BRUCE’S RAMBLINGS

Dear Pastor Bruce,

There is no deity. There is no God. And per your request, I write you this letter to explain my interpretation of these sentences. In today’s world, I wish that I had the ability to scribe these explanations in Arabic and Hebrew. Nonetheless, I profess these words in English with confidence and without fear. There is no deity. There is no God.

It is astonishing how the association of these words (their utterance in any human linguistic form) brings fear and anguish into the minds of billions who hear them and, in an even more substantiated spectacle, a casting of disgrace upon people who say them. While it is untrue that atheists have no sense of grace, the utterance of these phrases or -- perhaps more accurate -- the meanings that humans associate with these words acquiesce an impassioned defensiveness worthy of correction. I aim to dispel the negativity associated with atheism and re-define its formulation. Atheism is the opposite of a specific kind of imagination. Think about it… If there were no make-believe notion of a God (or gods), then there would be no notion of atheism. Having said this, I caution humans against conjuring any inference that suggests that atheists lack imagination. This too is untrue.

Once upon a time, a human being invented the concept of a deity. In all probability, this being had already mastered basic survival skills (hunting and gathering), learned to obey natural circadian rhythms (a biochemical need for rest), fallen victim to the hormonal cascades that initiate libido (had sex), witnessed birth, nurtured, loved and shared generously in life’s abundance (thinking, signaling, navigating and avoiding). This human being – the one that invented God – had a healthy tummy, a healthy heart, and a healthy mind. But long before the concept of a deity was invented, the absence of this concept governed life. That is to say, for a period of time before this human being invented the idea of a God (or, more accurately, gods), it recognized and depended upon: sunrise, sunset, and rain; the germination of seed, natural patterns of ‘wild’ animals, hunting, fire, and spoilage; as well as an insatiable drive for sex and the emotions of love that offspring inspire. Certainly, Pastor Bruce, a duration of time (tens of thousands of years, at least) existed before this human being began its godly imaginings. And during this time, it ate, it slept, it hunted, it experienced an orgasm (hopefully two), and it gazed at the stars. It dreamed, it imagined, and it wondered. It was human, and that is what humans do. 

Then one day, “Poof!” this healthy person thought about sea-dragons and mermaids and unicorns, and “poof!” strange questions arose like, “what would it be like to be part-horse and part-human?” These were innocent yet ridiculous ideas. They were fantasies based on nature. They were neither good nor bad, but they were fun thoughts outside the responsibilities of sharpening a tool, or collecting kindling, or burping a newborn. In fact, they were fantastically fun thoughts and an attentive escape for this human who would eventually invent a deity. By golly, this person enjoyed its imaginings -- these thoughts felt good! Other people smiled at the imaginative manifestation of these thoughts and even laughed as their children reacted to the description of these concepts. 

So now imagine a well-fed cave society sitting around the fire -- it’s story time! (…and not unlike the narratives of present day congregations). We cannot pretend to believe that these descriptions of flying equines or humans with fins or any other fantastical idea did not pre-date the human concept of gods (polytheism) – and especially the evolved concept of one, true God (monotheism). Theism is conventional, so by definition atheists are not self-defined. Where an atheist might naturally examine the meaning of life or, perhaps, even millions of fantastical and imaginative thoughts, no atheist would conjure the certainty of a deity. But the atheist must accept that fellow humans propose the existence of both monotheism and polytheism. Therefore, by examining the behaviors of our predecessors we will better contextualize how pre-religious humans entertained fantastical imaginings that conjured good feelings. Let us not forget that (in all probability) the occurrence of these thoughts arose only after experiencing the pleasant feeling one gets upon emptying a distended bladder, and the occurrence of these fantasies only arose after a good-nights rest when the earth’s temperatures were neither too cold nor too hot, and the occurrence of these ideas conjured feelings only after food had triggered the biochemical messages of satiety. I imagine a soft smiling person with a heavy relaxed sigh, Ahhhh… “Poof!” everyone giggled. Then this person invented Poseidon, and “poof!” everyone giggled. Then this person invented Zeus, and “poof!” everyone giggled. Then this person invented Yahweh and Allah and God. Oh, what fun thoughts! Oh, what beautiful feelings!

Atheism is simply a non-attended contrast to wonderful imaginings. Though not akin to the innate ignorance of a remote non-Christian villager living in South East Asia at 1000 A.D., it is still nothingness. Atheism could not exist without fantastical ideas about God, but neither is it a militaristic assault on inventive thoughts or even deep beliefs. Nor is atheism a collective chastisement of beautiful feelings or neurological coping mechanisms. Atheism is nothing. There is no Deity. There is no God. And it is my hope that an emotional dampening of these words will help create a more harmonious union between Atheists and non-Atheists.

Pastor Bruce, you are my good friend. I love you and your family dearly, and I feel the same affection from you. So I thank you for this opportunity to express my definition of these two phrases, and I look forward to your reply.