My Interest in the Subject of Religion
The Taboo
To some I may seem fanatical or like a "rabid atheist" as someone once eloquently put it. It's strange when you think about it. People regularly express their opinion and sometimes passionately so when it comes to a number of other topics but for some reason the topic of religion is given special treatment so that anyone doing the same thing they would with other subjects is painted as being too fanatical or preachy etc., especially if the person is questioning or critiquing religion.
Furthermore it is seen as shoving one's beliefs or opinions down other's throats. No one can really do this through mere discussion. It's not like anyone's going to go "Oh no, I'm succumbing to this other persons belief, I have no choice in the matter!". Shoving a belief down someone's throat could really only be accomplished by indoctrinating them at a young age or pressuring them in such a way as to not give other options (avoid becoming an outcast, be thrown out of home or institution, receive threats of harm or death). It would also be accomplished through laws and rules.
Being religious is more common and therefore more accepted, even by many nonbelievers. They are staunchly defensive of religion (I used to be this way myself): even the non religious discourage questioning religion. In fact they get quite heated about it. "How dare you question religion like that!" And then they may ask: "Don't you believe in free speech?" which is no doubt mind-bogglingly ironic. You'll also hear "Everyone has a right to their beliefs" as if anyone is saying otherwise. Apparently you can believe what you want but only so long as you don't ever dare express it. Why can't we just discuss this topic like any other? Why all the hyper sensitivity? Maybe it's time we take away the sacredness we assign to religion so it can be discussed and called into question like everything else, especially when it has such a largely negative impact. This should be seen as utilizing free speech more, not obstructing it.
Why the Interest
I used to be religious, technically speaking. I was never a Christian but I did believe in god, Jesus, and the afterlife. I refined my beliefs with books, ending with Sylvia Browne's. I've always been deeply interested in the paranormal and life after death. But when my beliefs came crashing down like the house of cards they were, I was left very interested in getting the skeptical side of the story. I was left a true fence sitter open to the skeptic and atheist arguments I once brushed aside. Reading atheist forums and seeing skeptics debunk a lot of what I once held dear left me with a burning desire to seek the truth, the real truth I had denied my whole life, and an intense interest in exposing the lies and delusions that hold so many minds hostage.
I feel like I learned a lot and went through a sort of transformation. I started off with blinders on, trapped in a world of illusion and then I finally took those blinders off, lost my illusions and learned that I can cope with a reality that doesn't involve an afterlife, a god, reincarnation, ghosts, etc. I learned to stop living on blind faith and require good justification for my beliefs. So, yes, this is an important topic to me, and I feel compelled to share some of the wisdom I've gained from my journey from belief to skepticism. I've learned a lot concerning the theism/atheism debate over the last several years, so naturally I have plenty to say on the topic (which by the way, I never ever bring up). Unfortunately I feel strongly discouraged from doing this much now because all the shit I take from people about being an atheist, kind of makes me not want to approach it with a 20-foot pole.
