I just read an excellent essay by a Canadian woman named Cathy Oliver. It was originally published on Pharyngula, P.Z. Myers' excellent blog. Here is a link to it on Alternet. The author tells of the occasion when she realized exactly why she was an atheist. I won't spoil it by telling too much, but I do want to quote two of her lines from the essay because they are truly priceless in their summation of why it is better to be an atheist:
Followed by this in the next paragraph:
I wanted to share these because they are both (especially when used together) excellent short answers to why one prefers to be an atheist--something that almost all atheists have to explain on occasion.
"I’m really an atheist because religion is selling ignorant bliss – and I don’t want it."
Followed by this in the next paragraph:
"If I have to trade a bit of happiness for the ability to think for myself – done."
I wanted to share these because they are both (especially when used together) excellent short answers to why one prefers to be an atheist--something that almost all atheists have to explain on occasion.
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