this post was submitted on 26 May 2025
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Thing is it shouldn't be comforting to anyone if they really take the details seriously. You could do as much damage really educating someone about Deuteronomy and other fun parts of the Bible and ultimately leave them in a worse state than finding a way to make them an atheist.
We forget an atheist is just a non-theist. Someone who doesn't believe in any specific canonical god. I'm an atheist with a genuine faith the universe has more in store for "me" (whatever that is; I don't believe it's necessarily or eternally "ynthrepic") than a mere human lifetime given what we know about the universe as a whole and how mysterious and seemingly fundamental consciousness is to it all. That gives me some relief and comfort from the existential dread. More than I could possibly get from Yahweh and his totally uncompelling biblical heaven and hell dynamic.
Most people I know who are religious don't take the bible very literally; most haven't even read it. The comforting lie is stuff about the after-life, heaven, and a caring universe.
And that's great so long as it's a source of comfort and not dread. The fear of God and hellfire is real. We need people who carry faiths to recognize that this is by definition an uncertainty for which no real evidence exists, when it comes to consequences in the real world. Maybe that's a contradiction to some, but it doesn't need to be.
You're forgetting that some people have coping mechanisms for life around systems containing a kind god that's there looking after them, and will reunite them with people they desperately hope to see again when they die.
Your coping mechanism is hoping the universe is magical and mysterious and has something more for you when you die. You're not an atheist, just a non-denominational theist with a different hope for continuing on after you're dead. I hope it brings you comfort, but don't shit on people who have a different post death comfort they hope for.
Nonsense. I don't believe in any divine entity, which is the definition of theism. Moreover, my "faith" isn't predicated on any actions in the world. It's a musing about the universe. A hopeful fantasy that I think is worth wanting. But it's not a gospel for how you ought to live in the world. That's why organised religions are a toxic force in the world overall, and we should never shy away from criticising them.