No God Needed, Thank You

Why do belivers, of any ilk think it is okay to tell me what I need?

Just the other day I exclaimed how I was sick of men’s professional sports taking up so much visual bandwidth in our lives. I exclaimed on a friend’s post “F#@! Professional Sports!” and I left it at that.

My friend, genuinely curious asked for some clarification which I replied including how much time and money is wasted and how exhausting it is to listen to people live and die by the success/failure of their team.

I thought that is that… I said my peace and I can go on with my day and my life.

Not so much... First, an acquaintance from high school shared her positive experiences with supporting teams. How she spends time with friends and family watching and it brings her joy. That was great. I thanked her for her sharing and once again moved on with my day…

Then, this person happened…

I should have gone to this person’s FB page to see with whom I am dealing, but the first message was asking me why I have such ‘negative’ feelings about sports. So, assuming that they were genuinely curious to understand my position, I replied:

Thank you for your anecdotal experience sharing. I get that many people have experiences that bring them joy, that doesn't mitigate the problematic items related to professional sports (most specifically in male professional sports). I get that you have had an experience that is positive. I, personally played sports my entire life (BTW - that didn't stop me from smoking pot in high school or attending parties where under-aged drinking happened), that doesn't mean that there aren't problems with professional sports as they are now. What made you take the time to respond in this manner? I don't have the power to take away your sport(s). I believe that we can do better and we don't have to waste our days watching other people play sports. Yes, you are correct, every walk of life has dangers and violence happens. That doesn't mean we should throw up our hands and do nothing. We can do better. We can acknowledge that there are problems and speak up. You asked why I find professional sports as a negative thing... I find the way Professional sports are foisted upon those who don't care a lick disturbing. Yes, I can just not watch the channels that show them, but have you seen the sheer number of professional sports channels and presentations in a single day? If we had just half of those looking at how to make the world a better place... I support many women's professional sports and I am not proposing that we end the practice, I am stating that the way things are now is unhealthy and has issues that should be considered before spending precious time and money on them. Here is some food for thought: https://freakonomics.com/.../should-america-and-fifa-pay.../

To which they responded:

I had to hold myself back from grading the writing here.

But, reading her message, it quickly became clear that she has a very narrow worldview that forces her to attack me as a person instead of my ideas and arguments.

I worked very hard to focus on acknowledging their positive experience and sharing my experience and understanding, not to persuade her to be different, just to consider other options. As Adam Grant says, we all can make room to “think again.” In turn, I received a message from her that clearly I am flawed because I don’t believe in God.

No, I don’t believe in God. I never have.

I learned early on that I don’t have to have a dogma to be a good, decent, and moral person. I was the child who could not fall asleep at night if I got away with doing something wrong.

I tried on some belief systems for size and nothing really fit.

When I went to confirmation class with my friend, I lost all interest when I discovered that the first two chapters of Genesis are two different stories. That is when it dawned on me that these systems are simply a creation by people wishing to exert power over others.

I like Pagan celebratory practices because they celebrate the natural world. The phases of the moon, the changing of the season. Do I believe in an all-overarching power that makes these things happen? No.

Do I need something like that to decide which decisions are moral and which are not? No.

I just need to know how my decisions affect others and the world around me.

When I tell people I am not religious I am often met with “Neither am I” I just follow the bible, dogma, etc…. Now, I say, I am not a believer. Still, people want to put me in their box, or feel sorry for me for my being lacking in some way.

I am not lacking in curiosity in this world. I look for things that bring joy and peace to my life. That doesn’t include dogma or belief in an ethereal being.

I do work to understand the world devout people live in. How is it that your beliefs are the only thing about you? Why is it front and center in your life? What else makes you interesting? What makes it okay for you to share your beliefs if they are personal to you? Is it because some tome says so? Why does it say so? Why do you have to take that, and not the other more problematic things, as gospel?

What I DO believe in is that we as humans having a human experience in this world deserve to be treated with understanding for their right to exist as much as you do.

I will stand up for those who have lost their voice. I honor your right to believe as you do, but I do not have to respect it nor do I have to listen to it. If you pray before a meal or in a public place I will politely sit quietly as you do. Please don’t tell me I must do the same, or that have to follow your path, or I am lacking in some way, your path is not mine.