Rick,
I think your ideas of atheism are similar to eating at McDonalds and disliking food. There is a great diversity of atheist thought, some atheists are very spiritual, and there can be a lot more to being an atheist than just the "I don't believe in God" declaration. I'd also like to point out that by stating your beliefs so strongly, you are only likely to reinforce them. By asking questions and searching, as Sam has suggested, maybe you will learn more. I personally don't believe in God, but I'd rather spend my time in more positive spiritual pursuits rather than obsess about some concept I don't believe in. So although I consider myself an atheist, I also pursue spirituality in other ways, and am not in any way an "evangelical" atheist. It is those "evangelical" atheists who create the web pages you denounce. However, your challenge is to find those atheists who do not proclaim themselves as such.
Having said that, in general I do not see much benefit in discussing atheism, and would much rather discuss spiritual practices that all can benefit from, theists and atheists alike.
Craig |
