defending atheism

There was a study that just came about which compares athiests to rapists.  Seriously, it’s right here. 

People are willing to hire an atheist for a job that is perceived as low trust, for instance as a waitress. But when hiring for a high-trust job like daycare worker, they were like, nope, not going to hire an atheist for that job.

I know this.  I have always known this.  He is my beef, it is based on extremely bad logic.  Don’t worry, I am here to fix your shit, as always.  See, people believe that athiests have no moral compass.  It is assumed that we don’t care about anything because we are not held accountable by a god.  It is a simple logic, and it is a big fallacy.

In fact, it is quite the opposite.  I am WAY more moral than obsequious ass.  Why?  When you (and when I say ‘you’, I mean it in the sense of you being the christian who thinks I am immoral) do something right, it is for selfish reasons.  If you see litter, you don’t pick it up because it is the right thing to do.  You do it beacuse if you are good, you get to go to heaven.  If you are lame, you go to hell.  God is watching you, and that is why do good.  Right?  Don’t lie to me, or your god will kick your ass.  Yes, you are good because your god watches you and judges you.

So, is that moral?  I have a saying pinned up at my desk.  It says ‘integrity is what you do when no one is looking’.  I take that very seriously.  To do the right thing is to do it even if you don’t get extra credit for it.  You are just covering your bases with the god, buster.  That isn’t moral, or even good behavior.  

Now, what would you call someone who does the right thing with no offer of reward?  What if I told you I cheat old ladies out of money NOT to get to heaven… but because it’s the funny thing to do.  For me, an athiest, there is NO upside in doing the right thing.  There is no punishment for being bad.  So, why wouldn’t I be bad all the time?  Why aren’t I stealing your car this very second?  Well, because it isn’t the right thing to do.  It is also because your car sucks.  So, if there is no hell for me, why aren’t out raping?  Because it is the wrong thing to do.  I don’t need god to tell me that, and I don’t need the fear of hell to know anything besides love and compassion is wrong.

* we are done here, I have hopefully made my point.  but, I wanted to share this story.  Some years ago, my good friend Brian and I drove to Nebraska to go see Motley Crue.  Go ahead and read that sentence again.  Anyhow, it was a great trip, and I would do it again tomorrow.  Execpt this guy.  There was a dude in front of the venue, he was a jesus freak (or whatever you assholes call yourselves).  He was screaming at us, about how we were going to hell, and we were terrible people, and on and on and on.  Not cool.  We were all having fun.  I mean, it’s a bunch of 40 year olds going to a rock concert.  We are just stoked that our wives let us out for a night.  We had nothing but love for each other.  So many strangers who had so much in common, we grew up on this music.  It was great, except for screaming asshole guy.  He was the only one who didn’t have love.  I offered the guy a free ticket. I told him (and I meant it) I would buy him a ticket to the show to see what really happens inside.  He demured.  So, THIS guy you trust with your kids over me?  Ok, cool.  I got nothing but love, but keep him away from my family… he has no joy in his heart.  Send him over to live with the Phelps family.

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