Sunday, September 2, 2007

The Trials Begin!

For anyone who is easily offended: thanks for stopping by, but you might want to stop reading now and find gentler pastures.

So, if you found my blog, it's possible you "googled" atheist, or are a nursing student researching on the web for various "nursing" resources, or a student of law, or many other reasons. Let me tell you right now about the purpose of this blog: I am an atheist, I am starting my pre-requisites for nursing with the hopes of entering the nursing program no later than next fall, I am an adult student looking to expand my skills and career (by adult I am speaking of age, not necessarily of mind), and I am tired of being argued with by christians who insist that there is an imaginary, all powerful being that just exists, in spite of any evidence to the contrary, and we were all created from clay by this all powerful, omnipotent imaginary being.
If there is such a being, why did he even bother creating us, or granting us free-will when he knows exactly what we will do? If he knows what we will do then why test us?

I would like to provide a commentary and possibly a haven for other atheist who happen to have chosen the nursing profession as well for reasonable, rational discussion.

I always hear about how atheists have no morals, but I argue that we do! We do what's right because we have been taught by our parents and teachers about what is correct behavior in moral, thinking, reasonable, civilized people everywhere (not just here or there, but everywhere). How is this so terribly different from religious zealots who claim that they do what is right because some imaginary being told them so.

Currently I work in the healthcare profession and have for more than 16 years. I have always had many coworkers that were religious, but they have mostly kept their religion to themselves, being professional about their job. Within the last 3 years I have had to work with a smaller group of coworkers and they are very vocal about their beliefs and are constantly quoting their holy book and how it proves this or that. I bite my tongue (HARD!) and keep working, trying to be a professional in a job that may impact the life of another.

I would like to speak up, but I am afraid that it would create a work environment that would be extremely hostile. I have been honest about my atheism, and have stated my opinion on some issues that I know are not going to cause too much of an uproar, but I am in the extreme minority and although my supervisor, who is also religious but agrees that religion does not belong in the work place, does not curb the religious talk or turn the music to a station that everyone can agree on rather than the religious station.

To finish up this attempt at a reasonable, rational discussion of atheism and how an atheist nurse will excel at her chosen career I’d like to post some quotes from Richard Dawkins and Richard Cline (from Atheism.About.com) that I have used to explain to long ago friends who have attempted to re-convert me to their beliefs.

P.S.: please feel free to comment but if you are going to trash me, my philosophy, my life, then I would remind you of the Golden Rule--do unto others as you would have them do unto you. You definitely have a right to your opinion, something the religious do not always remember, but I also have a right to my opinions and to speak them freely, just as you are free to create your own blog as an antithesis to mine. But keep your trash statements on your blog and leave me and those who want to have a reasonable and rational discussion about atheism to my blog! Thank you!

Various quotes from other sources:
Everyone is atheist to one degree or another. Christians don't believe in Zeus or Ares as gods. I apply my disbelief in supernatural beings one god further. - The God Delusion, Richard Dawkins
"To me, one of the best components of atheism is the freedom of thought and mind. We do good because it's the right thing to do, not out of a fear of eternal damnation or a need to win favor with a deity." - from Atheism.About.com, Richard Cline
"We are moral, we are ethical, and we're tired of being defamed and maligned for our disbelief." - from Atheism.About.com, Richard Cline
"Most people stick with the religion in which they were raised, never thinking or examining the reasons why. Those that switch religions (or sects of a particular religion) often never truly question the belief in a god. Those that do should be proud that they have searched and reached an educated conclusion." - from Atheism.About.com, Richard Cline
"As an atheist, you have broken out of the cycle of doing what you're told because someone says God says so. You think for yourself, you are self reliant, and you are responsible for your own actions and decisions." - from Atheism.About.com, Richard Cline
"Humans have the idea of right and wrong imbedded in them by their own brains, as well as their upbringing and society. Atheists do good, not out of fear of reprisal, but because it's the right thing to do. We value family, society, culture, and, of course, freedom. Many of us will - and have - defend these values with our lives." - from Atheism.About.com, Richard Cline

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing your stories. I too am an adult pre-nursing school student and fellow atheist. I googled "atheist nurses" and came across your blog. I have not started a blog of my own as of yet, but do enjoy reading others. I look forward to reading more of your entries.

lzerby said...

Glad to hear from you! I really enjoy finding other rational individuals! Good luck on your schooling, it's tough, but it's all very interesting and fun too!
Loved Phoenix when I was down there early this year on my way to see the Grand Canyon for the first time, beautiful place! Sedona was amazing too.

Karen said...

Hey L! Found your blog, um, forget how...anyway...

I was born into a very loose translation of Christian, brought up in "Spiritualism" (consulting spiritualists/mediums, etc), re-converting back to Christianity, and finally landing on home plate as a tree-hugging, dirt loving, Goddess-loving Pagan. I have finally found peace, peace of mind, peace of heart, and a connection that I feel I've missed everywhere else.

But that's just me. I don't expect anyone else to follow my footsteps (oh, please DON'T follow me), or accept my system of belief because it fits me, and only me. It's where I'm happiest at this point in time.

I've tried going without a god, and it makes me uncomfortable. To me, it's like a compass without a needle pointing north.

However, I also respect those of other faiths, or non-faiths (not meaning disrespect, just trying to put it in words). My older son is athiest, my spouse is Christian, my daughter Wiccan, my younger son is undecided, and me, just plain Pagan. But one thing I insist my children do is accept others for what they believe.

The Wiccan Rede states "harm none." I believe that means words as well as physcial action. Without respect, we'll have no peace. Yes, that respect should go both ways, and many times it doesn't, but I refuse to teach my children intolerance, just because others show it. Wisdom and tolerance must start somewhere, so I'll do my part to have it start with me.

Good blog.