Here's What Atheist Lack...

[tecelote]

Respect.

People love to say that they respect everyone's religion. But, what about the lack of religion?

What if you believe that you are responsible for your own actions? There is no higher power. You are it.

That's Atheism.

Why does this not deserve more respect than blaming an unknown God for your successes or failings?

You are responsible for who you are. You own your destiny. You are in control.

That is the Atheist belief.

Everyone is accountable for themselves. No excuses.

There are over 2000 different religions observed on earth. None of them are based upon facts.

Only Atheism is based upon empirical knowledge.

You can be your own God.

Just believe in yourself.

[trotsky]

1. "But, what about the lack of religion?"

That's the double standard right there. Atheists are respected only when they keep their opinions about religion to themselves. Every believer is allowed to publicly proclaim their beliefs, but the atheist must remain silent or be branded an anti-religious bigot.

[tecelote]

3. Anti-Religion is Our Religion

If you believe in God, then what God?

I believe in zero Gods. That's 1,999 less Gods that most people believe in. They believe in one God. We are only one God in disagreement (re: Ricky Garvais).

[Warpy]

9. Speak for yourself

I look at religion pretty much the same way as I look at pro football, scrapbooking, and reality TV. They're all things with huge followings of very passionate people but I don't get any of them. Same with religion.

Being anti religion takes too much energy and just pisses people off.

[tecelote]

13. So be yourself.

It's the right thing to do.

[gilbert sullivan]

19. Indeed, and being anti child abuse

pisses off child abusers.

[Voltaire2]

2. Atheism is not based on anything other than a lack of belief.

It does not require empirical knowledge. How could it? Plus atheism doesn't demand personal responsibility, it demands nothing other than a lack of belief in gods. An atheist can be an immoral shithead who takes responsibility for nothing and rejects empiricism. For example there are atheist anti-vaxxers.

[tecelote]

4. Atheism is not simply a belief in nothing.

Atheism is believing that you control your destiny. Crazy is simply crazy.

[SwissTony]

6. So, if I walk out into the street and get hit by a car, I'm controlling my destiny?

I'd actually like a bit more control than that.

[tecelote]

11. You get that control from God?

Yea, pray first.

That'll save you.

[SwissTony]

5. OK, I'm an atheist. Have been for 50+ years.

Atheism is not based on empirical knowledge. It's based on the fact that there is no evidence that we accept that leads us to believe in a god. I don't believe in god because I see no evidence for him/her/it. For the same reason I don't believe in unicorns.

"You can be your own God". What arrant nonsense. If I can believe that I'm a God, I'm not atheist, am I? And trust me, I'm not a God. I'm a rather imperfect human being.

[tecelote]

7. Empirical Knowledge (or evidence)...

From Wikipedia: Empirical evidence, also known as sense experience, is the knowledge or source of knowledge acquired by means of the senses, particularly by observation and experimentation. The term comes from the Greek word for experience, ἐμπειρία (empeiría).

You know that you are the one in control. Not a supernatural being.

As you said... "You can be your own God". What arrant nonsense.

OK - I agree. It's nonsense that believing that God controls your life. If, who controls you life is a God, then you are your own God. You control your life.

If you do not believe in God, then you still control your life. No God. Or, you are the God. Same thing.

[SwissTony]

8. But many factors in our lives are beyond our control.

Taxes, health, weather...At best we have some control over such factors. But other people have greater control e.g. the rethugs who are going to bite into Medicaid.

[tecelote]

12. Yes. But don't blame it on God.

It is us. We are the reason.

[PassingFair]

21. The word is acceptance, not

"control"

Atheism is acceptance of reality.

[SonofDonald]

16. Simplest explanation.

I don't feel there's anything been offered to believe in, that's it, it is so simple when you get to that answer.

I believe we came from somewhere or something, it's just way too unknown to try to try to fathom for me, that's all.

[Brainstormy]

20. that't it.

period. Why is it SO hard for folks to get this?

[gilbert sullivan]

10. Faith is a pisspoor substitute for thinking

We have learned more about our universe and how and why it operates in the last half century
or so than in all of previous human history.

This is why we no longer need to invent imaginary, magical, supernatural 'gods' to explain thunder, disease, planetary motion, speciation, chemical reactions, etc.

Hundreds of religious belief systems have gone down the toilet of history and the remaining ones are circling the bowl as we speak. Intelligent educated people understand this.

As Neil deGrasse Tyson so elegantly put it, "God is an ever-receding pocket of scientific ignorance that is getting smaller and smaller and smaller as time goes on".

The good news is that someday we will finally resolve the old question of whether religion is the cause...or the result...of insanity; then we can work on a cure for both.

[tecelote]

15. So, we agree.

[Cartoonist]

14. It's a numbers game

There aren't enough of us. And there aren't 2000 different religions, there are only two. You believe in God or you don't. No, wait, there is only one as atheism is not a religion despite what theists say.

Respect will come only when our numbers grow into a political force.

[tecelote]

17. Good point.

God or Personal Responsibly?

[Iggo]

18. I ain't lacking shit.