What are some of the consequences of being an atheist?

[Rum]

Time for something serious for a change. I have been too frivolous of late!

I was thinking about some of the perhaps not oft thought through consequences of being an atheist.

For example 'there is no road to follow'. Nobody keeps a score about what you do and don't do. There is no destination in life. It doesn't actually really matter at the end of the day if you are horrible to other people to anyone but yourself (and the ones temporarily perhaps you are horrible to). All religions are equally vapid and irrelevant. The authority religions engender with the majority mean nothing to me.

Just a few consequences. Want to add to the list?

[Trolldor]

Being an atheist says nothing about who I am, who I was, or who I will be. What am I other than an atheist? That will determine everything.

[Elessarina]

Curiosity about things

[Feck]

You get more Christmas cards

[floppit]

Acceptance - the entire universe no longer has to be fair, the mind can rest from the gymnastics it takes to balance the books and the rested mind can then THINK.

Thinking, however imperfect, the genuine attempt to challenge, enquire, discover, LEARN.

I think there is more pleasure in learning than knowing.

[Rum]

Acceptance - the entire universe no longer has to be fair, the mind can rest from the gymnastics it takes to balance the books and the rested mind can then THINK.

Thinking, however imperfect, the genuine attempt to challenge, enquire, discover, LEARN.

I think there is more pleasure in learning than knowing.

That's a good one. One consequence of the no fairness thing is also that we are not guaranteed a happy ending. A supernova might explode a few dozen light years away and vaporize us and it wouldn't make a damn bit of difference to anything except us!

[Tigger]

Meeting Ratz. Teh bestest thing evva. Seriously.

[Ian]

There's plenty of positive consequences, but I'll focus on the negative ones. Mostly, it's misunderstanding. For a lot of people, "atheism" = satan worship / paganism / communism / nazism / hating God / nihilism / hedonism / etc.
If ever I'm confronted with one of these, my standard soundbite response is "As a word, atheism shouldn't exist. There is no "ism" to follow. I just don't following a particular religion."

I've been trying to think of another negative consequence, but I can't think of any. I suppose when I'm on my deathbed I won't have the comfort of being so certain that I'll go up to heaven or whatever, but a lifetime of not worrying about my application getting me past the pearly gates is more than a fair tradeoff for that.

[Trolldor]

I suppose one consequence of becoming an atheist is that I have an Aunt and Uncle who are quite religious. One of them went on a pilgramige? Pilgrimige? Pilgrimage? Fuck it. Anyway, I really have to bite my tongue a lot... but one of these days I'm going to lose it.

[PsychoSerenity]

Ahhhh shit. I want to post something but I can't get it right so I may come back and edit this later.

Could that be a consequence of being an atheist?

[Feck]

I suppose one consequence of becoming an atheist is that I have an Aunt and Uncle who are quite religious. One of them went on a pilgramige? Pilgrimige? Pilgrimage? Fuck it. Anyway, I really have to bite my tongue a lot... but one of these days I'm going to lose it.

Stop biting it so hard !

[tattuchu]

Alienation (but I'm used to that.)
An inability to be completely candid with others (but I'm used to that).
A feeling of superiority (but I'm used to that).
Depression, and a feeling of hopelessness because the rest of humanity is so tenaciously retarded (but I'm used to that).

[Rum]

Alienation (but I'm used to that.)
An inability to be completely candid with others (but I'm used to that).
A feeling of superiority (but I'm used to that).
Depression, and a feeling of hopelessness because the rest of humanity is so tenaciously retarded (but I'm used to that).

Cheer up old chum! It may never happen..

Oh - it just did!

[mightymouse]

You get to laugh great guffaws when your daughter-in-law suggests that the church she goes to would be 'interesting'.

[Pappa]

Everyone thinks your a "militant atheist" if you say anything critical of religion.