The Work of the Devil?

I’m assuming that this will be a rather short blog post because it is mostly just drawn out questions. It has now become common knowledge that I am an atheist and I have a huge problem with the lack of secularism in this country. Today I had, what I like to consider, an epiphany. It lead me to a lot of questions so I would like to direct them outward. But the question/statement I propose is more from the perspective of if there was/is a god.

I was thinking of the idea of there being a devil and the devil playing tricks to make sinners out of people so they would go to hell. So let’s pretend that this devil does exist and that god exists as well. What seems like the most obvious thing to me is that with all the hate, murder, rape, etc. that is in the bible, is it not the most logical conclusion for a theist to come to that organized religion is the work of the devil? God gave us this impeccable ability to think, question, and discover and this religious book tells us not to use what god gave us. Isn’t god giving us all these gifts and telling us not to use it antithetical? So with that said, wouldn’t the next logical conclusion to come to is that god’s infamous test for humans is to put us on a religiously covered planet with only our ability to question, think, and each other to rely on and hope that we trust our brain to overcome the clear lies placed in front of us? Would that not be the better test as opposed to testing us by wanting us not to trust the brains that god gave us?

I based these questions on the Judeo-Christian belief system but it applies to all religions. Maybe, if there is a god, the test is to think for ourselves and to break free from the intellectual chains that religion places upon you.

I am still an atheist and most of you are still theist and that is fine. It is impossible to know whether there is a creator or not and that part is not worth arguing. But what I know for sure is false is the idea that a creator would give us this book filled with murder, rape, slavery, and blindfolds and send us to eternal damnation for pointing out just how idiotic it is. Think about and question everything. If god does exist, then that is why he gave you that ability.

I will send you off with my favorite religious quote. “Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, then they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones… I am not afraid.” Marcus Aurelius

Shackled

I have never written on this blog about my personal life or growth. But I think that it is relevant today. I am going to write about my awakening and use “Plato’s Republic” to do it. First off, I know many people have not read this book so I will give a brief summary of what relevant story I am referring to. In book VII of The Republic, Socrates uses a story to metaphorically explain a person’s inner ability to become educated. That story is called The Allegory of the Cave.

In the story, a group of people are shackled entirely causing an inability to move or look anywhere besides this wall. It is dark but there are shadows casted onto the wall. Because these people were born and have always lived this way, this is the only reality they know. One day, a person comes down into the cave and breaks the shackles off one of the men. He tries to explain the truth to this man but the truth was too much to bear. He refuses to believe him.

After some time, the cave man is willing to venture on his rescuer takes him higher in the cave behind where they have been shackled. He shows the cave man the fire, the people, and statues that had been behind them causing the shadows to appear on the wall and the voices that were heard. Again, the truth was far too much to bear. It hurt the cave man a lot.

After some time, as before, the cave man was willing to venture on. The rescuer takes him outside but the sun was so bright he could not see. He fell to the ground in agony. He then started to touch the grass and see the shadows casted by the trees. He could later see reflections off the water and then the water itself. It could see the trees and plants and, eventually, he was finally read to see the sun.

The cave man was given the chance to go back into the cave and tell the others what he saw. When he did, the others called him a fool. They resisted and told him to come back and stay with them because that was the true reality. But as much as the cave man’s discovery hurt, he refused to go back. He knew that it was better to know the truth and it hurt than to live in blissful ignorance.

When I first read this story, I saw it as my growing up into an atheist. I went to church and believed in god growing up. But at age 14, I started to have little questions. The little questions turned into big questions. The questions drove me forward into finding answers. It was painful because I never knew anyone who questioned Christianity. But I pushed forward until I finally realized that it could not possibly be true. The questions were my shadows and reflections and the atheism was my sun.

I now see that this story fits so much more than just religion. It fits our entire functionalistic society. We are raised in shackles. Whether our chains are religion or the comfort of having a roof over our head, we are enslaved. Most people are so dependent upon the system that they don’t want to see the truth. They are not ready, even if it is right in front of their face. There are many of us who do see the truth, however. We see that we are used as pawns for a few people’s benefits. They are using religion, money, comfort, etc. to keep us enslaved. We must break away from our shackles if we ever want true freedom. The problem is, are we ready? Are any of us really ready to give up the comfort of that warm cave and go through the pain of leaving without a place to go in order to find the truth? I originally started writing this as a message to others but as I write, I realize that it is a message to me. I may see the truth, but am I ready to break out of the cave and face the fear of the unknown in order to try to free everyone else? I don’t know. But I must. This world needs it and if I don’t, who will? Face your fears, Bryan. Stop looking at the sun through a cage, break out and go feel its warmth. Now is the time!