is not until childhood that we are indoctrinated into our parents religion, which often times is the regional religion. In the early 2000's I took a biology class that studied extraordinary claims like UFO's, the Loch Ness monster chi etc... One of the books we used was the skeptic's classic from Michael Shermer called "Why People Believe Weird Things." After honing my critical thinking skills, reasoning skills and logically thinking about why it is biologically impossible for, let's say, the Loch Ness monster to exist (there is not a food source large enough for a creature that size), I became a skeptic and an atheist. My previous beliefs were Catholicism and chi. I no longer believe in either.

3)Within your religion are there degrees of observance (ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance?
This is a great question. The New Atheist come in all kinds of shapes, sizes and beliefs. The only common denominator is that we do not believe in God(s). Some of us are very casual and some of us are more vocal and up front. There are atheist/agnostics and atheist/Buddhists and every category in between. Just like there are many different kinds of Christianity or Buddhisms, there are many different kinds of atheists.

4)Within your religion what degree of observance are you ((ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal) ? Why did you choose this degree of observance?
Wow, I do not know what to call myself. For the most part, I'm live and let live. If someone believes in a God and we agree on social issues (abortion, GLBT, feminism etc...) then I'm cool with that. If a practitioner of a more extreme and intolerant religion "forces" me, or anyone else, to believe in said religion, if they spew hate like Westboro Baptist Church or are willing to kill for their God(s), then I'm soooo not cool with that. I guess I'm a mirror that reflects what it is in my environment at the time. If 'you' have no problem with my nonbelief, then I have no problem with you having belief. If my nonbelief makes you angry and it is your 'mission' to convert or kill the infidel, then of course I have a problem with that (and I'm sure all reasonable peeps would). Afterall, atheist have the whole compliment of human emotions, thoughts and feelings just like any one else. Often times we are called angry atheist, but what is not addressed is that someone, a fellow human, made us angry. So, I guess my "degree of observance" can change with the situation, but for the most part, I'm "mellow yellow (and I like it that way)."

5)What is the Afterlife within your religion? For example: what happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment? (such as a Heaven/Hell concept).
Skeptics and atheists do not believe in an afterlife. As of right now we do not see that there is any hard evidence to suggest other wise (and if 'you' believe in an afterlife, I'm totally cool with that as long as you don't yell at me to believe in what you believe, but you guys wouldn't do that anyways). I once had a near death experience after a Greatful Dead show in the mid 90's. What I learned later on was that NDE's 1) can be induced, 2) that it happens because of a lock of oxygen to the brain 3) the formula of the NDE is susceptible to suggestion (skeptics believe it happens exactly the way it is described to peeps, a prescribed learned experience so to speak).

6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
We do not believe in heaven, again, for lack of evidence. If the idea of heaven gives one comfort (death is a big dealeo) then I have no problem with that. It just doesn't make sense to skeptics and atheists. We believe that there is only one life and it is best to make the most out of the life here on Earth (and if that is a symbolic heaven, then call it what you will. We choose to call it life here on Earth.).

7) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
Well once again atheism is not a religion. It only means lack of belief in a God(s). I can still answer the question though. After "soul searching" and asking hard questions and toiling over those questions, I have come to the conclusion that the supernatural does not exist. Now that being said I do leave the door open for evidence and I would be willing to change my position, but I really don't think that will happen. If the supernatural existed and could be proven, then those peeps should contact James Randi and collect the million dollar prize.

8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
There are no holy days for atheism, but if there is food and drink involved and I'm invited, I'm down for celebrating any holiday (just don't force me to do anything that I do not want to do).

9) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
Yes, I do not see why not. Once again, I'm a mirror, a reflection. If you accept me, then I see no reason to not accept you. In fact one of the myths of atheists is that we hate religion. That is not true for all of us. This atheist finds religion very fascinating and beautiful. It's just that I do not not acknowledge the negative aspects of some of the extremist religions. The recent Pew research survey of religious knowledge showed that atheist, agnostics and then Jewish peeps, scored highest in religious knowledge. So, a friend is a friend is a friend, regardless of what s/he believes.

10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
I see no reason to do that. I get invited anyways.

11) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
Wow, that's not an easy one. If a woman claims that it is her choice to wear a burka, I guess I'm fine with that. I just wonder if the choice is really a choice. I'll have to admit that I do not know for sure on that one. Shariah law it seems to me is oppressive to women and downright unfair. There may be instances of fair Shariah law, but as far as I know (and I know very little) it is responsible for violence in the name of God-and last I checked, no one wants that.

12) Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister, rabbi, iman etc) in your religion and how do you feel about it?
Well, you know what I'm going to say about that. What the secular crowd wants from extremist religion (and I do understand that there are no extremist here) is a softening of stances on women as clergy, misogyny and GLBT issues. Currently there are splits in churches that on one side want to allow women as clergy, which is cool, while the other side does not want that-which means they are stuck in ancient ways and are not willing to grow.

13) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
The New Atheists are not exactly organized, per say. But what often times comes up is lack of minorities and women in the groups that we do have and at the top leadership positions.

14) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?
Well atheism and skepticism certainly do influence my "daily." The most obvious is that the materialist worldview keeps me grounded in the here and now right here on Earth. Many, not all, atheists/skeptics are progressive liberals so we want equal rights for all peeps, GLBT, women, minorities and certainly a woman's right to choose what to do with her body is her choice and her choice alone.

15) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
Well, I do not have children (one day I would really like that), but... It would be my hope that by the time my child got married, that I have taught them to think for themselves. If my child were to marry a believer, then I would still love my child, accept the decision and welcome his/her partner into our world.

16) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
We do not believe in hell, so you can't go to a place that does not exist.

17) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
I do not know how to respond to the first part. The New Atheist are a diverse bunch, but it is the Four Horsemen (Dawkins, Hitchens, Dennet, Harris) who get all the press. Unfortunately they are considered 'militant atheists' (which is a horrible designation because they write books, not carry arms) and the perception is that we are all like that. I agree with them to a certain extent, but they do not represent "us' entirely. That is why it is so important for venues like this. To let the world know we are diverse.

18) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
I'd have to say no. I've been very fortunate so far.

19) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
Me personally, I'd have to say no. Generally, I'd have to say that one of my main problems with extreme religion is the treatment of women. Perhaps naively, I believe that we can have world peace if as a society we treated women as equals.

20) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
I think it does.

21) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
I do not. I used to believe, but as of now, I see no evidence besides faith to believe in reincarnation. As a skeptic/atheist we require extraordinary evidence for extraordinary claims.

Well, that was more epic than I had anticipated. Still fun though. Once again I'd like to thank Debra and Y M & R for this opportunity. I hope that this was informative for all the peeps out there. It takes all kinds to make the world go round and it takes all kinds to actively live in peace here on Earth in this lifetime. If you disagree with my position, then I hope that we can still be friends and that we can agree to disagree and leave it at that. May your God(s) bless you and if you don't have a God(s), then just like the atheist bus campaign says, "Don't worry, be happy." Thank you so much.

Kriss

Jason Hughes

Hello and Happy Saturday!

I wish to thank Wee_Beastie for his interview last week. I very much enjoyed reading it and I thank you Wee_Beastie for sharing!

Today we have a new interview so please welcome Jason Hughes.
Jason is an Atheist and I know you will enjoy his interview as well!

Here Is Jason Hughes's Introduction:


Jason Hughes aspires to many things, the least of which includes proving that one can be an atheist and still be a decent human being. He fancies himself a writer, but also fancies that his buns are made of steel. In either case, they are a work in progress, much like himself. He tries to hone his skill and weaponry at Life & Otherwise (http://jthughes.blogspot.com), which really is just something to do until the asteroid hits.


1) What religion do you practice?
I do not practice any religion, although some would argue that atheism itself has taken on some religious connotations (i.e., extremists and blind devotion to science), which, any time mankind is involved in anything, you will end up with a fringe element of some type. Atheism in and of itself does not adhere to any one type of doctrine, does not engage in any sort of fellowship, or seek to commune with a "higher plane" in any way, shape or form, so I would argue that pure atheism, in and of itself, does not count in any way as a "religion" in the truest sense of the word.

2) Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
I was raised Protestant, as were my four siblings, being as both of our parents were raised in strict religious households of the protestant and baptist persuasions. I "converted" to atheism about 13 years ago, although truth be told it was a years' long process of de-conversion, not without its painful moments. When you are truly questioning everything you had been taught growing up, and realizing the baselessness of many of those things that science easily disproves (i.e., the earth is only 10,000 years old), you go through a real personal struggle that many do not understand until they themselves are confronted with a perceived falsehood in their worldview. My older brother has since become a Quaker, two of my younger siblings have become agnostic-ish, and my youngest sister still adheres to the faith in which we were raised, which makes for very interesting Christmas celebrations!

3)Within your religion are there degrees of observance (ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance?
There are many in the atheist/agnostic camp that do hold up science as a "god," or even non-belief in a god as the end-all, be-all of their personal belief. I think it is safe to say that while I do believe science will eventually be able to provide some answers (like a cure for cancer as opposed to relying on prayer and the like), the purpose of science is to ask questions, and then prove them right or wrong based on empirical data, *not* faith. One must realize that science is based on human observation, and therefore needs constant retesting to continue to prove theories and hypothesis's. Thus, science is fallible to a degree in that, while the data is accurate from the result of the experiment, the people interpreting those results may read into it something that isn't there (which is why many believe "creationism" or "intelligent design" has scientific evidence when in fact it does not).

4)Within your religion what degree of observance are you ((ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal) ? Why did you choose this degree of observance?
I like to think I'm a moderate when it comes to a lot of things in life, but I've always found that one man's middle-of-the-road is another man's extreme. Perhaps it's the influence of the strict version of Christianity I was raised in bleeding over, but man IS fallible (i.e., makes mistakes) and thus one cannot take all things that come from the scientific community as a sort of gospel. So even there I like to be conservative at times whenever a new discovery or finding is made public, and I like to research it further to see if it has been peer-reviewed, or verified by another source. But those types of "Eureka!" discoveries are sometimes so awesome and enlightening that one cannot help but celebrate in the genius of the scientific community!

5)What is the Afterlife within your religion? For example: what happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment? (such as a Heaven/Hell concept)
I think this is one of those "sticking points" for a lot of people. We'd like to think that this life is just a "prequel" or a "prologue" to a better life afterward. That something better is waiting. Life is hard, and we have to work hard to exist and to thrive, if we are even afforded a chance to thrive. If there's one thing I've learned, there is no discernible or verifiable proof of an afterlife, whether for good or ill, and that, perhaps rightly so, makes people uncomfortable. We can't help but imagine our minds living on after our weak bodies fail us, for our minds think great things, wonder awesome wonders, imagine fantastical, luxurious things--part of which allows us to explore and observe and perform experiments to try to answer the questions we come up with. It's a very sobering thought to think that it will all end, and usually sooner than we would like. One of the things that was very clinching for myself was that I cannot remember a time BEFORE I had conscious thought, BEFORE I was born. So why would I have consciousness after I die? It doesn't make sense and isn't terribly logical to think something would be waiting for my mind after the body, which sustains my mind, fails. However, people like "fairness," and it just doesn't seem fair that we would struggle like we do daily only to end up having all of it mean nothing in the grand scheme of things. Sadly for most, however, I can't help but think that this is it, this life, this one chance, is all there is, which even further illustrates to me personally that I must live it to the fullest.

6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
One man's heaven is another man's version of hell. (Just one more reason why an afterlife is illogical.) As stated above, this is it, this one life. I'd rather make my mistakes, relish in my victories, and enjoy my cup of coffee in the present then worry about what's going to happen when the asteroid does hit. Other people seem to like having a goal and dream of an easy life where there is no struggle, no unhappiness, and no pain. It must be noted, however, that that isn't life. A study of life, if anything, will prove that without pain and struggle, there is no life. May as well call it afterdeath. :)

7) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
This is probably one of the most disturbing things about religion in general, although I have to confess I'm not sure if this is strictly an "American" thing, or if it can be found the world over. If any one religion were THE religion, this one-size-fits-all mentality that many on the fringes of all religions would be justified. Sadly, however, the truth is that many DO shop for a religion that fits nicely with their preconceived notions of what SHOULD be. I'm not sure how many people actually challenge themselves on their beliefs and why they believe whatever it is that their choice of religion teaches. I'm sure many just say they are Catholic because that's how they were raised, but would be horrified to know what the Catholic church teaches as scripture and doctrine. I'm sure that tradition plays a huge part, but another factor is convenience--in America, you have freedom of religion, and thus the plethora of choices ensures that you can find something comfortable. I don't want to be comfortable. I want to KNOW why this person says this, or why that person believes that. Not just what they believe, but WHY. Until anyone knows the Why's of their beliefs, it's not truly a belief, at least in my book.

8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
There really aren't any holy days in atheism, although the winter solstice has become for many THE "holiday" of choice. Part of this has to do, I think, with not only an excuse to get together with friends and family (i.e., the needing of a "reason"), but also because so many in the religious community have declared Christmas as THEIR religion, and god forbid any others should come up with a different reason to celebrate. History shows that originally the winter solstice WAS pagan in nature until usurped by religion to try to drag people kicking and screaming from the irreligious ways they practiced the days going from shorter to longer.

9) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
Most of them, in fact, are of "other faiths." I have many faiths not only in my immediate family, but most of my friends, be they Buddhist, Catholic, protestant, Lutheran, or other. I have no issues with other beliefs, as long as they not only KNOW why they believe what they believe, and don't try to make me change. We have wonderful discussions and are constantly challenging one another in ways that are nonthreatening and respectful, although the same cannot be said for the political environment in general of the United States as a whole.

10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
I have and always will continue to do so. Even if I don't share the beliefs of my friends and family, I still see it as a time to get together, to share what's going on in our lives, to laugh and converse, catch up with one another. I stay silent and still during prayers or hymns or whatever else is served up in the religious sense, as I respect people enough, and love my friends and family enough, to put up with what at times seems like quirks for the people I dearly love. And that is what it really comes down to--loving people enough to overlook those things which would otherwise drive us insane :) While I may not share their various faiths, I love and respect them regardless. When it comes to complete strangers knocking on my door Saturday morning, however, I politely turn them away--if they allow me to do so politely.

11) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
On one hand it is a cultural institution toward which I think a certain level of sensitivity is required. On the other hand, however, I cannot help but view the burka as one more tool man has used to prevent women from having an equal place in society. (Which, of course, it is.) While I can respect that people believe certain things are sacred, taboo, or otherwise a part of faith that must be observed else their particular god(s) will punish them, when it comes to laws which demand that everyone hold those same taboos and doctrines? Absolutely not. If each individual woman, after a discussion among equals with her husband, believes she should where the burka? Fine. It's your life to do with as you please. But to make it a law for everyone. That's a no-go. No $200. People should have enough respect to let others decide what is best for their own lives, as long as it infringes upon no one else's life. Rights for all, as long as no one else has their rights violated. Anything less is disrespectful and ignorant, not to mention enormously arrogant.

12) Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister, rabbi, iman etc) in your religion and how do you feel about it?
This is basically a moot point when it comes to atheism, I think you would agree. :) I believe all people, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or any other "qualifying" factor should be judged on capability alone for any position which they would like to hold.

13) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
No. And thank goodness. :)

14) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?
While many may think atheism would stand for equal rights for all, one would find many varying opinions within the atheist community on such "hot button" issues, and I mostly find that allows for a more honest discussion. People need not fear their god(s) or the religious leaders when voicing an opinion on such topics, and also allows people to voice REAL concerns about how their daily lives can/would be affected if such things were/weren't allowed by law. As stated above, however, I do feel that what others do in their lives is their own concern and should not have anyone else involved in such personal decisions unless personally affected, or if it in fact harms or infringes upon another human beings rights. That being said, I believe a woman should have the right to choose whether or not she will carry a fetus to term, and men and women should have the option to marry someone of the same gender in love, or even in convenience, as many opposite-sex couples have done for generations. Neither issue has any impact on someone not directly related to the persons making those decisions. (I.e., the Family Research Council [or any other similar type group] is in no way affected, nor are the individuals in such a group, in any way infringed upon, whether or not a woman has an abortion, or whether Bob marries Joe.) But when it comes to public policy, such right-wing (and some left-wing) groups would like to influence policy to have everyone adhere to their doctrines, even though most feel no such compunction in their own personal morals. This is akin to trying to make Sharia law the law of the land, and should not be tolerated from any one of any faith or non-faith.

15) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
If I ever do end up having the privilege of becoming a father, I would hope that my child would have been raised with enough of a bullshit meter to not have a religion in the first place. That being said, if my child were to end up having a faith, or were to marry someone who had a faith, it would be of no concern to me except that they were happy and in love and thought that the decision they were making would have a positive impact on both their lives. I myself am partnered to a Christian and our relationship is in no way ill affected by his belief or by my non belief. It's a moot point to us, however, I have seen families torn apart by such faith differences, especially when it came time to start indoctrinating said child. It is a matter for the couple and the couple alone to decide, if and when that time comes, if they are respectful enough of one another, and how to handle such a situation.

16) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
As there is no such thing as heaven or hell, no. :)

17) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
There are very few atheists and agnostics in the public square politically speaking, much to my dismay. Religion itself is treated with such preferential treatment in this country (whether right-wing religious elements like to admit it or not) that for any politician to speak of his or her own atheism is akin to political suicide, unfortunately. To compound the absurdity of our secular nation having such an intolerable attitude to nonbelief, the United States constitution itself states that no religious test is required to hold public office. The public, sadly, has a bit of a ways to go before atheism can become a mainstream lifestyle in this country.

18) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
Yes, but not because of my faith or non faith, but because of my sexual orientation. And not because of religious reasons either, believe it or not. :)

19) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
No.

20) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
An interesting question to ponder, I suppose, seeing as how "peace of mind" can be such a broad implication. I have made peace with the fact that there's no evidence for a god(s), an afterlife, or even of some sense of divine justice, which is of great consolation to many believers in this world. The fact that, even if they don't get justice in this life, they'll get there's before god(s) or what-have-you. De-conversion from faith is a hard and trying process, which is part of the reason I believe so many cling to their respective faiths at all. When you have to search the width and breadth of your being, challenge yourself on everything you've been taught, and challenge those in authority in their respective capacity as a religious leader... Well, it takes you on some dark paths in your mind. But ultimately I am more at peace for many reasons: I no longer need to fear eternity; I no longer need to feel like my measurable mistakes are going to have immeasurable, eternal consequences; I no longer need to fear that I'm committing some grievous sin simply by enjoying life having a drink or going out to dance. I can enjoy life, respect my fellow humans, and make the most of what I have without having to hope that faith is enough to buy me more time. I no longer need fear anyone but myself.

21) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
In one word? Hogwash. :) Especially given the data on the ease in which false memories can be planted in any persons mind. And, of course, you never hear anyone claim to be the reincarnation of a baby who died after having been alive for only two minutes in the 1700s, or the reincarnation of the whore who died of scurvy on that pirate ship. They've all been princes, or kings and queens, or knights! Why have we yet to meet the reincarnated Hitler? Not that I'd want him back--even he justified his atrocities according to his Catholic faith! But be that as it may--hogwash.

Wee_Beastie

Hello and Happy Saturday!

Thank you so much AnnMarie for sharing your faith journey with us last week. Your journey from Christianity to Buddhism was unique and very interesting.
Thank you AnnMarie!

Today we have a new interview so please welcome Wee_Beastie.
Wee_Beastie is an Atheist and I know you will enjoy his interview as well!


Here Is Wee_Beastie's Introduction:


Hello There.
I will keep the introduction brief, as my life is not the focus of this blog. I was born in Motherwell, Scotland in 1969, our family emigrated to Canada in 1974. I have spent the majority of my life in Cambridge, Ontario. I served in the Canadian Forces for seven years (1987-1993). I went to school in Cambridge, Ontario, and attended college in Kitchener, Ontario. I now work for a respectable company in Waterloo, Ontario for the last 11 years.
Anything more than that is irrelevant for this exercise. Best Regards… Beastie.



1) What religion do you practice?
I do not practice religion per se, I believe that there is a greater power, but nothing that has been or can be truly explained by any organized religion.

2) Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
I was raised protestant. Well, I went to church with my mother when I was very young… Sunday school every weekend… I still remember the nice pigeon-toed lady taking me on to the bus when mom didn’t go. I remember waking up one Sunday when I was about 8 or 9 and saying that I didn’t want to go. Mom was insistent, but my dad called out that if I didn’t want to go, I didn’t have to. It must have been the heavy roof on our house that stopped the bolt of lightning from striking me down right there and then.

3)Within your religion are there degrees of observance (ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance?
The only observances that impact me are the ones accepted by the government. Statutory holidays. But It seems wrong that one predominant religion exercises its influence across all faiths. With that being said, if all organized religions had their way, we’d probably only work around 10 days a year…

4)Within your religion what degree of observance are you ((ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal) ? Why did you choose this degree of observance?
It’s just another day off for me.

5)What is the Afterlife within your religion? For example: what happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment? (such as a Heaven/Hell concept)
Reincarnation. See below (Question 21). As for the Vikings, what a waste of a perfectly good boat.

As for rewards and/or punishments, I think that is related to our actions in past lives, as well as our current life. You reap what you sow; it just may not come right away.

6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
I do not believe in a heaven or hell as defined by man-made religion.

7) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
I do not need to dress up on Sundays, I do not need to fast, slaughter animals, make a pilgrimage. or give anything up for a specified period of time.

8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
The closest “holy day” is Christmas, when our family comes together. We do not celebrate it on December 24th/25th, but instead celebrate it when it is convenient to all involved. My family is very accepting, and understands that others who wish to hold to a more religious doctrine or calendar have precedence.

9) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
I have or have had many friends who hold different beliefs than my own. I do not judge them, berate them, or tease them (too often – in jest). People are people, and friends are friends.

10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
If I had a friend who wished or requested my attendance at a “holy day” in contradiction to my beliefs, I would attend, respect the customs, rituals, etc., and make the most of the situation by learning their beliefs to avoid any chance of accidental offense. It is also a very good chance to learn, ask questions, and break down the barriers of ignorance that occur between radical factions within organized religion.

11) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
If a woman chooses to wear a burka of HER OWN FREE WILL, then that is her choice. It is not my place to judge on any specific religion. ANY religion that dictates the rights (or restrictions) of any individual, regardless of gender, sexual preference, abstinence of alcohol, etc,) is restricting the freedom of that individual, which contradicts an individuals right to choice. This statement is not directed at Shariah Law specifically, but should be applied across any and all religions

12) Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister, rabbi, iman etc) in your religion and how do you feel about it?
I wish there were more free thinking women out there… but a woman should be able to hold in any position within their religious organization if they choose to do so.

13) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
No. Anyone is welcome in my home (the closest thing to my church). As long as they have been invited, everyone is equal. Just bring your own beer, unless otherwise instructed.

14) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?
Religion does not factor in to any decision I make. Why should my beliefs change how I treat other people? I try to treat everyone as equals, with the exception of those who bring it on themselves. Abortion is a woman’s choice, and gay rights/marriage is a label that should be abolished.

15) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
My child would be their own person, and it is not my right to judge or influence any decision that they may make as a person.

16) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
Not necessarily. I believe that any individual of any religion that treats others with kindness, respect and tolerance will be rewarded through their efforts. I have seen many devotees of specific religions who will berate and judge others because they do not share the same beliefs… and then go to church to be forgiven for their “sins”.

17) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
Well, I’m pretty sure the Pope would not be of my religious persuasion. He is the beacon of light and direction for approximately a billion Catholics, and would refuse an invite to come visit me because I offer nothing to him or his religion (although it would be fun to get him sauced, and then try on all of his hats). That being said, I haven’t actually invited him.

Every individual has “their own exact interpretation” of religion, so I doubt if there’s anyone else out there that speaks for everyone else. If I was to choose somebody, it would have to be me, and I agree 90% with me completely. I’m not perfect.


18) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
Yes, I have been exposed to hate crime, but I do not consider myself to be a victim. From it I learned that there are weak-minded individuals trying to be something that they are not, who do not have the capacity to accept others, or be understanding when challenging their beliefs. The only thing that I will elaborate on is that it was in the military many years ago, and it was done by a regiment that no longer exists

It is the lack of public education on religious differences that create the rifts in our society. (this is my 17-word soap box moment)

19) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
On the contrary. My lack of commitment or subjugation to an organized religion has opened my eyes to the world. Everyone is welcome to practice their own beliefs, and I would not judge or persecute any individual for supporting their beliefs, unless they were themselves judging first.

20) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
Yes. The fact that I can live my life as I see fit eliminates the need for being guarded or restricted.

21) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
I believe strongly in reincarnation. I have had experiences in certain places that I have never visited before and say to others “I’ve been here”. These places are not local, as if I’ve been out with the boys late one night and forgotten, but ancient sites throughout Europe that I can identify with.

Thank you for taking the time to read my comments.