I reject the Pledge of Allegiance for two primary reasons: the stereotypical atheist’s “under god” and the line about “with liberty and justice for all”. Both these statements amount to nothing more than bullshit.
Let’s start with the under god part. It wasn’t even originally there. I’ll even quote the original incarnation of it:
I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
No reference to God. I mean the United States isn’t even founded on religious principals. Other than that issue, this form of the pledge is almost okay. Almost. Except for that one inaccuracy. Liberty and justice for all? When did that happen? It clearly is not in effect in America. We still have race issues, sexism, and bigotry. The greatest example of this in justice is the ban on gay marriage. How is that encompassing everybody’s right to liberty and justice? It isn’t. So I choose not to say the Pledge.
Some people say that my refusal to recite what is loosely a public prayer is anti-american. That simply is not true. I am proud of my country (generally) and I always stand up. Those who refuse to even stand when the Pledge is being recited are being disrespectful and rude. Instead I just stand there in silence whenever the oppurtunity occurs. Maybe one day we will have a society that not only promotes, but has liberty, justice and equality for all its citizens. On that day, I’ll be happy to say the Pledge. Minus the Under God of course.
I discovered this the other day when looking for ocarina tabs(I ordered one the other day and I am quite excited to start playing.). The lyrics are just sung in place of the regular lines of Amazing Grace. I think they are worth memorizing and substituting them in whenever possible. What do you think, is it too much to desecrate such a deep and beloved song?
“Let Go Of Faith”
Let go of ‘faith’
It’s truth we need.
And ‘faith’ steps in the way.
From birth to grave
We must seek truth
Or live as haunted slaves.
If you claim you know
You don’t learn more
There is always more to know
As we live and love
And work for peace
Seeking truth is how we grow.
I always enjoy reading the different variations of this analogy. Plus it is fun to pull them out when the inevitable “BUT ATHEISM IS A RELIGION!!!!!!!” rant starts. So I thought I would try and list as many as I can find/think of. Please feel free to contribute via the comments!
Atheism is a religion like not collecting stamps is a hobby
Atheism is a religion like health is a type of disease.
Atheism is a religion like off is a TV channel.
Atheism is a religion like abstinence is a type of sex.
Atheism is a religion like a big mac is healthy. (Yea this one is kind of iffy, but laughable.)
Atheism is a religion like bald is a hair color.
Atheism is a religion like clear is a color.
Atheism is a religion like sitting on your ass is a form of exercise.
Atheism is a religion like the way that Fox News is a reputable and balanced news source.
Atheism is a religion like celibacy is a sex life. (Similar to one above, but oh well.)
Atheism is a religion like starvation is just a different kind of eating.
Atheism is a religion like anarchism is just another political theory.
Let me know if you think any of these don’t work, or how they are recieved among others. 
This might be going too far, (and I am definately going to Hell for this), but it’s funny, right?
This was something I’ve wondered about before. God already knows how things are going to happen, right? Isn’t everything part of His ‘plan’? So praying and asking for God to give/change something in your life is pointless, isn’t it? So what is the point? Feel free to post comments about what you think.
This is something I’ve always wondered about. Why would God make a creature with such “natural” flaws? Why even put in an appendix or wisdom teeth? Just to fuck with us? Ockham’s Razor tells me to probably just stick with the whole evolution idea for this one…
Conversations with religious people seem tend to bring up the comfort of not knowing. People have been taught about the “wonder” of God for years and seem unwilling to consider letting these ideas. Others are frightened by the idea of a limited life span and become angry when it is suggested there is no afterlife. I can relate to this in some respects, take the concept of love for instance.
I want to believe it is a truly magical thing that happens between people and it is all good. But that’s not how it really is. In the end it solely comes down to chemicals and evolution. I guess it kind of revolves around that Carl Sagan quote
“For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.”
Sure it feels good to lie to yourself and say you will live forever. But is this a good tactic? Personally I’d rather accept the cold, hard truth of a happy little lie. I accept that one day I will die and be buried. That’s it. Game over. Yet, this gives me inspiration. I know I only have one chance to live and that each day is especially important to not squander. I’m not working for the afterlife, I’m working to improve this current life. I’m reminded of an Einstein quote I like:
“Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death”.
Think critically and enjoy every moment of life you get. Trust those who seek the truth and question those who appear to know it.
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