The biggest misconception I’ve run up against is that just because you are an atheist you can’t possibly care about anything, can’t have empathy or compassion for other people’s troubles or just aren’t capable of doing anything remotely good in this world. They are just ignorant and/or brainwashed to believe that we are the scum of the earth. The way I continually try to change that is to just show up to those things that need attention, be the force for good when it’s required and point out where the those that would criticize me are actually lacking in their ability to be helpful.

2. Do you think there is extra-terrestrial or extra-universal intelligence?

Anything is possible, but when it’s more than just a tv show, I’ll believe!

3. What in your opinion is the poorest argument for religion and why?

“Just look around you, how can there NOT be a god?” It bothers me more than any other because of the person’s inability to question or lack of wanting to discover the answers. They CHOSE to remain ignorant.

4. What would would be your perfect society? Secular? non religious? Anarchic? Why?

The perfect society for me would be one without religion. And frankly, lately, I’m beginning to lean more towards a society where I would be isolated on a deserted island away from all of it! lol

5. If when you die Jesus is there how would you justify yourself to him and what do you think his response would be?

I guess he would owe me a huge facepalm and I would owe him a “oops, my bad!” If all is true about what should occur for my disobedience, I guess I’ll be licking the flames with Lucifer.

2. Do you think there is extra-terrestrial or extra-universal intelligence? I think it is highly likely. Whether or not we will ever see, meet or interact with intelligent beings from these places is highly unlikely.

3. What in your opinion is the poorest argument for religion and why? Adults with imaginary friends are mentally ill. There are no limits to the levels of ignorance that a person can exhibit once they come to
the conclusion that god exists

4. What would would be your perfect society? Secular Humanist, because it is the only system that can foster true morality.

5. If when you die Jesus is there how would you justify yourself to him and what do you think his response would be? I would ask him why he failed so miserably to convince so many people that he existed. Failed in his venue, failed in his representatives, failed in his presence, failed in his uniqueness. I would have no idea what his response would be as I have no belief in heaven, hell or the afterlife.

1. What in your opinion is the biggest misconception about atheism?, why is it? and what would you do to change it?

I think that one of the biggest misconceptions about atheism–and I’m at a loss to describe *the* biggest misconception–is that, deep down, we really are theists who are pissed off at God for one reason or another. “There are no atheists in foxholes,” they say, and I think this more than most things causes a stickiness because it leads them to be ultimately dismissive of our position, and us. To change it–just like we change any perceptions about us, try to become a positive force and reinforce reality rather than fiction. Our darling Hitch, as much as I hate hate hate what he is going through, is courageously facing his illness without converting back to theism out of misplaced fear; I hate it so much, but I’m glad that anything positive might come of it. He is a very public atheist in a foxhole, a very notable example that, yes, our positions are true and we are not just people who deny gods out of anger or spite, we truly don’t believe.

2. Do you think there is extra-terrestrial or extra-universal intelligence?

I think it’s definitely possible, and I’d say it’s even probable, given the enormity of the universe. I don’t think we’ll ever meet any intelligent life from other planets, though–our ability to travel and communicate at those distances may never come to fruition (I doubt they will, at least).

3. What in your opinion is the poorest argument for religion and why?

The ol’ standby–”The Bible says so.” *gnash teeth* I will grant any theist that I don’t know if there was a deity that created the universe or not. It will never be possible in my lifetime, I imagine, to see so far back that we can trace the universe back to–what? whatever was the beginning, if there was a beginning. I can’t say. What drives me crazy is not theism itself, but the idea that millennia-old books written by people who were barely literate, re-translated hundreds and thousands of times, not only hold the ultimate truth in the universe but that we should all be subjected to them!

4. What would would be your perfect society? Secular? non religious? Anarchic? Why?

I have to agree that a society based on reason would be pretty freakin’ sweet. My ultimate desire is not to convert all of the theists but to be left alone to live my life without the influence of religion. I think this may happen one day far in the future, but I also think that humans are not rational enough for this to be a quick process; it’s far too easy to appeal to any human emotionally, regardless of religious belief or non-belief, and that more than anything drives human ignorance.

5. If when you die Jesus is there how would you justify yourself to him and what do you think his response would be?

Hrm. I’d give Jesus the ol’ Bertrand Russell line about evidence, and then, if I had occasion, I’d ask him to justify himself to *me*. My life is a product of my experiences; if he or God had control over my experiences, why not lend a hand when I needed it most? Not that I’m pissed off at God for not helping, or whatever–obviously, I can’t be pissed off at what doesn’t exist, and that I never see His hand in anything is one of the things that led me to stop believing in God. But, if I found He DID exist . . . . well, Lucy, you got some splainin’ to do.

Another one I hear too much and makes me shudder is “Why would you bother not doing evil things if you believe nothing matters after you die and that you won’t go to hell?”
First of all, just because I believe that my existence ends with death means it won’t matter to ME afterward, but my actions on earth will survive me and matter to everyone who is still alive. And I’m not dead yet, so it matters to me now. After all, I have to be able to live with myself (because I actually DO hold myself accountable). Since I believe my lifetime is all I have and not just a preparation for death, isn’t it all the more important to make sure I live it well?

As for #5, if I discovered there was a God or an afterlife I’d be surprised. As long as I felt I’d been a good person I wouldn’t feel the need to justify myself, and if God was a wise and benevolent being then I probably wouldn’t have to. If it was the sort of God who would punish me just because I didn’t worship him then I would feel his priorities were skewed and he didn’t really care whether you were good or not. And if it turned out to be Fred Phelps’ version of God, I would rather go to Hell than be the kind of person he wanted me to be.