Introspection (Introduction)

Intro

My wife married a god fearing Christian and to her great relief an atheist emerged shortly thereafter.

I count myself among the lucky--that my prior faith--and so too my subsequent crisis of faith--played a minimal role in my relationship with the woman I love. In the end, I think it all really depends on how open minded both couples are--and how honest they are with one another (as well as themselves). If one of them turns out to be completely religious--and the other is not--there will undoubtedly be some friction. This friction can be smoothed over by the simple agreement not to talk about religion in the home--like the one my Japanese wife and I had when I was a raging, proselytizing, missionary for Jesus save em' all Christ.

Lesson 1: Family comes first. If you and your significant other share opposing worldviews, be it religious or political, don't talk about religion and/or politics in the home. It will save the both of you a lot of wasted breath and heartache arguing over trivialities.

Not talking about religion in the home is probably what saved my marriage. If I would have continued with my preaching--my every day religious rambling, regardless of how important it seemed to me at the time, I am almost positive my wife would have eventually worn thin--and in all likelihood probably would have distanced herself from me one way or another. Luckily, however, I came to see the light. By light, I mean the truth according to enlightenment values.

Lesson 2: Embrace change instead of fearing it.

It's time for a change of pace here at the Advocatus Atheist. So for the next several months I am going to focus exclusively on myself and my journey from believer to non-believer. It will be the most in-depth analysis of myself and what I believe that I have ever attempted. It will be--pure unadulterated Introspective reflection.

Hopefully you will enjoy reading about my journey from self-righteous Christian tub-thumper to radical atheist polemicist.

The reason I have decided to start this Introspection series is two fold. First of all, I feel it may be of use to others who may be experiencing the same sorts of doubts and who may have similar questions about their faith as I once did. Perhaps they can take something from my experiences. Secondly, I still abide by the rule--out of fidelity to my wife--not to bring the cruel mistress of religious dialog into the home. Therefore, all this and more is best suited for blogging.

Please join me--and remember--these are merely my opinions, experiences, and beliefs according to the revelations I have had along the path from theistic belief to lack thereof. Feel free to treat my Introspection series as one giant letter to the editor--take the best and leave the rest.

As it is a personal reflection of my own life--all I ask is that you be fair in your criticism--that is all. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Tristan Vick

Advocatus Atheist

(Click HERE to read Part 1.)

Atheist Heroes Part 2

Colonel Robert G. Ingersoll, a Civil War veteran, and Free Thought advocate, was often refereed to as the Great Agnostic, and is one of my favorite thinkers. Like Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson (two other men I admire greatly), Ingersoll made it a point to sponsor the enlightenment values of critical thinking, rationality, and the freedom of speech and free inquiry.


Ingersoll was an orator, a speaker, a political leader, and a man of words. Many of his speeches involved a devastatingly eloquent attack on religion, and most of what he said still rings true today. If you ever read Ingersoll, be sure to review his "Lecture on gods" as it is one of the best criticisms of the god concept you'll find past or present. 


In fact, my favorite Ingersoll quote comes from this lecture, in which he states:

"Give me the storm and tempest of thought and action, rather than the dead calm of ignorance and faith. Banish me from Eden when you will; but first let me eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge!"

Among Ingersoll's keen observations are the often insightful anthropological and cultural observations he makes, such as:

"Man has not only created all these gods, but he had created them out of the materials by which he has been surrounded. Generally he has modeled them after himself, and have given them hands, heads, feet, eyes, ears, and organs of speech. Each nation made its gods and devils speak its language not only, but put in their mouths the same mistakes in history, geography, astronomy, and in all matters of fact, generally made by the people.... No god was ever in advance of the nation that created him."

Unbelievers, who in Ingersoll's day often faced the threat of being ostracized from their communities, most all of which were religious, also defended rationalism and gave sound advice to his fellow secular nonbelievers, informing:


"We are asked to stifle every noble sentiment of the soul, and to trample under foot all the sweet charities of the heart. Because we refuse to stulify ourselves--refuse to become liars--we are denounced, hated, traduced and ostracized here, and this same god threatens to torment us in eternal fire the moment death allows him to fiercely clutch our naked helpless souls. Let the people hate, let the god threaten--we will educate them, and we will despise and defy him."


Indeed, it is my opinion that Robert G. Ingersol is one of the few truly inspirational atheist speakers. In fact, Ingersoll's contribution to modern secularists and nonbelievers cannot be overlooked. Ingersoll is cited as having discredited blasphemy laws in the United States, making it difficult for such charges to ever be brought up against those who would criticize god or religion.


Ingersoll was close friends to the great American poet Walt Whitman. Whitman said of Ingersoll, "It should not be surprising that I am drawn to Ingersoll, for he is Leaves of Grass... He lives, embodies, the individuality, I preach. I see in Bob [Ingersoll] the noblest specimen—American-flavored—pure out of the soil, spreading, giving, demanding light."


Upon Whitman's death, Ingersoll gave the eulogy at the poet's funeral. 


I have selected Robert G. Ingersoll as my second atheist hero because he embodies all the things I wish I could be--a better writer, a more eloquent speaker, a good critical thinker, a defender of strong family values, a fighter of human rights and liberties, and a man who sticks to his ideals but isn't afraid of changing his mind when the evidence is convincing. 


If you want to read the works of Robert G. Ingersoll for free, follow the links below. 


The gods and other lectures (1876)
http://www.archive.org/details/MN40110ucmf_3


The Great Speeches of Colonel Ingersoll
http://www.archive.org/details/greatspeechesofc00ingeiala


The works of Robert G. Ingersoll
http://www.archive.org/details/worksofrobertgin01ingeiala