Not all of us might expect to be struck by a bolt of light from heaven, as happened to poor Paul in the above drawing. If a similar event happened to the average atheist, they might well reconsider their theological position.

Paul probably had a blinding headache for the three days in which his sight disappeared. Then he jumped up and exclaimed “I can see clearly now!” Thus was

Paul motivated to mould Christianity and package Jesus like a new brand of detergent.

What concerns us here though, is the impact that such religious revelations may have on the average modern day atheist, not to mention everyone else on the planet. Like it or not, atheists are a minority who must come to terms with the pervasive grasp that religion still has on almost all facets of modern society.

Too many atheists get caught up in unwinnable arguments over the existence of God.

Whether God is solely a figment of the human imagination, or is actually lurking somewhere out there in the void is unknowable. There are only three possibilities here: (1) God doesn’t exist (2) God exists, but his sphere of interest takes in the entire cosmos, with no concern for the petty doings of mankind. (3) God exists and takes an active interest in all and sundry on planet earth. If so, he would seem to be stuffing things up on a grand scale.

Note that only one of these three possibilities (the most unlikely one) favours a religious position. Nevertheless, the majority of humanity believes in some sort of paternal deity, so what atheists must do is come to terms with the consequences of that belief.

The major complaint that most atheists seem to have with religion is that it strains their credibility circuits. The negative consequences stemming from a belief system based upon fear and obedience is a far more important issue. What should really concern them is the impact that the adoption of a father figure type deity has on both individuals and society, for that is where the real damage is done.

If you create a population of individuals suffering from various guilt complexes, make sure they feel bad about themselves so they will be humble, and get them to make most of life's decisions on an emotional poorly thought-out basis rather than a rational one, you will create a dysfunctional society. That is just what religion does via their ethic systems based upon obedience to God.

Rejecting religion is only the first step an aspiring atheist should consider. They must then have a hard look at the various human needs that religion is perceived to fill- and then find a better way to fill them. That includes the adoption of a rational ethic designed to improve the human condition, not to foster the power of the church. That’s why reading The Spirituality Instinct can be a big help, even for those who already consider themselves certified unbelievers. See my companion site for more info.

Go to:       http://www.spiritualityinstinct.com