Why I chose to be an atheist.
Andrew | andrewgx.siteReading Time : 20 Minute
Tags: religion
For a long time, I've believed in buddhism which, believes in:
- The Truth of Suffering (Dukkha)
- The Truth of the Origin of Suffering (Samudaya)
- The Truth of the Cessation of Suffering (Nirodha)
- The Truth of the Path to the Cessation of Suffering (Magga)
- The Noble Eightfold Path
- devas (humanoid-like gods)
While I truly respect my parent's religion, and other's - I simply chose to be an atheist. FIrstly, we need to understand what Atheist is, and the misunderstanding that people have.
What Is Atheism?
as stated in atheist.org
Atheism is not an affirmative belief that there is no god nor does it answer any other question about what a person believes. It is simply a rejection of the assertion that there are gods. Atheism is too often defined incorrectly as a belief system. To be clear: Atheism is not a disbelief in gods or a denial of gods; it is a lack of belief in gods.
Atheism is the rejection of god, or a similar like higher power. We believe that to achieve true freedom, there should not be a higher power or gods in general. We believe that when a higher power control what we do or does, and what we must do, it is a sense of dictatorship and does not let people be free.
NOTE: Atheism is not a belief that there is no god.
God can be anyone, it is stated that "An admirable person or a being" so that means god technically, can be just a person that we truly admire but that person must not control us nor take our freedom away.
Atheism is not a religion.
Yes, buddism, in certain sectors are technically considered atheism but they aren't truly atheism. Although Atheism is not really a religion it is protected by the same rights and laws that protect other religions. But that doesn't mean atheism should be considered a religion, it is only considered a lack of beliefs.
Why I chose the lack of beliefs?
While it may seem daunting to others, that there is no "common rule or morals" we see that these morals and rules are made up by us human, no higher being made them. As I grew, my understanding of the world and religion in particular expanded. I truly began to question why must I follow these rules and why must I pray to a stone figure? To me - that makes no sense and a waste of time. Logically, the stone figurine and all the flowers will make no difference, except waste my time. I do respect others and people can believe in whatever they want, I will respect them regardless.
My journey toward atheism wasn't a sudden rejection of god. It was very gradual and slow process of peeling back layers of ingerited beliefs - the questions and the conclustions that resonated with me. It wasn't about rebellion or a desire to shock people - it was about a true search for truth and freedom.
One of the most significant factor in this journey was the power of logical & critical thinking. I surrounded myself into science, philosophy, and history. Afterall that work, and after 2 years of research - I finally found a conclusion, Everything should be answered logically and sciencetifically.
The more I learned about atheism and science, These "higher beings" or "higher power" seems very unlikely and makes no sense to me atleast. The traditional religious explanations seems to lack logical and scienctific support & evidence and often relied on faith and beliefs.
Futhermore, the problem of suffering and peace weighed heavy on my mind - How could an all powerful, all-loving buddha allow such widespread pain, injustice, and tragedy? The attempts to "connect" to ourself and our mind and find peace by making actions to figurinees, seems really just another way to suffer. The idea that suffering servies a greater, unknowable, purpose didn't sit well with me. Instead - it raised further less explainable questions about the nature and beliefs of buddishm. Which I asked to monks, people and the net, but still came to a conclusion that all the questions i ask were unanswerable - meaning that the questions proved my point - in which most of the beliefs are faith and not scienctifically proven.
I have became a novice for 3 day, but it just left me with more questions about life, and it's true purpose. What is considered the sacred truth in one society is often viewed as a mythology in another - and people should respect it.
Overall and ultimately, my choice to identify as an atheist boils down to a commitment to reason and evidence for each fact. It is about acknowledging the proof for the existence of god and embracing the uncertainty that comes with it. It is about finding meaning and purpose on Earth.
This path isn't without its challenges, there are many societal pressures that I've to face in order to truly be an atheist. There is a feeling that sometimes, I am an outsider and that I do not belong here. Though I have grown comfort and reason to that, we do not need to believe everything others believe, what makes us human is to be unique and to express ourselves the way we want. That is the true meaning of life.
However, the freedom that comes with intellectual reasoning, and the fact that i am now 100% free and responsible for my own actions, makes my journey profoundly meaningful - and happy for me.
Choosing atheism wasn't about rejecting the buddhist community or morality. In fact - I still am a Secular Buddist and it has strengthened my appreciation for human connection and my commitment to ethical behavior, not out of fear but out of a genuine desire for a respectful and flourishing society
Overall...
This is my story, and my own reasoning. It is a personal journey, and I had loved it. For me, atheism isn't a definitve answer, but rather an ongoing exploration guided by reason, empathy, and a deep curiosity about the universe in which we live in.
Even though I am an atheist I still believe in Secular Buddhism, which is a sector of buddha buddishm and atheism combined. Which I love, this mean I can still be able to fit in soceity while.
I hope you can find your own faith, or a lack of.