I don't believe in one God or many Gods. My life is godless. But I don't refer to myself as an atheist -- I don't accept the word.
When first used eons ago, it was an insult one Christian might lob at another in an ecclesiastical debate. Later on, it became an even more derogatory term used by Christians to define someone who didn't believe in their brand of Christianity or someone who held firm to a different religion or...gasp...someone who disdained religion altogether. Today, of course, it refers to those people either who don't believe in the concept of God at all or who feel that there is no proof for a God or Gods.
Mind you, I have no issue whatsoever with a Christian adherent using this word. It's part of their terminology. But I'm NOT a Christian and so I don't feel bound by their phraseology. I choose to refer to myself as a philosophical Taoist instead.
Throughout human history many groups have gotten stuck with a name conferred upon them by their enemies. For example, the American Indian tribe known today as the Apaches (enemy) were so named by the Zuni nation. The Gros Ventre (big bellies) were given their names by the French. Often, names of this nature mean simple things like foreigners, people who live south of the river or people who speak with a funny accent.
I realize that many godless people today have decided to take on the mantel of atheist and turn it into a positive word -- sort of wrest it away from the religious folks. For those who have adopted this strategy, I have no qualms. That simply isn't MY strategy.
Personally, I don't want any part of Christendom's word and I refuse to define myself by it. My life is not about negating their beliefs; it's about defining my own.
When first used eons ago, it was an insult one Christian might lob at another in an ecclesiastical debate. Later on, it became an even more derogatory term used by Christians to define someone who didn't believe in their brand of Christianity or someone who held firm to a different religion or...gasp...someone who disdained religion altogether. Today, of course, it refers to those people either who don't believe in the concept of God at all or who feel that there is no proof for a God or Gods.
Mind you, I have no issue whatsoever with a Christian adherent using this word. It's part of their terminology. But I'm NOT a Christian and so I don't feel bound by their phraseology. I choose to refer to myself as a philosophical Taoist instead.
Throughout human history many groups have gotten stuck with a name conferred upon them by their enemies. For example, the American Indian tribe known today as the Apaches (enemy) were so named by the Zuni nation. The Gros Ventre (big bellies) were given their names by the French. Often, names of this nature mean simple things like foreigners, people who live south of the river or people who speak with a funny accent.
I realize that many godless people today have decided to take on the mantel of atheist and turn it into a positive word -- sort of wrest it away from the religious folks. For those who have adopted this strategy, I have no qualms. That simply isn't MY strategy.
Personally, I don't want any part of Christendom's word and I refuse to define myself by it. My life is not about negating their beliefs; it's about defining my own.
I don't know. I like to think we're taking the word back. They use it as an insult, but it's not really an insult. There's worse things I've been called.
ReplyDeleteLike I wrote, I don't begrudge other godless folks who wish to utilize the word. I simply choose not to honor the idea that god worshiping is the default position and anyone not accepting the default position must be given a derogatory label.
ReplyDeleteFurther, it divides the world solely into two camps: god worshipers and not god worshipers with god playing the central role. I reject that mentality and so I reject the word.
when people think of atheists they usually think of people who are not spiritual at all... so i don't use the word. also, it depends on how you define "god" that determines whether or not i believe in it...
ReplyDeletei have been known to use the word 'pagan' or 'heathen' to refer to myself, and they are not well-respected titles among christians either... most of the time i simply refuse to label myself anything though. a name is simply another pointing finger. :D
"My life is not about negating their beliefs; it's about defining my own."
ReplyDeleteHigh five, RT.