Welcome!
Introduction
This site is an expression of my freedom from the dogma and repression of organized religion. This is my apology, or defense of what I believe. Also on this site are "Questions for Xians," which are questions for the religious to answer, "Questions for Atheists," which are my answers to questions posed elsewhere by xians for atheists, and "Random Thoughs," which is a blog I occasionally update.
About "Xian." I choose to use the term "xian" to represent all religious types. It is common to hear Baptists say that they are the only "true" christians, but the Lutherans also believe the same, and the Catholics, and others. In fact, the Muslims also believe they have the "inside track" to god, along with the Mormons, the Hindus, and all other religions. For simplicity, I chose to lump all religious types into a single category, called "xians," on this site.
My Apology
I grew up in a Southern Baptist home. I felt the call to preach as a teenager and pursued that profession. I was ordained by the Southern Baptist Convention as a teenager. While in college, my studies led me to believe that there were problems in certain foundational Baptist beliefs, particularly those beliefs that concerned the Holy Spirit. I subsequently surrendered my ordination and moved to the Assemblies of God. I found that church, though, too dogmatic and inflexible in their acceptance of others, so I moved again. Over the next few years, I joined several churches; both those of “main-stream” denominations and also small, independent congregations. None, though, seemed to represent the true spirit of openness and acceptance I felt was taught in the Bible.
I continued my study of theology and soon began to find problems with the very concept of "god." It became increasingly difficult for me to resolve my beliefs into a coherent, religious system. By the time I was 35 years old, I had decided that there is no god. For a long time I told people I was agnostic. That, however, is a coward’s way to attempt to placate religious friends while possessing no true belief in god. Moreover, the term sounds literate enough that the one using it attempts to confer upon himself some degree of study that is, likely, false. In fact, Huxley, who coined the term agnostic, wrote that most people did not understand the term. It has nothing to do with a belief in the existence of God, but, rather, in whether we can know of the nature of God.
Eventually, I decided that I had lived the charade long enough. I began, about five years ago, to admit to others (and myself) that I am, indeed, an atheist. There are two general forms of atheism: weak and strong. At first, I was a weak atheist. I was not willing to say “There is no god;” for, in fact, I felt that there may have been a god whom we cannot sense or whom no longer lives in this physical plane. For me to say “There is no god” would imply that I could show evidence that there can be no form of god in any sense of the term, in an infinite plane, both temporally and physically. Of course, I could have no more done that than a christian could have definitively proven the existence of such a god. Eventually, though, I came to understand that a god who cannot be sensed or does not exist in this physical plane does not exist. Moreover, the very definition of "god" is internally inconsistent so no such being is possible. Therefore, I now consider myself a strong atheist. I know of no evidence for the existence of God, either now or in any other time or place; nor could such a being possibly exist given the common definition of "god."
So, does this mean I am an a-moral man? Of course not. One need not believe in god to have a strong moral foundation. In fact, it is an error to insist that only a strong belief in god can spawn a properly developed moral sense. Those responsible for the Spanish Inquisition, the Crusades, and various witch hunts had a strong religious faith and belief in god, but were still able to justify the mass murder of uncounted thousands of innocent people, along with the rape and plunder that accompanied those activities. Morals are founded not on religion, or even a belief in god, but on values that spring from within. In fact, I would argue that someone who is good for no other reason than to avoid eternal damnation is little better than the child who will not steal candy from a store as long as mother is present. Let the child think, even for a moment, that mother is powerless and a baser nature becomes evident. Many christians (even the highest church leaders) have been guilty of theft, prostitution, and many other immoral activities as soon as they think they won’t get caught. True moral behavior is based on something more substantial than a threat of punishment.
What do I believe? I believe in the sanctity of life. I believe that all humans have value and they have much to teach me. I believe that the greatest good I can do is to help others achieve their very best. I believe in the free will of every human. I believe that I do not know the answers to life’s riddles; but I at least hold one piece of the puzzle. I believe that I must share that piece of the puzzle with others if we are to find peace in our own lives. I believe that the only way to achieve riches or recognition is to give freely all that I can to others, for by giving I receive much more in return. I believe that only by accepting responsibility for our own lives can we learn to be free. I believe in honesty in our communications with others. I believe in love, hope, and happiness; and that if I can do anything to increase these things in someone else’s life, it is my duty to do so.
My personal philosophy is evidenced not by some creed to which I subscribe, nor in some church to which I’m sworn. Rather—who I am is reflected by what I’ve done. I’ve been an elementary school teacher, an Emergency Medical Technician, an Army medic, an adult educator, a trusted counselor, a friend. I’ve constantly sought out those professions that give fellow humans hope. While I do not belong to a church, nor even believe in god, I am proud to demonstrate my convictions by my actions.