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Letter to God from an Athiest

November 8, 2015
By Larkin SILVER, Santa Rosa, California
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Larkin SILVER, Santa Rosa, California
9 articles 0 photos 39 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Our remedies oft in ourself do lie, which we ascribe to heaven.&quot;<br /> -William Shakespeare

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Dear god,

It is a strange feeling when one finds oneself writing to something in which one does not believe. However, that is the situation I find myself in currently, so I will proceed as best I can.

I do not believe in you. I am the opposite of a spiritualist. The concept of a soul is iffy to me. Do not get me wrong, I have nothing against those who worship you, pray to you, believe in you, find solace in you. If it is through you that those people find the way to be their best selves, so be it. Personally, I find the idea of a divine being unbelievable. In my scientific and logic-based mind, there is no room for a being such as you—capable of altering the world or a single person’s life; watching over us all.

Furthermore, I do not wish that for myself—that someone has a power over the direction in which my life goes. Being an independent person, with my own thoughts and ideas of how to lead my life, I find it frightening to think that there could be someone else even remotely in charge of my life.

Now, here is where I get to my main issue. I see that in all religions, a way of life is mandated, or at least suggested, for that religion’s followers. I see people loosing their individuality for the sake of pleasing you—and I have to wonder: Is that worth it? Do you, in your all-knowingness, appreciate that? Do you see how the idea of you is affecting the world, and smile? Is that truly what you wish for humankind? Were you meant to be placed before the common people? Placed above their own thoughts and actions; above their individual hopes and dreams? I repeat: Is that what you wish for humankind?

I will not sign this letter “yours truly” because I am not yours, nor do I ever hope to become yours. I sign it “your equal,” because to me, you are no greater than any of the other people who walk this planet.

-Olivia

© Michael C., Tully, NY

The author's comments:

This is compeltely opinion, and I have absolutely nothings against people who have a difference experience of God than me. 

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JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 11 comments.

Lucy-Agnes PLATINUM said...
on Nov. 15 2015 at 11:06 pm
Lucy-Agnes PLATINUM, Clarksville, Ohio
22 articles 0 photos 53 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Have the courage to have your wisdom regarded as stupidity. Be fools for Christ. And have the courage to suffer the contempt of the sophisticated world.&quot; - Justice Antonin Scalia

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Oh dear, I hope I didn't sound hateful! I don't hate anyone and hope to see you all in Heaven someday. :)
Infralalenshka BRONZE said...
on Nov. 15 2015 at 7:23 pm
Infralalenshka BRONZE, Boom A Chick A Wow Town, Other
3 articles 1 photo 15 comments

Favorite Quote:
All writers are vain, selfish, and lazy, and at the very bottom of their motives there lies a mystery. -Georges Orwell<br /> It is dangerous to be right in matters on which the established authorities are wrong.<br /> To hold a pen is to be at war. -Voltaire

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I agree with Elisa. It's not even worth arguing. One day an integrist always an integrist. Have a good life girls. I'll enjoy my very sinful one.
ElisaTheDuck ELITE said...
on Nov. 15 2015 at 7:17 pm
ElisaTheDuck ELITE, Rigaud, Other
323 articles 5 photos 166 comments

Favorite Quote:
LOOK AT MY PROFILE. DO IT.

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Ok people is it really necessary to press all of your opinions on each other? This is why religious people and atheists hate each other. Both of you think you're right and are so closed minded I want to cry. The immaturity is real. Thank you all very much; I believe in the truth, not your stinking religions. I seek for the truth until I have found it, not listening to churches or science to impose their opinions on me.
Lucy-Agnes PLATINUM said...
on Nov. 15 2015 at 5:22 pm
Lucy-Agnes PLATINUM, Clarksville, Ohio
22 articles 0 photos 53 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Have the courage to have your wisdom regarded as stupidity. Be fools for Christ. And have the courage to suffer the contempt of the sophisticated world.&quot; - Justice Antonin Scalia

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@Infralalenshka, believing in God doesn't take away the harsh sting. In fact, many times one's faith makes life more full of sufferings than ever. Take my namesakes, St. Lucy and St. Agnes. Their belief cost them their lives - God didn't keep their enemies from killing them. They didn't expect him to make their lives easy. But religion gives the harsh sting purpose. Its peace isn't physical, but spiritual.
ScarletCity PLATINUM said...
on Nov. 15 2015 at 1:43 pm
ScarletCity PLATINUM, High Ridge, Missouri
40 articles 4 photos 68 comments

Favorite Quote:
Anything that can be done, can be undone. ~Scarlet City<br /> http://eepurl.com/dcyZMn

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But you. You live in a first world country too. You can push the bad in the world to the back of your mind, because it doesn't affect you too much. Not directly. You probably haven't had a reason to 'numb your emotions' because you haven't felt the 'harsh sting' like the people in Paris felt. And, BTW, I don't numb my emotions, I feel them in hyperspeed. I just know that they are temporary, which allows me to move on after something horrible.
Infralalenshka BRONZE said...
on Nov. 14 2015 at 2:05 am
Infralalenshka BRONZE, Boom A Chick A Wow Town, Other
3 articles 1 photo 15 comments

Favorite Quote:
All writers are vain, selfish, and lazy, and at the very bottom of their motives there lies a mystery. -Georges Orwell<br /> It is dangerous to be right in matters on which the established authorities are wrong.<br /> To hold a pen is to be at war. -Voltaire

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The harsh sting is what life is made of. Usually I'd of just let go, but today something happened. Paris. That's not Islam. That's religion and the people in it. Not all religious people are bad, it's those who try to enforce it on others that make me cringe. Christianity is far from clean, your so called Gods, Yahvé, Jehovah, Allah or Flying Spaghetti Monster (my personal favourite), have done absolutely nothing to help. But, you, on a daily basis feel blessed and loved by the so powerful top-bunker. That's not God, that's being born in a first world country. So, no, I don't numb my emotions with delusions of a magical being that has the same purpose as a night light, I take all the pain life gives me knowing that I am the one ruling my life and if I want it gone, I deal with it. BTW, atheist isn't an insult.
ScarletCity PLATINUM said...
on Nov. 13 2015 at 4:56 pm
ScarletCity PLATINUM, High Ridge, Missouri
40 articles 4 photos 68 comments

Favorite Quote:
Anything that can be done, can be undone. ~Scarlet City<br /> http://eepurl.com/dcyZMn

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@Infralalenshka @Larkin You may think you can feel all emotions, especially because you are a writer. or a poet. But, no one who disbelieves. God (aka, an atheist) can ever feel all emotions truly. Knowing God changes how I feel love. It's sweeter, more special. Knowing God changes how I feel sadness, grief. The harsh sting is taken away. You will never know the movement, the stirring of God inside you. It makes everything better. And just like @Lucy-Agnes says, its freeing. I know that he loves me, and that's all that is important. I know that it doesn't matter what other people think. But, we are all entitled to what we think, so I hold nothing against you.
Lucy-Agnes PLATINUM said...
on Nov. 12 2015 at 2:36 pm
Lucy-Agnes PLATINUM, Clarksville, Ohio
22 articles 0 photos 53 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Have the courage to have your wisdom regarded as stupidity. Be fools for Christ. And have the courage to suffer the contempt of the sophisticated world.&quot; - Justice Antonin Scalia

View profile
It doesn't make me uncomfortable - it just makes me sad. I know there are going to be people who don't believe in God, but I'll still do all I can to show them how much He loves them. Believing in God is such a marvelous, beautiful, and freeing thing. I don't want anyone to miss out on it.
Infralalenshka BRONZE said...
on Nov. 12 2015 at 12:31 pm
Infralalenshka BRONZE, Boom A Chick A Wow Town, Other
3 articles 1 photo 15 comments

Favorite Quote:
All writers are vain, selfish, and lazy, and at the very bottom of their motives there lies a mystery. -Georges Orwell<br /> It is dangerous to be right in matters on which the established authorities are wrong.<br /> To hold a pen is to be at war. -Voltaire

View profile
Why does it make you religious folk so uncomfortable that someone is able to not believe in a higher being?
Infralalenshka BRONZE said...
on Nov. 12 2015 at 12:28 pm
Infralalenshka BRONZE, Boom A Chick A Wow Town, Other
3 articles 1 photo 15 comments

Favorite Quote:
All writers are vain, selfish, and lazy, and at the very bottom of their motives there lies a mystery. -Georges Orwell<br /> It is dangerous to be right in matters on which the established authorities are wrong.<br /> To hold a pen is to be at war. -Voltaire

View profile
I really liked this. Thank you! :D
Lucy-Agnes PLATINUM said...
on Nov. 12 2015 at 10:15 am
Lucy-Agnes PLATINUM, Clarksville, Ohio
22 articles 0 photos 53 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Have the courage to have your wisdom regarded as stupidity. Be fools for Christ. And have the courage to suffer the contempt of the sophisticated world.&quot; - Justice Antonin Scalia

View profile
A Letter to an Atheist from God My precious Olivia, It is a very sad feeling to be speaking to someone whose ears are closed to my plea; but, alas, my daughter, it is a feeling I know all too well. Olivia, I love you. Will you not draw close to my heart long enough to hear me whisper those four little words? I love you, Olivia - I love you. So much do I love you, that I have left my Heaven for you - come down to Earth as a tiny and helpless babe, weak and poor and looked down upon. I have shed all my blood for you, Olivia, upon the hard wood of the cross - all because you are so precious to me, my daughter. Are my rules really what I want for my children? Do I want their happiness restricted, their independence blighted? My daughter, I value your independence and your individuality more than you yourself do. It is because of this that I have set certain rules for you, that I have given you guidelines that will lead you to happiness - for happiness, Olivia, is all I want for you. You were made for me, my love - as much as that may alarm and frighten you, you were made for me. Oh, Olivia. Do you worry my laws will rob you of your identity? Force you to conform to a standard that is not yours? My daughter, look around you! It is not I who ask you to become something less; it is the world. It is selfishness. It is sin. It is greed and peer pressure and hedonism and vain ambition which ask you to lower yourself, to lose your identity. Do you really wish to run away from me, to follow the ways of the world? - For running away from me is not to escape conformity but to conform - to conform to the whisperings of the world. It takes courage, independence, and, yes, individuality to follow me, Olivia. My challenge to you - my plea - is will you have enough courage to do it? Whether or no you believe in me, my daughter, I love you. Nothing can change that. I love you. I shall always remain your Father, your Creator, your Redeemer - your Friend. And I shall never stop loving you.