A Mental Challenge

When tragedy strikes  our country or abroad  we deal with it in many personal ways. Some aspire anger,others sorrow,grief or tears. Fill in the blank here of how you react to the news of school shootings or massacres in movie theaters. Many people seek their comfort from misery in God. The mass majority of people I know will utter prayers,and declare that God is in control even though we don't understand his ways in times like these. As many believers seek solace in a higher power for comfort,Us non-believers cope in a much different way. 

As a non-believer sometimes I grow tired and often get frustrated over the overwhelming approach that people seek prayer for comfort. "Putting everything in God's hands" is not a valid reasoning for trying to understand the why and how tragedy strikes in our world. To me its a failure to reason honestly about the nature and understanding of the world. It almost seems to the non-believer like the situation is being ignored all together,even though I know that's not the case it sure seems that way. 

As an atheist I can tell you that based on the people that surround me from day to day and those of whom I interact with on a daily basis via Facebook makes one feel very alone in the world. My view vs hundreds of believer's views. And so I make it a point to challenge the mind of the believer. In a haste of rushing out the door I quipped the following status update on Friday evening that started a firestorm.

"God this and God that...and Praise Jesus for survivors! This not intended to be insulting but merely factual when I suggest that believers are mentally challenged....."

Now that's far enough. This status was spawned from the outcry of the terrible school shooting this week that left some 20 school children dead. Most of everyone's status was referencing this shooting and most were turning to higher power and prayer. So I lashed out... Hastily.  And unfortunately my statement can easily be interpreted as I think believers are mentally retarded. This is a mistake on my part and my apologies are being declared here.

My intentions were not in any way to insult of belittle the believer. My intentions were,as with all, anti-belief status or posts meant to cause believers to think. And consider a non-believer's approach to coping with such madness as witness in CT.

My posts are always meant to challenge the believer to understand what its like to be the non believer. I'm issuing a mental challenge. It is,after all, mentally challenging to understand anyone's point of view that can conflict your on personal beliefs not just with religion but with any subject matter. 

Lesson learned...think before you speak(or type) and not rely on anger to voice haste opinions. This should apply to all.