Without free will, there is no meaning.

Day 13 - Atheist Tumblr Challenge

Would you ever date/marry someone who follows a religion? Be honest.

I’m not afraid to admit that I would date let alone marry someone who follows a religion. To be perfectly honest I am doing so right now and believe it to be a rather interesting and unique relationship.

Unlike professional atheists, I desire to learn about religions and the like to understand them. Not to cast them aside as systems of beliefs for the weak or those who have no education. To date or marry someone who follows a religion is an extension of that desire to understand. Understand why they do the things they do and read the things they read.

I’ve had a few discussions with my significant other over the course of our relationship and it has provided me with an insight into her particular religion, Islam. From her, I’ve come to understand some core concepts of things like the pilgrimage to Mecca that every Muslim must make once in their lifetime, why they fast for an entire month, even a misunderstood and often over looked issue about marriage in Islam. Learning from her about Islam, albeit just a singular point-of-view, has been most enlightening and stands in stark contrast with what most people who mistrust them would say.

I’m sure the experience would be similar to that of any follower of any religion. Given enough time, you may understand their views even if you will never come to believe them for yourself.

Day 12 - Atheist Tumblr Challenge

What happens when we die? Do you fear death?

That depends on whether you are referring to what happens with our physical body after death or if the question refers to our consciousness, or soul if one wills.

If it is the physical body that is being referred to then no one doubts what happens when an individual dies. All biological functions within the human body ceases to function. Heartbeat, brain wave functions… Nothing but the cells in hair and nails continue to grow. All other cells decay over a given amount of time. Given particular conditions this decay can be sped up or slowed down. The decay can be stopped altogether when the body is kept at sub-zero temperatures.

If the question refers to our consciousness, or soul, then it is anyone’s guess as to what happens when an individual dies. Those of faith believe that a person’s soul continues to exist. Belief of the extent of their existence is a matter of individual opinion. Those who are of rational thought, atheists and the like, are split among a number of ideas as to what happens. Some believe that the consciousness continues to exist and is, as far as anyone knows, unexplainable. Others argue that consciousness ceases to exist once our body ceases to sustain life. A few even suppose that neither actually exist to begin with and that what we experience is nothing more than sensory deception.

My personal belief differs from all of the opinions above. It is my belief that one’s consciousness, one’s soul has always existed. It is the very last inch of us, but within it we are absolutely free. We can never lose it nor can it be given or taken away. Despite the fact we may perish, despite the fact we will die, within that inch… within our consciousness we live. Our physical existence only gives the consciousness a body. One that feels. Not just pain but warmth, cold, and the emotions that drive and compel us as well as can break and corrupt us. Our consciousness absorb all of these inputs and therefore assumes its identity and becomes what we refer to as our ‘self’.

It is because of this concept that I don’t fear death. It is inevitable. Whether it is today, tomorrow or a year from today, I will die. Nothing can change that. The circumstances can change but inevitably I will die. All I can do is do what I can before then. If I die before I can accomplish what I have to do, then all I can do is look back on what I have done and be satisfied. If I die after I have accomplished what I want to do, then I can die with satisfaction that I have accomplished what I sought to.

Day 11 - Atheist Tumblr Challenge

Do you have/plan on having a career in the sciences? Alternatively: What branch of science intrigues you the most?

At one time I thought about working in one of the various fields of science. In my early childhood until about my sophomore college of high school I was unsure of where in the sciences I would focus. Now that I’m in my third year of college, I find that I’ve narrowed that uncertainty of where I would focus to about a dozen choices. Whether or not I pursue them is a different matter.

Life Sciences: Genetics

Social Sciences: Economics, Education, Law, Political Science, Psychology and Sociology

Behavioral Sciences: Cognitive Science, Psychology, Social Neuroscience and Sociology

Applied Sciences: Artificial technology, Electronics, Energy, Forensic Science as well as Micro- and Nanotechnology

As you can see there are some relations between the sciences listed while at the same time some have no overt correlations whatsoever. Which is why I find it difficult to centralize any given interest in one particular science.

Day 10 - Atheist Tumblr Challenge

Are you spiritual, or are your feet always on the ground?

I do consider myself to be spiritual as opposed to being grounded or more accurately, concerned primarily with material values. This is always the hang up with me with people who always refer to spirituality to being apart of religion.

People get this twisted and seriously misunderstand religion and spirituality. Spirituality didn’t develop after religion, but rather religion was something that developed from spirituality. It is the core of what religion supposedly is and for most what compels them to be faithful. Spirituality, unlike religion, has no rules or laws. It is unrefined and a person can believe as they see fit. It may range from a particular God, a set of gods/goddesses or even demigods. It can even be something as simple as an energy field created by all living things. One that surrounds us and penetrates us, ultimately binding the galaxy, if not the universe, together.

Religion is nothing more than a particular system of faith and worship towards that core spirituality. It is mired with laws and mores that often drive a particular view about that core spirituality. Particular religions often have similar laws and mores that to most seem no different. Among the three top religions (Christianity, Islam and Judaism), the most common similarity is that none of the three will dispute the Ten Commandments as well as the similarities among certain parts of each religions’ particular scriptures. However, each have their particular takes on certain things. For instance, Judaism (the oldest of the three religions) does not consider Jesus Christ as their prophet and often don’t even acknowledge the fact he is Jewish. Islam (the youngest of the three religions) has two apparent distinctions: the first being their centralization around Muhammad, both their most important and last prophet; the second being the the role of women in both religion and society. Christianity (often considered the unique middle child of the three religions) is unique as it not only retains the original stories of Judaism but offers a complete new take on it by simplifying (or attempting to) the laws that, in Jesus’ view, bogged down Judaism.

Spirituality is the essence that feeds not just these religions but the others that exist throughout the world today. Essentially it is belief of something greater than oneself without the rules and regulations imposed by any church, synagogue or mosque. Think of it as immersing yourself in a passion when you have no other obligation. You owe nothing to anyone, no need to work, not even basic needs are of importance. Yet this immersion into the particular passion enriches and satisfies our spirit/soul more than any material possession could.

Now I am not saying that each and every person MUST believe in something. In fact, the only thing I advocate is to believe what you want to believe. Whether that is religion, not religion. Belief in a greater force or not. That is up to you. What I also advocate is not denying others should believe what they want BOTH openly and in private. I will elaborate on this in a future post so keep an eye out.

Day 9 - Atheist Tumblr Challenge

Even though you’re an atheist, have you ever experienced a moment that could be called “religious?” Like an epiphany about the world or complete peace?

I’ll be honest and say that I have. It wasn’t precisely about the world or complete peace. Instead it revolved around the individual. More precisely, the human nature of the individual. Jean-Jacques Rousseau once said that, “We do not know what our nature permits us to do.”

Recently, I’ve discussed this issue at length and came to find out that despite everyone having an idea of what constitutes human nature, I have also come to find out that there is no definitive end to what can be constituted as a characteristic of human nature. Instead, I’ve come to find that human nature is varied and no individual is outside of it’s scope no matter how much they prefer to think of it.

Religious views/beliefs, political views, habits, sexual endeavors, personal tastes. Even our personal choice about our spouse. Each of these things contribute to human nature. They come to us naturally despite how we define why we decide on what we have chosen. We have a natural affinity to choose a particular religion, political party, even a particular and individual person for a spouse. 

Mission Statement

I’m not entirely sure if this is necessary but having picked up eight followers since creating this tumblog is to say the least appreciative. I thank you for following this blog of mine and I thank any future followers I may gather.

With that said, I’d like to now state why I created this blog:

If you’ve read my first eight posts then you have no doubt gathered that I am an atheist. An open one at that. I created this blog as both an outlet for my ideas and opinions as well as a personal guide to see exactly where I stand in regards to issues and topics.

I do not expect for every individual who follows me to like my opinions or ideas. I do however expect them to respect my opinions and ideas. I welcome those who have legitimate and thought-out questions about any issue. I suppose the only thing off topic is getting to know me on an individual. Under no circumstance will I reveal who I am regardless of whether people care about that.

As for reblogging topics, I foresee that will be a recurrence and that I will post reblogs if I find it necessary. If I find fault with the post, offer some facts, figures or expertise on the post or even if I simply want to state my opinion on the topic I will do so.

Under no circumstances are my words in any of my posts to be so misconstrued as if to mean something entirely different than what is inherently written.

***I will add to this if necessary and will reference back to this if necessary***

Day 8 - Atheist Tumblr Challenge

What is your political alignment? Does atheism how you vote and feel on issues?

My political alignment according to the political compass -0.38 on the economic left/right scale and -0.36 on the social libertarian/authoritarian scale. Visually, that isn’t very far from the direct center of the grid.

My atheism has little effect on how feel on issues. Instead, I guide my feelings about issues by reason and necessity than my beliefs.